Okla. Senate Republicans outline 06 agenda (tax cuts + intelligent design)

[Thom Little]

Senate Republican leaders outlined their agenda for the upcoming session that includes income-tax cuts, repeal of the estate tax and further reforms to the state's tort and workers' compensation systems.

They also want to incorporate "intelligent design" into state science books and remove homosexual-themed books from library shelves.

Senate Republicans, a minority party, are the first to announce their general goals for the 2006 session. They are seeking to take control of the Senate, likely to be a battleground in November, with Democrats clinging to a 26-22 majority.

"We need new leadership that will allow fresh and innovative ideas to flourish," Senate Republican Leader Glenn Coffee of Oklahoma City said


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OK_GOP_AGENDA_OKOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-12-01-01-17-58

[cornermouse]

1. Political Correctness, republican style...

[Charlie Brown]

2. "remove homosexual-themed books from library shelves"

There is NO WAY this will be upheld as legal. No sane judge will allow this to stand.

Not Scalia, Roberts, Alito. No one.

Even Oklahoma's courts will have to really pull stuff out of their asses to uphold this one.

[AlinPA]

5. "Not Scalia, Roberts, Alito. No one".......????? These are right wing

judges, especially Roberts, so I'm not sure I agree with you.

[Charlie Brown]

6. On what possible grounds would they support a book ban?

Even conservative justices cannot simply make up precedence. They're going to have to find a justifiable reason for Oklahoma to remove the books.

Distaste for the subject matter is not justification. That would violate both the US constitution and the Oklahoma constitution.

Scalia, Roberts, Alito, and the other six justices will all shoot this one down.

[AlinPA]

8. Last time I counted, there were at least 5 republican SC justices.

[Charlie Brown]

9. To be fair, there are 7 republican SC justices

Don't forget Stevens and Souter.

[AlinPA]

10. Those two are somewhat reasonable from what I've read.

[RoyGBiv]

7. I'm guessing here ...

But, judging that this is Coffee running his mouth, I think he's talking about libraries in public schools. The State Board of Education, which is highly politicized, does has some level of authority in this area.

Not that that makes this any better.

In any case, this is less about policy than it is about tactics. The GOP has trying to take over both branches of the state legislature, and for the first time in a long time, they're withing striking distance. This agenday gives them the upper hand, whether they do any of this or not. It's really enough for the OK GOP to have fired the first shot. They've done their usual job of forcing state Democrats to respond to their agenda, which is usually centered around moralistic themes such as these.

[ixion]

3. fresh and innovative ideas? ID?

hmmmm... I would debate that being neither 'fresh' nor 'new' :eyes:

OKLAHOMA... chasing Kansas into obscurity.

[LostinVA]

4. My nephew's school district in OK doesn't teach evolution

He's in a Gifted & Talented program,a nd they STILL don't. For Xmas last year, he asked me to get him a good book on Evolution, and I did. His science teacher gave him some more resources. I told him to make sure to do something when he applies to colleges next year: tell them about his evolution self study. Admission offices know which school districts don't teach evolution. Now THIS. Oi!

[prolesunited]

11. Distract the populace

with emotional debates over religion and gays while destroying the middle class and reaming workers. I guess they don't bother being original since it apparently works so well.

[sofa king]

12. So stupid, it just might work.

[depakid]

13. Is there something in the water?

Per capita, Oklahoma seems to have the highest number of deranged invididuals anywhere on the planet.

The majority there won't be happy until they've turned their state into a third world theocratic nightmare-

Why is it that people are like this? It seems to me so self-destructive.

[Kazak]

14. 'Never thought I'd say this, but...

If they pass ID in Oklahoma, I'm headin' for Texas!

:puke: