As is now my routine on the way to work, I was listening to Steve Summers' program. Congressman I took was his guest speaking about the new freeway. I took said the problem was to many legislators taking away money and sending eslewhere. Well, duh! It is the expression "the pot calling the kettle black." HE is the one taking away funds.

Since I was driving, I could not write everything he said, however, everything he said was laying the blame on someone OTHER than the one who should take the blame... Himself.

No light rail, funds not yet in place for a major freeway... Blame I took.

His complaint is hilarious. He's the one who took funds away from OKC and sent them to Salt Lake for a rail system there. And tihs guy is complaining about sending funds elsewhere? Ha!

Again, it's a federal highway, so the only ones you can blame for funding not coming through to replace the highway are our US Senators and US Congressmen.

It's totally absurd that our congressman was head of the transportation committee, yet somehow when it came time to help OKC with our transportation problems, he pleads powerlessness. Normally when a district has a congressman in such a position of authority, losing his chairmanship would be a major blow to the district, but he did so little for OKC in his time as chairman that we'll scarcely notice the difference.

I wish that someone-democrat, republican, independant, I don't care- any warm body would run a real campaign against this guy. When you run basicly unopposed and can't get 2/3rds of the vote, your welcome would seem to be wearing out.

sorry to get political.

It's totally absurd that our congressman was head of the transportation committee, yet somehow when it came time to help OKC with our transportation problems, he pleads powerlessness. Normally when a district has a congressman in such a position of authority, losing his chairmanship would be a major blow to the district, but he did so little for OKC in his time as chairman that we'll scarcely notice the difference.

I wish that someone-democrat, republican, independant, I don't care- any warm body would run a real campaign against this guy. When you run basicly unopposed and can't get 2/3rds of the vote, your welcome would seem to be wearing out.

sorry to get political.

The problem is voter apathy. Most voters are very uneducated politically and do not pay attention to what is going on around them. So, they see a famous name or an incumbant and instead of voting the issue, they vote the name.

What this causes is termoil and stagnation. With the apathy and the care less attitude of people like Earnest I took, we fail to get the things the city or state needs to grow effectively.

The problem is voter apathy. Most voters are very uneducated politically and do not pay attention to what is going on around them. So, they see a famous name or an incumbant and instead of voting the issue, they vote the name.

What this causes is termoil and stagnation. With the apathy and the care less attitude of people like Earnest I took, we fail to get the things the city or state needs to grow effectively.

I think we can take a stand to educate the people of Oklahoma City. We on this forum tend to be very astute (sp?) and full of progressive ideas. I think all of us should be leaders, but sometimes the best leaders are behind the scenes making making moves (holding the strings).

We can get the word out about ITOOK and get him and people like him out of office. We can get progressive people, still fiscal conservative yet people who will do any and everything for Oklahoma City and OUR state! That is why we have congressmen and senators and that is what we should hold them accountable for.

It is totally unacceptable for this guy (ITOOK) to be our congressman, once chairman of appropriations, and to go on the radio talking about his lack of power or pointing the finger. If he had any integrity, he should point to his own indifference to his constituents (YOU GUYS) and the fact that he is resigning because of that! Clearly, he is very unethical and violated all of your trust and respect. He gave YOUR hard earned money to Salt Lake for a transit system when his home district, also a big city by the way, desired moneys for a transit solution (not even near as expensive either).

I guess one thing, at least we have time to revise the Crosstown segment. Why cant we move the highway a bit north so as to save the rail yard? Seems simple to me. In some respect, perhaps ITOOKs indifference with regard to the highway might be a blessing in disgise (sp?).

But we need to get him and his cronies out of office. Oklahoma City has moved away from that good ole boy bs and now wants to get infrastructure and amenities from the feds (like every other major city has gotten!!!).

I'm actually currently in the process of starting a 527 organization to raise money and run ads against Istook next year. Once I get the go-ahead from the IRS, I'll be hosting benefit concerts and raising money so that we can finally get him out. OKC isn't the same place it was when he went to congress, and he's frankly out of touch. If the media here would do it's job and tell people about what he's done (or rather, hasn't done) we wouldn't even need to run ads against him, but as it stands, advertising is probably the only way to get the word out. I would imagine that there are plenty of people in this city who would like to see him gone, even plenty of other republicans who are fed up with his antics. I think OKC deserves better.

NewPlains! Wow! Thanks for the excellent posts, and we welcome you to OKC Talk.

I completely agree with you on ITOOK, and I say that not as a Democrat or Republican, but as an Oklahoman. The guy has done absolutely nothing for our state or city. When our 2 senators had federal funding for light rail in downtown OKC, Ernest ITOOK faught hard against it...that's why we're left with the rubber trolley system today, instead of a real rail trolley. Then he turned right around and voted to give millions to Salt Lake City to build a light rail line downtown. That's absurd. Oklahoma has been a donor state for years now, and that's all thanks to people like ITOOK.

I congratulate you on your attempt to get this guy out of office. Personally, I don't care whether it's a Democrat, Republican, or Independent that replaces him...just someone. To be real honest with you, I'd love to see Vince Orza run for the position. Although he's been members of both parties, I see him as just an Oklahoman. He's a moderate.

thanks for the welcome! I'm glad I found this forum; it's good to have a place to talk about OKC.

I think that OKC is one of the most politically moderate cities I've ever been to. I've been all over the country and the level of discourse here is generally pretty levelheaded and reasonable, regardless of party...I'm fairly liberal, my brother and some of my friends are fairly conservative, and we're generally able to talk about politics without throwing chairs or screaming, and that in itself seems to be more and more of an accomplishment these days. That's part of why i took is so ineffective for us; he doesn't see himself as a representative of us, but as a representative of the national republican party; either that or he's getting instructions beamed in from mars. There really isn't any easy way to explain his actions. I also seem to remember that when the air depot in provo utah was on the BRAC list with Tinker, he started making noises about how maybe tinker was a waste of taxpayer money. Honestly, I would vote for a duck before I would vote for Ernest Istook. Maybe that should be our next move; go up to lake hefner, find a duck (preferably a well spoken duck with a law degree), and schedule a debate. I think I know who would win.

LOL! I like the duck comparison. Seriously though, at this point, I'd vote for almost anyone over him. Unfortunately, Oklahomans are just ignorant and they vote for him simply because of his moral issues, without looking at the whole picture.

"Honestly, I would vote for a duck before I would vote for Ernest Istook."

Now that would be interesting. A Duck running against the Mule we have in office now. We all know what is said of a Mule.

NewPlains, you encourage me! You will have to keep us updated on your 527. I will help you any way I can. Im also a UCO student and President of several organizations. I ran for city council this year. If no one else credible runs against him, shoot I'll run against him, lets get this duckface out of office, he's such a hypocrite, his money won't win him a re-election.

NewPlains, you encourage me! You will have to keep us updated on your 527. I will help you any way I can. Im also a UCO student and President of several organizations. I ran for city council this year. If no one else credible runs against him, shoot I'll run against him, lets get this duckface out of office, he's such a hypocrite, his money won't win him a re-election.

No, but his name and supposed morals will win him re-election. Yup, Okies are that dumb.

Istook, your FIRED! Remember me? I was at your niece's house in 1995 when I told you that sending our money to Salt Lake would hurt our project. You giggled and told me Oklahoma City doesn't think urban. Well, I'm 26 now, maybe you'll take me seriously, maybe you won't.
Move to Salt Lake. Take your BS with you.

Oklahomans in Istook's district would vote for a disemboweled raccoon as long as he had an R by his name and said a couple of things about Jesus.

Wait a minute. We have to actually gut the raccoon first?