Ernie wants to do to the entire state what he's done to this district.

Regardless of party affiliation, one would think OKC residents would not be likely to vote for him in a two-way race against Henry.

Agreed?

I will never forgive him for working AGAINST our transportation goals as a city.

That could be a God send. Istook will probably lose.

When a person who has been in Congress (either branch) runs for an office like Governor of his or her state and loses, they rarely continue a political career. So, this will probably cause him to retire which will be a benefit to the state.

So. Short story long. Hope he runs.

I just hope Oklahoma is smart enough to NOT vote for him.

I just hope Oklahoma is smart enough to NOT vote for him.

Trust me. As strong as Brad Henry is, they will be. My choice of Gary Richardson may run. Great candidate. Tom Hiatt is considering, and two republicans have already announced.

So, that makes Istook, Hiatt, Rchardson, and the other two vs. Henry.

I'm conservative, and I wouldn't even vote for Istook.

If he were to get elected, this state would be doomed.

I don't like Henry, but there's no chance I'd vote for Istook. Idiot.

I'm not the biggest fan of Henry but he seems to be the best of the current candidates, especially if Istook runs. I think he needs to make his focus be on education and better-paying jobs for Oklahoma, does anyone know what his platform will be?

I'm not the biggest fan of Henry but he seems to be the best of the current candidates, especially if Istook runs. I think he needs to make his focus be on education and better-paying jobs for Oklahoma, does anyone know what his platform will be?

Think about what he has done for Utah. Jobs, education, rapid transit, better freeways... All for Utah. THAT is his platform.

All for Utah. THAT is his platform.

:LolLolLol

If he runs, we should do a mock campaign for him where that is our slogan. Too funny.

It's hard to get a handle on the conservative candidates. You know Henry will run a campaign of nothing. But will the conservatives run on the old small government shtick or the new theocratic shtick.

Here is what Gary Richardson was seeking in 2002.

Make all tollroads private, a state lottery, repeal of the state income tax, and I think he was in favor of county school districts instead of the 500+ we have now.

We got the lottery, however the rest are still hopes. This is why I want him to run.

The others? I have no idea what their platforms will be... Except I took.

Why would we want all toll roads to be private?

Why would we want all toll roads to be private?

I will clarify. Make all toll roads free of charge.

I wondered. Thank you for clarifying.

I would support that platform.

I think he was in favor of county school districts instead of the 500+ we have now.

This is huge. We waste so much in administrative costs running all these districts that we can't get anything done. Isn't it true we have more districts than Florida or something like that?


repeal of the state income tax

How would he make up for it? Ad valorem, use tax? Budget cuts?

This is huge. We waste so much in administrative costs running all these districts that we can't get anything done. Isn't it true we have more districts than Florida or something like that?



How would he make up for it? Ad valorem, use tax? Budget cuts?

Question one: Yes.

Question two: User tax such as tax on labor. FYI: did you know the state of Wyoming has NO income tax and the entire population of the state is less than Oklahoma City proper? Plus, their freeways and other infrastructure are much higher quality than Oklahoma's.

(For those who demand sourses. My parents lived there and still own property there. So, they should know)

User tax such as tax on labor

Tax on labor? Like a payroll tax?

The income tax has been made a bugaboo by the State Chamber and GOP for some time.

Pay attention to what's going on in Texas right now: people are about to riot over their property taxes. Texas, that bastion of progressive thought, seems to be the only model the idiots who run this state look to when drafting policy.

Texas is a "fee 'em and fine 'em" state, just like Oklahoma is becoming. We already have a horrifically eroding transportation infrastructure, and our teacher pay is abysmal. I don't see how removing revenue from the equation is going to help matters.

Tax on labor? Like a payroll tax?

You get a haircut. It would be taxed. You get a car repair, everything is taxed. Labor. Not a tax on payroll. We have that now. In more ways than one.

...Texas, that bastion of progressive thought...
Are you kidding me? By what definition?

Scribe,

I don't believe your sarcasm meter is tuned in.

my mistake... sorry...

Maybe Istook should run for governor of Utah instead. If Istook is elected governor of the state of Oklahoma, it will be a disaster. I'll be interested to see how Baptists vote. They're big Republicans but they're anti-Mormon.

You get a haircut. It would be taxed. You get a car repair, everything is taxed. Labor. Not a tax on payroll. We have that now. In more ways than one.

OK. Gotcha.

I am aware of the payroll tax. I thought you meant an increase. That's how federal GOPers have covered income tax cuts before (under Reagan) and so I was wonder if he was suggesting more of that here.

In the end, it doesn't matter. The waste is not in taxes, but in spending. Eliminating income tax in favor of use tax only realigns the tax burden, which would be much greater, percentage wise, for those who make less. Maybe that sounds philosophically or idealogically better, but it only creates its own set of problems, most likely by decreasing net income after use tax for low income families.

I will clarify. Make all toll roads free of charge.

This will happen when pigs fly. The Turner Turnpike is such a cash cow, I see no way that road ever becomes free. Too much greed!

Indeed, Istook is living in his grease backed hair dreamworld, I can't wait till the day he runs and then has to retire after the campaign. Mwah ah ah ah ah. I'm a republican and sad to say it when your talking about Istook

This will happen when pigs fly.
http://okctalk.com/customavatars/avatar54_0.gif




The Turner Turnpike is such a cash cow........
http://virtualsmiley.net/ccnet/cashcow.jpg

Istook could only be an improvement over ol' whatshisname. ;)

Just sayin'.

At least Henry knows what state he's serving. Istook can't make up hi smind whether he's serving Oklahoma or Utah.

Istook could only be an improvement over ol' whatshisname. ;)

Hardly.

At least Henry knows what state he's serving. Istook can't make up hi smind whether he's serving Oklahoma or Utah.
Agreed.

Henry is not necessarily the most charismatic governor we've had, but he's hardly the worse governor we've had. Istook might make a run for the latter.

It's really tiresome to hear this garbage from people who have no idea what they're talking about. That old urban myth was long ago refuted, but some of you pay no attention and continue repeating this trash talk anyway. And in addition, Istook has done TONS to help transportation in Oklahoma.




At least Henry knows what state he's serving. Istook can't make up hi smind whether he's serving Oklahoma or Utah.

At the same time he's turned down money numerous times that was offered to our state from the feds (mainly through Don Nichols) and then turned right around and given it to Utah. You're simply in denial of the truth.

This is from a reputable media source:

"Two cents of the federal tax that all Oklahoma drivers pay on every gallon of gasoline goes directly to the Federal Transit Trust Fund. It buys transit SOMEWHERE - which means that thanks to political leadership like Congressman Ernest Istook, the OKC Council, and ODOT, Oklahoma taxpayers are subsidizing our competition in cities like Salt Lake City and Dalls. Every year we send $28 to $30 million to this fund, we rarely get back more than $5 or 6 million. Congressman Istook managed to get a $13 million allocation for a proposed light rail startup system in Oklahoma City eliminated so the money could be used to build Salt Lake City's new (and very popular) light rail system. Congressman Istook claimed the funds would go to pay off the national debt, which is a lie, as the funds aren't used for debt retirement, they are only used, by law, for mass transit projects."

I've seen it all now. Someone coming on here saying that Istook's repeated bumbling, anti-Oklahoma actions are "myth."

There's nothing mythical about the fact that Istook turned down money that was already approved by the transportation subcommittee for our downtown rail system. Then, he went on to lecture us about what a waste of money it was. Keep in mind, the taxpayers of this city voted up MAPS thinking that that would be a piece of the pie.

Then, the bloviating buffoon forced us into the I-40 realignment, the biggest debacle in the history of a city know for bad urban planning. If we even get the money to finish the job (a debatable project considering Istook is involved), we will take ten years of progress improving our downtown environment and flush it down the toilet.

Motorists traveling along I-40 will no longer be able to see the fruits of our hard-earned success, as I-40 will hide all views of our downtown behind walls. Wonderful. Then, considering that we've finally infilled our broken inner city all the way to I-40, now, we will be several blocks south, adding another 20 years conservatively until we infill that far. Great.

Then, we're going to destroy the remaining EXISTING inner-city rail infrastructure that could have been used down the road for a light rail system.

He is a stupid, moralizing buffoon. He would be a terrible governor. Hopefully, Oklahomans will figure out we don't want this blowhard to do the state what he has done to Oklahoma City.

Imagine where we would be today if we had ANYONE besides that goof in Congress? Anyone would be an improvement.

Istook is a total joke and he is completely hated in the OKC business community by all but the most Kool-Aid-drinking partisan Republicans.

Oh, but he's pro-life...that's all that really seems to matter to some Oklahomans.

Well to some people life and death is more important than transportation.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like him either.

The problem is that abortion is not the only issue that we face. When people get so tunnel-visioned about a single issue, they lose perspective and vote in people that support that one position but are absolutely the worst choice for every other issue which have a greater impact on our daily lives and the future of our state and country.

Don't forget the gays. That's another single issue people seem to be voting on. If I hear another corrupt, sanctimonious politician utter the phrase "moral values" to get elected again I think I'm going to barf.

Granted, being against abortion, trying to stop the moral decay of our nation, and other issues are important, however, having safe streets and freeways, and other issues are more imortant to the state.

We are in the middle of a Renaissance. We have just aquired the state's first big four major league franchise, are building new hotels, starting to bring more jobs (although most do not pay didley), and more. We need to show these people who make those location decisions that Oklahoma and Oklahoma City in particular can have high class streets and freeways. Plus we MUST plan for the future of light rail and rapid transit.

I took will not do this. If he runs, great. He will lose and we will get someone better in Washington.

Patrick, I will choose to believe that you are merely misguided rather than ignorant.



At the same time he's turned down money numerous times that was offered to our state from the feds (mainly through Don Nichols) and then turned right around and given it to Utah. You're simply in denial of the truth.

Ernie wants to do to the entire state what he's done to this district.

Regardless of party affiliation, one would think OKC residents would not be likely to vote for him in a two-way race against Henry.

Agreed?

I will never forgive him for working AGAINST our transportation goals as a city.

It would be a lesser of two evils issue for me, but Henry would get my vote over Istook.

It would be a lesser of two evils issue for me, but Henry would get my vote over Istook.

I hope I took runs against Gary Richardson in the primary runoff. I will back Richardson.

Just by running, it all but gurantees a better Congress person for Oklahoma City. Plus, if I took looses (a high probability), he will have, in all liklihood, ended his political career.

Two good reasons to run.

Patrick, I will choose to believe that you are merely misguided rather than ignorant.

Feel free to look up his record for yourself.