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OK Supremes spike Libertarian candidates

Patrick B. McGuigan

The Libertarian Party’s candidates will not appear on the Oklahoma ballot for the Nov. 6 general election.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Thursday (September 13) denied a temporary injunction the Americans Elect party sought to regain a ballot line for Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and his running mate, James P. Gray.

The court upheld a state Election Board decision removing Johnson and Gray from the ballot.

A formal written opinion was not available late Thursday afternoon. Chief Justice Steven Taylor leads the Oklahoma court.
 
Americans Elect gained ballot status in March after a successful petition drive, but this summer national leaders of the group killed organizational efforts in all 50 states. That action came shortly after the state Americans Elect group had chosen a slate of seven electors pledged to Johnson and Gray.
 
You may contact Patrick B. McGuigan at Patrick@capitolbeatok.com and follow on Twitter: @capitolbeatok.
 

Local author “Journaling with Jesus”

Staff Report

Have you taken the challenge to become more intimately acquainted with God?  Christian columnist and author Carol Round will be signing copies of her latest book, “Journaling with Jesus: How to Draw Closer to God,” and the new companion workbook, “The 40-Day Challenge,” at Tiny Cakes & Truffles, located at 1229 W. Will Rogers Blvd. on Tuesday, September 18 from 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Round’s book, released by Westbow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson, is a creative call to an authentic, intimate relationship with Christ through the art of prayer journaling. The companion workbook challenges readers to try prayer journaling for 40 days and offers daily scriptures and reading prompts to get started on the journey.

Readers and reviewers are giving “Journaling with Jesus” five-star reviews. “‘Journaling with Jesus’ is a must read for anyone who wants a more intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” says Alecia Roberts, author of “The Pursuit of Purpose: A Journey to Forgiveness and Healing.”

Patricia O’Neal, Amazon book reviewer, says, “Some might choose to read ‘Journaling with Jesus’ in one sitting. I found taking this book in chunks, or small bites, works quite well. It gives the reader time to ponder the various scriptures given and ideas offered. No matter which way you choose to experience this book, do read it. It is well worth the time invested.”

Another Amazon reviewer, Patsy Dyer, had this to say about Round’s book. “After only a few days of ‘Journaling with Jesus,’ I can see (and feel) the difference. If you are seeking a deeper relationship with the Savior, I definitely recommend this book.”

Ms. Round, who is also a self-syndicated columnist and inspirational speaker, has been keeping a prayer journal for 11 years. She was encouraged by other Christian women to compile her experiences as well as other women’s testimonies into a book.

Her weekly column, “A Matter of Faith,” runs in 12 Oklahoma newspapers and a California publication with an international audience. Ms. Round’s column takes an honest and sometimes humorous look at the struggles we all have with fears, uncertainty, self-esteem and relationships, as well as life’s joys and surprises.  The column has been in syndication since 2005.

For more information about “Journaling with Jesus: How to Draw Closer to God,” check out her website at www.journalingwithjesus.com or her blog at www.carolaround.com.

Hobby Lobby sues over mandate

Staff Report

Today, Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., a privately held retail chain with more than 500 arts and crafts stores in 41 states, filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, opposing the Health and Human Services “preventive services” mandate, which forces the Christian-owned-and-operated business to provide, without co-pay, the “morning after pill” and “week after pill” in their health insurance plan, or face crippling fines up to 1.3 million dollars per day.

“By being required to make a choice between sacrificing our faith or paying millions of dollars in fines, we essentially must choose which poison pill to swallow,” said David Green, Hobby Lobby CEO and founder. “We simply cannot abandon our religious beliefs to comply with this mandate.”
 
Hobby Lobby is the largest and only non-Catholic-owned business to file a lawsuit against the HHS mandate, focusing sharp criticism on the administration’s regulation that forces all companies, regardless of religious conviction, to cover abortion-inducing drugs.
 
“Washington politicians cannot force families to abandon their faith just to earn a living,” said Lori Windham, Senior Counsel, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.  “Every American, including family business owners like the Greens, should be free to live and do business according to their religious beliefs.”
 
Founded in an Oklahoma City garage in 1972, the Green family has grown Hobby Lobby from one 300-square-foot retail space into more than 500 stores in 41 states.
 
“It is by God’s grace and provision that Hobby Lobby has endured,” said Green.  “Therefore we seek to honor God by operating the company in a manner consistent with Biblical principles. The conflict for me is that our family is being forced to choose between following the laws of the country that we love or maintaining the religious beliefs that have made our business successful and have supported our family and thousands of our employees and their families.”
 
The business’s lawsuit acts to preserve its right to carry out its mission free from government coercion.
 
There are now 27 separate lawsuits challenging the HHS mandate, which is a regulation under the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”). These HHS challenges were not affected by the Supreme Court’s June 28th ruling on the constitutionality of the “individual mandate.”
 
The Becket Fund led the charge against the unconstitutional HHS mandate, and along with Hobby Lobby represents: Wheaton College, Belmont Abbey College, Colorado Christian University, the Eternal Word Television Network, and Ave Maria University.
 
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is a non-profit, public-interest legal and educational institute that protects the free expression of all faiths. The Becket Fund exists to vindicate a simple but frequently negated principle:  that because the religious impulse is natural to human beings, religious expressional is natural to human culture. 

OK cotton and oilseed forecast down

Staff Report

Production prospects increased for corn during the past month, while the production of cotton, soybeans, and peanuts are down from the August 1 forecast according to the September Crop Production report issued today by the USDA-NASS Oklahoma Field Office.

Production of corn for grain is forecast at 36.3 million bushels, up 10 percent from last month and 112 percent above 2011. An average yield of 110 bushels is expected from 330,000 harvested acres.

Production of all cotton is forecast at 170,000 bales, down 23 percent from the August 1 forecast but 95 percent above 2011. An average yield of 466 pounds is expected from 175,000 harvested acres.

Production of grain sorghum is forecast at 5.04 million bushels, unchanged from last month but 200 percent above 2011. An average yield of 28 bushels is expected from 180,000 harvested acres.

Peanut production is forecast at 77.0 million pounds, down 15 percent from a month ago but 30 percent above 2011. An average yield of 3,500 pounds is expected from 22,000 harvested acres.

Soybean production is forecast at 4.64 million bushels, down 20 percent from August 1 but 35 percent above last year. An average yield 16 bushels is expected from 290,000 harvested acres.

The entire Oklahoma report can be view online at: www.nass.usda.gov/ok under Recent Reports. The national database, Quick Stats, and all USDA-NASS reports are available on the agency’s web site www.nass.usda.gov. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the USDA-NASS Oklahoma Field Office at 800-525-9226.

State tax savings touted

Staff Report

Oklahoma taxpayers are set to realize savings through the implementation of a plan to modernize the way state government assigns the state’s fleet of several thousand vehicles.

Officials with the state Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) told House Government Modernization committee members today that 2012 legislation authored by state Rep. David Brumbaugh (R-Broken Arrow) and signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin will allow them to better analyze and track how state employees use state cars.

Brumbaugh’s legislation closed down loopholes that had exempted some state agencies from having to report vehicle-related data  to centralized fleet officials.

“With increased tracking of these vehicles, and with the closure of these loopholes state officials can plan on the wise disbursement of fleet resources so as the maximize savings on behalf of the taxpayer,” said Brumbaugh.

Speaking on behalf of the OMES, John Morrison told committee members that his agency plans to deploy a variety of technologies to allow multiple agencies to access state fleet cars. The should allow OMES to ensure each car services more agency customers and could allow the fleet to downsize.

Committee members also received testimony from Oklahoma Energy Secretary Michael Ming regarding Governor Fallin’s plan to convert the fleet to vehicles capable of using CNG. Oklahoma continues to lead negotiations with auto manufacturers to drive down the cost of CNG vehicles so that a cost savings could be realized as soon as the second year following the deploying of each CNG vehicle.

Government Modernization Committee Chairman Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, said the committee’s study of the state fleet would likely be a precursor to aggressive fleet reform legislation during the upcoming legislative session.

The committee will return on Thursday to explore additional ideas for cost savings and efficiency.