Journalists throw Woodward under bus

David Arnett

John Nolte in writing for Breitbart.com is keeping a list and updating with those that pose as “objective” journalists attacking Bob Woodward.

Nolte Writes:
The media stands by its own, at least until one of its own upsets The Narrative. Not even a living legend is immune from this rule. In the case of Bob Woodward, his detailed and lengthy reporting on sequester has resulted in the possible derailing of the most crucial Narrative the White House and media are likely to launch this year. The fate of Obama’s second term and even his legacy rest on it.

Continue reading →

Oklahoma and 10 other states challenge Dodd-Frank

David Arnett

Attorney General Scott Pruitt late Wednesday filed a legal response to the federal government’s request to dismiss a multi-state lawsuit challenging the constitutionality and unchecked power of the Dodd-Frank financial act.

The state attorneys general are challenging Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which creates the “Orderly Liquidation Authority” and gives singular power to the Treasury Secretary to liquidate banks with only 24 hours’ notice and with no notice to creditors, including managers of state pension funds.

Continue reading →

Obama is setting us up!

Michael Oberndorf

Opinion:  In the days since the November elections, the pace of Obama’s destruction of America has increased significantly. Now that the Marxists have secured the executive branch for another four years – thanks to massive voter fraud, a cowardly Republican Party, and a couple of million self-righteous fools who refused to vote, apparently preferring a Muslim Marxist over a moderately conservative Mormon – Obama and his lawless unindicted co-conspirators have thrown caution to the wind. Every day, new outrages are proposed, all aimed at destruction of the Middle Class and America as a free, capitalist, constitutional republic.

Continue reading →

Mayor Bartlett seeks re-election

David Arnett

Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett, highlighting job growth in Tulsa and the need to “stay the course” announced this week that he will seek re-election.  Many business and civic leaders were delighted.

“Everywhere I go I hear one resounding theme over and over again. Things have turned around. Tulsa is on the move.  For the first time in a long time, Tulsans are optimistic. We have momentum because we’re creating jobs again,” Bartlett said.

Continue reading →

Committee passes “Parent Empowerment Act”

State Report

The “Parent Empowerment Act,” has passed its first hurdle in the Legislature. The bipartisan bill, SB 1001, authored by Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Jabar Shumate, D-Tulsa, will give Oklahoma parents a new tool to accomplish dramatic and positive change in their child’s underperforming school.   The bill was approved 7-3 by the Senate Education Committee on Monday.

The Parent Empowerment Act establishes an Oklahoma version of a concept often called a “parent trigger.” 

If a majority of parents in an underperforming school sign a petition, they may transition the school to a charter school or terminate the administrators.  The option to terminate administrators is only available in Oklahoma or Tulsa counties.  An underperforming school is defined as a school that has received a ‘D’ or an ‘F’ for at least the last two years under Oklahoma’s new grading system, or a ‘D’ or an ‘F’ for two of the last three years, as long as the most recent grade was a ‘D’ or an ‘F’.  If the parents choose the charter school option, the charter school will first serve all students in the existing attendance boundaries of the school.

Holt praised the Education Committee for its action saying, “I think the Parent Empowerment Act provides an important new tool for Oklahoma parents.  It won’t be the right answer in every circumstance, but where it is, it has the potential to change the trajectory of thousands of young lives.”

Holt explained that charter schools provide more flexibility, and the goal of chartering an underperforming school under the Parent Empowerment Act would be to provide the flexibility needed to improve student performance at the school in a manner led jointly by motivated parents and school district leaders. The process of creating a charter school outlined in the Parent Empowerment Act is designed to create a collaborative relationship between the parents and the school district, rather than an adversarial one.

Parent triggers have been enacted in at least seven other states, most notably California, where the first schools are now in the implementation process.  Oklahoma State Superintendent Janet Barresi, The Oklahoman, and noted education reformer Michelle Rhee have all endorsed a parent trigger law for Oklahoma.

SB 1001 now advances for consideration by the full Senate.