March 2024

Last Friday, Michael and I had former attorney and non-profit wrangler, Ken Malloy on the ROPE Report to talk about the NorthStar Project and how NorthStar is influencing Tulsa Public Education. From recruiting and helping school board candidates to run on a campaign of reforming TPS, to writing White Papers detailing TPS educational legacy, this new Think Tank formed last year is off to a running start.

Ken and his wife Maria Seidler (of Legal Overwatch For Parents Rights ), both retired attorneys, migrated from the East Coast to Oklahoma to be with family.

During the interview, Ken talked about how different the culture is in New York – where litigation against governmental entities is more commonplace – compared to here in Oklahoma where few of our governmental officials are ever called on the carpet and therefore, are not at all responsive to the citizens they represent and who pay their salaries. In fact, Ken likens Oklahoma’s citizens to mushrooms because we’re kept in the dark and fed ‘crap’, by our government officials.

Ken’s comments in the video struck such a chord with viewers that the first comment wanted to know “how we can get involved” and the second comment said this:

Jenni’s heard me say this approximately 386 times, but…once again: As a fairly recent transplant from the west coast who took the time to study OK and visit here TWICE before moving–I’m shocked at the complacent attitudes of most Oklahoma conservatives. I’ve heard, “Oh, that won’t happen here–it’s OKLAHOMA, not California!” more times than I can count, seriously.

I tell them I lived through “the fall of California”, was a young adult during the Reagan administration, saw the decline of that red state. I tell them I see Texas purpling. I tell them I see the exact same signs I saw in CA 40 years ago and if Oklahoma isn’t careful, vigilant, aggressive in defending it’s freedoms–it will be faced with attempting to take back ground instead.

We all know how much more difficult that is.

Instead of being well-received, or taken at least a bit seriously, my words are often pooh-poohed, and I’m treated as though I know nothing, as though I’m somehow “mistaken”. Many folks aren’t even old enough to know what California USED to be like.

“That won’t happen HERE, Lisa–THIS IS OKLAHOMA!” may be the last thing some of these folks remember thinking “back before the statists took over” if they’re not careful.

And THEY STILL WON’T LISTEN.

Sadly, the first video of the week on Wednesday found ROPE Report Regular V1SUT – instead of telling us how school officials are molesting students and seemingly getting away with it – telling us that our Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, hasn’t signed on to the Supreme Court case (Missouri V Biden) that COULD put an end to government interference in social media -for example, requesting the censoring of users whose opinions and ideas might be contrary to the state’s.

In addition, our own state legislators are using the recent suicide death of Owasso student Dagney Benedict, to to create language – in a gutted, already-filed bill – that could substantially chill free speech in Oklahoma. Please read SB1100 and then let your Representative know that this bill isn’t right for Oklahoma and that free speech MUST stand.

Listen to V1SUT explain what’s going on. Then write your legislator and our AG and let him know that he needs to sign on to Missouri V Biden ASAP as oral arguments are already being heard.

Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General – 313 NE 21st Street Oklahoma City, OK 73105 –

Oklahoma City: (405) 521-3921 Tulsa: (918) 581-2885 Fax: (405) 521-6246

contact@oag.ok.gov

Either we’re going to make our elected officials accountable to the rule of law and the Republican platform, or we’ll be New York or California.

It’s up to YOU!

There was a wonderful monograph written in 1867 by Davy Crocket, who was serving in Congress at that time. It’s called, “Not Yours To Give” and it beautifully details why he argued AGAINST a bill introduced in Congress to appropriate money to a young widow of Naval officer. I URGE YOU TO READ THIS. It is very short, but in just a few pages, Crocket makes the case for why GOVERNMENT has no business giving away our tax dollars – NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT MAKES US FEEL – for items and issues which are NOT a function of government – things that don’t protect our liberty and don’t benefit the MAJORITY of taxpayers.

Below, I’ve pasted in the screenshots of just a FEW of the press releases that have come through my email account this year. Please note the amount of TAX DOLLARS that are being given away just in the few I’ve pasted in here – and this doesn’t even begin to touch the number of tax credits for businesses that our legislature dolls out.

But before we go there, let me start here.

I remember sitting in the Senate gallery in 2022. I was SHOCKED when a bill was run by Senator Jessica Garvin that would have tax dollars pay for tampons for women who couldn’t afford them.

Here’s the press release. It was literally titled, “Committee approves bill to fight period poverty“. Period poverty. Seriously. Worse even than the title, the bill would set up a revolving fund into which tax dollars would be deposited so that women who needed feminine hygiene products could have them paid for with tax dollars. She has run the bill each year since, with this bill asking for ONE MILLION DOLLARS in the revolving account.

Fortunately, it looks as though this bill will not get a hearing this year, but – knowing her history on the subject – we should expect to see it again next year; especially when there is a NATIONAL DRIVE to have tax dollars spent this way.

Why shouldn’t we fund tampons? Why shouldn’t we fund a rodeo, or brain tumor research, or the Oklahoma City National Memorial?

Who complains about our horrible roads and the lack of pay for fire and police? Lots of Oklahomans. These are legitimate functions of government, yet, when we give millions of dollars away for a prison rodeo, these are the things that get short shrifted. And if they don’t, THEN THE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING TOO MANY OF OUR DOLLARS IN TAXES IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Though brain tumors are horrible, so are all kinds of diseases – my son is a Type 1 (juvenile) diabetic – I’m not begging the legislature to give my tax dollars – AND MY NEIGHBORS – to fund diabetes research. I could give to PRIVATE RESEARCH centers if I wanted to. Private research centers raise money for ALL KINDS of research.
Private organizations should be supplying women who need feminine hygiene products, feminine hygiene products – NOT PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS. Maybe churches should go in together to fund a ‘feminine hygiene pantry’ if that’s what’s needed.
The MORE the STATE FUNDS, the poorer we ALL become. The MORE the STATE FUNDS, the less private organizations and churches do – why should they when the GOVERNMENT is doing it all for them?
BUT, bottom line, the MORE the STATE FUNDS, the bigger IT gets and the LESS LIBERTY – and money – WE CITIZENS HAVE to control our own lives.

ROPE Report

Month

WARNINGS From People Outside The State – Oklahoma Is BLUEING FAST – We Better WAKE UP!

While Working To Thwart A Bill To Move School Board Elections To November, Republicans Have Been Giving Away LOTS Of YOUR Tax Dollars

ASAP ACTION ITEM: Oklahoma Republicans Stopping School Board, Ranked Choice Voting and Medical Freedom Bills!!