Sooner Politics Launches Free Online Magazine

Sooner Politics and Feedly develop online magazine format

  Sooner Politics has responded to the need of our readers to easily navigate through the publications on small mobile devices. Tablets and phones are becoming too prevalent to be ignored. Even more specific support for mobile devices will be announced, soon.

  Feedly has graciously allowed our readers to use their free mobile and desktop services specifically for reading Sooner Politics' large library of periodical content.

  The process just takes a few easy steps and you can then get all our aggregate columnists' latest posts on every one of your devices.

Let's now begin the 3 easy steps:

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1. Download this small file: Sooner-Politics.opml. It is the customization data to easily load SoonerPolitics Magazine into your free feedly account.
2. On your computer, go to Feedly.com and click the button to "IMPORT OPML". (fig. 1)  A pop up window will ask you to register using a Google+ or Facebook acct. (fig. 2) It's free and they don't ask for a bunch of personal info. We recommend using your Facebook or Google+ account if you have one. It's just one less password to remember. Feedly also allows you to share your favorite articles via social media if you set up an account using your social media connection.
3. Next, you will be asked to upload that "SoonerPolitics.opml" file that you just downloaded. (fig. 3) Choose the correct file and then click the "Import" button

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  Your online SoonerPolitics.org magazine is now loaded and readable.  You can change your magazine layout and color themes to your own liking. Font size, formatting, and other tweaks can be found in the left column bottom control panel. (fig. 4)

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  Load the mobile apps at iTunes (iphone, iPad), Google Play(tablet, phone), and Kindle. Just log in with your same account info when you open your mobile apps. Everything will be preloaded. (fig. 5)

David Van Risseghem

OKGOP Plans Big Friday Night At SRLC, May 22nd

Oklahoma's Big Gala with national campaign stars

  Today, the RNC's Matt Pinnell told me that the OKGOP is directly sponsoring the Friday night gala at the Big SRLC event, in May. Ted Cruz is helping with this evening event at the SRLC.  Most of the other activities are completely run by the RNC's contracted event team. It is not clear if any other presidential campaigns or their staff will appear.

The Energizing America Gala  will include a plated dinner and keynote address featuring Senator Ted Cruz. Dress for the gala is cocktail attire. This includes suits and ties for men, and dresses or evening suits for women. This event is a fundraiser for the OKGOP. Tickets: $100 or $175 per couple Minuteman club discount rate: $75 Seating is limited.

  But Pinnell emphasized that leaders and campaigns from around the nation will be a part of the 3-day conference. We can't say who all may be at the event, But is will be bigger than any OKGOP event has previously drawn.

 It will present a very significant fiscal opportunity for the OKGOP to have a financial boost as well a giving our citizens an unparalleled opportunity to dine with perhaps the RNC's biggest leaders and stars.

Banquet tickets are just $175 for 2, right now Single tickets are $100

  Additionally, early discount ticketing was extended to April 30th, for the $50 conference passes.

  Clergy, students, and military can get special $35 passes.

David Van Risseghem

Brogdon Town Hall Report

In just 10 days, Randy Brogdon has moved the OKGOP into a new era. 

  He held his first speaking engagement tonight, since taking on the duties of the chairmanship. Randy Brogdon was the guest of the Tulsa Area Republican Assembly. Here are the talking points of his 45 minute discussion:

Marriage Certificates May Replace Licenses

  If there's anything Oklahomans have agreed upon, in the federal marriage controversy, it's that the state really isn't good at trying to be the church.

  When the state travels down the road of social engineering to the point where the role of the church is co-opted, We end up with a government that tries to establish a consensus version of godliness.

  But a more limited role would be to protect individuals from being harmed by others. So the more sensible public policy is to call the filing process what it really is, and is meant to be. It is good to have a public registry of marriage partnerships, just like it is good to have a filing of business partnerships. It's a government service to provide a public record and make safeguards readily available  so as to substantiate claims. 

  But the term "license" was the wrong classification for this government service. "Certificate" conveys a certainty that the public record is verified, just like a birth certificate states that the details of a human birth have been verified.

  More importantly (to many Oklahomans) , the new policy sidesteps a sticky issue. When the state licenses an activity or association, there is an inferred endorsement (or at least an acceptance). But with marriage, it really doesn't matter if the community accepts a union. For that matter, it doesn't negate the union if one's in-laws are un-accepting of a covenant.

  A marriage certificate will provide the legal safeguards while returning honor and independence to the parties joining the domestic union
For many of us, the sacrament of marriage is defined by our faith; and we won't call a sin "a sacrament". But we must none-the-less recognize the business part of every partnership and accord each other the legal rights of a civil society.
And beyond the spiritual/moral issues of folks with religious convictions, there are also people whose view of marriage has no religious component at all. They are able to solemnize their life covenant without a ceremony of any kind.
Society isn't so much interested in your theology about marriage as how well you utilize your conveyed status for the stability and betterment of society.

Read: HB1125 text

David Van Risseghem

COS: Which Way To A Better Constitution?

Did we start out with a bad constitution?
Or did it just get worse with each amendment we added?
Or did the social pressures and bad jurists corrupt it?

  Whatever the cause, our system is failing (or are we failing our system?). Of late we've been mulling over additional solutions. For 30+ years we have been calling for a Balanced Budget Federal Amendment. Recently there has been a formidable push for the state legislatures to bypass the federal congress and draft their own proposal, to be circulated for the necessary ratification.

Fears

  The Convention of States idea has fans and foes. There are worries of a runaway process creating a terrible proposal. There are speculations that nothing could meet the approval of the required 3/4 of states needed to ratify an amendment.
  There are also those who think the rift between states could blow up into a dissolution of our current republic. Some constitutional scholars wonder if the process originally designed for 13 states, can remain workable for 50?

It's easier to say 'no' to ideas we either don't understand or don't have a certain level of comfortable experience with. To some degree we need to make sure we know what we are experimenting with before committing to it. If we send a delegation to a convened group, can we recall them and stop the process? Is there a need to?

Suppose a convention of state delegations actually drafts a proposed amendment for a mandated balanced federal budget? What's next? How many states have to ratify it?

More importantly, what happens to states who refuse to ratify it? Is there a political will to force them into compliance? Will we see massive demonstrations and riots like other nations in default have experienced?

It sounds like a risky thing to do, doesn't it?

But what are the other options? We could wait for our current system to go into default. That seems to be fairly eminent, given the annual spending binges of the past 14 years. Congress seems far less interested in balancing the budget than ever. Sure, our own politicians make stump speeches about it, but when has it ever passed even one congressional house?

So our future in this republic looks difficult and we are all sorting through the options of what process of reform to advocate.

One thing I am certain of...

  We will be deciding on some scary options in the next decade, and as each year of this current trend does it's damage, our options for avoiding fiscal pain become smaller. Perhaps there is a safer solution than a Convention of States? If so, I really want to know what it is and what are the chances of it's success? If we soon accept a Convention of States before a fiscal emergency, we have the luxury of more time to draft and ratify a well-planned solution. But if it has to be produced during an economic collapse, we may end up with a horrible fix and far more social unrest in the streets. The only option I find inexcusable is... doing nothing. Will we be complicit in stealing more wealth from our grandchildren? None of us think it's our own fault. And the funny thing is that when an avalanche wipes out a mountain village, no single snowsfake ever thinks he is responsible for the casualties.

Sen. Brogdon Returns To Capitol To Defeat A Weston Bill

Super Tuesday Saved! 

 Oklahoma Lawmakers Reject Weston's Effort To Delay Oklahoma Primary Several Weeks. 

  Senator Brogdon, back at the capitol, to make the case
against the Weston Bill. Brogdon blamed Weston for
excluding hundreds of state GOP leaders from input.

 An impressive group of Republican Leaders in Oklahoma came to the Capitol to save Oklahoma's Super Tuesday Presidential Primary. Only OKGOP Chairman, David Weston and his vice chair, Sara Jo Odom, were willing to speak in defense of the idea to vacate Oklahoma's early primary leadership role.

Oklahoma's Most Conservative Legislators Endorse Brogdon

State Sen. Anthony Sykes, State Reps. David Brumbaugh and Jason Murphey

By Mathew Vermillon, of OkieBlaze -TULSA, OK 

The Oklahoma Constitution's list of 2014
Representatives conservative voting index

   Republican leaders in the House and Senate have endorsed Randy Brogdon for the position of Oklahoma’s next Republican Party State Chairman. Senator Anthony Sykes joins Representatives Jason Murphey and Republican Caucus Chairman, David Brumbaugh in support of Brogdon.

“I have known and worked with Randy Brogdon closely for many years. I believe he has the drive, the experience, and the dedication to unify and grow our Republican Party,” Senator Sykes stated, “Randy Brogdon is a man of his word and I know we can trust him to build the Republican brand while sharing our Party principles.”

“Those of us who served with Randy Brogdon in the Legislature can attest to his principled conservatism,” Representative Murphey said,  “I never saw him back down from doing the right thing and as party chairman, I believe he will always remain committed to principle and to doing right regardless of circumstance.”

Randy Brogdon,
candidate for Oklahoma
Republican Party chair

  Republican Caucus Chairman, Rep. Brumbaugh declared, “Randy Brogdon represented his district well in the State Senate and will represent our state party well as GOP Chairman.  Randy is a man of values and integrity and will serve the Republican Platform and Oklahoma with distinction.  It is without hesitation that I recommend Randy Brogdon for GOP State Chairman.”

The Oklahoma Constitution's list of 2014
Senators conservative voting index

  Upon hearing the news Brogdon, who has been traveling across the state meeting with grassroots leaders, was ecstatic, “I am honored and humbled to have received the support of these Republican leaders. All three of these men are men we can all look to with pride for what they have accomplished to the benefit of our Republican ideals.

   These endorsements coming on the heels of having just been endorsed unanimously by the Republican Party of Cotton County reassures me of what I have been hearing from activists for months; Republicans of Oklahoma are seeking and ready for principled leadership. I am willing and able to step up and fill that role.”

  The Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman’s race will be decided at the Oklahoma Republican Party Convention on April 11th in Oklahoma City. For more information about the Republican Party Chairman race visit the Okie Blaze 2015 Elections page.

Editor's note