One thing you can count on the GOP in America's reddest of red states to do is lead the way in deliberate duplicity and pretense. As with so much of the GOP agenda, it's smoke and mirrors, designed not to change the things which need changing, but to create the illusion of doing something to con their supporters out of their votes.
Case in point: The highlight of the GOP's campaign platform in Oklahoma was reducing or completely eliminating the state income tax. Who could be against that, right? I mean, anybody would support a lower tax bill!
Well...they didn't get the Governor's plan through the Legislature this time, which would have offset a reduction in the tax rate by eliminating deductions counted on by most poor people, so they settled for just a straight up reduction in the rate. A mere .25% cut in 2015 and an additional .15% in 2016. Not much, but tax cut anyhow, right? Gov. Mary Fallin signed the bill this week to the accompaniment of much self-congratulatory back slapping.
But, here's the sleight of hand: The Oklahoma Constitution requires that any bill passed by the Legislature must address only a single subject. Bills larded with all kinds of other stuff, as we see done in Washington, are un-Constitutional in Oklahoma. The GOP tacked onto the tax cut bill, a levy of $120 million to fix up the crumbling state capitol building, knowing fully well that makes the entire bill un-Constitutional and, hence, unenforceable. They were warned beforehand that a Constitutional challenge is coming, one which is highly likely to prevail, but they went ahead and did it anyhow.
Why? Why would they pass a bill the KNOW will not withstand a court challenge?
That's easy. So they can go to the voters in 2014 and say, "We passed a tax cut bill, just like we promised, but the liberal courts wouldn't let it go through." And their supporters, ignorant of the law, the Constitution or of how devious their GOP legislator's are, will stand up in outrage and hand them another majority in state government.
The voters in Oklahoma are being conned out their votes by a bunch of lying, swindling, cheating charlatan's. But, that seems to the GOP modus operandi wherever they go. Form over substance. Appearance before results. Image more important than anything.
Durant Daily Democrat - Fallin signs law to slash income tax rate in 2015
Case in point: The highlight of the GOP's campaign platform in Oklahoma was reducing or completely eliminating the state income tax. Who could be against that, right? I mean, anybody would support a lower tax bill!
Well...they didn't get the Governor's plan through the Legislature this time, which would have offset a reduction in the tax rate by eliminating deductions counted on by most poor people, so they settled for just a straight up reduction in the rate. A mere .25% cut in 2015 and an additional .15% in 2016. Not much, but tax cut anyhow, right? Gov. Mary Fallin signed the bill this week to the accompaniment of much self-congratulatory back slapping.
But, here's the sleight of hand: The Oklahoma Constitution requires that any bill passed by the Legislature must address only a single subject. Bills larded with all kinds of other stuff, as we see done in Washington, are un-Constitutional in Oklahoma. The GOP tacked onto the tax cut bill, a levy of $120 million to fix up the crumbling state capitol building, knowing fully well that makes the entire bill un-Constitutional and, hence, unenforceable. They were warned beforehand that a Constitutional challenge is coming, one which is highly likely to prevail, but they went ahead and did it anyhow.
Why? Why would they pass a bill the KNOW will not withstand a court challenge?
That's easy. So they can go to the voters in 2014 and say, "We passed a tax cut bill, just like we promised, but the liberal courts wouldn't let it go through." And their supporters, ignorant of the law, the Constitution or of how devious their GOP legislator's are, will stand up in outrage and hand them another majority in state government.
The voters in Oklahoma are being conned out their votes by a bunch of lying, swindling, cheating charlatan's. But, that seems to the GOP modus operandi wherever they go. Form over substance. Appearance before results. Image more important than anything.
Durant Daily Democrat - Fallin signs law to slash income tax rate in 2015
