Charlie’s Pick

If you have been a reader of the OCPAC e-mails prior to the November
elections, you are aware that I issue the infamous “Charlie’s Picks”
prior to any election involving a state legislative seat as well as
state wide and congressional races. The picks are simply my opinion as
to which candidate should win, based on the reasons I provide. I
understand, others my know information of which I am unaware or they
may simply disagree with my opinion. That is fine, my opinion is
simply given as a perspective to those who have not decided as yet or
perhaps they are wavering with their own opinion. This is my
perspective on the special election of fill the State Senate District
# 47 seat, vacated by the election of Todd Lamb to the office of Lt.
Governor. There are 5 Republican candidates running for the seat, the
person who has the largest number of votes by this Tuesday evening at
7:00 p.m. on January 11th, will be the next Senator to represent the
people of District 47. The district includes Edmond generally speaking
between 15th street and Memorial Road and then runs West into the
Northern part of OKC, about to Portland.

SD # 47 - CAROL HEFNER Carol was endorsed by OCPAC and I
wholeheartedly agree with that endorsement. I first met and heard
Carol speak at the indoor tea party in the Bricktown Coca Cola Event
Center about a year ago. I liked what she said, but to be honest, I
was very cautious because of her possible connections with the
establishment folks in OKC. I have now had an opportunity to hear her
speak at 2 forums, had a lengthy phone call with her and a lunch where
I asked permission to grill her as well as speak freely about the
problems that face Oklahoma and the forces with which true
conservatives wrestle. I have been impressed at every turn.

For a variety of reasons, high name ID, sufficient finances, and a
willingness to knock doors and work hard, as well as others, I believe
Carol has been the favored candidate from the beginning. As such she
has been the object of a whisper campaign and other efforts to damage
her. There is even an organization, supported by what appears to be
trial lawyers, to raise issues and blow them out of proportion to help
bring her lead down for the benefit of another candidate.

All of the candidates are pro life and have made strong statements on
certain issues. However, I believe Carol has the most consistent and
conservative positions on the widest variety of issues. I was amazed
when I attended the candidate forum at the High Noon club a few weeks
before the OCPAC interview process. I don’t believe there was any ill
intent, but when the Q&A session began they had Carol answer all of
the questions first, each and every time. That put her at a distinct
disadvantage as the other candidates have more time to think about an
answer and can spin one way or the other off of the answer of those
going before. Even, with this disadvantage, Carol’s answers were right
on spot every time. There were no complaints from her, she just got
the job done.

The one area I find them all weak in is that of primary and secondary
education. They are all caught up in the standard Republican answer
that we have too many school districts and too many superintendents.
While there is “some” truth in these answers, it is a far cry from
understanding the root problems in education and therefore what might
be the real answers to solving those problems. Following will be a few
comments about the other candidates.

As the race was getting geared up, I found out Greg Treat would be a
candidate. I have known Greg for several years, like both Greg and his
wife and I also believed Greg to be a true conservative. Based on
that, there would be a strong chance for me to prefer Greg over the
others but I held back as they all deserved a fair chance to make
their case. Also, I do not contribute to or make any public
endorsements for candidates until they have a chance to come before
the members of OCPAC.

The Edmond Sun’s editorial board, ruled out Kenny Goza and Todd
Brawley, then gave a slight edge to Greg over Carol Hefner and Steve
Dobbs as the 3 candidates who were the most outstanding of the five.
The Sun’s parameters were honesty, attention to detail, intelligence
to understand the political and bill making process and integrity to
take a stand. Those are all important qualifications, but the Sun,
which I would describe as a moderate newspaper, (I was a columnist for
the Sun for over a year) understandably left out the most important
issue, that being the candidates’ ideologies. Ideology is where I
began to struggle with Greg. I believe he has been very honest, but
that has worked to his disadvantage.

My first clue to Greg’s inconsistent ideology began at the High Noon
Club forum where the candidates were asked about corporate welfare.
Greg said he would NOT “across the board” rule out some corporate
welfare. At the OCPAC forum, when asked about the proper role of
government from a philosophical standpoint, he named a couple of
responsibilities then shocked the crowd when he said, “and a little
bit of health care.”

No doubt government currently participates in both corporate and
personal welfare at all levels of government, which is a major reason
for our fiscal problems. However, if a person doesn’t realize that
redistribution of wealth, whether it is personal or corporate, is a
moral issue and wrong to practice, then all that person will do is
argue over how much wealth they will redistribute. If that person
wants to hold the amount of wealth they are willing to redistribute to
“just a little bit”, they will be the big loser as there is no end to
the emotional situations that advocates of such will come up with to
keep expanding the welfare state. Greg’s refusal to tell the members
how much in contributions he had raised as of that day at OCPAC also
hurt him with our members.

Later that afternoon, I received a call from a person who had been one
of Greg’s supporters. He told me, he was so disappointed with Greg’s
answers, especially the question about the proper role of government,
that he had decided not to give him the hundred dollar check he had
brought to the meeting.

I had forgotten until this past week, that Greg had been Fred Morgan’s
campaign manager when Fred ran for Congress in 2006. Fred is now the
President of the State Chamber of Commerce. Personally, that
connection between Greg and Fred makes me very concerned that Greg may
be too greatly influenced by the central planners at the Chamber
rather than be independent enough to represent the people of district
47.

I know that Senator Coburn endorsed Greg, but I expect he did that out
of his relationship with Greg. I rather doubt Coburn even knows much
about the other candidates. One reason we are in trouble today is that
we support people based on relationships first rather than on
ideology, consistency, reliability, communication skills courage and
etc. Relationships are important, but they should be down the list,
not at the top. Since Senator Coburn has probably not evaluated all of
the candidates, his endorsement should mean little to the voters.

Bottom line, I believe Carol Hefner will be the best Senator, but if a
person just can’t vote for Carol, then Kenny Goza came across as the
next most conservative candidate. But remember, he is also a trial
lawyer.

Thanks for your time and attention. Please remember, these are just my
opinions based on the research I have done regarding this race.

Charlie Meadows
Charliemeadows7@gmail.com