Jack Boyte's Blog

Walkin' the Talk

Jack Boyte — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:14:56 EDT

One day after filing for re-election, Sen. Jim Inhofe saturated the state with a slick 60-second TV spot that began running Tuesday on television stations in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and other cities. The commercial extolls Inhofe's efforts to protect military bases, but doesn't mention veterans.

In this video rebuttal, Oklahoma veterans speak out about Senator Inhofe's votes on veterans issues. Senator Inhofe often talks about his support for our troops, you decide if he "walks the talk." See our veterans' video response here.

Rep. John Sullivan Slurs the Clintons

Jack Boyte — Sat, 31 May 2008 21:35:03 EDT

Rep. John Sullivan (R CD-01) called former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, cockroaches during a Q & A at a Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Thursday. Sullivan is quoted in the Tulsa World saying, "The Clintons are like cockroaches." "They could survive a nuclear holocaust."

This alone is reason enough to fire John at the polls in November. Georgianna Oliver, a bright, energetic, new face will file Monday in the first step to replace Sullivan and bring decency back to the Oklahoma CD 1 seat in Congress.

Postcards for Votes

Jack Boyte — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:26:58 EDT

Postcards for Votes is a grassroots and volunteer driven program that involves women supporters writing postcards to other women asking for their votes for Barack Obama. Participating is easy - buy postcards and postcard stamps; write a positive message about why you support Barack and ask that the women vote for Barack too.

A new mom in Maryland wrote postcards from her hospital bed after having a baby, with this message:

"As a new mom, I took my state's primary more seriously than ever this year. I wanted to vote for a candidate who could not only help working families through the tough times we're facing, but also strengthen our nation, morally and financially, to ensure that our children won't face -- or foot the bill for -- these same tough times. That is why I voted for Barack Obama. His economic policies are sound and his commitment to working families is unmatched among the remaining candidates. From my growing family to yours, I wish you the best and hope you'll join me in supporting Senator Obama."

You go girl!

Obama Slaps McBush

Jack Boyte — Sat, 17 May 2008 13:52:05 EDT

From the New York Times, May 17, 2008

"Senator Barack Obama responded sharply on Friday to attacks on his foreign policy, linking President Bush and Senator John McCain as partners in "the failed policies" of the past seven years and criticizing them for "hypocrisy, fear peddling, fear mongering." ... Mr. Obama at first joked that he wanted to respond to "a little foreign policy dustup yesterday." But he quickly made it clear that he regarded the exchange as anything but funny, criticizing Mr. Bush and saying Mr. McCain "still hasn't spelled out one substantial way in which he'd be different from George Bush's foreign policy."

"In the Bush-McCain world view, everyone who disagrees with their failed Iran policy is an appeaser," Mr. Obama said. ... It's time to present Iran with a clear choice," Mr. Obama said. "If it abandons its nuclear program, support for terror and threats to Israel, then Iran can rejoin the community of nations. If not, Iran will face deeper isolation and steeper sanctions." The administration's policy has merely "empowered Iran," he said, with its unmitigated hostility. As a result, it is now Iran, not Iraq, he added, that "poses the greatest threat to America and Israel in the Middle East in a generation."

"Our Iran policy is a complete failure," Mr. Obama said. "And that's the policy that John McCain is running on." ... The Obama campaign said it wanted to move strongly and swiftly, guided by lessons learned from the 2004 campaign. "There is no question that when the president on foreign soil launches a political attack we need to respond with the facts and with force," said Bill Burton, national spokesman for the campaign. Mr. Burton said he expected many such confrontations between Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain. "The truth is that there are many, many real differences," Mr. Burton said."

Why Aren't We Mad?

Jack Boyte — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:28:58 EST

From a Kucinich press release:

"Less than 44 hours after NBC sent a congratulatory note and an invitation to Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich to participate in the Jan. 15 Democratic Presidential debate in Las Vegas, the network notified the campaign this morning it was changing it announced criteria, rescinding its invitation, and excluding Kucinich from the debate. NBC Political Director Chuck Todd notified the Kucinich campaign this morning that, although Kucinich had met the qualification criteria publicly announced on December 28, the network was “re-doing” the criteria, excluding Kucinich, and planning to invite only Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and former senator John Edwards.
The criteria announced last month included a fourth-place or better showing in a national poll. The USA/Gallup poll earlier this month showed Kucinich in fourth place among the Democratic contenders. In an email to the Kucinich campaign at 2:35 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9, Democratic Party debates consultant Jenny Backus wrote: “Congratulations on another hard-fought contest. Now that New Hampshire is over, we are on to Nevada and our Presidential Debate on Tuesday January 15. This letter serves as an official invitation for your candidate to participate in the Nevada Presidential Debate at Cashman Theatre in downtown Las Vegas. You have met the criteria set by NBC and the Debate.” Todd notified the Kucinich campaign this morning that the network had decided to change the criteria and limit participation in the debate to only three candidates.

TABOR Tantrum

Jack Boyte — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 10:48:43 EST

In a press release Monday, Oklahoma State Senator Randy Brogdon threw a TABOR Tantrum by attacking Attorney General Drew Edmondson personally, for a multi-county grand juryÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½s indictment of three of his cronies. Brogdon chose to berate Edmondson rather than the grand jury who actually issued the indictments. Maybe itÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½s safer to attack an elected Democrat, than the decent Oklahomans who made up the grand jury.

The case involves the petition drive to put to the vote of the people, a measure to limit the growth of state spending, commonly known as TABOR. The petitions were invalidated by the Oklahoma Secretary of State and Supreme Court because they were collected fraudulently and BrogdonÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½s cohorts were indicted for Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½conspiring to defraud the state,Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½ and willfully Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½filing a false and fictitious petition.Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½

Senator Brogdon goes on to accuse the Attorney General of action that Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½has cast the state in a negative light and has been criticized by publications read throughout the nation and world.Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½ Many Oklahomans remember that the editorial writers of The Wall Street Journal and Forbes magazine also highly praised Enron and WorldComm.

S CHIP Re-Authorization

Jack Boyte — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:12:35 EDT

There were only 13 Republicans in the House of Representatives who voted to UPHOLD Bush's veto of this bill. Our own Rep John Sullivan (R-OK CD01)was one of the 'dastardly doers.' We must work to replace him.

Labor Day Parade

Jack Boyte — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:27:52 EDT

Scores of Tulsa Democrats went to Henryetta OK yesterday for the perennial Labor Day Parade. There were contingents from most Tulsa labor union locals, including the Teamsters, CWA, and TWU, just to mention a few. Of course, the Oklahoma Federation of Democratic Women brought their float and members to the parade, too. The TCDP Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary were marching along with other Tulsa participants. State Senator Andrew Rice delivered a rousing a speech at the community center BBQ luncheon where Lt. Gov. Jari Askins was spotted in the crowd.

Candlelight Vigil

Jack Boyte — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 22:41:07 EDT

ImpeachOk1 just signed up to host a Candle-Light Vigil with MoveOn.org Political Action and Iraq Summer.

The vigils are important because this September, Congress will decide whether we bring our troops home or spend another year fighting an unwinnable religious civil war. As Congress heads back to DC, weâ��re here to tell them that itâ��s time to take a stand.

MoveOn is holding candlelight vigils in cities all over the nation on August 28 to remember the human cost of the war and urge our members of Congress to stop pouring billions of dollars into this endless war.

Democrats Launch Nationwide Campaign

Jack Boyte — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 00:37:03 EDT

Democrats.org has a post called "Democrats Launch Nationwide Campaign Calling on Bush to Change Direction in Iraq" that's worth checking out...

As Democrats in Congress pass legislation fulfilling their promises to the American people, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee have joined forces to launch a Month of Action on Iraq that...