Posted by kirkshelley on 10/22/10

For the petition, click here

Dear Oklahoman,

In their haste to stem the tide of illegal immigration, the Arizona legislature gave unaccountable bureaucrats the power to turn over:

• List of concealed carry permit holders
• People with hunting licenses
• Tax records
• Voting registration information

I don't know about you, but I get offended when someone gives away my personal information without my knowledge or consent.

Now Oklahoma Gubernatorial Candidate Mary Fallin says she supports this Arizona law.  In her rush to score political points and differentiate herself from her opponent Fallin is putting your liberty at risk. 

In 2007 Oklahoma passed legislation enforce anti-illegal immigration laws at the state level that the federal government has not. (HB 1804, 2007)

What is important about our current law is that it protects the privacy of innocent citizens.  This is a delicate balancing act.  We know that we can't have terrorists and criminals being able to cross the US Boarder with impunity.  And we know that it is wrong to have taxpayers pay for the room, board and education of a non-citizen who just shows up and demands welfare.

But you shouldn't have to worry about being constantly watched by the federal government in order to stop illegal aliens. 

Elected officials need to think long term about laws and regulations they create.  We need to insist that they protect our private information.  After 9/11 many Republicans rushed out the PATRIOT Act to "give President Bush the power to fight terrorism."  They trusted Bush not to abuse this power.  How many would have felt comfortable giving that much information and power to President Obama?

Oklahoma's laws allow law enforcement to check the citizenship status of people who are taken into custody but it also respects the privacy of everyone else.

The Arizona law creates a loophole that allows bureaucrats to treat everyone as a suspect and turn over every bit of your personal information to the federal government.

I am not claiming that this is Mary Fallin's intent, nor am I claiming that as soon as Washington DC has a national ID system they will start rounding up people.  But I am saying that the Arizona law makes it far too easy for a corrupt or inept official to make your life a living hell.

Eight year Cub Scout Mickey Hicks is on the terrorist watch list.  Why?  Someone at Homeland Security put his name in a database.  Because this data has been shared from agency to agency his family has not been able to get rid of this marker.  As a result, every time his family flies, poor little Mickey is taken out of line and patted down and searched.  No common sense, just continued confusion and humiliation for little Mickey and his family.

And that is just one of the problems with giving unelected bureaucrats power to share your personal information with other agencies.  It gets worse when you realize that many times this information is handled by private contractors who may get your information wrong. 

Consider the case of Tony Lee Green of Oklahoma.  He was falsely listed as a sex offender in two private data bases and it took over two years to get it removed.  In that time his business was ruined and understandably his private life suffered.

If you don't think it can get worse, imagine if bad information is being shared by the bewildering labyrinth of databases at the federal level, who share some of their information with international agencies.

Right now Oklahomans are protected from having their personal information sent to the Obama administration. 

But Fallin's support for the Arizona law could end this protection - unless you act now.

At this moment, Mary Fallin is going to be extremely responsive to the grassroots.  We need her to publically denounce the Arizona law provisions that allow the personal information of law abiding citizens to be shared with other government agencies.

Please CLICK HERE and send an electronic petition to her.  In less than a week, Oklahomans will start going to the polls to vote for our next Governor.  Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Jari Askins is already announced her opposition to the Arizona law, now it is time for Mary Fallin to announce her opposition on this dangerous section.

Sincerely,

Kirk Shelley   

Oklahoma Interim Coordinator

P.S.   Why should law abiding citizens have their lives turned upside down because of mistakes on the part of government bureaucrats?  We need to keep Oklahoma's prohibition from sending our personal information to the Obama administration. 

If you agree, then CLICK HERE to ask Mary Fallin to drop her support for the Arizona law that allows unaccountable bureaucrats to send our personal information to Washington DC.

Text of Arizona Law Here

Analysis of Bill Here

Posted 10/23/10 AnnetteFreeman gilbert, AZ

Thanks Kirk. You have summed up the problems with this bill very well.

Posted by kirkshelley on 10/30/10

Remember: Early voting starts today at your County Election Board. (You can vote in person on Friday, 8AM-6PM, Saturday 8AM-1PM, and Monday 8AM-6PM). If there is the slightest chance something is going to "come up" on Tuesday, VOTE EARLY.

Dear Oklahoma Supporter,

FALLIN, ARIZONA, AND DANGEROUS ID

On the front page of the October 24, 2010 Sunday Daily Oklahoman, was a story of an American hero by the name of Shawn Dunbar. His life was turned upside down last year when law enforcement misidentified him as the perpetrator of an assault in Kansas.

Dunbar was permanently injured in Iraq. He was just getting settled into civilian life when the Stillwater police arrested him, dragged him off in handcuffs, and informed him he was charged with assault in Kansas. Despite evidence sent to the police in Kansas that they had the wrong Dunbar, they refused to drop charges.

To make matters worse, the government cut off the veteran's disability payments while he was awaiting trial, effectively cutting off all sources of income. (You can read more about this at http://goo.gl/WvmB.)

It is amazing how one bad entry in a database can result in so much hardship for an innocent person. And yet this happens all the time. Even if everyone involved in putting information into the Driver License database here in Oklahoma worked hard with a 99% accuracy rate, there would still be 23,485 people with mistakes on their licenses. Estimates are that 13% of the Social Security entries are incorrect.

And the more that data is shared, the mistakes compound, making the error more difficult to fix.

And as the Dunbar tragedy shows, one small mistake can cause tremendous pain, suffering, and humiliation to the victims.

So what has this to do with Mary Fallin and her support for the Arizona Illegal Immigrant law and Dangerous ID?

One of the major provisions of the Arizona law that Mary Fallin is supporting in her TV ads and website is the empowerment of bureaucrats to share the state databases with the federal government. Currently, Oklahoma law prohibits sharing the information of law abiding citizens.

That does not mean that if someone is arrested they don't have to worry about having their information checked by law enforcement.

What it DOES mean is you don't have to worry about your concealed carry permit information being sent to the Obama administration. Or your driver's license (with the number, photo, and thumb print) and other personal information.

Why would anyone want to give your personal information to the federal government? There are two major forces pushing for the Arizona law.

The first group is the people in the federal government who want a national ID to keep track of citizens. Some have good intentions and some don't. But Presidents as diverse as Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan have rejected national ID schemes.

The second group is more troubling. There are some big businesses and Chambers of Commerce who want this. Federal and Oklahoma law prohibit hiring illegal aliens. Companies can face stiff fines for hiring illegals, and even when they do a good job of verifying that someone has the proper documents, they can have problems if the documents are forged. Unfortunately, some of these corporations are more than willing to sacrifice your privacy to protect themselves from potential problems.

Citizens who are mad at the federal government's ineptness at securing our border have to make sure they don't sacrifice their own liberty and become unknowing supporters of a national ID program.

Of the two candidates for Governor, Jari Askins is opposed to the Arizona law because she feels the current Oklahoma laws are adequate.

Mary Fallin, on the other hand, is pushing the Arizona scheme. Since she is being backed by many of the same forces who want a national ID scheme, we need to make sure she clarifies her position in the closing days of the campaign.

Can I count on you to take the following steps?

1) Go to www.NoArizonaID.org and sign our online petition against the provisions of the Arizona law that effectively create a National ID. (While there, you can read the Arizona law and see how it endangers your privacy.)

2) Contact Mary Fallin and ask her to publicly pledge not to implement an Arizona ID program in Oklahoma.

3) Please let others know about this danger to their private information and even their very liberty.

We need to quickly get Mary Fallin to understand how concerned we are with an Arizona ID scheme and how it can affect the lives of innocent Oklahomans.

And please remember how one Oklahoma disabled veteran's life was turned upside down because of inept work by law enforcement bureaucrats before this problem is made worse by passing an Arizona ID program.

www.KenMillerLied.com

Many citizens are not aware that the Oklahoma Supreme Court just ruled that the legislature can't call a tax a "fee" and expect people to pay it. In May, the legislature passed HB 3032, which increased taxes over $70 million by charging a surtax on insurance payments.

Representative Miller was the original sponsor of the bill. But, because he is running for State Treasurer, he didn't want to be the author of a tax increase. So, using the most incredible series of parliamentary moves and votes, he somehow managed to vote FOR the bill, and then VOTE AGAINST it.

You owe it to yourself to visit www.kenmillerlied.com to see the ridiculous maneuvers Miller used to avoid being labeled the author of a tax increase. On another level, it is a reminder of how hard we citizens have to work to avoid being caught up in the games politicians play.

OKLAHOMA'S SOVEREIGNTY ON BALLOT

Do you get to vote for state legislators in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas? Then why should they decide how much Oklahoma will spend on education?

Amid all the hype on State Question 744 is one forgotten truth: If this passes, then Oklahoma government would be forced to spend the "regional average on education." The regional average is determined by looking at what the states surrounding Oklahoma are spending on education; the average cost per student for surrounding states will be used in the formula that tells our legislature how much they need to appropriate to education.

What that means is - Oklahoma's elected officials will be told by other states what they are going to spend.

This scheme was put together by the Teachers' union. The National Education Association (NEA) has invested over $1.5 million to pass SQ 744. Why? Well, the NEA's union dues are not fixed amounts like Professional Educators of Oklahoma. The NEA's dues are a percentage of teachers' salaries. So if teachers' salaries go up, then more money goes into the union coffers.

Despite claims from the NEA, most analysts believe that if SQ 744 passes, it will require some significant tax increases to pay for it. One pundit noted that one of the biggest problems is that it ignores the problems with too much bureaucracy already keeping money from getting to the classroom.

Sincerely,

Kirk Shelley
Interim State Coordinator

P.S. Does Mary Fallin's support for the Arizona law mean that she supports a national ID card? Before it is too late, please contact Mary Fallin and find out if she supports allowing unaccountable bureaucrats to turn our information over to the federal government. Please visit www.NoArizonaID.org for more information.

Posted by kirkshelley on 03/09/10

Federal gun laws targeted by Brogdon 

by: RANDY KREHBIEL World Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
3/9/2010 4:00:51 AM

Oklahoma could be headed for a showdown with the federal government over firearms regulation and the scope of interstate commerce. 

A bill that passed the state Senate last week asserts exemption from federal regulation for guns and ammunition manufactured, sold and used in Oklahoma. It is similar to one adopted by Montana last year. 

"Hopefully, it will do two things," said the bill's author, Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso. "It will help secure our Second Amendment rights and it will be a boon to economic development." 

Oklahoma has no civilian arms industry to speak of, but Brogdon said gun and ammo makers might move to the state if his bill is adopted. 

For Brogdon and others, though, the larger issue is the federal government's role in controlling the manufacture and sale of firearms. Brogdon, a Republican candidate for governor, says it should be zero. 

"I just don't accept the idea that the federal government has any right to regulate firearms," he said. 

"If we did not have the right to bear arms, we would have no country." 

In theory, the proposed law would apply only to guns manufactured, sold and used in Oklahoma. Except for a "Made in Oklahoma" stamp, though, the measure makes little attempt to enforce that provision, and Brogdon expects it will be routinely violated. 

"That's the thing that goes to the heart of what I believe," he said. "The law won't need to be enforced. The idea that the federal government needs to be involved at all is baloney." 

The courts have tended to rule that some level of state, local and federal gun regulation is permissible - the ban, for instance, on fully automatic weapons - and that the federal government has the authority to control interstate commerce even if the commerce in question takes place entirely within a single state's borders. 

In essence, the courts have said something that can be transported across state lines is subject to regulation as such. 

"It's like meat," said University of Oklahoma political science professor Keith Gaddie. "What gives the USDA authority to inspect meat, even if the meat is grown in the state, butchered in the state and sold in the state? It's that the meat could be transported outside the state."

Posted by kirkshelley on 06/29/09

I have a few discount tickets for training available, if you are interested in attending.  Please call -- 405/470-3398

Two weeks from today, Campaign for Liberty will kick off its third Regional Conference at Bally's Las Vegas as our movement to reclaim our Republic and restore our Constitution continues!

From July 10-12, our Las Vegas Regional Conference will bring you the best in limited-government education and political training.  Attendees of our St. Louis and Seattle Conferences found them to be a time of refreshment, motivation, inspiration, and preparation for the future.

Congressman Ron Paul and best-selling author Tom Woods (Meltdown) will headline our Freedom Celebration, a free and open to the public event starting at 8 pm on Friday, July 10.  Other speakers will include Mark Skousen, editor of Forecasts & Strategies and producer of FreedomFest, and Matt Hawes, Vice President of Programs for C4L.  I will be presenting an update on Campaign for Liberty during the event.

Prior to the Freedom Celebration, we will hold a private sponsors reception with Dr. Paul and Tom Woods that will last from 6-7:30 pm.  For information on how to become a sponsor, click here.

On Saturday, July 11, our activities will focus on grassroots political training, as we feature seasoned veterans who will teach you the ins-and-outs of the political process and equip you with the tools required for success. Classes will include Caucuses, Meetings, and Conventions, The Real Nature of Politics, and Keys to Changing Policy.  Tom Woods will present a talk entitled Sound Money, Sound Economy.

Our final day, Sunday, July 12, will be devoted to further training and to state C4L meetings.  This will provide you with a tremendous chance to network with other members in your local area.

A three-day pass to the Regional Conference is $139, discounted to $99 for dues-paying members and to $59 for students.

That same weekend (but starting a day earlier and running through the 11th), FreedomFest will also be at Bally's for a gathering their organizers describe as "an annual festival where 'free minds meet' to celebrate 'great books, great ideas, and great thinkers' in an open-minded society."

Campaign for Liberty is partnering with FreedomFest to ensure that attendees of each conference don't miss out on the weekend's other exciting opportunities. FreedomFest is offering C4L members a two-day pass to their Thursday and Friday events for a discounted price of $249.00. FreedomFest's breakfast, lunch, and dinner banquet tickets are also available for purchase.

Register for our Conference here. You can sign up for FreedomFest's events here.

FreedomFest Producer Mark Skousen wanted me to let you know that all C4L Conference attendees are also invited to FreedomFest's Trial of the Century: Free-Market Capitalism on Trial on Friday, July 10 at 5 pm.  This free event will pit Wall Street Journal editorial board member Stephen Moore (as the Defense) against Emmy-award winning economist and author of The Case for Big Government Jeff Madrick (as the Prosecution), with colorful Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman presiding as the Judge.

This event is sure to be an entertaining and informative experience for C4L members!

Thanks to our efforts so far on Ron Paul's Audit the Fed bill, over half the House of Representatives has signed on in support of HR 1207, and S 604, its Senate companion, is gaining momentum.  Turning an audit of the Fed from a heavily-supported idea into law, however, will require a firm understanding of the issues and a solid knowledge of the political process.  Our Las Vegas Conference will supply you with this knowledge, as well as train you in how to further achieve lasting change on the local, state, and national levels.

Don't miss out on your chance to see Congressman Ron Paul, Tom Woods, and many more as C4L comes to Bally's Las Vegas for our Las Vegas Regional Conference at FreedomFest.  With so many opportunities to learn and network, it will be a weekend to remember, and a key time of preparation as we work to reclaim our freedoms and take back our country.


In Liberty,

John Tate

President

P.S. Conference attendees can reserve a room at Bally's for the discounted price of $74 per night. With all of the activities taking place that weekend, space is guaranteed to run out fast. Reserve your room at this special rate today!

Posted by kirkshelley on 06/29/09

There are several Tea Parties going on this weekend -- join with liberty minded freinds