Core Principles

Oklahoma Values

Your Vote Is For Your Voice In OKC

 

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It’s been an honor and a joy representing District 66 for the past two years (2023-24).  Here are some highlights of legislation that I have supported as a Representative for our District –

  • Authored HB1425 giving guidelines to students leaving school for religious education.
  • Co-authored the Levee Bill to provide $50M in funding for repairs and improvements on the Arkansas River Levee System. (HB2890)
  • Co-Authored bill prohibiting Ranked Choice Voting – (HB3156)
  • Co-Authored bill making it a criminal offense for an illegal immigrant to enter and stay in Oklahoma without legal authorization to enter the United States (HB4156)
  • Co-Authored bill prohibiting enforcement of policies required or recommended by the WHO (SB426)
  • Co-Authored bill to increase the caps for apportionment to Counties for road repairs (SB1403)
  • Co-Authored the Squatters Bill that allows law enforcement to immediately remove squatters at the request of the owner. – (SB1994)
  • Voted for the new law that eliminated the 4.5% state portion of the grocery tax.
  • Voted to reduce personal income tax from 4.7% to 4.5%.
  • Voted for the biggest education appropriation in Oklahoma history.
  • Voted for new laws that prohibit unauthorized camps on state and private property.  (SB1854 and SB1994) 
  • Vice-Chair of the Finance Subcommittee

So there you go – Lower Taxes, Improve Education, Legal Immigration, Economic Development, Secure Elections and Protect Personal Rights.  These are a few of my favorite things!

I’m often asked what my definition of Oklahoma Values is.
My definition includes: 

  • Biblical Foundations 

  • Strong Families

  • Rugged Independence

  • Respect For Our Country

  • Service To Others

I’ve learned quite a bit from my first two years on the job.

When you’re new, it’s easy to say, “I’m for change!  A vote for me is a vote for change!”.  But the reality is that I am one of a group of 150 that come together each spring to discuss legislation and to pass new laws.  101 Representatives, 48 Senators and 1 Governor.  To get anything done (changed) you have to get half of these people to agree with you.  That’s tough even when you’re in the same party. 

I’m not running for President here.  I’m not running to be the “Leader” of anything.  I’m running to be a part of a group – one part of 150 people who will make decisions.

“I’m going to change things” is an uneducated and unrealistic statement and expectation.  Change only comes when you get agreement between 51% of the group.

My hope is to be a part of a group of people that will come together and agree on legislation that aligns with our Oklahoma Values and your Personal Freedoms.  Yes, in some areas change is needed, but, in today’s world, there are many things that we as Oklahomans want to preserve and protect.

So, where it is needed, I will advocate for change, but I will also be a Watchman and a Warrior for those values and principles that make Oklahoma the great state that it is!

#1  BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES

I am loyal to the Judeo-Christian principles our Founding Fathers believed in when creating this great country and not to RINO (Republican In Name Only Movement) that has currently taken over the Republican Party. 

I hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

On a practical level, I believe that we all have the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness, however I do not believe that we are all guaranteed happiness. Thus, I would never vote in favor of increasings your taxes to subsidize somebody who is not thriving financially. I simply do not believe in socialism, controlling government, and any programs that would EVER raise your taxes. You already pay TOO much in taxes.

Along with many, many other republicans, I have witnessed over these past many months the realization of how far the republican party has moved away from its guiding principles.  Many times I found myself hesitating to even call myself a republican because of what I was seeing the leaders of our party doing and saying.  RINO’s have been revealed for who they truly are.  Just like you, I have been amazed and frustrated at what I have been seeing from so many of our party’s leadership.  I was proud to be a republican because of its core values of supporting lower taxes, free market capitalism, restrictions on immigration, increased military spending, gun rights, restrictions on abortion, deregulation and restrictions on labor unions.  Our party leadership has led us away from these values and I want to represent Americans in District 36 that want us to move forward on the foundations that were laid in the past.  Truth doesn’t “change with the times”.   

Preamble to Oklahoma’s Constitution – 1907

“Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessing of liberty; to secure just and rightful government; to promote our mutual welfare and happiness, we, the people of the State of Oklahoma, do ordain and establish this Constitution.”

“Invoking the guidance of Almighty God…”  This was this cry out to God that our states constitution was grounded on.  The states founders cried out to God for guidance on how to 

  1. Secure and perpetuate the blessing of liberty.
  2. Secure a just and rightful government.
  3. Promote our mutual welfare and happiness.

I will follow their example and spend more time in the prayer room praying than in the “back room” cutting deals.

I know that the only way the Great American Experiment works is if we allow our freedoms to be governed by Biblical principles.  And I’m not the only one that thinks this way.  Many of our founding fathers and great leaders of the past were passionate about the same truth:  God and the Bible are our guides and without these boundaries, the heart of a man will use freedom and liberty to gain power and control over another.

 

George Washington stated in his farewell address, September 19, 1796 

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” 

 

Benjamin Franklin wrote April 17, 1787: 

“Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need for masters.” 

 

Thomas Jefferson, as Virginia’s governor, November 11, 1779 proclaimed a day for: 

“Prayer to the Almighty God that he would establish the independence of these United States upon the basis of religion and virtue.” 

 

Massachusetts Constitution, 1780, drafted by John Adams, is the world’s oldest functioning written constitutional. It’s stated in part one, article 3: 

“Good order and preservation of civil government essentially depend upon piety, religion and morality. The legislature shall require suitable provision for the institution of the public worship of God and for the support and maintenance of public protestant teachers of piety, religion and morality.”

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#2  CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOM

If you choose to vote me into office you can rest-assured that you are voting for someone who is loyal to God and to the U.S. Constitution. Regardless of what the news media says or what crisis we may face together I will never infringe upon your God-given constitutional rights. I do not believe that a crisis temporarily suspends the U.S. Constitution.

More specifically the 1st Amendment reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Thus, if I am elected I would never agree to infringe upon your 1st amendment rights including:

  • Forced lockdowns
  • Forced quarantines
  • Forced mask-mandates
  • Forced shuttering of schools
  • Forced closing of churches
  • Forced closing of bars and restaurants at 11:01
  • Forced small business closings while leaving big box store open

I believe that the government needs to stay out of the way of you and I pursuing the dreams and purposes in our hearts.  I believe that each of us have a God-given (not government given and controlled) right to live the life that we have built for ourselves.  I believe that the government has no business imposing it’s goals upon us as Americans. 

 

“Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessing of liberty; to secure just and rightful government; to promote our mutual welfare and happiness, we, the people of the State of Oklahoma, do ordain and establish this Constitution.”
– Preamble to Oklahoma’s Constitution – 1907

 

What does this mean? It was this cry out to God that our constitution was grounded on. Our Oklahoma state founders “invoked the guidance of Almighty God” for wisdom on how to:

  • Secure and perpetuate the blessing of liberty.
  • Secure a just and rightful government.
  • Promote our mutual welfare and happiness.

 

 

John Adams addressed the first brigade, third division of Massachusetts militia, October 11, 1798:
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”


 

President Calvin Coolidge wrote in 1924:
“The history of government on this earth has been almost entirely a rule of force held in the hands of a few. Under our constitution, America committed itself to power in the hands of the people.”

#3  LIMITED GOVERNMENT

“The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

 

― President Ronald Reagan
(The 40th U.S. President of the United States)

Many people talk about the need for “small government”.  I get this concept, but I’m not sure focusing on the “size” of government is the best remedy.  My thoughts lean more toward a “limited government”.  The Constitution already lays out the framework for how the government is to govern.  The issues begin to come up when government leaders decide to go beyond the bounds of the constitution.

And once the horse has left the barn, it’s tough to get ‘er back in!  From term limits to transparent oversight, there have been many solutions considered, but we still find ourselves in the same spot – the government overreaching it’s authority given by the constitution and mettling in the lives of the American citizens.  The government (and Big Tech) now wants to regulate our health, our wages, our air travel, our vehicles, our lightbulbs, our food, our straws, and even our conversations on social media.  The idea of “from cradle to grave” has been slowly gaining traction in our society.  “The government will solve this problem.  The government will always be there to save us.  The government will make sure I get what I need.  The government will pay for it.”

I am for more independence from the government and not more reliance on their handouts!  Signing bills into law that cause us to be more reliant on the government goes against my core values.  Independence will always be a key filter for me as your representative at the capital.  I am very skeptical when it comes to the government “leading” the people.  The preamble to the constitution says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

“We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much.”

 

President Ronald Reagan
(The 40th U.S. President of the United States)