The election day plans thread just got me wondering. I registered to vote in Oklahoma this year rather than dealing with the absentee thing from Texas. The problems is that I know little to nothing about Oklahoma politics. Anybody care to share some insight about who's running for what, and what their platform is?
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Oklahoma politics this November
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Bartholomew Roberts
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Well, in the Senate race Brad Carson (D) is running against Dr. Tom Coburn (R) in what GOA has labeled the "most important Senate race in 2004".
Brad Carson has a B rating from GOA and Coburn has an A+ rating. GOA endorsed Coburn, who is currently trailing by 4-5 points in the polls.
I was up in OK last weekend and I saw three commercials for Carson, all of them I would consider as effective, and none for Coburn, so I suspect that Carson has a financial edge as well.
Brad Carson has a B rating from GOA and Coburn has an A+ rating. GOA endorsed Coburn, who is currently trailing by 4-5 points in the polls.
I was up in OK last weekend and I saw three commercials for Carson, all of them I would consider as effective, and none for Coburn, so I suspect that Carson has a financial edge as well.
tulsamal
Member
Maybe you just hit a down time because Coburn has been running plenty of them. Carson went negative on Coburn very early.
Here's my synopsis of the race. Coburn was elected to the House in 94. Part of the Contract With America group. But he believed it. He served six years and then gave up his seat. He was very popular and could have won until retirement. But he believed in voluntary limits. Even better, he believed that government can't do everything. He believed that government is always trying to fix everything even if we can't afford it. He tended to vote against things that he thought were just too expensive. That included things he thought were a good idea. The Taxpayers Union gave him their highest rating for five years.
But now Carson is using that against him. He is pulling out votes to show that Coburn voted against things that would have sent federal money to OK. It's true but it's slimy. Coburn wasn't voting "against OK." He was voting for a smaller and more efficient federal government. He thought prescription drug coverage by the federal government was a bad idea. I do too. $400 billion is crazy for ten years. And it will just get worse. That doesn't mean Coburn is "against the elderly." It means he thought it was more than we could afford.
I actually had some respect for Carson when this election started. I'm losing it fast with the way he is smearing Coburn's record.
And I notice that some of the worst ads are coming from a Democratic 501 group. The Democrats sure are good about complaining about the Swift Boat Veterans while putting millions into political slush funds themselves! And it means the worst ads don't have to have the "I'm Brad Carson and I approved this message" at the end. He can claim he didn't have anything to do with it.
Gregg
Here's my synopsis of the race. Coburn was elected to the House in 94. Part of the Contract With America group. But he believed it. He served six years and then gave up his seat. He was very popular and could have won until retirement. But he believed in voluntary limits. Even better, he believed that government can't do everything. He believed that government is always trying to fix everything even if we can't afford it. He tended to vote against things that he thought were just too expensive. That included things he thought were a good idea. The Taxpayers Union gave him their highest rating for five years.
But now Carson is using that against him. He is pulling out votes to show that Coburn voted against things that would have sent federal money to OK. It's true but it's slimy. Coburn wasn't voting "against OK." He was voting for a smaller and more efficient federal government. He thought prescription drug coverage by the federal government was a bad idea. I do too. $400 billion is crazy for ten years. And it will just get worse. That doesn't mean Coburn is "against the elderly." It means he thought it was more than we could afford.
I actually had some respect for Carson when this election started. I'm losing it fast with the way he is smearing Coburn's record.
And I notice that some of the worst ads are coming from a Democratic 501 group. The Democrats sure are good about complaining about the Swift Boat Veterans while putting millions into political slush funds themselves! And it means the worst ads don't have to have the "I'm Brad Carson and I approved this message" at the end. He can claim he didn't have anything to do with it.
Gregg
another okie
Member
It's not slimy to say Coburn was against federal funding for highways in Oklahoma. He was. He had a perfectly good reason for being against the spending, and that's how he believed, and that's how he voted. The same applies to the drug benefit.
Coburn is one of those guys that does exactly what he says he will do.
Carson has every right to put that before the voters and ask who they want, a small government guy or a big government guy. Carson is basically saying "I will bring home the pork, he will seek lower taxes. Take your pick."
Carson is one of the most pro-2nd Amendment Democrats in the U.S.A., and we gun owners are not going to be hurt by the winner, no matter who wins. I suppose there are other issues involved in the choice, such as control of the Senate and the Supreme Court.
Coburn represented me for six years. I was proud to have him as my representative. The same is true for Carson.
Coburn is one of those guys that does exactly what he says he will do.
Carson has every right to put that before the voters and ask who they want, a small government guy or a big government guy. Carson is basically saying "I will bring home the pork, he will seek lower taxes. Take your pick."
Carson is one of the most pro-2nd Amendment Democrats in the U.S.A., and we gun owners are not going to be hurt by the winner, no matter who wins. I suppose there are other issues involved in the choice, such as control of the Senate and the Supreme Court.
Coburn represented me for six years. I was proud to have him as my representative. The same is true for Carson.
tulsamal
Member
It's not slimy to say Coburn was against federal funding for highways in Oklahoma. He was. He had a perfectly good reason for being against the spending, and that's how he believed, and that's how he voted.
It feels like a negative attack ad when you watch it on TV. They make it sound like Coburn "didn't care about OK" or something like that. They don't point out that Corburn was just generally against increased spending on everything. Even things that would help his own state.
Carson is one of the most pro-2nd Amendment Democrats in the U.S.A., and we gun owners are not going to be hurt by the winner, no matter who wins.
That is true. Although I think Carson only got a B from GOA. (Both A's from the NRA.) I agree that Carson totally stood on our side over the AWB. It wouldn't be the end of the world if Carson won but Coburn is one of my very favorite OK politicians. I felt like we really lost somebody when he went back to his medical practice. I would like to see him back.
And it does matter to me that the Taxpayers Union gave Coburn their highest rating for five years. I would strongly prefer somebody like that in the Senate. I would actually prefer about 100 people like that in the Senate!!
Now we are going to have the political newbie Boren as our rep. Talk about winning because of who your father is!
Gregg
Bartholomew Roberts
Member
I won't cry if Carson gets elected (unless it is his vote that puts Kennedy on the majority side of the Judiciary Committee); but Coburn does have a passion for the Second Amendment.
This is a guy who basically managed to filibuster a bill in the House, where such actions are not even allowed by the rules. Putting a guy like this in the Senate, who isn't afraid to buck his own party, knows procedures intimately, and supports the Second Amendment with a passion, would be a huge roadblock to the antis.
I think Carson would probably resist the siren song of DC and continue to vote pro-RKBA; but I don't think he would ever be the same passionate advocate for the Second that Coburn would be.
This is a guy who basically managed to filibuster a bill in the House, where such actions are not even allowed by the rules. Putting a guy like this in the Senate, who isn't afraid to buck his own party, knows procedures intimately, and supports the Second Amendment with a passion, would be a huge roadblock to the antis.
I think Carson would probably resist the siren song of DC and continue to vote pro-RKBA; but I don't think he would ever be the same passionate advocate for the Second that Coburn would be.
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whitebear
Member
Dr. Tom Coburn has spoken at a meeting of my gun club. I was very impressed with him, both during his prepared presentation and his Q-A period. He struck me as highly intelligent, analytical, practical, compassionate, passionate, honest and morally straight, and I have to say, I'm not usually impressed by politicians at all.
I have never been face-to-face with Brad Carson, so I can't offer a personal opinion there.
IF you're a one-issue 2nd Amendment voter, this is very nearly a toss-up; if you tend toward fiscal conservatism, Tom Coburn is your man.
Just my $.02
I have never been face-to-face with Brad Carson, so I can't offer a personal opinion there.
IF you're a one-issue 2nd Amendment voter, this is very nearly a toss-up; if you tend toward fiscal conservatism, Tom Coburn is your man.
Just my $.02
tulsamal
Member
I have never been face-to-face with Brad Carson, so I can't offer a personal opinion there.
My only real "negative" with Carson (besides the way he is running down Coburn) is with his age! I remember when he ran for the House. I saw him on TV and thought he looked too young to send to D.C. Now after four years he is ready to move on to the Senate! Come on kid, try to get some age and experience on you before you go off to one of the most important jobs in the US!
To be fair, I'm sure Carson himself didn't really plan to run for Senate at this point. He probably figured he would be a representative for ten years and then have a go at it. But the Senate seat came up empty after a retirement. They don't become open very often so I'm sure he decided he better just go for it. But I really don't think he has enough experience yet to be ready to be a Senator!
Gregg
Bubbles
Member
I suppose there are other issues involved in the choice, such as control of the Senate and the Supreme Court.
If both candidates would be good for gun owners, then this issue would decide my vote. Three USSC justices are expected to retire in the next four years, and I'd like to see the most pro-gun, low tax, small government Senate as possible in charge of affirming their replacements.
another okie
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tulsamal - I see what you mean. It does feel like an attack when you see it on television.
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