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Bumpy start for OKC school district reconfiguration
Sean McDaniel, superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools, crystallized things pretty well in assessing how the district’s...
Interesting clash over marijuana in Oklahoma
An interesting clash is occurring in Oklahoma over initiative petition drives that seek to legalize recreational marijuana....
Point of view: Stitt continues Oklahoma Standard for families in need
I applaud Gov. Kevin Stitt’s recent formal consent to continue refugee resettlement within Oklahoma. Stitt is among 42...
Point of view: Keep religious bias out of the voting process
For years, it has been acceptable to have polling places in churches. For many rural areas, this is the best choice due to lack...
Your views: Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020
Media not to blame for Church’s reputation Robert Rogers (Your Views, Jan. 8) said the press is abusing the Catholic Church's...
Michael Barone: What we've learned from the Democratic race, so far
Elections are a form of communication. Voting tells politicians, and the press if they're capable of getting the message, what...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: Oklahoma AG goes after opioid distributors
U.S. drug makers and distributors could be forgiven if they ever ask “What if?” as it relates to Oklahoma’s 2018 election for...
Rich Lowry: The botched Democratic case for witnesses
The fate of the republic, we are now supposed to believe, hinges on whether there are witnesses at a Senate impeachment trial....
Point of View: It’s time to end wildlife killing contests in Oklahoma
One morning in the 1930s in Yellowstone, biologist Adolph Murie watched a trotting coyote joyously toss a sprig of sagebrush in...
Booker's departure a blow to charter school advocates
Tuesday’s Democratic presidential debate included six candidates. Among those missing the cut was New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker,...
Jonah Goldberg: Democratic battle is reminiscent of Kerry-Dean in 2004
As of this writing, the Democratic presidential contest looks very fluid, with four candidates bunched up in Iowa and New...
Stitt rekindles off-and-on debate about state post
With his stated desire to see the state superintendent of public instruction job become appointed instead of elected, Gov....
Good news from OK County drug court
Drug courts have been around for many years in Oklahoma, and statistics show they’re effective. The judge who oversees Oklahoma...
Your Views Wednesday, Jan. 15
Time to bring back the paddles? Regarding “Teacher survey a concern” (Our Views, Jan. 8): These are very dedicated teachers who...
Cutting Oklahoma regulations a worthwhile pursuit
Gov. Kevin Stitt wants to see the number of Oklahoma state regulations cut by one-fourth by the time he leaves office. That...
Point of View: Oklahoma's community colleges important to health care
“Nurses may not be angels, but they are the next best thing.” — Anonymous Patient Oklahoma’s community colleges play a vital...
Point of View: Much at stake in next Census
A lot is at stake in the next U.S. Census, and that’s why we — as the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Oklahoma Senate...
By land and air, weather researchers track tornadic storms
SALINA, Kan. — For the first time in almost a decade, meteorologists from across the Midwest will track and intercept tornado birthing grounds as part of a large-scale collaborative research project. The TORUS Project, or Targeted Observation...
Exclusively from The Oklahoman 
Cal Thomas: What I’d like to hear from candidates
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s strategy of holding on to the two weak articles of impeachment against President Trump was...
Stephen Moore: Why does Washington demonize drug companies?
Over the holidays, I read Elton John's biography, "Me." He writes about his friendship with Freddie Mercury, the ultratalented...
Your views: Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020
Is this a preview of Trump II? My stepson texted me Monday after boarding his flight to Boston. Sen. James Lankford was sitting...
Public's help needed to meet Oklahoma foster care demand
The latest critique of the Department of Human Services’ child welfare practices provided considerable positive news and one...
Point of view: Responding to anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred
Jewish communities around the world have been overwhelmed with a significant increase of anti-Semitic incidents and attacks....
Point of view: Agency seeking reasonable licensing standards
Occupational licensure is the requirement to meet various educational and experience measurements to practice a trade or...
Young voters continue to feel the Bern
Only one year in age separates Sen. Bernie Sanders from former Vice President Joe Biden, yet the support Sanders engenders from...
Point of view: Higher tobacco purchase age only first step
Last month, President Trump signed legislation that increased to 21 the minimum age to purchase tobacco. That move, one...
Rich Lowry: Neither neocon nor isolationist
Donald Trump isn't George W. Bush. That should be obvious to everyone by now, but his critics and even some of his supporters...
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Oklahoma ScissorTales: Governor's savings push was well worth it
Gov. Kevin Stitt’s successful push last year to place $200 million in the state’s savings account is looking better and...
Michael Barone: Trump responds to Iran's act of war
In all the reportage and commentary on the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, I haven't seen much mention of an interesting...
Task force promoting a new look at Oklahoma justice reform
What should the public expect when a task force charged by Gov. Kevin Stitt with studying criminal justice reform issues its...
Census estimates reveal blues for many blue states
The facts and figures generated by the U.S. Census Bureau are often instructive, and that’s certainly true of the bureau’s...
Your Views Wednesday, Jan. 8
Sanders would hurt the working class I suggest Tom Guild (Your Views, Jan. 1) read Stephen Moore's article (Commentary, Jan....
Stephen Moore: Will economy roar or whimper in 2020?
Let's face it: 2019 is going to be a hard year to beat — stocks and 401(k) plans up more than 25% on average, wage gains of 3%...
OKC teacher survey is disconcerting
This has been a year of change for the Oklahoma City school district, the result of an overhaul in which 15 schools were closed...
Cal Thomas: Add Iran's leadership to ash heap of history
Addressing the British Parliament in 1982, President Ronald Reagan outlined a plan for placing the Soviet Union and...
One-sided support for attack on Soleimani
Many Democrats are loath to give President Trump credit for anything, as we’re seeing to their reaction to Trump’s decision...
Rising minimum wage could mean problems
The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives wants a $15 minimum wage from coast to coast. The truth is that minimum...
Your views: Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020
Trump doesn’t deserve the treatment he gets I am dismayed by most political letters to Your Views the past three years. The...
A new day at the Oklahoma County jail?
His recent interview with The Oklahoman’s Kayla Branch made it clear that Greg Williams considers the men and women locked...
Point of view: Some people we can admire in these times
It is unfortunate, but true, that our current headlines are little more than tawdry tales of political corruption, deceit and...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: OKC owes debt of gratitude to Stern
One of the most important men in Oklahoma City’s recent history died this week. David Stern, former longtime commissioner of...
Rich Lowry: Historians roast the 1619 Project
The reviews of the 1619 Project are in. It is "a very unbalanced, one-sided account." It is "wrong in so many ways." It is "not...
Michael Barone: Census numbers undercut 'ascendant America' theory
From the first years of the one-fifth of this century already completed, we've been told that a new, ascendant America — more...
Jonah Goldberg: Brace for a nasty 2020 presidential campaign
Here’s a fun New Year’s prediction for you: The 2020 presidential campaign will be even uglier than the 2016 contest. In part,...
Biden continues to lead the pack
The new year dawns with former Vice President Joe Biden in a place where just a few months ago some pundits weren’t convinced...
Oklahoma closing fund worth supporting
Oklahoma’s Quick Action Closing Fund has had an interesting history. What it hasn’t had are consistent deposits to help the...
Wishes for a new year
The new year is generally reserved for resolutions — individual promises to eat right, or exercise more, or put down the...
Point of View: Oklahomans safer because of administration's policies
In 2019, we charged the most defendants in the history of our office, including the most gun, drug and immigration defendants....
Your Views Wednesday, Jan. 1
No high crimes or misdemeanors “Horn's courage a fine example" (Point of View, Dec. 22) is a fine example of biased liberal...
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Stephen Moore: The middle class never had it so good
These days, when you listen to the gloom of the media and many of the presidential candidates, you have to wonder what country...
Another justice reform measure for Oklahoma voters?
Oklahoma voters showed in 2016 that they were comfortable with some changes to the state’s criminal justice system. They may...
Point of view: Oklahoma student-athletes should be paid sooner than later
Collegiate athletes fuel a multibillion-dollar industry and they receive no compensation beyond a scholarship. It’s time for...
Your views: Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019
Stitt taking a bullying position with tribes It seems the trait of the bully President Trump has taken root with Gov. Kevin...
Jonah Goldberg: If this has been super-decade, why are we still so angry?
There is a strong case to be made that things are getting better. In 2010, Matt Ridley made the case in “The Rational Optimist”...
Gulf widening in Oklahoma gaming dispute
U.S. Rep. Tom Cole’s hunch in the early months of a gaming dispute between Gov. Kevin Stitt and Indian tribes looks more...
Point of view: Why mentoring should be part of every school
Only 40% of students feel discipline at their school is fair, according to a YouthTruth student survey. Students are often left...
Your views: Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019
A prayer worth saying ‘Amen’ to A bold, 1-inch headline in the Dec. 19 Oklahoman announced: "TRUMP IMPEACHED" and was followed...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: A notable post for Lankford
It says something about Sen. James Lankford’s makeup and his reputation that he was named chairman of the Senate Ethics...
Michael Barone: We're living in the (almost) best of times
The best of times, the worst of times. Your instinct on which one we're living through is affected by your basic temperament,...
Stitt takes the right stance on refugees
An Associated Press story Monday in The Oklahoman focused on how several Republican governors across the country are wrestling...
Warren's anti-big money crusade rings a bit hollow
Sen. Elizabeth Warren brought her “anti-big money” message to her home state recently, one that seems to resonate on the stump...
Cal Thomas: Socialism's cyclical appeal
Like swallows returning to Capistrano, socialism makes an appearance on a regular cycle. The current presidential campaign...
A father's Christmas story
During his 30 years with The Hartford Courant, Owen Canfield, the recently deceased father of The Oklahoman’s Opinion editor,...
Your Views Wednesday, Dec. 25
Businesses, citizens should make the choice Regarding “Sunday liquor sales? No thanks” (Point of View, Dec. 15): Oklahoma...
Stephen Moore: Fed monopoly shouldn't compete with private banks
If there is any lesson we have learned about the Federal Reserve system in the past few years, it is that the supposed oracles...
No sign of end to Oklahoma gaming impasse
A dispute between Gov. Kevin Stitt and tribal leaders over casino gaming took a number of interesting turns this week but none...
Math-science school should take audit findings to heart
A state audit critical of the school’s operations prompted something of a “There’s nothing to see here” reply from the Oklahoma...
Point of view: Horn's courage an example to others in Congress
Rep. Kendra Horn's decision to vote for the impeachment of President Trump was grounded in respect for the Constitution, the...
Point of view: The musical theater of our political theater
Before answering Donald Trump’s call to pull the stopper on Washington, D.C.’s swamp, Rudy Giuliani took a bow for draining...
Your views: Dec. 22, 2019
Horn sees what most reasonable people see Critics of Rep. Kendra Horn say, "If she votes for impeachment, she's screwed."...
Rich Lowry: The victim president
President Donald Trump's impeachment letter to Nancy Pelosi is nothing if not sincere. The missive establishes, if there were...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: Event remembers those who died homeless
The second annual “Homeless Person’s Memorial Service” is scheduled Saturday in Oklahoma City to remember those homeless...
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Michael Barone: 'One-nation' conservatism wins again in Britain
Last week the world's second-oldest political party showed, and not for the first time, its capacity to regenerate itself and...
Rules for Oklahoma's four-day school districts should be firm
The state Department of Education has angered some folks with its proposed rules for school districts that want to continue...
Jonah Goldberg: Why we have two moon parties, no sun party
Here’s a theory for why our politics are so confusing these days: Neither party wants to be a majority party. From an...
Horn's impeachment vote could be costly
U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn voted Wednesday to impeach President Trump, and in doing so may have assured that she will be a one-term...
No surprise in push to legalize recreational pot in Oklahoma
Well, that certainly didn’t take long. Little more than a year after Oklahoma voters approved “medical” marijuana, an effort is...
Point of View: The HPV vaccine is a cancer vaccine
To the parents and guardians on the fence about giving their child the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, please read this. It...
DNC right to stick by its debate rules
The next Democratic presidential debate, scheduled Thursday, will feature seven candidates — a welcome departure from the...
Cal Thomas: Is it 1979 again?
“Blowout” was how one UK newspaper described the decisive victory of Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party in last week’s...
Your Views Wednesday, Dec. 18
Blame the voters, not our system Greg Campbell (Your Views, Dec. 11) expressed concern that in special elections such as MAPS...
Point of View: National curriculum ignores Oklahoma academic standards
There’s an old expression that goes like this: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always...
Rich Lowry: The insane effort to make homeless encampments a de facto constitutional right
The Supreme Court just ensured that the nation's homelessness crisis will continue. The court declined to take up an appeal of...
Stephen Moore: A cheer for the Trump uranian plan
Our sources are telling us that President Trump is nearing a decision on how to revive the all-but-dormant American uranium...
Horn and other vulnerable Dems are in a bind
Sometime soon, Rep. Kendra Horn will have to decide whether to join most U.S. House Democrats and vote to impeach President...
Your views: Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019
What’s the true cost of casino gaming? Oklahomans should applaud Gov. Kevin Stitt for his efforts to negotiate a more fair...
Point of view: Why I oppose Sunday liquor sales
For a state that worries rightly over the costs of addiction, Oklahoma has made some baffling choices in recent years. From...
Jonah Goldberg: Diversity panic hits the Democratic field
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. An Asian guy, two black guys, three white women (one of whom spent much of her life...
Point of view: Governor turns gaming dispute into an "intolerable risk"
Unfortunately, Gov. Kevin Stitt is leveraging the tribes over gaming revenues. He asserts the compacts terminate Jan. 1,...
Energy index bodes ill for Oklahoma
In recent weeks, the heads of two state government agencies have asked Oklahoma lawmakers for less money next fiscal year than...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: deadCenter director leaves an impressive legacy
The deadCenter Film Festival has grown tremendously under the leadership of Lance McDaniel, but the 2020 event will be his last...
Rich Lowry: The unhistoric impeachment
Never has history felt less consequential. The impending impeachment of President Donald Trump is, as news accounts and...
Michael Barone: The (sometimes) bizarre Democratic nomination race
Some recent news stories verge on the bizarre — the House Democrats' futile fuss over impeachment, Speaker Nancy Pelosi's...
Here's to eight more years of growth, improvement for OKC
What will Oklahoma City look like eight years from now? Voters expect that, due to MAPS 4, it will have prettier parks, more...
Congress produces a people-centric defense bill
The bill that Congress uses to fund the U.S. military is generally designed to ensure the various branches have what they need...
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A breakthrough, finally, on USMCA
At a town hall meeting Sunday, a woman told U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn, “We want Congress to get back to work for the American...
Point of View: Congress must ensure agencies faithfully implement federal laws
I traveled recently to Washington, D.C., to inform the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs of federal agencies’ intransigence in...
Your Views Wednesday, Dec. 11
How about issuing licenses for gamblers? While the state of Oklahoma finishes renegotiating its gaming compact, we should...
Domestic violence bills merit Oklahoma Legislature's attention
As with other prosecutors across Oklahoma, Angela Marsee has had to tell victims of domestic abuse that state statute doesn’t...
Point of View: Simple solution to an ever-growing problem
Last month, the University of Oklahoma Student Government Association passed a bill removing “Sooner” from “Sooner Freshman...
Stephen Moore: Congress must stop subsidizing wealthy car buyers
Why are Democrats Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi teaming to lobby for a tax bill that would provide about...
Point of view: Why we voted no confidence at the University of Tulsa
On Nov. 13, the faculty of the University of Tulsa held a referendum on the administration. Four out of five ballots cast by...
Point of View: Ominous trends amid Medicaid expansion efforts
In 2018, Oklahoma ranked 47th in overall health status according to America’s Health Rankings, an annual report issued by the...
NBA has a gem in Enes Kanter
Fans of the Boston Celtics are learning what we in Oklahoma City came to learn about Enes Kanter — this is not your ordinary...
Point of View: Mend, don't end, the School Report Card's chronic absenteeism indicator
The Oklahoma Report Card chronic absenteeism grade is getting pushback from educators who correctly complain that they are...
Your Views Sunday, Dec. 8
This should be the season of giving Now is the season of giving, and with Christmas around the corner, most are getting into...
Oklahoma City will gain with MAPS 4 approval
In the years since the original Metropolitan Area Projects, or MAPS, was approved by Oklahoma City voters in 1993, a growing...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: A big week for one Oklahoma City school
Congratulations are extended for Positive Tomorrows, which this week opened its new building to serve homeless children and...
Jonah Goldberg: Nostalgia is the ace up Biden’s sleeve
I like the word malarkey, consarn it. It’s the bee’s knees. Sure, the youngsters might say, “OK, Boomer” on hearing Joe Biden...
No shortage of examples of government waste
In the fifth edition of his “Federal Fumbles” report, Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, cites more than three dozen...
Refreshing budget request from Oklahoma agency head
State Health Department Commissioner Gary Cox is following through on his pledge to, as he said in a September interview,...
Rich Lowry: Our faltering social vitality
The economy is in robust good health, but our social fabric isn't. By two basic measures of social vitality, births and deaths,...
Point of view: MAPS 4 is for all of us
I ran for office because I believe government works best when it works for all of us and when everyone has a voice. When Mayor...
Point of view: Love, art, activism at center of Oklahoma's fight for reproductive freedom
Access to abortion is under attack in Oklahoma. Despite court rulings against a law that would force medical providers to...
Your Views Wednesday, Dec. 4
Single-item MAPS recommendations needed Raymond Pappe (Your Views, Nov. 27) nailed it when he wrote we’re headed for a MAPS 10....
Stephen Moore: Making the poor pay a high price
Washington do-goodism almost always fails to help the people it is supposed to because politicians ignore the Law of Unintended...
Lessons to last a lifetime
As he fed his ailing father Jell-O, a particularly soothing treat that morning, the son couldn’t help but recall the many...
Point of View: Oklahoma students, teachers, families and businesses need our help
This year, student performance fell on state academic tests, the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the ACT. More...
Point of View: Another historic opportunity for OKC
Through the power of a penny, MAPS has forever changed the way Oklahoma City sees itself and the way the world sees us. In...
Skills concerns in Oklahoma merit policymakers' attention
The point has been made on these pages many times through the years but bears repeating: Although Oklahoma needs more people...
Point of View: National Dems seek inroads with Oklahoma redistricting push
Democratic Party leaders that include former President Barack Obama and former Attorney General Eric Holder are spearheading a...
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Point of view: School board service invaluable to communities
In 2019, it’s still easy to think about school as a place and education as an activity that happens mostly within the physical...
Your views: Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019
Effort puts people before politicians Our Constitution gives the people the ultimate power of the ballot box to determine their...
Jonah Goldberg: Calls for national unity mask ideological ambition
“The purpose of the presidency is not the glorification of the president,” South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg recently...
Point of view: The merits of Oklahoma's merit protection system
An efficient and fair merit system at state agencies is Oklahoma’s first line of defense against favoritism and patronage in...
Vaccine fight not abating in Oklahoma
Let’s hear it for the Oklahoma Alliance for Healthy Families, which is doing all it can to drive home the point that childhood...
Improving outcomes should be OKC district's sole focus
On the same day last week that Oklahoma School Report Cards showed 30 schools in the Oklahoma City district had received an F...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: Never-ending need to help less fortunate
A story Thursday by The Oklahoman's food editor, Dave Cathey, drove home two points — Oklahomans are willing helpers of the...
Michael Barone: Give thanks for America's increasing fairness
It's Thanksgiving week in a country whose warring political tribes are not much inclined to giving thanks. But any American...
Rich Lowry: The most American holiday
According to progressive websites, Thanksgiving is a day devoted to arguing with your right-wing uncle. According to...
Your views: Friday, Nov. 29, 2019
Don’t return state to the ‘spoils system’ Regarding “A reform worth pursuing” (Our Views, Nov. 24): I am puzzled by suggestions...
On Rx marijuana, quite a difference in states' approaches
The Providence Journal placed on its website last week a news alert that caught our eye because it underscored the stark...
Cal Thomas: What happened to teaching history?
According to a report by the National Assessment of Education Progress, the teaching of U.S. history to American students lags...
Opinion: Mister Rogers had it right -- trust in your neighbors
Just in time for the holiday season, moviegoers are being treated to “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” starring Tom Hanks...
Your Views Wednesday, Nov. 27
Showing what a Democratic ‘moderate’ looks like U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn has demonstrated to the citizens of District 5 what a...
Your views: Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019
Perhaps new bike laws will change minds Regarding "Cyclists hope new laws lead to safer streets" (News, Nov. 17): Reps. Jason...
Glad to live where law enforcement are appreciated
A recent event in San Francisco offered another illustration of why we're grateful to live in a place where elected officials,...
Point of view: Repeal needed of 2001, 2002 AUMFs
In 2001 and 2002, Congress passed authorizations for war. While not declarations of war, these mandates, each titled as an...
Merit protection reform in Oklahoma worth pursuing
In a 2013 op-ed in The Oklahoman, Mark Costello, who was Oklahoma’s labor commissioner at the time, wrote about his desire to...
Point of view: OU on firm ground in housing center dispute
Steve Hicks misled readers of The Oklahoman in "Potentially costly move by OU" (Point of View, Nov. 20). Hicks runs Provident...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: Some justice for officer's family
How strong was the case against Byron Shepard, accused of shooting and killing a Tecumseh police officer? It took less than an...
Rich Lowry: Why Democrats are running rings around Republicans on impeachment
On the substance, Democrats have won the first two weeks of the impeachment hearings by TKO. Not that it's required much...
Michael Barone: The impeachment pseudo-event
"The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America" is the title of a 1960s book by historian and librarian of Congress Daniel...
Another step in OK County jail transition
Bit by bit, the Oklahoma County jail is moving closer to being managed by an administrator instead of by the sheriff. A major...
Jonah Goldberg: Louisiana election may not be a crushing loss for conservatives
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards won an impressive re-election victory on Saturday. But the most important lesson isn’t the one...
Another reason to cheer U.S. oil production
In an interview with CNBC at the start of 2018, Continental Petroleum CEO Harold Hamm said the United States could be a net...
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Your Views Wednesday, Nov. 20
Sentencing reform effort merits support It’s no secret that Oklahoma is one of the world’s largest incarcerators. A...
Point of View: Move by OU puts taxpayers, others at risk
When the University of Oklahoma decided in 2015 that it wanted to expand on-campus housing through the development of the Cross...
Point of View: Laying a foundation for the future
As part of The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools’ work, we’ve developed initiatives to create inclusive classroom...
A hurdle that likely won't be cleared
Members of Congress scurried this week to beat Thursday’s deadline to approve a spending bill funding the federal government...
Cal Thomas: Desperation is not a policy
If you are in need of more evidence as to why so many Americans are cynical about politics in general and Washington in...
Direct democracy efforts evident in Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s longstanding embrace of direct democracy is evident again in the growing list of state questions seeking to find...
Rich Lowry: Elizabeth Warren's "Medicare for All" debacle
The clear loser of the Democratic primary is "Medicare for All." First, it demonstrated the unreliability of Kamala Harris out...
Stephen Moore: Trump needs Tax Cut 2.0
Every single plausible Democratic candidate for president has endorsed tax increases as a centerpiece of their economic agenda....
Impasse over Oklahoma gaming compacts widens
If the latest rhetoric is any indication, then it’s clear the dispute between the governor and Oklahoma’s Indian tribes over...
Your Views: Sunday, Nov. 17
Trump’s deflections don’t hold water Pure and simple, President Trump violated the Federal Elections Campaign Act. Multiple...
Point of View: State HR system in Oklahoma is a broken Chrysler LeBaron
Imagine you own a heavily used, rusted out 1982 Chrysler LeBaron. You might be able to make it drive today, but certainly not...
Justice reform a passion for Oklahoma banking giant
When a group filed an initiative petition last week in pursuit of additional criminal justice reform in Oklahoma, banking giant...
Point of View: The case for sentencing reform in Oklahoma
While we celebrate the recent changes to Oklahoma's justice system, we also acknowledge how much work remains. We still send...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: Baptist group keeps it simple
Oklahoma’s Southern Baptist leaders decided this week that when it comes to branding, simplest is best. For 113 years, the...
Michael Barone: Late-starting campaign may not be hopeless
Michael Bloomberg has delivered his latest delicious hint about running for president. Former Attorney General Eric Holder is...
Point of View: Warm, fuzzy feelings about natural gas
A national debt that just crested $23 trillion, the highest suicide rate in at least half a century, a self-inflicted trade...
Your Views Friday, Nov. 15
Rx pot products aren’t cure-alls The term “medical marijuana” is questionable. Good medical care follows a logical sequence of...
Clarity needed about fees charged to OKC charter schools
A charter school group is challenging the reasoning behind the Oklahoma City school district’s decision to increase the...
Jonah Goldberg: Shaking down the rich is bad for democracy
Forget whether the math works. (It doesn’t.) Expecting billionaires to pay for all the nice things is bad for democracy. One of...
Point of View: High school football playoffs: a community happening
Many people would agree that their years in high school were some of the best years of their lives — particularly those...
Clarence Page: Casting for ‘Harriet’ sparks debate about opportunity
Are black British actors black enough to play black Americans? That prickly question has buzzed through black conversations and...
Your Views Wednesday, Nov. 13
Power of parents is critical to education Regarding “No easy pathway to raise scores” (Our Views, Nov. 3): Highlighting the...
It's job of Congress to fix DACA, immigration
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday involving the Trump administration’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for...
Point of View: Rural America needs STEM education
The global economy is changing. To remain competitive in this evolving market, the United States needs a workforce skilled in...
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Point of View: MAPS 4 will make better neighbors
Oklahoma City’s growth is undeniable, and you can really sense the energy it is creating in so many parts of our city. But at...
Rich Lowry: Democrats shouldn't blame Latin
If the impeachment effort isn't taking the nation by storm, the Democrats have an answer — blame it on Latin. The use of a...
Lack of applicants for OKC school board seat not a suprise
Ideally, after Jace Kirk announced he was moving out of the Oklahoma City school district and thus relinquishing his seat on...
Stephen Moore: The Post, liberal media again wrong about Trump economy
First, a full admission about this article: I originally sent a version of it to The Washington Post for publication, but for...
Point of View: Congress needs to repeal widows tax once and for all
For those who have served, or are serving, Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe has our deepest respect. As chairman of the powerful Armed...
Point of View: Veterans Day as a celebration of the greatest love
Veterans Day had its origin at the end of World War I in 1918, a conflict so horrendous that it was dubbed “the Great War” or...
Point of View: We all have a calling to serve
As important as it is on this Veterans Day to thank those brave men and women who selflessly served in defense of our freedom...
Your Views: Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019
Two proposals to improve Oklahoma City The proposals on how to spend MAPS 4 money seem to be a stretch from the original MAPS...
Democrats' far-fetched electric vehicle plans
What would a U.S. Senate controlled by Democrats mean for the country? Among other things, an all-out push to make...
George Will: If Congress had an ounce of pride ...
WASHINGTON When an obviously humane and demonstrably popular policy is implemented by a seriously flawed process, the Supreme...
Fees not unreasonable for Oklahoma state parks
For years, officials with the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation have sought ways to improve and maintain our state...
Point of View: This is our responsibility and our duty
Nov. 1 was a historic day in Oklahoma as the state Pardon and Parole Board and Gov. Kevin Stitt took the steps necessary to...
Point of View: Not another continuing resolution
It's happening again. Our government is functioning under a continuing resolution, which freezes funding for all elements of...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: Clock ticking on REAL ID compliance
The news that it could cost $21 million-plus to make Oklahoma’s state identification cards compliant with federal law makes one...
Michael Barone: The two parties' very different fields of candidates
Have you noticed that the two parties' fields of presidential candidates have, in the past two election cycles, grown...
Prosecutors, jury hold OKC officer accountable
In many cities across the country, police are held in disdain. In Oklahoma City, they’re held accountable. The latter was shown...
Interesting economic pitch by Democratic candidates
Those seeking the Democratic nomination for president have an interesting economic pitch: Our proposals could put you out of...
Jonah Goldberg: Warren and Trump may have more in common than you think
Culturally, Elizabeth Warren is a lot more like Donald Trump than you might think. Hold on. I know: Going by their personal...
Clarence Page: Will progressive Dems take Obama's advice?
Formerly defined as simply the opposite of being asleep, “woke” in the era of Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movement...
Point of View: The communist comeback, and how to stop it
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. It’s a time to celebrate freedom’s victory over communist...
Your Views Wednesday, Nov. 6
I'll be voting for Trump again in 2020 I will vote for Donald Trump again in 2020. However, that does not say I approve of the...
Cal Thomas: The importance of 'no' men
Shortly after Jim Bakker’s release from prison in July 1994, I invited the disgraced TV evangelist to my home. There was an...
Trade certainty would boost economy
There has been much to like about the U.S. economy during the Trump administration, including an unemployment rate that’s the...
Oklahoma making a different sort of news on corrections
On the issue of corrections, Oklahoma is making a different sort of news. The state that locks up more people per capita than...
Point of View: U.S. faces another potential Sputnik moment
When man first stepped onto the moon on July 20, 1969, it was proof that America had won the Space Race. But many people forget...
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Stephen Moore: Pelosi's stall tactics hurt U.S. economy
Wouldn't it be wonderful if for one brief shining moment in Washington, Congress put good policy over politics — and passed a...
Rich Lowry: 'Nationalism' shouldn't be a dirty word
If there's one thing that elite opinion tends to agree about on the left and the right, it's that nationalism is a very bad...
Your Views: Sunday, Nov. 3
Why isn’t board’s vote good enough? Recently an Oklahoma inmate was denied commutation by Gov. Kevin Stitt after the Oklahoma...
Point of View: Politicians shouldn't pick their voters
Politicians have been telling us for too long that they know what’s best for our state. Year after year, Oklahoma continues to...
Point of View: MAPS 4, a chance for OKC to continue its transformation
MAPS 4 brings together 16 projects to address Oklahoma City's current needs and continue to build on the legacy of the work we...
No easy path to better math, reading scores in Oklahoma
State schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister put it well in describing the challenge of improving Oklahoma students’ classroom...
Effort seeks to "fix" drawing of voting districts
The drawing of legislative and congressional district boundaries has been a red-hot topic of late, with the U.S. Supreme Court...
George Will: A precarious future for China
WASHINGTON — Demography does not dictate any nation's destiny, but it shapes every nation's trajectory, so attention must be...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: More room to do more good
Beginning Nov. 15, Oklahoma County’s only diversion program for females will have a new home that will allow it to help more...
Jonah Goldberg: Cancel the primaries
The Democratic primary campaign started in January, but it already feels as if it began in the late Jurassic period, and the...
Interesting results from campus "free speech" survey
Among U.S. colleges and universities that do the most to promote free speech, no one holds a candle to the University of...
Survey shows OKC residents pleased, on the whole
Oklahoma City residents agree — there’s much to like about this place they call home. Respondents in the latest citizen survey...
Jonah Goldberg: Apology is Trump's best option for avoiding impeachment
In l’affaire Ukraine, the president is guilty as charged. And the best strategy for him to avoid impeachment by the House and...
George Will: In baseball, the most valuable rules are unwritten
WASHINGTON — In the rush of the passing seasons, sports memories fade like photographs left in sunlight. But before memories of...
Your Views Wednesday, Oct. 30
Donors say much about Horn “Horn goes coast to coast for campaign money" (News, Oct. 21) doesn't surprise me in the least....
Point of View: In Oklahoma, constitutional carry is here
Effective Friday, Oklahomans who can legally possess firearms will be able to carry handguns open or concealed for self-defense...
Wise use of water always important in Oklahoma
Oklahoma is drying out a bit from another round of significant precipitation. A storm system Friday and Saturday brought snow...
Fight over permitless carry sure to continue in Oklahoma
A law known as “constitutional carry” is scheduled to take effect Friday in Oklahoma. If that happens, it won’t mark the end of...
Cal Thomas: Another one bites the dust
Only extreme partisans intent on denying President Trump any credit for any success would be critical of the operation he...
Point of View: Time is now for Rx pot lab licensing in Oklahoma
With 200,000 medical cannabis patients licensed in Oklahoma, the state is the fastest-growing medical cannabis market in the...
Stephen Moore: Economy surges and Biden-Obama claim the credit
Joe Biden is at it again — living in his own parallel universe. The same former vice president who says that his son Hunter was...
E.J. Dionne: Trump's madness is not enough to doom him
WASHINGTON — The impeachment war is not just about impeachment. It's also about the 2020 election. President Trump's strategy,...
Point of View: Tulsa has an eminent domain problem
The Oklahoma Constitution provides some of the most meaningful protections for private property rights in the country. But this...
Your Views: Sunday, Oct. 27
County saving money on insurance rates A few years ago, the Oklahoma County Budget Board became exhausted when annual...
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- Videos:See The Oklahoman's Videos page
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Point of View: Oklahoma court should uphold abortion law
Nearly 100,000 living unborn children in the U.S. are killed each year by a barbaric procedure known as dismemberment abortion....
Point of View: Facts support clemency for Oklahoma death row inmate
Regarding “Facts temper leniency calls” (Our Views, Oct. 23): Julius Jones didn’t match the description of the assailant that...
Steele a powerful ally for Oklahoma Medicaid expansion backers
As a member of the state Legislature, former Republican Rep. Kris Steele made expanding health care coverage for Oklahomans one...
George Will: Weak political parties smooth the way for demagogues
WASHINGTON — There are political moments, and this might be one, in which worse is better. Moments, that is, when a society's...
Sheriff's decision puts pressure on OK County jail trust
Since voting in August for an outside administrator to oversee jail operations, Oklahoma County's new jail trust has been...
Oklahoma ScissorTales: Prison cellphone problem requires federal help
State prison officials made it clear to a legislative interim study this week that cracking down on contraband cellphones will...
Rich Lowry: The problem with President Pence
Republican senators will soon be receiving an invitation to tear apart the GOP ahead of the 2020 elections, and they are going...
Point of View: Act now to prevent fire catastrophes
Flames inside your home are unplanned, unwanted and often deadly. The destruction and loss that fire can bring are something no...
Marc Thiessen: Partisan nature of Dems' impeachment inquiry will backfire
WASHINGTON — After dozens of House Republicans demanded access to a secure facility in the Capitol on Wednesday where House...
Noonan offers interesting food for thought on impeachment
There is little to no question the U.S. House of Representatives will impeach President Trump. Democrats control the House and...
Jonah Goldberg: GOP pressure on Trump was long overdue
Upon hearing the news that President Trump bowed to pressure from congressional Republicans and reversed his decision to hold...
Crime victims benefiting from new Oklahoma law
Oklahoma voters rejected four of the five state questions on the ballot last November. However, the one question that managed...
Michael Gerson: Senate Republicans must weigh the cost of complicity
WASHINGTON — Sometimes idiocy is a form of confession. With the storming of a secure hearing room, Donald Trump's strongest...
Point of View: Look abroad to resolve rural America's health care crisis
Imagine going into cardiac arrest, and the closest emergency room is more than 30 miles away. Or suppose your child is...
George Will: Warren is not suited to push swing voters away from Trump
WASHINGTON — Along the East River, which is not really a river (it is a 16-mile-long tidal estuary), perhaps 20,000 people...
Kathleen Parker: The supreme battle before us
WASHINGTON — As the 2020 election comes into sharper focus, one issue that seems to animate both sides — the Supreme Court — is...
Gabbard feels Hillary's sting
Three years after her loss to Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton remains keenly interested in the current occupant of the White...
Your Views Wednesday, Oct. 23
Another casualty of the war on drugs Regarding “Homeless man cleared by lab results” (News, Oct. 15): Cody Gregg was arrested...
Stephen Moore: D.C. subsidies not helping the wind industry
Last week, the lobbying arm of the wind energy industry made an unsurprising, though somewhat embarrassing, announcement. It...
Tariffs are not political winners
Is President Trump looking to follow in his footsteps? George H.W. Bush signed the income-tax hike that Democrats demanded,...
Commutation case not a slam dunk for Oklahoma inmate
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board and Gov. Kevin Stitt are being asked to grant clemency to Julius Jones, who is on death...
Point of View: Expansion supporters downplay costs, ignore results
Regarding “Will state expand Medicaid?” (News, Oct. 20): One of the most telling things about the debate over Medicaid...
Cal Thomas: The Clinton-Gabbard smackdown
A new wrestling league is being promoted during TV coverage of Major League Baseball’s postseason. The ad promises more action,...
Rich Lowry: Trump should want a rapid impeachment
The Ukraine story hasn't been good for President Donald Trump, and there's only one way out — to get impeached, and the sooner,...
Michael Gerson: Trump's call with Zelensky did present a corrupt quid pro quo
WASHINGTON — The impeachment of President Trump has reached an early point of absurdity. Just about everyone in Washington...