Political Pulse

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Congressman Frank Lucas says President
Barack Obama’s proposal to cut some government payments to farmers
shows a lack of understanding of the agriculture industry.
During a speech to a joint session of Congress this week Obama
proposed eliminating subsidies paid to farmers regardless of crop
prices or yield.
Lucas says in a statement today that farmers and ranchers are
struggling to make a living in the current economic crisis and with
falling commodity prices.
Lucas says he’s sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom
Vilsack complaining about the president’s plan.
While Lucas wants subsidies to farmers protected he’s criticized
Obama for advocating too much government spending.
After Obama’s speech to Congress, Lucas said - quote - “we must
all practice fiscal restraint - including the federal government.”

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma Senate Democrats are charging that
Republicans are taking the side of insurance companies over the
needs of their constituents.
Democratic leaders held a news conference Thursday to decry
decisions by GOP leaders not to hear their bills, including a
measure to require insurance companies to cover autism.
Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, a Durant Democrat, said Republicans are
forsaking their pro-family ideals by killing insurance mandate
legislation.
Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee called the Democratic
comments “over the top” and not helpful to their cause.
Coffee, an Oklahoma City Republican, said he is still hopeful a
compromise can be worked out that will improve the plight of
families with autistic children.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Members of Oklahoma’s delegation say
they’ll work with President Obama and others to bolster the
nation’s faltering economy, but they also criticized a $787 billion
economic stimulus package and other proposals to deal with the
crisis.
Republican Reps. Tom Cole, Mary Fallin, Frank Lucas and John
Sullivan commented after Obama’s speech to the American people and
a joint session of Congress. Sen. Jim Inhofe released a statement
on his Web site.
Cole and Lucas agreed with Obama that the GOP and the Democrats
must work together to solve the country’s problems.
Cole said that overcoming the present challenges will take sweat
equity. But he also disagreed with Obama’s push to allow tax cuts
for those making more than $250,000 to expire next year and for the
cost of the stimulus package and a proposed spending bill.
Fallin said she had concerns about the budget deficit and
whether Obama would keep his pledge to cut it by reducing military
spending and increasing taxes on small businesses.
Lucas also was critical of the stimulus plan and proposals for
increasing spending, but he agreed with Obama that the United
States will recover.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Legislation that honors a former state
representative has been passed by the House.
Rep. Terry Hyman died last year while operating equipment on his
Love County farm. He was 56.
A co-author of the measure, Rep. Pat Ownbey of Ardmore, says
Hyman was a highly respected legislator who did a lot of good for
southern Oklahoma.
Hyman was a farmer and loved the rodeo. As a legislator, Ownbey
says Hyman was respected by both Republicans and Democrats and was
a true gentleman.
The legislation designates a portion of State Highway 32 from
Interstate 35 west to the Jefferson County Line as “State
Representative Terry Hyman Memorial Highway.”
It directs the Department of Transportation to install permanent
markers on the highway bearing that name.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma City attorney Ryan Leonard says he
plans to run for attorney general in 2010.
The 36-year-old Republican is the son of senior U.S. District
Judge Tim Leonard and the son-in-law of former Oklahoma Gov. Frank
Keating.
A native of Beaver, Ryan Leonard served as an assistant district
attorney in Canadian County and was a former legislative assistant
to former U.S. Sen. Don Nickles.
Current Attorney General Drew Edmondson has said he plans to run
for governor in 2010. A Democrat, Edmondson has held the job since
his election in 1994.