Majority Delegation Supported Omnibus Spending Bill
Most Oklahoma lawmakers support package of tax breaks and spending
by Chris Casteel
WASHINGTON — Six of the seven Oklahomans in Congress supported $680 billion in tax breaks and $1.1 trillion in spending as lawmakers wrapped up their budget work this week. The House cleared the spending bill overwhelmingly on Friday; the Senate approved the entire package, and President Barack Obama signed it.
Rep. Jim Bridenstine, R-Tulsa, opposed the spending bill.
Comments from Oklahoma lawmakers made clear that none of them loved the entire package but that the good outweighed the bad.
Here are their post-vote observations:
Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City: “Legislation in a democracy is often a boisterous compromise, but this bill was a complete backroom negotiation. It is full of great policy provisions mixed with half-baked ideas and muddy process. While I voted for the important policies in the bill, I do not support the broken process, or many other aspects that led to the final product.
“This tax reform and omnibus bill includes numerous priorities for Oklahomans and all Americans, such as long-term reforms for the small business tax code, it defunds the Obamacare Independent Payment Advisory Board and it finally lifts the absurd ban on oil exports.”
I hope every mother’s son of them is primaried. What a bunch of traitorous hacks. They funded everything Obama wanted. Illegal aliens, sanctuary cities, illegal kids coming over the border, their new flatscreen tvs and soccer balls, the Syrian refugees, DACA – you name it! We no longer have a representative government! There is a permanent democrat party on the horizon and these are the guys who forced YOU, the taxpayer to fund it!
We know Bridenstine is the ONLY conservative! Good bye Republican party! You are dead to me!
Sen. Lankford’s rationale is exactly what is wrong with Congress. A wishy-washy, pathetic excuse for voting for bad legislation! What happened to all the promises to cut spending and promote smaller government, and holding the Obama Administration responsible for his illegal dictates and executive orders? Exactly, nothing! That he and Sen. Inhofe voted for that mess is disgusting. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid started celebrating at their good fortune…..they don’t have control, but they still call the shots. It’s like the victories of 2010 and 2014 mid-terms were for nothing!
I will not sacrifice inalienable rights for a set of abstract collective rights. I will not vote to increase the size, scope and power of the federal government. According to the CBO, we now see that the Ominbus also adds $544 Billion to the debt, $19 trillion and rising. I pray that God gives us the strength, political and physical courage to make the necessary sacrifices now, so that our children can have a future in which they are still free.
I am running for Congress in the 5th District.
Frank Volpe
FrankOK.com