Standing up for Oklahoma’s energy workers

Our ongoing frigid weather is a good reminder of how lucky we are to live in a top energy producing state. We have easy access to affordable and reliable energy to keep our homes warm even in arctic conditions. At the same time, the energy industry also powers our economy and provides good jobs for thousands upon thousands of Oklahomans.

We’re also lucky to have Treasurer Todd Russ and an Oklahoma Legislature working to protect the Oklahoma economy by preventing discrimination against the traditional energy companies that help make all that possible. Big corporations and institutions tried to use our taxpayer dollars to fund an anti-American progressive agenda, using so-called “environmental, social, and governance” (ESG) policies to stop states from producing oil and gas. Oklahoma rightly stood up to them, taking action to keep entities that use ESG to boycott energy production from investing state funds.

Our future is best served by supporting our own Oklahoma values, not by bowing down to left-wing activists and the big institutions they control. I’m glad our state is standing up to safeguard the interests of Oklahoma’s energy workers, citizens and economy.

— Greg Pilcher, Edmond

It’s time state turns attention to child poverty, student performance

Well, now that Kevin Stitt and the Legislature have solved the critical problem of Oklahoma parents not having enough choice, I’m hoping they might turn their attention to a couple of other problems. One is child poverty. In all the time that Stitt has been in office, has child poverty been reduced in Oklahoma? Or are we still at the bottom of the barrel? And no, Kevin, an income tax reduction won’t help these kids. Their parents are too poor to pay income tax anyway.

The other is the academic performance of our K-12 students compared to the rest of the country. It’s pretty bad. Our kids are graduating with a distinct disadvantage compared to kids from the rest of the country. Kevin Stitt and the current Oklahoma Legislature haven’t improved that at all. Maybe the way they’re encouraging parents to shovel tax dollars into private for-profit schools will help that, but I doubt it.

Fortunately, child poverty and academic performance are easy to measure, so we’ll all know in a few years whether the current state government has made any improvements. And if they haven’t, let’s vote them out of office.

― Robert Konieczny, Norman

Disagreeing with ‘Culture Correction’ op-ed, reader says prisoners should do the time

Sunday’s editorial page headlined: Culture Correction pushing rehab for criminals by Tony Green states: “I cannot stress enough that if any decisions are reached without the primary goal being rehabilitation and restorative justice, the betterment of all Oklahomans is lost to an inept bureaucracy.”(!) Also, “In a time where crime rates have fallen…”

Tony (further, paraphrased): Is the theory more time served returns a better product to society? 85% of the current prison population will reenter society.

The cops are overwhelmed and can’t do their job because do-gooders and ambulance-chasing lawyers second guess their every move! Old Saying: Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time!

— Bill Logan, Norman

Don’t cross the line of good, bad

The further we go into the presidential election cycle, the more I’m afraid of Mr. Trump reassuming the presidency. And I feel much the same way regarding Mr. Biden getting reelected because of his age and apparent mental acuity.

With that said, I have just read the following quote by Mr. Trump: ”Even events that ‘cross the line’ must fall under total immunity, or it will be years of trauma trying to determine good from bad.”

We have never had a president that has ever considered “crossing the line,” so why is it many are supporting a man that has outwardly admitted that is his plan. It becomes obvious to me that if you don’t want to determine good from bad, don’t cross the line between them.

― Mark Rupert, Edmond

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Trump, energy workers, prison time, child poverty in letters