Brian Altenhofel's blog

This is just a reminder that today is the first day of early voting in Oklahoma's primaries. I also want to encourage those who are registered as Republicans to vote for Randy Brogdon. You can see my reasons here.

Registered voters wishing to cast their ballots early for Oklahoma’s 2010 Primary Election can do so at the following times at their county election board office.

Friday, July 23: 8 AM – 6 PM
Saturday, July 24: 8 AM – 1 PM
Monday, July 26: 8 AM – 6 PM

Voters may vote early in the county where they are registered to vote. A list of county election boards and addresses is available on the State Election Board’s website.

Get out there and vote!

Today, President Obama signed HR 4173, the Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act, also known as the Dodd-Frank bill. The next crash we face in the financial markets will directly be caused by this new set of laws. I guarantee it.

It comes as no surprise that Senator Chris Dodd and Representative Barney Frank are the architects of this new scheme to distort the financial and mortgage markets. After all, it has been a recurring theme in their careers.

So what kind of reform are we actually getting from this bill? None. We are getting more of the same-ol' same-ol' that caused the mortgage meltdown. HR 4173 didn't roll back federal mandates to lend to those who may not be able to afford their mortgage. HR 4173 didn't do away with lending quotas. This is all in spite of recognizing these reasons as the cause of the financial crisis we are in.

From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

State elections officials narrowly rejected a Milwaukee Assembly candidate's attempt to run with the slogan "NOT the 'whiteman's bitch' " under her name on the ballot.

Ieshuh Griffin, a Milwaukee independent running to replace retiring Rep. Annette "Polly" Williams (D-Milwaukee), said in response she would sue the Government Accountability Board for infringing on her freedom of speech.

"I'm not making a derogatory statement toward an ethnic group. I'm stating what I'm not," Griffin told board members. "It's my constitutional right to freedom of speech."

According to a study by the Oklahoma Policy Institute, the pricetag for State Question 744 (if it passes in November) will be $1.7 billion.  If you want to know more, check out the post at Oklahomans for Responsible Government.

Now, once you get past the price tag, remember that it has no funding source. This means that the State of Oklahoma will either have to raise taxes or cut services to make up for that shortfall, in addition to the shortfall created for 2012 by the 2011 budget. By the way, your legislators will NOT control Oklahoma's budget.

Congresswoman Mary Fallin reported that she raised $742,974 in the last three months to bring her total campaign donations to over $2.4 million. She spent $747,500 to bring her total expenditures to well over $1.6 million.

In contrast, Senator Randy Brogdon has raised a total of $381,750 and spent $311,877 during his entire campaign. However, if the county GOP assemblies mean anything, Brogdon has the support of the People.

The people most likely to vote in a primary can be pared down to two major groups: those who are active in their party, and those who seek to change their party. Apparently, Randy Brogdon has been able to draw from both of these major groups.

Here's a good video from The Young Turks about why marijuana should be legal.

You may or may not have heard of the trial of John Stagliano.  You would think that, especially in 2010, a small businessman such as he would be considered a model of American entrepreneurship.  But the Obama administration, brought to power through a promise of hope and change, is showing that it has no problem pursing the silence of speech which it declares obscene.

Stagliano built his enterprise, Evil Angel, literally from the ground up.  His business is now worth millions and provides dozens of full-time jobs, hundreds of well-compensated part-time jobs, and even provides jobs that are required by the bureaucratic red tape that regulates the porn industry.

Apparently, the RIAA spent $16,500,306 on legal services to generate $391,348 in revenue from anti-piracy restitution.

Yes, you read that right.  The RIAA spent more than $42 for every dollar it earned from litigation terrorism.  It also shows that the Big Four are managed by idiots.

Image from Randy Brogdon for Governor campaign material (so yeah, it's biased, but it's true)