On Judicial Nominating Commission, Oklahoma turnpikes

Catholic Bishops ought to honor separation of faith, politics

The Mayflower sailed for spiritual freedom. Our Founding Fathers separated church and state. Traditionally, two good decisions for our republic. But, Bishops Coakley and Konderla would unite church and state (Could 18 Views) by preaching for a partisan judiciary.

There are good causes for the separation of church and state. One is we’d like neutral checks and balances. One other is that the bishops evidently forgot about Oklahoma’s Nineteen Sixties judicial scandal. That scandal birthed the Judicial Nominating Fee, which has prevented such scandals for 55 years. Additionally, the bishops obtained it fallacious — the Fee doesn’t appoint appellate judges, and the governor does so from a listing of candidates vetted and accredited by the Fee as being succesful, neutral, and worthy. And a majority of the commissioners are appointed by the governor and the Legislature!

I do not preach the regulation within the church. I consider bishops ought to honor the separation of their faith from our politics.

— Bob Kellogg, Edmond

Pennsylvania-Oklahoma turnpike comparability described as ‘pure trickery’

The Viewpoint printed by The Oklahoman’s visitor columnist Katherine Hirschfeld was an egregious, intelligent effort to misguide readers. The “300-mile roundtrip between Pennsylvania’s two largest cities brings $158 in toll costs” to scare Oklahomans about turnpikes was pure trickery.  A easy seek for miles from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia is 304, so “spherical journey” is 608 miles. Her value ought to have been $79 for a 300-mile journey in Pennsylvania, or 26 cents per mile.

Evaluating to Oklahoma’s distance between our two largest cities, Oklahoma Metropolis and Tulsa, an 86-mile journey is $4.50, or solely a nickel a mile. Lower than one-fifth the price of Pennsylvania turnpikes. Subsequent, she turns to future hypothetical scare techniques: “how a lot is it going to value the common citizen to drive from Oklahoma Metropolis to Tulsa in 10 or 15 years?” 

As a former commissioner of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority representing Norman and Oklahoma Metropolis who served on the finance committee, historical past solutions her query. When the Turner Turnpike opened in 1954, the 86-mile journey value $1.40. In at present’s {dollars}, that may be $14. Nevertheless, by accountable monetary stewardship, OTA has stored that value to solely $4.50 — practically seven many years later!   

— G. Carl Gibson, Norman