Joe Hill mailer
There are some strange bedfellows in the Senate District 6 race in southeastern Oklahoma, where outside forces have joined to attempt to defeat incumbent one-term Republican Josh Brecheen.
Joining the State Chamber of Commerce and the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association in targeting Brecheen is the AFL-CIO, which seeks “to undo the damage” it claims Republicans
have done to the workers compensation system.
The AFL-CIO is dropping direct mail in support of Hill. Workers compensation reform was the State Chamber’s chief priority for decades, so the alliance with a group that opposes it, the AFL-CIO, has political observers scratching their heads.
Will Hill support the chamber or the AFL-CIO on one of the premier issues for business over the past half century?
Senate Pro-tem Brian Bingman slammed special interests for opposing Brecheen, who supported the reform. As leader of the Senate, Bingman championed workers compensation reform, but that wasn’t enough to keep the chamber from opposing one of his members. Nor was the outspoken support of retiring Senator Tom Coburn, a man of some stature in the district.
Bingman and Brecheen now face the daunting task of opposing the State Chamber and the AFL-CIO, plus the OIPA.
In a mailer, the AFL-CIO insinuates that Hill will oppose reform of the state’s pension systems, another State Chamber priority.
The head-butting between the State Chamber, Bingman and other top Republicans in this race may have repercussions beyond it. Former legislator Fred Morgan has built the State Chamber’s political arm on his alliances with Republicans, and his staff comes mostly from GOP ranks.
I wonder who Fallin supports.
Brecheen is one of a small handful of Oklahoma legislators that make the state a laughing stock. Opposition to Josh Brecheen is not a partisan issue. It is an issue of common sense and basic intelligence. Brecheen is a crackpot, and his party affiliation is irrelevant.
This defines the word “Hypocrisy,” by the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce (Fred Morgan). The State Chambers own REID Report gives Senator Brecheen an overall average score of 90%. Dear Lord, what do these goons actually want, 100%, or clones for they’re so called polices?
The Oklahoma State Chamber doesn’t want a seat at the table, they want to control the table. Now they fighting with good legislators that happen to disagree on issues like Common Core Standards, to which Senator Brecheen lead its charge. I’d like for the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce to answer the question; Whats wrong allowing Parents, and School District to have the say on their own Children’s Education?
I’d think the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce would be better suited to act more like the Kansas State Chamber of Commerce, and work on fiscal policies like reducing Oklahoma State Income Tax to a ZERO … Rather than having a panic attack on all their recent loses at the capital, which includes the Jeff Hickman speaker race verses Mike Jackson.
How about this Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce … Let’s all get an equal sit at the Big Table of Government, and work together rather than trying to control every issue at the CAPITAL … Then maybe we can motivate others to get REAL fiscal reform accomplished rather than personal self interests.
I have to weigh in and agree with Bob Dani. State Chamber can be sinister at times. I remember when I ran for office – they interviewed me and asked dead end questions of me to be able to support their choice that would toe their line. Oklahoma is one of the most sound states in the nation – State Chamber may be poised to poison that situation and tarnish the image of our state. Josh Brecheen is able to represent the people of his district so well and will not bow to any special interest group. GO JOSH BRECHEEN!
Does a candidate in Oklahoma really want to be a union stooge?