Their votes say no, but their posturing says yes

Nationwide, there's been a rash of Republicans playing political gymnastics over the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) - also known as the stimulus bill. And Oklahoma Republicans are no exception.

According to Oklahoma's own ARRA website, nearly $570 million has been spent to boost Oklahoma's economy thus far and more than 6,700 new jobs have been created.

Seems like a pretty successful program, doesn't it?

Here's the problem - while every single Republican in our Congressional delegation voted against the stimulus funds, several of them have been taking credit for the positive effects those funds have had on our state.

Case #1: Mary Fallin. Fallin's stimulus flip-flop may have something to do with the fact that she's not just trying to win approval of her Republican colleagues in D.C., she's trying to make the case that she should be our next governor. But in trying to please everyone, Fallin has been caught in more than a few instances of GOP Double-Speak:

The next month, Fallin paraded around Oklahoma not only praising the money the stimulus has put into our state's transportation infrastructure, but also asking for MORE money to go into these projects - projects funded, of course, by money she voted against.

Case #2: Jim Inhofe. Inhofe, who ran his last campaign claiming he was stubborn and unchanging, has done his share of GOP Double-Speak on the stimulus funds. Watch this clip from MSNBC's the Rachel Maddow Show earlier this week:

Just like with most positive developments related to the Tar Creek cleanup and buyout, Inhofe opposed this one with all of his might - right up until he took credit for and praised the "great news" of the stimulus funds.

Just like with many Washington Republicans, the Oklahoma delegation seems to be following the flip-flop trend: Their votes may say "no," but their political posturing says "yes, and make sure you give me credit."

Posted on Friday, February 12, 2010 by Karina Henderson filed under

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2 comments (Add your own)

1. Kathy Kelley wrote:: It's obvious that your hypocrisy is free-riding on the coattails of the Democratic decision on this stimulus money that you voted against so that you can appease your base and say you had nothing to do with it when at the same time you are trying to take credit for the money coming in, because they are "necessary funds". You are playing it both ways and I'm sure the GOP is very jealous that our President, and Democratic Congress came up with the idea and the GOP didn't have anything to do with it, and you just can't come clean with your constituents because they may not like your honesty. Vote-getting, money in your pockets, and maintaining your membership in the Good Ole Boy's Club is the ONLY thing that interests you. Your actions have been a disgrace to OK, and I'm ashamed to call you my senator. Lying and deceit are not what Oklahomans need in our representatives. You won't be voted in again as you've shown your true colors too many times.
February 13, 2010 @ 1:00 AM
2. Jerry Ryan wrote:: Senator Inhofe fought the clean-up of the Tar Creek superfund site. Even when presented with documentation of birth defects and other physical ailments caused by lead and zink dust, which is constantly in the air, and samples of the red and green water that flows down Tar Creek. He finally relented, under pressure, to allow small, incremental buy outs of some of the homes. When the tornado swept through the Pitcher area, and demolished hundreds of homes, guess who arrived on his white horse and took credit for saving the lives of many Oklahoma residents? Senator Inhofe, of course. He said that if he had not authorized the buy outs, many more citizens would have lost their lives. Typical Rebumplican politics.
February 18, 2010 @ 8:34 PM

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