Posted on 07/29/2009 3:03:57 PM PDT by PhiKapMom
BY CHRIS CASTEEL
Published: July 29, 2009
WASHINGTON — The Oklahoma congressional delegation wants U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to explain why the Justice Department got involved in a debate by the Oklahoma Legislature this year over making English the state’s official language.
Oklahoma's congressional delegation wants Holder to explain why the Justice Department got involved in a debate by the Oklahoma Legislature this year over making English the state’s official language.
The delegation sent a letter to Holder on Tuesday questioning why his Civil Rights division sent a letter to Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson in the midst of the English-only debate reminding him that state entities receiving federal funds have to observe certain laws regarding people with limited proficiency in English.
The letter, sent by all seven members of the delegation, asks Holder to explain his department’s "overreach” and explain further what funding might be in jeopardy if Oklahoma voters approve an English-only amendment next year.
The state Legislature approved a resolution in May that will allow state voters to declare that English is Oklahoma’s common and unifying language and that all official state actions must be conducted in English. It would bar lawsuits to have state services provided in languages other than English.
2010 election date
The question is expected to be voted on in 2010, possibly during the general election in November. The acting director of the Civil Rights division of the Justice Department sent Edmondson a letter in April outlining the state’s obligations.
The state can’t discriminate based on English proficiency whether or not it passes an English-only amendment, the Justice Department letter says.
The Justice Department letter doesn’t explicitly warn that federal funds could be cut off, though it says entities that receive federal funds are obligated to comply with various civil rights statutes.
The day after receiving the letter, Edmondson sent a letter to Gov. Brad Henry, legislative leaders and lawmakers working on the amendment outlining the concerns raised by the Justice Department.
"As you will note, the DOJ is in effect warning our state about the possible federal consequences should these proposals pass,” Edmondson wrote.
Edmondson told state leaders that the letter suggested the Justice Department could sue the state for civil rights violations.
"It is not clear whether we would prevail in such litigation but it appears very clear that we can expect such litigation to follow passage of these proposals,” he wrote.
After Edmondson’s letter, the legislation was changed to say that "official actions of the state shall be conducted in English, except as required by federal law.”
Charlie Price, a spokesman for Edmondson, said Tuesday that it wasn’t clear whether the change to the legislation would protect the state.
"It would depend on the allegations in the lawsuit as to whether this language would help in the state’s defense,” Price said.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, said Tuesday, "I support the state’s effort to pass a constitutional amendment making English the official language of the state because it ultimately facilitates better communication across the many lines of diversity within our state.
"It is entirely unacceptable for the federal government to try to strong-arm the state by threatening to remove federal funding. I look forward to hearing the Justice Department’s explanation for such behavior,” Inhofe said.
Time to send all Dems at the State Level packing in 2010 in Oklahoma and tell Holder to stuff it.
But this is exactly what they do with federal highway funds all the time.
“”As you will note, the DOJ is in effect warning our state about the possible federal consequences should these proposals pass,” Edmondson wrote.”
Oh, oh, the feds are threatening to withhold money from Oklahoma. Guess it’s okay for the feds to threaten but whoa to any individual who threatens.
Hmmmm,,,Oklahoma collects ALL TAXES, withholds their share, and sends the remainder to the Feds. Problem solved. They are sovereign arent they?
The Feds have forgotten for far too long that they have limited and enumerated powers over the states as set forth in the Constitution. The states are empowered to do what they will and are only requested to honor the laws of the other state. The Feds are supposed to be a thin veneer of unification for dealing with other countries.
Get the UN out of the USA. Get the Feds off our back!
Oh SNAP! Holder just got bitch slapped.......
Better yet, they hold hearings, entering into the record, certified court documents establishing that the fourteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth amendments were never lawfully ratified. Then advise Oklahoman citizens that they no longer owe federal income taxes. It would be the first in a long line of federal dominoes that would begin falling. I'm not holding my breath.
For years Oklahoma has sent in my tax money from gasoline then we have gotten in return.
Edmonson is a jerk and if Obama said to jump, he would say how high.
Even Dan Boren, the lone Dem of our delegation, is on board. He must really be worried about reelection.
“Hmmmm,,,Oklahoma collects ALL TAXES, withholds their share, and sends the remainder to the Feds. Problem solved. They are sovereign arent they?”
Not really. In my mind Oklahoma is more of a vassal state. Latest figures I could find were from 2005 and Oklahoma received $1.36 in federal money for every $1 paid to Uncle Sam. Texas would be better situated to try this as they are a net creditor at .94 for every dollar. The real money has and does come from CA who largely supports the union at .78 per $1. That’s some serious money from one of largest economies in the world and a significant chunk of the US budget.
California passed an English-only proposition years ago. Unfortunately, it didn’t change a thing.
Yet they behave as an occupying power!!!
Dan Boren D-OK 2nd is part of the signess of the letter and his Dad was a supporter of ZERO — think the key word is WAS. His son never did endorse ZERO, but he wouldn’t have signed off without his Dad President Boren of OU agreeing IMHO.
Figured ZERO’s team was going to start picking on OK with every county going for McCain after our RAT Doofus Governor Henry convinced him to open two offices during the campaign as he had a chance to win OK. He receivede 34% of Oklahoma’s votes which was not much return on his expenditure and thanks to ZERO on the ticket, Republicans took the OK Senate for first time ever in the history of the State.
Now stupid Edmondson is wringing his hands about what they might do.
Before President Bush took office, Oklahoma/Texas and others out here got back about $.68 cents on the dollar so it will take years to recoup. Without Pres Bush we would probably still be receiving $.68 cents on the dollar or less.
“Before President Bush took office, Oklahoma/Texas and others out here got back about $.68 cents on the dollar so it will take years to recoup. Without Pres Bush we would probably still be receiving $.68 cents on the dollar or less.”
Maybe so. Here’s the link I was using: http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/22685.html
It says you have to go back to 1984 to show Oklahoma as a net creditor. The last 15 years or show seem to average over $1.30 for every $1.
Someone has been messing with some figures because when we moved here in Jan 97, there was a move afoot to get back the dollars that had been sent into DC. I will have to do some research on that because that’s all I ever heard until Pres Bush took office.
One year a lot of our money was sent to Utah for the Olympics thanks to Istook doing a favor.
Now I am very curious as to the figures they are showing and what I heard.
The state of Oklahoma needs to pass this legislation and if challenged by the feds go to court and challenge the legitimacy of the feds action. In other words, make the show the birth certificate.
This has actually frustrated me. We get the shaft so many ways here in CA, mostly of our own doing. Here we are nearly bankrupt, running outrageous deficits, paying a huge state tax and I find 20 cents of every dollar I pay in federal taxes is going out of state. Nice.
Here’s a better link to a different site: http://www.trackforum.com/forums/printthread.php?t=115285
They look like they are using the same source though as the dates and amounts match up. It wouldn’t be the first time someone used fuzzy math.
I was not aware (till this) that Oklahoma has such p^ss!$ in their legislature.
Wonder which of them will take credit for this specific text which effectively neuters the intention of the bill.
I know we got the shaft when we lived in TX. Our roads sure don’t look like we have gotten any money back. We are 49th in the Country in fixing bridges and have some of the worst interstates in the Country — I-40 is terrible. I want to know what has been happening to the money if we got back what we sent into the Feds. Until 2004, Republicans had only controlled the House once and the Senate never until 2008.
Used to live in Yucaipa, CA, in the 80’s until we were transferred to MA for nine months. CA was a properous state in those days as they were coming out of the housing bust, Reagan was President, and illegal aliens were not draining the state. What a difference in CA now — hard to believe. I don’t think any state should get less then they send in on roads.
Want to know what OK is doing with their road money because it certainly is not fixing the interstates or bridges.
Will let you know when I find out — I have sent out several emails. Cannot believe they paid attention to Edmonson who is a first class jerk.
Dear Oklahoma State Legislature:
Please tell the obama administgration to GO PACK SAND UP THEIR COLLECTIVE ASSES.
Posession is 9/10 of the law. Make them come and get it.
Short and to the point — like it!
But its such a wonderful thought. The thing is, that once this begins to domino, the Fed is just totally screwed. There is no way that they can come get everyone and lock them up. And, in a few short weeks they will be broke, and cant pay their stupid employees anyway. Whoa,,,wonder how they would like that hope and change,,,,heh heh Such a wonderful thought.
FWIW...I called Boren's office today to protest his potential vote on HealthKill.....
His spokesgerbil said he wouldn't be voting for it....I advised him...Boren will be vapor if he votes for it.
I've done had it with these folks.......
I think they don't understand the fury of our outrage.........
Totally agree with you!
I went to college at Crafton Hills...in 88-90 or so.
I am an RRT....
Not many folks know about Yucaipa...let alone Crafton Hills College.
Bravo Oklahoma. OK!
What a small world!
The first time I drove by Crafton Hills College, I saw the sign to stay on the walks and watch out for Rattlesnakes in the Spring. I almost passed out. First weekend were in the hotel in Redlands looking for a place to live in November, there was a snowfall in the Mountains — woke up the next morning to beautiful scenary. I loved Yucaipa. We lived at the upper part of Date Ave and looked right out the back patio at the San Gorgonio Mountains and Mount San Gorgonio and to the west to the San Bernadino Mountains. It was a beautiful area.
Only place I have ever lived you could cut a Christmas tree right in front of an Orange Grove. Back in the 80’s you could put $1 in a box and take a sack of oranges or grapefruit. When I was back several years ago, a lot of the groves had been replaced with houses and they were worried about the runoff from the Crafton Hills into Redlands with streets, houses, and sidewalks versus the orange groves.
My husband was at Norton AFB and then he got assigned on an Industry Training Assignment for the Air Force in Burlington, MA. What a shock to go from Yucaipa to MA in the fall. We were supposed to go back to Norton after his assignment, but by then they were starting to cut back as the rumor of Norton being on the BRAC got stronger so we ended up back in Ohio for a few years and then to Texas where they closed Kelly AFB and that’s how we ended up at Tinker AFB here in Oklahoma.
Yes...and smaller all the time.
FRegards,
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