January 2005 Volume 12 Number 1

Why Constitutional Constraints on Government are Necessary

January 01, 2005

OCPA recently proposed a Taxpayers' Bill of Rights (TABOR) for Oklahoma to limit the growth of state expenditures to the sum of the rates of inflation and population growth. TABOR is a type of constitutional constraint imposed by citizens on government, similar to term limits or balanced budget amendments. Such constitutional constraints change the rules of the polit... Read More >

Lawsuit Reform: What Oklahoma Can Learn from Mississippi

January 01, 2005

A new report from the American Tort Reform Association is a must read for those who are serious about tort reform in Oklahoma. "Winning the Tort War in Mississippi: Keys for Success in Other States" is an insightful analysis by state Senator Charlie Ross, a Harvard Law graduate who serves as chairman of the Judiciary "A" Committee in the Mississippi Senate. "In 20... Read More >

Higher Ed Vouchers for Oklahoma

January 01, 2005

In the coming months the new Oklahoma Legislature will begin its work. With debates over tax cuts, tort reform, and education certain to be on the agenda, I hope legislators take some time to fundamentally reform the way Oklahoma supports its colleges and universities. Clearly, the state of Oklahoma needs to support higher education. Oklahoma's colleges and unive... Read More >

Strengthening Higher Ed: A Taxpayer-Friendly Approach

January 01, 2005

[Oklahoma's state regents for higher education, citing record enrollments and the need for building repairs, are pushing for a $500 million capital bond program. In this article, economist Gary Wolfram offers some fresh thinking on higher education policy. - Editor] Oklahoma has made it a priority to provide higher education services to its citizens, but that doesn... Read More >

OCPA Blog Provides Daily News, Commentary

January 01, 2005

[Here's a sample of what you're missing if you're not reading OCPA's daily web log. Be sure to visit us regularly at www.ocpathink.org/blog.asp. -Editor] Lawsuit Abuse Chases Away McAlester Doc The exodus continues. The McAlester News Capital & Democrat reported December 8 that "Nelson Maldonado, M.D. has refused to purchase medical malpractice insurance for 2005... Read More >

School Choice: A Fundamental Human Right

January 01, 2005

[Arguments for school choice are often economic in nature (monopolies are inefficient, competition is healthy, etc.), and indeed we have published many such arguments in these pages. But there are other compelling reasons to support parental choice in education. Former OCPA intern Michael Hammer, who is now pursuing a master's degree in Hebrew studies at Oxford Univ... Read More >

Socialized Health Care Is Not the Model to Follow

January 01, 2005

American politicians on the stump are fond of citing Canada's socialized health care system as a superior alternative to the mixture of public and private health spending in the United States. Such rhetoric may attract votes, but we Canadians, trapped in a broken and deteriorating system, have reasons to disagree. In 1967, when Canada adopted the British socialist... Read More >

Open House Activities Scheduled

January 01, 2005

On the evening of March 1, OCPA contributors and friends will have an opportunity to tour our new headquarters at 1401 N. Lincoln Boulevard (on the northwest corner of N.E. 13th and Lincoln). From 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. there will be a come-and-go reception. Visitors will have an opportunity to talk with staff, see our new headquarters, and meet with others who have ... Read More >

Quote Unquote

January 01, 2005

?The number of passenger vehicles the State owns is unclear.? State auditor and inspector Jeff McMahan, in a recent performance audit of Oklahoma?s motor vehicle fleet. He says ?the results of this audit identify opportunities for potential cost savings approaching $21,000,000 related to the operation and management of the State?s passenger vehicle fleet.? ?They [European... Read More >

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