That was Cindy Morrison’s question at the beginning of News Channel 8’s report on the proposal to raise Oklahoma’s gas tax 5 cents. During the report, they bought out Mike Webb with a hard hat next to the I-244 and Mingo Bridge. Last week, concrete fell last week from this bridge. In his interview, Webb offered Diane Harrigan a hard hat as he offered his misgivings about walking under the bridge, “I’m not going under there. You can, but I’m not going to.”
IF YOU’RE NOT GOING UNDER THE BRIDGE THEN WHY DO YOU NEED A HARD HAT?!!! Perhaps because this “news story” is nothing more than a shameless pro-gas tax puff piece. However, if those theatrics weren’t enough, Channel 8 brought out Joshua Medlin whose mother died last year, when concrete fell on her car. The Pro-gas tax folks plan to use Mr. Medlin in their commercials to guilt us into a yes vote. After they showed him crying, they cut to loose pieces of concrete from the accident last week. This report should be taught in broadcasting school as an illustration of dishonest and biased reporting.
No offence Mr. Medlin, but raising the gas tax will not bring your mother back and it will not fix our roads. The fact is that Oklahoma has the resources necessary to solve this problem. If our politicians would prioritize roads and bridges then our roads and bridges would not be an issue. Do not be fooled by these tactics. Giving more money to a government incapable of making wise choices will not solve this problem. Vote no on Sep 13.
Technorati Tags: KTUL
Fuel Tax
State Question 723
Oklahoma
Tulsa
2 comments:
Steven,
What if? What if that was your wife or one of your children? How would you react? What if your child is riding in the front seat and slab of concrete falls off a bridge? And it just so happens to crash through your windshield. When the concrete penitrates your windshield, it catches your child between the eyes. Just like electricity, the concrete will travel in the path of least resistance. As the vehicle moves forward and the concrete moves backwards your childs head begin to split. When help finally arrives the EMT trys to locate the eye ball to check if it is dialated. This is not including the after math. The death of your child. Why did a preventable tragedy happen to your family. Not to mention that you will have collect the personal belongings from the car that your child was basically decapitated in. The dried blood and fragemts from your childs head remind you of the unbelieveable pain your daughter experienced.
Dont patronize me, I know that nothing will bring my mother back. I would like to see something positive from this horrible tradgy. What would you do? I know what I have done. JM
Mr. Medlin, again I do not what to make light of your loss. I apologize if I offended you.
With regard to the tax increase, at this point it is moot because it failed. I believe that it was dishonest to ask Oklahomans for more money to fix our roads. I believe that Oklahoma currently has the resources to fix the problem. Holding up the dead to further that dishonesty is not what I would have done.
I believe that politicians that continue to shortchange funding of roads and bridges are responsible. Were it my loss, I would have been involved with an organization for safer roads and bridge whose purpose would not be for tax increases, but political pressure on representatives that did not prioritize roads and bridges. We would demand zero-based budgeting with roads as a top priority. We would demand that all income with regard to fuel taxes, and motor tags, be appropriated solely to roads and bridges. Politicians who fail to support our cause would be held to the fire. Candidates who fail to agree to our positions would not win our support. Were I in your shoes, that is what I would have done.
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