Conservative Republicans Verses Corporate Republicans

   I believe a clear separation has developed between conservative Republicans and corporate Republicans in the Oklahoma State Legislature. A conservative, by definition - is one who saves as opposed to spending tax dollars, believes in upholding the U.S. Constitution as well as the Oklahoma Constitution, and believes in retaining traditional public institutions such as our public schools.
   A corporatist, by definition - is one who believes in corporate welfare (tax breaks for the rich and famous corporations) and spending tax dollars on progressive pet projects such as out-of-state corporate and private education. The progressive corporatist believes in changing the Constitution to fit his corporate ideas and does not believe in traditional social institutions such as our public schools.
   Conservatives wanted to balance the state budget by cutting Legislator spending, but corporatists want to balance the budget by raising taxes on middle class Oklahomans, as evidenced in the auto tax increase (under no circumstances do corporatists want to increase taxes for the wealthy and their corporate bosses).
   Last week, the Oklahoman Editorial Board - which is considered conservative, criticized the Republican "supermajority" in the House and the Senate for greasing the skids for potentially billions in tax increases, so must shoulder all resulting responsibility. In my opinion, most of the Republicans in the House and Senate are high tax corporatists, not conservatives. The Oklahoman Editorial Board, with which I frequently disagree, has hit the nail on the head in this opinion piece. The "line in the sand" between conservatives and corporatists at the State Capitol has never been more clear. The upcoming "special session" for the Legislature will make the distinction and difference in political philosophies, conservatism or corporativism, even clearer.