A few days ago, I was graciously allowed to submit a few questions to Mary Fallin, Republican candidate for Oklahoma Governor. One of the questions has to do with her yes vote on TARP. Because that vote has been one of the harshest criticisms I have heard about her, I felt it fitting that it be addressed again. As you can see from her answer, she did not shy from giving her reasons for voting yes. I can respect that, even if I wish she had voted no. Here is that interview, in it’s entirety. I hope in some small way, it can give some insight to the candidate who I hope will be Oklahoma’s first woman Governor. My questions are in bold, with her answers below.
1. One of the biggest complaints I have heard about your record in Washington is your yes vote on the TARP bailout. Will you please explain your reasoning for that vote and how it differs from the way you will fight against future bailouts as Governor of Oklahoma?
In the fall of 2008, both President Bush and the United States Congress realized the recession was far worse than we expected and, in fact, the U.S. was looking at the possible collapse of our banking system. The dangers this presented to families in Oklahoma were real and immediate, and it was clear to me that Congress would have to act in order to prevent a literal “hide your money under your mattress” type of catastrophe.
I voted for TARP to avert that kind of crisis, which would have affected every family in Oklahoma with a pension, a retirement fund, market investments, or even a bank account. I was, quite frankly, furious that I had been put in a position where I felt I had to do so. The reckless policies pursued by Congress for years – their out of control spending and the mismanagement of organizations like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae going back to the Clinton years – had created a situation that was so out of control that immediate and dramatic action needed to be taken.
There are many people whose opinions I greatly respect who disagree with my vote. I understand why they do. I myself have been frustrated with the implementation of the TARP program, which has been less transparent and accountable than it should have been. However, I want your readers to know two things. The first is that I cast my vote after careful thought and prayer, and I cast that vote hoping to help Oklahomans. I did it knowing that it would not be a popular decision, but also believing it was the right one. Second, my vote for TARP needs to be placed in context. I have voted against Obamacare, against the Obama administration’s big spending appropriations bills, against “cap and trade”, against the administration’s payoffs to unions and against the most recent state “bailout” bill. Anyone doubting my conservative bona fides or my commitment to fiscal responsibility needs only to look at my record. They will see that I have been a conservative throughout my career, something my opponent in the governor’s race cannot claim.
2. Given that the current administration in Washington seems reluctant to enforce immigration laws, how do you feel is the best way for Oklahoma officials to work to reduce illegal immigration in our state?
The best way to combat illegal immigration is to give law enforcement agents the ability to enforce the laws we already have on the books. Arizona has done that and, when I am governor, Oklahoma will too.
We also need to give employers an effective, reliable way of checking the legal immigration status of their employees. Most employers want to hire legal immigrants, but I will absolutely have zero tolerance for those that knowingly break the law.
3. What do you feel are the two biggest differences between you and your opponent, Jari Askins?
I think the biggest difference is that I did not vote for President Obama. Like a majority of Oklahomans in all 77 counties, I believe the president has an ideology that runs contrary to the way most people here see and understand the world. I think voters want a governor who sees the world like they do and who will stand up to Washington. I am ready to be that governor.
Second, I am a leader who is unafraid to take stands on big issues. For instance, whether you agree with me or disagree with me on Barack Obama’s health care bill, I have made it clear that I am opposed to it and I plan to challenge the constitutionality of the law. My opponent, on the other hand, says she is still reading the bill and is undecided. As another example, I made my opposition to the recent state bailout bill well known. My opponent has not offered a position either way.
A lot of times I hear that we have two nice people running for governor. That’s true. But I am the only candidate in this race who is fundamentally conservative and who is willing and able to stand up to the Obama Administration and the failed policies coming from Washington. I have been fighting for the kind of conservative, common sense policies that lead to job growth and prosperity for years and I know where I stand on the issues voters care about.
4. Considering the weight of responsibility that will come if you win this election, why do you want to be Governor of Oklahoma?
Yeah, with a budget crisis to manage and a recession to crawl out of I can see how it wouldn’t be your idea of a dream job … but in all seriousness, I want to be governor because I love this state and I want to see it succeed. I love the people who live here and I think they deserve leadership that will work to create more jobs and opportunities for them and who will build a better and brighter future for our community here. And Oklahoma is a community; we are a caring, hardworking group of people who look out for one another. I want to make sure that we make the right decisions and pursue the right policies so that Oklahoma is a healthy, prosperous place for my children and my children’s children to live.
5. As I am sure you are aware, illegal drug usage, especially methamphetamine, is a major problem in our state. As Governor, how do you feel you can best help combat the widespread use of these drugs?
We can combat drug use through a combination of tough law enforcement and treatment. Those who are selling drugs, especially to minors, need the book thrown at them and should spend a long time in prison. For those non-violent offenders with addiction problems, we need as a state to find ways to get them clean and help them become functioning, sober members of society.
Finally, we also need to take a hard look at how drugs like methamphetamine are getting here. While some of it is produced domestically, an alarming amount is being imported into the country by violent drug cartels operating south of the border. Arizona’s tough illegal immigration laws were implemented at least partially in response to those drug cartels and I believe they will be effective in chasing some of those drug dealers out of the state. That is one more reason why I support stronger laws when it comes to illegal immigration.
6. Let’s make the final question a fun one. Running for Governor has put you on a breakneck schedule until at least November and possibly for the foreseeable future. Up until now, what has been your favorite and least favorite parts of the campaign?
My favorite part of the campaign is getting to talk to so many Oklahomans from all over the state. Everywhere I go, people have been enormously supportive of my campaign and have made a point to welcome me into their communities. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that.
My least favorite part has definitely been the limited amount of time I have to spend with my family. You can bet that every free second I get I try to spend it with my kids and my husband.
Hi, found you through The Musings of a Muskogee Politico, whom I found via Facebook. Thanks so much for doing and posting this interview. I will be voting for her, but would like to share this to help others make up their minds.
I love your blog, this is my first visit, and I will definitely be back, and spend more time.
Thanks for stopping by, Conservative Pup. Feel free to share the interview however you see fit. Thanks also for the kind words about Political Realities. I really do appreciate them.
Great interview, Mr. Jackson. Very informative. She will make a fine governor.
Thanks, Red Dirt Reporter. I appreciate the comment and the kind words and yes, I think she will be a fine governor.
Excellent questions, LD, and clearly answered. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comment, C. Phipps. I tried to come up with questions that had not necessarily been asked before, except for the TARP question. I thought she did a fine job at answering.
I don’t get politicians who say they want to fight Obama but then run for state offices. Don’t they know you don’t fight him there you’re just a governor the only way you fight against all these federal issues is by having a federal office.
Thanks for the comment, Jennifer.
I think I understand exactly what Mary Fallin means when she says she wants to fight Obama as Governor of Oklahoma. In that position, she can lead the state in any and all efforts by Obama and the rest of the Democrats to encroach upon individual and states rights. That may very well be the best course of action for the next couple of years, especially if we can regain control of Congress. I see nothing wrong with her or anyone else saying that.
Jennifer,
I think the same as LD. Government is supposed to be more at the state and local level, according to the Constitution, and we need a strong governor who understands this, and is willing to stand up to unconstitutional federal intrusion. I think in these times, when we have a federal administration intent on controlling every aspect of American life and business, we need a strong governor to lead the state in standing up to the feds. As a member of Congress, she has one vote to stand against unconstitutional legislation. As governor, she will have more power to enforce and support the rights of Oklahoma.
Plus, we need a strong conservative as governor instead of a democrat, any democrat. She will serve us well, I believe.
Meant to add, that probably the best place to fight the extreme federal intrusion we’re seeing right now, is as the governor of a state. That’s where the lines will be drawn, to support lawsuits and state legislation to keep Oklahoma safe and prosperous.
Larry You did a fine job with this interview. You asked direct questions and her answers seemed genuine. I think you have a solid candidate for OK Governor. I’ll ship Earl Pomeroy down your way when we fire him this November so you can see what a terrible politician looks like.
Thanks, John. I wasn’t sure how the questions were, but I tried to ask something that wasn’t the run-of-the-mill, other than the TARP question. I thought she did a good job with her answers and yes, I felt like they were genuine.
Outstanding work sir! Very impressive.
I’m with you on John’s offer. It’s considered bad form to export terrible politicians. That, and I can send him Arlen Spectre.
Thanks, Matt. This is the first one of these I have done and I was pleased with how it turned out.
Hey, if you can send Arlen Spectre to John and if I can come up with someone to send his way, he should be set for life, don’t you think?
When I was looking at the differences between Fallin and Randy Brogdon (I am far more familiar with Mary) I noticed this constant harping on TARP. I really believe there are few we can blame for this. We had a short time to come to grips with our economy collapsing…or not. I believe it was all orchestrated by Paulsen and his cronies. This was something very new, and our House and Senate had no time to fully investigate and understand what was happening. I believe it was the strategy of manufactured crisis – even though Paulsen was in the Bush Administration.
Many people voted for it who would not have a few months later. She got it right from that point on, and I was a an enthusiastic voter for Mary Fallin. I am so proud of our Oklahoma delegation. Great interview.
Thanks for the comment, Maggie. I am glad to see yet another Oklahoman visit Political Realities.
I think your assessment of the circumstances surrounding TARP is spot on. It was a situation that no one had dealt with before and they were told they had very little time to do so. They did the best they could with the information they had at hand. I also believe this is why Mary Fallin said what she did in the forum with Randy Brogdon, when she made the statement that voting no because it was against the Constitution would have been the easy thing to do.
So when you get past all the political double-talk of question one, the real answer is, “I’m a constitutionalist as long as it’s comfortable to be one”.
Sorry, but Mary’s been a tax-and-spend big government “conservative” since she was Lt. Governor, throwing our money at her biggest donors and political allies. This interview doesn’t convinced me she’s changed all that much.
I don’t think that is what Mary Fallin is saying, Ricky. She is trying to point out that there were a multitude of issues under consideration when TARP was put before Congress twice in two days.
Regardless of what she was trying to point out, one of two things is evident here, LD. Either:
A) Mary knows what the Constitution says and chose to ignore it because of a perceived looming catastrophe; or
B) She has no understanding of the Constitution, and has quite possibly never read it.
If A is true, then that shows that she really doesn’t love the Constitution as much as she claims to. She abandons it at the first sign of trouble.
If B is true, then she has no business in office, regardless of how much money certain political potentates in the state have tossed at her.
I found it provocative that during her acceptance speech she said “to the Randy Brogdon supporters” that she “has heard them”, and “will defend our state’s rights against Worshington…” yada yada yada. This indicates to me that she’s had no interest in doing so previously, and is only doing so now because the Tea Party people are going to be all up in her Kool-Aid from this moment forward if she doesn’t.
Even if what you say is true, which I do not believe, let me ask you this. Would you have us vote for Jari Askins, who has shown not interest in defending our state and it’s rights against the incursion from Washington? You may think that is a viable option, but I do not. I was hoping Randy Brogdon would be the GOP nominee, but he is not and I believe Mary Fallin is a much better choice for Governor than is Jari Askins.
A wise man once said, “He who chooses the lesser of two evils gets less and still gets evil”. While I don’t agree with Jari Askins, at least she holds the views she says she holds. Mary Fallin has demonstrated that she does not. Not saying I’d vote for Askins, but it could work if we had a veto-proof state legislature.
We are going to have to just disagree on this, Ricky. You go ahead and vote for Askins if you want, but I will be voting for Mary Fallin. I may not agree with everything she has done, but she is still the best choice we have.