OKLAHOMA CITY — An intrusive federal government has created a fear of risk that is toxic to the velocity of business development, said James Lankford, R-Edmond.

Lankford is among the 11 candidates vying for the Congressional 5th District who spoke Thursday at a candidates’ forum sponsored by the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce. The 2010 Congressional Candidates Forum hosted by Oklahoma Christian University was presented by ConocoPhillips. The Republican and Democrat candidates will be on the July 27 primary election ballot, vying for U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin’s open seat.

“Every time we turn around there’s this oppressive state that if you take too much risk, the federal government will step in and take over your business and create a new set of rules for you,” Lankford said.

Businesses are apprehensive about hiring workers, not knowing what new federal regulations will occur, Lankford said.

“We need Congress, we need the executive branch to go to work and stop releasing rumors every day on business,” Lankford said.

The nation’s economy in January 2009 was losing more than 700,000 jobs a month because of failed Republican policies, said Tom Guild, D-Edmond. A recession was heading toward economic collapse, he said.

Since then, federal stimulus money has prevented the state and national economy from further decline, he said.

“… In the last month when the temporary census jobs went away, we gained jobs in the private sector,” Guild said. “The economy is going in the right direction.”

The state of Oklahoma has closed senior nutrition programs, reduced the number of social workers to take care of children in need, he said.

“That’s what you get when you shrink government” Guild said.

Former state Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Del City, said more taxes and big government will not solve the nation’s financial woes. Empowering the private sector will create jobs for Oklahomans, he said.

“Raise taxes and revenue for the government, they’ll just spend that, too,” Calvey said. “Cutting spending is absolutely the way to do this.”

Calvey said government only can take money from some people through taxes and give it to others. The U.S. doesn’t need stimulus bailouts, he said.

Taxes on small businesses should be cut, and Congress also should find a way to keep corporations from going overseas, said attorney Billy Coyle, D-Oklahoma City. Putting Americans back to work is Coyle’s top priority, he said.

“You can produce something here in America that costs $4 but using slave labor in another country costs 25 cents,” Coyle said. “There’s something wrong with that in my opinion. We’ve lost our moral value on that.”

Energy is key to bringing jobs to the 5th District and the rest of the 50 states, Coyle said. He encourages Congress to adopt a national energy plan that focuses on Oklahoma’s natural resources.

“In doing so, we can bring more jobs here and get America working again,” Coyle said. “We can’t continue to borrow and lend. We must bring America back and get going.”

State Rep. Shane Jett, R-Tecumseh, said he favors a balanced budget amendment to restrain Congressional spending.

“We live under a balanced budget amendment, a balanced budget constitutional requirement here in Oklahoma,” Jett said. “It serves us well.”

Also, Jett said he supports a line item veto to control reckless spending. A line item veto would hold a senator or representative accountable for superfluous spending, Jett said.

The trouble with the U.S. is that its leaders lack fiscal sensibilities, said Dr. Johnny Roy, R- Edmond. Real-life experience in the business world is needed in Washington, D.C., said Roy, a urologist.

“Ninety-two percent of people who have run this country have never run a business,” Roy said. “They are all government employees ….”

Roy said businessmen such as himself are the heart and soul of the country. If elected to Congress, Roy said he would fight mandates imposed on the business world.

“I employ people to comply just with the rules and they don’t produce anything,” he said of OSHA regulations.

Vast reserves of oil and gas on federal land should be open for drilling, said businessman Harry Johnson, R-Oklahoma City. One oil and gas drilling rig creates 35 jobs with the side benefit of reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil and gas, Johnson said.

“We actually should be right now in a position to export natural gas,” Johnson said of creating jobs and revenue. Tariffs strike fear in people, but globalization is not a level playing field when competitors use slave labor and international piracy, Johnson said.

Independent Clark Duffe of Edmond said business needs to have the freedom to choose products and control its money without the federal government’s interference. Duffe and fellow Independent Dave White are not on the July 27 primary ballot, but instead will compete on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

“This means things will be messy. Some people will do well, but freedom is messy. It’s oppression,” Duffe said. “It’s government control which is nice, neat and orderly.”

Duffe said the federal government should cut taxes and spending, but spending should be cut before tax cuts are implemented.

“Nothing should be left off the table — social programs, military,” he continued. “Cut spending and free up businesses to go do whatever they think is best.”

Government should not be run like a business, said business owner Rick Flanigan, R-Bethany. Government should run as efficiently as a business but its goal should not be growth, he continued. An oppressive government is intervening in business by telling banks who qualifies for a loan, he said. Government is deciding which products a business owner can choose to sell, he added.

“The tax system on business today is so oppressive that people are afraid to go into business anymore,” Flanigan said.

Empowering small business entrepreneurs is critical for the U.S. economy, said state Rep. Mike Thompson, R-Oklahoma City.

“Being a small businessman myself, I feel like we’re under assault,” said Thompson, who works in residential and commercial real estate. “We keep having over-reaching regulations through the agency authorities that are directing themselves between us and our lives.”

Thompson criticized President Barack Obama for indicating he will not renew the Bush administration tax cuts. Taxes should not be raised in a bad economy, said Thompson, noting he earned the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

White of Deer Creek said being a former Navy SEAL trained him to improvise, adapt and overcome. There is a difference between a businessman and a business owner, said White, who developed a patent for his paper lamination company based in Florida and Oklahoma.

“I understand how difficult it is for somebody to take an idea and bring it to fruition. I understand that you need to create an environment for small businesses to thrive within this state because we compete against our neighbor states.”

If elected to Congress, White said he would work to minimize litigation, regulation and taxation. The nation’s transportation system needs to be maximized, he added.

“That is what makes businesses grow,” White said. “That’s what makes our job creators stay here in Oklahoma and prosper.”



jcoburn@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 114