Oklahoma voters were told that if we just grant the tribes a few more opportunities, the state treasury would be overflowing with millions of dollars from foolish Texans spending their oil dollars in shiny new casinos just across the Red River. 

What we have instead is an undependable source of revenue for programs that are instead draining the usual tax income.  OHLAP, a great sounding program that should enable any Oklahoma High School graduate suitable for higher education the opportunity.  Yet there wasn't enough money to cover it.  High oil and gas prices to the rescue.  

The Daily Oklahoman (known to detractors as the Daily Disappointment) stays all over one particularly egregious former state senator, but they have ignored the story of 21st Century Oklahoma politics.  And probably for the same reason my outlet does.  The tribes and their casino advertising. 

So when the governor appears at a fundraiser at a tribal casino, there's no coverage.  When tribal leaders and the tribes themselves contribute the maximum to each compliant politician (including those who can't run because of term limits), we're silent.  When a tribe tears down a relatively new multi-million dollar facility to erase the memory of a former leader, the pages are blank.  We accept the vague explanation and treat it as great wisdom.  I doubt many of our consumers are fooled. 

The tribes operate in secret, using their own criteria for membership, paying off the civic authorities, and we all stand by as long as the money flows. If we ever get some brave, moral leadership again at the state level, Oklahomans are going to be disgusted at what's revealed.

Floydd