All the rumblings lately indicate that JC Watts will be running for Governor in OK. I also know he will use the "conservative" card many times over while running for the office. So, in these bad economic times, I decided to do a little research on JC Watts and see what he has been up to in the last 6 years since leaving office. My search is to find out if the facts will support his claim to be a fiscal conservative.
The last 6 years Watts has been a lobbyist for many different companies, organization, and sporting entities. Here is a list of a few...
1. ACLU
2. CNN
3. CompuCredit
4 NASCAR
5. Black Television News Channel
6. Construction firms and other builders
According to his website (http://www.wattsconsultinggroups.com/), Watts list over $300 million in subsidies, government programs, and special projects for those he represents. Here is a short list from his website:
Developed the strategy and successfully lobbied to have HUD reprogram $25 million in Urban Development Action Grant funds allocated for a major U.S. city.
Lobbied and acquired $11 million in funding from EDA (Economic Development Agency) for a downtown shopping and office complex in a major western city.
Secured $8 million in defense conversion funding from EDA for job training programs for DOD employees displaced by closure of a major military installation.
Lobbied and acquired $6 million from the U.S. Department of Labor for Youth Job Training programs for a U.S. city.
Secured $4 million in funding from the Department of Commerce to assist in developing a technology park that created 65 new high-tech jobs in the inner city of a major metropolitan area.
Helped a small southern city obtain a $500,000 USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Grant—the largest ever awarded in the state.
Acquired the legislative authorization for a $25 million water resources development project in a small U.S. city.
Helped secure $60 million through HUD’s Section 108 Community Development Block Grant Program for a major U.S. city.
Helped secure $250 million Department of Defense contract for minority-owned company for military housing privatization.
Helped secure a $4 million contract with a major western U.S. city for a large software
Two things I like to point out...
1. If I am truly a fiscal conservative and believe that government should play a limited role, then I would not help advocate spending millions of dollars interfering with free market forces to help a select few. There is no way Watts should promote conservative principles on the campaign trail when he has been an advocate for government intervention and more government spending. He can not have it both ways.
2. He will run his campaign as the savior of the economy during the campaign. But facts will point out that Watts record shows he is more of the problem to government spending than the solution. Do you really think he will curb government spending as Governor when his own company profits from government spending. It's not logical.
Don't be fooled by the bait and switch!
James Parsons
Not an endorsement from the Owasso Taxpayer Alliance but a private Oklahoma citizen
So how do we get off the governmental tit, and explain to the general taxpayer that it's a good thing to be independant of the fed as much as possible. In our "entitlement society" if we don't take the hand out we think we have missed something. I don't think this way but a majority of the voting public does. how do we change their perception?
ReplyDeleteHow can anyone who endorsed Barrack Hussein Obama for President qualify as a conservative? Watts either agrees with Obama's liberal agenda, telegraphed prior to the election by his way-too-sparse background, or endorsed Obama strictly due to his race. Either reason is unacceptable, to my way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteSorry, J.C., you could'a been a contend'a.......
-jwcusa-