Revisionist Reality

Aside from seeming to be in love with the word "moribund," (you may recall it is how they described the League of Women voters when they dared to oppose recall) our friends at the Tulsa world editorial board are beginning to revise history by playing with chronology.

In and editorial in today's paper, the opinionistas wrote:

"The EDC has been for all intents and purposes moribund in recent months because of membership turnover that occurred when it was caught in a crossfire between some city councilors, led by Chris Medlock, and chamber officials. EDC's last three meetings were canceled because its 10 remaining members -- 21 members are allowed -- could not make a quorum."

It was the EDC's apparent lack of a direction or purpose, coupled with the inability to make quorum following Chamber Chairman Bob Poe's strong arming of the mayor into putting a passle of Chamber board members onto the EDC, that began the "moribundity."

As a response to what we were witnessing, Sam Roop and I began the process of attempting to revamp the EDC via its enacting ordinance. After months of process and compromise, the council voted 5-4 to support the ordinance that would have given the EDC greater authority and mission. Unfortunately, Mayor LaFortune chose to veto the ordinance.

If the World wants to attribute the EDC's current "moribundity" to something other than Mr. Poe's meddling, perhaps it would best be credited to the mayor's action of vetoing a new mission, without supplying the commission he revived, with an alternative mission.

They mayor lacks a comprehensive vision for Tulsa's economy (at least one not supplied to him by DTU and Bob Dick). As such, it isn't surprising that those appointed to the EDC would lack enthusiasm for giving of their time in a rudderless and captainless endeavor.