RELEASE: With Unemployment Rising, Fallin Says Job Creation Is No. 1 Priority

OKLAHOMA CITY — Mary Fallin, Republican candidate for governor, said that job creation would be her number one priority should she be elected to serve as the state’s next governor.  Her statement came after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its preliminary employment figures. Oklahoma’s unemployment rate is now 7.1 percent, up from 6.8 percent in September.

“My Administration’s first priority will be to create more and better jobs and lead this state towards long term economic recovery and growth,” said Fallin.

“We know we can’t rely on Washington to get us there. The stimulus plan I opposed was a trillion dollar bust, and the Obama administration can’t even tell us where all that money is going. But we can lead the charge for smart, pro-growth policies right here in Oklahoma, and that’s what I’ll do as our next governor.”

Fallin said as governor she would use tax incentives to reward any business that created new jobs in Oklahoma, and would create an environment that encouraged job-growth and economic development.

“Encouraging new businesses to move to Oklahoma is essential, as is supporting those already located here,” said Fallin. “We also need to develop our work force and promote the kind of smart health care reform here in Oklahoma that reduces costs and allows employers to create new jobs with good benefits. “

“Unemployment this high is unacceptable. With the right leadership though, we can get Oklahomans back to work and we can put this state back on track. That’s exactly what I plan to do as governor.”

Campaign Launches Redesigned Web site

There's a new look, but the same conservative message to my campaign Web site, www.maryfallin.org. The new design makes the site more user-friendly and includes a host of new tools and features that will allow me to communicate more effectively my vision of how we can improve our economy, bring in more jobs and help lower health care costs!

Among the new features:

• New Fallin for Governor mobile team! Follow the campaign from your cell phone. Text the words “GOMARY” to the number 68683 and you’ll be signed up to receive text alerts and campaign updates (standard text rates apply).
• Facebook “widget” that shows you the latest updates, as well as the profile pictures of fans, from my Facebook page.
• A new media player which will allow you to view the latest video messages from the campaign.
• Online poll feature that allows you to share with me your opinion on the issues.
• News feed to let you read the latest news about the campaign.

There are a number of updates and changes made to the site and I encourage you to snoop around and view them yourself!

Having a vibrant grassroots organization has always been a key part of my campaign. There’s no question our online team of volunteers and supporters will play a huge role as we share our vision with Oklahoma voters.

All of the changes we’ve made to www.maryfallin.org are aimed at keeping you informed and up to date and we hope that you enjoy them.

Thanks and God Bless,

Mary

Let's Make Oklahoma Healthier

The Tulsa World reported today that Oklahoma ranks 49th when it comes to the health of our citizens. This is upsetting news for everyone, even healthy people, because there are very real economic implications to this kind of poor health. Preventable illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths drive up health care costs for every single Oklahoman, straining family budgets and making it difficult for businesses to hire new workers.

As the next governor, working to improve our health in Oklahoma will be a priority. By making health insurance more affordable, we can increase access to the kind of treatment that helps to reduce the kind of preventative illnesses that lead to tragedy and sickness. Bringing down costs will also bolster our economy by reducing the amount of money businesses and families spend on health care premiums and benefits.

According to the state health commissioner, 5320 Oklahomans die each year due to preventable illnesses. It’s up to all of us to bring that number down. As your next governor, I’ll work to reform our health care system and to encourage companies and organizations to offer healthy living options, like gym memberships, to their employees and members. As individuals, however, we must all assume personal responsibility for our own lifestyles. I think we owe it to ourselves, our families and each other to live better, healthier lives.

Oklahoma can do better than second to last when it comes to the health of our citizens. Let’s work together to make sure it does.

-Mary

UPDATE: Facebook T-Shirt Challenge

Only one more day left in the Facebook T-Shirt Challenge!  There's still plenty of time for you to win a Fallin for Governor campaign t-shirt.

We're at more than 3,500 total friend suggestions on Facebook. Here is the list of leaders and their total number of suggestions:

• Cody McPherson, 679 
• Harold Randolph, 500
• Britt A Weaver, 432
• Lincoln Ferguson, 416 
• Keisha Joslin Schultz, 339 

To participate, click “Suggest to Friends” under Mary’s profile picture and then click on all your friends and family. Once you have suggested Mary, post your total number of suggestions on Mary’s Facebook wall (or send an e-mail with the subject line "T-Shirt Totals" to info@maryfallin.org) and stay tuned to see if you’re one of the winners.

UPDATE: Facebook T-Shirt Challenge

The response to our Facebook T-Shirt Challenge has been great. So far, more than 2,900 suggestions have been sent out by Mary Fallin fans!

Mary is committed to running a strong grassroots campaign and Facebook will be a big part of that. Those more than 2,900 suggestions will help us reach even more new supporters on Facebook and continue to build our online team.

The challenge runs through 5 pm THURSDAY (11/19) so there is plenty of time for you to jump into the Top Five.

Here's a reminder on the challenge. To participate, click “Suggest to Friends” under Mary’s profile picture and then click on all your friends and family. Once you have suggested Mary, post your total number of suggestions on Mary’s Facebook wall (or send an e-mail with the subject line "T-Shirt Totals" to info@maryfallin.org) and stay tuned to see if you’re one of the winners.

Click here to visit Mary Fallin's Facebook page to get started!

Fallin Says Pelosi Health Care Plan Misses the Mark

In Mary's latest column in the Edmond Life & Leisure paper, she says the Pelosi health care bill misses the mark. Last week, Mary voted "NO" on the Pelosi health care bill.

Here are a few excerpts from the column:

I support the kind of health care reform that will lower costs and increase accessibility to quality, affordable care. Unfortunately, what Speaker Pelosi rammed through the House [last week] does nothing to curb rising costs. Instead, her bill seizes control of the health care industry and puts it in the hands of the federal government, introduces job killing taxes on individuals and small businesses, and accelerates deficit spending and the accumulation of national debt. …

…Pelosi-care is a prescription for higher costs, higher taxes and poorer care, all in the name of supposedly “helping” people. …

… Americans have diagnosed our health care system as too expensive and too complicated. That’s why [ I support] real cost-cutting reforms like allowing Americans to buy health insurance across state lines, reforming our costly lawsuit system to cut costs associated with defensive medicine and creating low-cost insurance pools to allow small businesses and individuals — the real uninsured — to buy more affordable coverage.

Win a Fallin for Governor T-Shirt!

The response to the online campaign has been very successful, but we’re pushing forward to reach even more Oklahomans on Facebook so we’re launching the “Mary Fallin Facebook T-Shirt Challenge.”

We’re asking supporters to introduce Mary to their friends and family on Facebook. Next Thursday, we’ll announce the Top Five supporters, based on the number of friends to whom they suggested Mary, and send those winners a campaign t-shirt.

To participate, all you have to do is click “Suggest to Friends” under Mary’s profile picture and then click on all your friends and family. Once you have suggested Mary, post your total number of suggestions on Mary’s Facebook wall (or send an e-mail with the subject line "T-Shirt Totals" to info@maryfallin.org) and stay tuned to see if you’re one of the winners.

The challenge will last for ONE WEEK only, so introduce Mary to your friends and family on Facebook today!

Click here to go to Mary Fallin’s Facebook page and get started.

Honor Our Heroes!

Today, our nation will honor the men and women who have worn the uniforms of our Armed Forces with ceremonies across the United States. This Veterans Day, please join me and Oklahomans from across the state in honoring those who have bravely served our nation.

For generations, men and women have given their lives at home and in lands across the globe in defense of our freedom. Our military serves as an example of the values upon which our country was founded: service to a cause greater than self.

The blessings of freedom and liberty that we hold dear are secured each day by the military men and women who protect us at home and abroad. Each of us owes a debt of gratitude to the generations of veterans who have kept this country free and safe and I ask that you join me in honoring their service.

This Veterans Day, let us also pay respect to the memories of those who have given their lives in service to our country. We can never repay that debt, but can promise to honor them through remembering their ultimate sacrifice.

Again, I hope you will join me in sending encouragement and support to our veterans and military families for all their service and sacrifice.

God bless America!

"NO" on the Obama/Pelosi Health Care Bill

This weekend, I voted "NO" on the Obama/Pelosi health care bill.

The plan is nothing less than a government takeover of the health care industry, complete with job-killing tax increases and the kind of budget-busting spending that will continue to heap debt onto generations of Americans to come. It is my sincere hope that continued activism by the American people and conservative, grass roots leaders will force the Democrat majorities in Washington to abandon their plan and start over.

I am not opposed to all reform. In fact, should I have the honor of serving as your next governor, I am determined to pursue free market reforms that will reduce medical costs and improve access to quality, affordable care. However, a government-run health care system is not the answer. Speaker Pelosi and President Obama want to heap more bureaucracy onto the system, but the way to control costs and reduce price inflation is to peel back the layers of burdensome regulation and administrative overhead, not add more.

What has been perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this health care debate is how out of touch it has revealed some of our political leaders to be. Oklahomans, and Americans everywhere, want the government to focus on job creation, growing our economy, and addressing the skyrocketing deficits that threaten this country's financial stability. Instead, Speaker Pelosi and President Obama have produced a 2000 page bureaucratic nightmare that will increase taxes, spend more, and do nothing to alleviate the high cost of health care that is threatening family budgets and hurting small businesses.

If the Speaker of the House and the President of the United States can't understand what Oklahomans want, we could sure use a governor that does. If I'm elected in 2010, we'll have that and more - because I will be the kind of leader who fights for our state, who fights for the cause of liberty and who pursues the kind of reforms that grow our economy, create more and better jobs and moves us towards a better, brighter future.

Fallin column: Less Taxes and More Freedom

Oklahomans are concerned about the rising costs of health care, but they certainly don't want the government to take over the health care industry.

Read more in Mary's latest column on health care in the Edmond Life & Leisure.

Fallin Raises Most Cash in Latest Report

For the second straight reporting period, the Fallin for Governor campaign reported raising the most money of any of the candidates for governor.

For the reporting period from July 1 to Sept. 30, the campaign reported raising more than $417,000. To-date, Mary Fallin has raised more than $872,000 from more than 2,000 individual donors and from all 77 Oklahoma counties.

Click here to read more in The Oklahoman.