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POLITICS: Flanigan seeks less government, more business opportunities

By Erin Boeckman

Managing Editor

(POL) Republican Rick Flanigan said he wants to represent the Fifth Congressional District to stop overt government intrusion while promoting business growth in Oklahoma.

Flanigan entered a crowded field of Republican candidates seeking the fifth district seat being vacated by Congresswoman Mary Fallin, R-Oklahoma City, who is running for governor. Flanigan is one of seven Republicans seeking the seat.

Initially, Flanigan said he wanted to become involved in someone else's campaign, but in his research, he decided there was not a candidate whose sign he wanted to put in his yard. So, he decided to campaign for himself.

If elected, Flanigan said he hopes to work for less government while promoting a free market for businesses to succeed.

Government intrusion needs to be curtailed substantially, Flanigan explained. In talking to the constituents of the Fifth Congressional District, he said people are concerned about government-run health care, infringement on liberties and federal government intruding on state government authority.

With regard to business, Flanigan noted that the federal government invested in bailouts for corporations, but a majority of people work for small businesses. Those businesses compete with the corporations given bailouts, he said.

Flanigan said he supports a free economic system that allows people to recoup the rewards of their businesses and keep them.

The candidate is himself a small business owner with a retail battery store in Bethany. He said he knows what it is like to sign the front of a paycheck, not cash taxpayer paychecks.

Flanigan has been self-employed since age 26. He is a disabled U.S. Navy veteran.

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Rick Flanigan is a husband, father and grandfather. He left Oklahoma at the age of 19 to report to boot camp in San Diego, Ca. He was honorably discharged from the US Navy in 1990 and immediately returned to Oklahoma with his family once again in tow. Rick and his wife Cathie own a small Mom and Pop retail battery store in Bethany, OK. They have been in business together since 1996 and both feel blessed to be able to work together nearly everyday for the last 13 years.

Rick says "I have never been an activist, I have never campaigned for any candidate but I have always left the polling booth feeling that my informed vote was the best I can do." He continues "I have always felt that there are people smarter and more qualified than me to handle the day to day running of our Country, but no more. Congress is out of control and I feel that to sit back and allow them to spend us into oblivion while simultaneously plucking our rights off of the tree of liberty like ripe fruit is tantamount to treason."

Rick decided that it was time to become more involved in the process. After attending the Tax Day Tea Party rally at the state capital he began talking with his friends and neighbors, looking for a candidate to get behind. Believing that the best candidate would be a person that he could be sure had never been tainted by the money of special interest or has other promises to keep above the interest of his constituency, he came up empty handed. Rick says "I do not question the loyalty or intentions of any other candidate and I am not running against anyone, however I know where my loyalties lie, and I owe no one any favors. I have never been apart of the political machine and have only ever sworn one oath, that being to defend the Constitution against ALL enemies foreign and domestic, and I reaffirm that oath today as I swear to you that I will do everything in my power as an American, an Okie and as your representative in Congress to defend the rights and freedoms that belong to everyone of us. Make no mistake, the Constitution is under attack and we must defend her in the voting booth in 2010. I only pray that we are not too late.

It is time that we have a candidate that we can vote for, instead of voting against another. The choice should never be between the lesser of two evils and how great it will be if in 2010 you are able to choose the best person for the job from a field of great candidates. One can hope. I don't have all of the answers but I am certainly not afraid to ask the questions." Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country --- Let the revolution begin.