By Patrick B. McGuigan

Published: 07-Sep-2010

Dominique Block, who describes himself as “the hip-hop Republican” is challenging incumbent Democrat Al McAffrey in House District 88. Block says, “I believe it is time for a fresh voice, a fresh face and fresh ideas.”

Block asserts, “The incumbent has been there these four years and has lacked true leadership, it seems to me. We have an economic crisis. I have ideas on how to address the needs of the citizens in our district and in the state.”

Block draws a distinction this way: “The incumbent is the Stonewall Democrat. I am the hip hop Republican.”

Bloc says “the economy is the issue, and we have to deal with the state budget. The incumbent is spending too much of his time on the social issues as he sees them, I want to concentrate on the economy.”

Pressed for specifics, the challenger says, “It’s what I can Block-onomics. The state of Oklahoma needs a fair tax, just 2% on all services. This would be something to help offset the elimination of the state income tax. So my plan is to have a fair tax, number 1. Number 2 is to drop the state sales tax from 4.5% to 2%. And finally, to eliminate the income tax on individuals and on corporations.”

Asked how such a proposal might play out in the state economy, he replied, “It plays out very well. Consumers would purchase more goods and services. My proposal would drop the total sales tax from 8.375% to 5.6%, 2 ½ cents lower on the dollar. Less sales tax would mean an increase in investment incentives, and more money for the people.”

Block continued, “NAFTA has pushed our jobs overseas. Instead of outsourcing, we need in-servicing. U.S. corporations need to have no franchise tax in Oklahoma. That would bring some of them into the state for the first time. State employees might not like zero-based budgeting, but we need a real zero-based program to get control of spending.”

Block said he is “tri-partisan, a Republican who is supported by Independents and Democrats, too. I have been endorsed by the Oklahoma Coalition of Independents. I was formerly an independent myself, although I have always been conservative, a man of conservative values.”

Block’s full name includes “senior,” as he has a young son who bears the name Dominique Block, Jr. Block works at the Oklahoma County sheriff’s office, where he is a senior detention officer.