eCapitol.net

Even though most would agree that this session was far from memorable there are always people and events that are worth praising or that make one laugh. This installment will take a look at a few of the more noteworthy in each category in recent history.  Just for fun we will juxtapose the most laughable and laudable to highlight each.

 

Even the capitol press has been (and is) populated by quite a few characters. They are generally hard working and dedicated folks that come to work every day and cover a difficult subject that most Oklahomans and even many of the reporter’s editors don’t understand. Often their insightful stories are given misleading headlines by unknowing editors and less knowledgeable “investigative reporters” and ill-informed columnists get the best spots in the paper.

 

 Many of the longtime reporters such as the Daily Oklahoman’s John Greiner, the World’s Mick Hinton or the AP’s Ron Jenkins have covered the legislature, the budget process, lobbying and special interests and the electoral process for decades. They know their way around the capitol, how leaders make decisions, and how everything from the revenue forecasting process works to which lobbyists bring the food and other goodies to the caucus meeting. Reporters like the World’s Barbara Hoberock and the Oklahoman’s Michael McNutt also know the ins and outs of the executive branch at the State Capitol. They all deserve a tip of the hat for the often thankless work they do.

 

At the other end of the spectrum are the clueless local television reporters that are sent at times to cover the state capitol. No Oklahoma City or Tulsa station has a Capitol Bureau anymore so mainly young, attractive nitwits are sent to the Capitol once or twice a session to either create a story based on wrong information or cover a story that is developing in a poor or superficial way. Most of these folks don’t even know where to park at the Capitol much less know how to find out what is really going on. News 9 in Oklahoma City used to do a pretty respectable job now they may be the worst. Last year they sent one of their crack journalists to do story about the “hole in the state budget”. The silly reporter whose name probably should not be mentioned (Rosa Flores) completely missed what was really going on with tax cuts, under funding of education, major transportation finance changes and pork barrel spending just to name a few. Instead she locked in on an error in a staff document prepared for a House Appropriation Committee. The document did indeed contain an error but had nothing to do with a “hole” in the state’s budget. One might compare this event with a critic finding a misspelling in “about the author” section on the dust cover of best selling book and writing the entire review about the dust cover problem. Since this is a world where no bad deed goes unrewarded Rosa’s story ran as a Sweeps Week promotion with some bad acting by Kelly Ogle included. Rosa now has a new job in the bigger Houston Media Market. 

 

(Just in case you were wondering I would place the OETA coverage with the Capitol Press – not with the network nitwits)

 

Here are a couple of other laughable and laudable juxtapositions:

 

 

The Oklahoma Observer has been both laughable and laudable in the past, as have been many other publications, but they clearly crossed over to laughable in recent issue that savaged Commissioner of Mental Health Terri White. 

 

For a publication that has stated that its mission is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable it certainly went off course on this one. The article that was filled with personal gossip and innuendo was a misogynist rant that basically said that the Commissioner shouldn’t be the Commissioner because she is an aggressive younger woman (read bitch). The Observer would not name sources of their gossip and their only fact was that they thought a piece of equipment that the Commissioner had considered purchasing was not as important as some other agency programs made her incompetent as well as being a bitch. They also claimed she is incompetent because she is not a medical doctor. I guess all hospital administrators including the great Stan Heupfeld at Integris are incompetent because they have Health Administration degrees instead of MDs. If the Observer staff could pull themselves away from the snack bar coffee long enough they would have noticed the trend to install professional administrators at all kinds of health care organizations since doctors usually don’t manage people or money well and are too arrogant to actually ask lowly legislators for the money they need. 

 

While Frosty and/or Arnold were not doing their research (no Frosty sitting at the snack bar in the Capitol gossiping with other old codgers does not constitute research) Commissioner White (who has a masters degree in Social Work Administration by the way) has been loudly and effectively communicating the cause of mental health across the state and has quietly done better from a funding stand point for mental health than the doctor who preceded her -- even in bad budget years.

 

 

Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland has undertaken an extensive research based State Health Care Coverage Initiative utilizing the best financial minds, state and national health care experts and academics and practitioners with ideas across the political spectrum. On the laughable side the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs has hired failed gubernatorial hopeful, ousted Republican party chair and general moron/Neanderthal Tom Daxon to create a phony free market health care fix (read I need a job and money so I will write anything for the Oklahoma Council on Public Affairs regardless if it is stupid and embarrassing in content). Daxon said his plan will deregulate health care and allow insurers to develop plans to tie cost more closely to risk. Memo to Daxon – that will increase the number of people without health insurance. People with pre-existing conditions, genetic maladies, the poor, those without a risk pool to join will absolutely be unable to get insurance. This will guarantee Oklahoma will have the worst uninsured rate in the nation. Holland, a successful insurance executive before her election will develop a plan that is market based, has choice and expands coverage to all citizens. Look for her plan to move forward and his plan to be used to raise right wing crank money for OCPA.

 

 

Finally, there is a rumor about the capitol that could become a future laughable event. Actually it’s more than just a rumor as the actual architectural drawings have been seen and contractors have been observed assessing the remodeling project – plans in hand.

 

It seems the House Republican Caucus is getting ready to renovate their 4^th floor meeting room (432A). The renovation will involve the elimination of the electronic media room and the installation of state-of-the-art buffet serving tables for the Caucus to feast upon the lobbyist bounty while working on their next strategy in the soon-to-be more elaborate and comfortable digs of 432A.

 

I personally find their choice of locations even laughable –next door to the appropriations chair (where the money gets dispensed) and across the hall from the Press Room and the Snack Bar. Wonder if they think the aroma from the Golden Buffet delicacies will somehow be disguised as they intermingle with the snack bar chili dogs? And do they really think the Press Room hounds aren’t going to be keenly aware of who’s catering/sponsoring on which day?!

 

If this goes through as it is apparently planned, it will be an all time laughable example of use of public funds gone wrong – sad – but laughable. (Perhaps the legislature should not continue to enjoy their immunity from purchasing and accountability policies.)

 

Makes you wonder if the voting public will ever figure out why they’re no longer getting radio and television coverage of important announcements and events? Maybe not, as they will probably be too busy eating bologna sandwiches trying to save enough money for a tank of gas, braces on the kids teeth and college tuition for junior.

 

It might also be interesting to compare the menu served daily at the fourth floor Golden Buffet to that served on the school lunch programs… That’s something that could make for good reading in the hometown newspapers.