Articles in News
June 22, 2010
Healthcare bill kills Medicare at the Mayo Clinic
President Obama has often commented that he’s impressed with the way the Mayo Clinic performs calling it a model of health-care excellence and efficiency. “It's got the best quality and the lowest cost of just about any system in the country. We want to help the whole country learn from what Mayo is doing," said the president. On a number of occasions he stated, "They offer the highest quality care at costs well below the national norm. We need to learn from their successes and replicate those best practices across our country." These quotes were even posted on the White House web site. But it seems the folks at Mayo weren’t being suckered into the rhetoric and actually paid attention to the language in the health care bill even before it was signed into law.
The Mayo Clinic no longer accepts Medicare payments at its primary care facility in Glendale, Arizona. Now more than 3,000 patients are required to pay cash if they choose to continue seeing doctors at this clinic. For the time being the change in policy only affects the Glendale clinic. As the actual health care bill becomes more understood and implemented other Mayo facilities may opt out of Medicare. There are other Mayo facilities in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota.
But why would a globally respected medical institution that’s routinely lauded for providing health care of "the best quality and the lowest cost" voluntarily opt out of the government's premier single-payer insurance program? The answer is the most obvious--money. In 2009 the Mayo Clinic in Glendale lost $840 million serving its Medicare patients. Medicare reimbursements covered approximately 50 percent of the total cost of treating eligible primary-care patients. There isn’t a medical organization in the world that can remain viable when doing business with an insurance program that only pays half of the costs. If our auto insurance company paid only 50 percent of the cost each time we filed a claim we’d cut them loose.
You may be surprised to learn that the Mayo Clinic isn’t simply reacting irrationally to the recent legislation. In 2008 the independent Medicare Payment Advisory Commission released a report confirming that 29 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, nearly one in four, are struggling to find a primary care doctor who will treat them. Also that same year the Texas Medical Association determined that only 38 percent of that state's primary care physicians were accepting new patients whose primary insurance was Medicare.
But if you think things are bad now, just wait until the actual legislation takes full effect in 2012. At that time the new health care legislation Medicare reimbursements to hospitals and doctors will drop even lower.
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a branch of the US Department of Health and Human Services, it’s estimated that another $493 billion will be cut from Medicare over the next 10 years. A spokesman for these departments said, "Providers for whom Medicare constitutes a substantive portion of their business could find it difficult to remain profitable and might end their participation in the program possibly jeopardizing access to care for beneficiaries." With government now in the driver’s seat for health care and wielding the power to establish medical reimbursement and actual payment amounts, consider another lost freedom for taxpayers.
While this will be breaking news to many people, more than six months ago the Mayo Clinic began sounding the alarm of problems ahead. Rather than improving American health care and making it more affordable for the majority of citizens, Mayo warned that the legislation, if passed, "will do the opposite" and "the real losers will be the citizens of the United States."
Additionally, a year ago federal officials confirmed that fraud, waste and abuse was habitual in several specific areas of Medicare, but to date have taken no action to fix these known problems and the program continues losing tens of billions of dollars. What are the Feds waiting for? The program's long-term deficit is approaching a mindboggling $40 trillion. Oversight for Medicare has been virtually non-existent since its inception in 1966 when the annual cost was $3 billion. The annual estimated cost for 2010 is $453 billion. Even with this staggering amount on the books in red ink, the program’s reimbursement to medical providers is so slow and miniscule that rapidly growing numbers of them are saying they can no longer afford to treat Medicare patients, it’s a losing proposition. If Medicare was the role model for health care reform then we’re truly in a lot of trouble nationwide.
President Obama said he wanted the country to "learn from what Mayo is doing." Really? If that’s true and Mayo is the role model, then expect more doctors and hospitals to opt out of Medicare leaving thousands of patients in a lurch.
Hang on folks, because from all accounts the pain inflicted from the recently enacted health care legislation will get much worse before it shows any sign of relief.
May 5, 2010
Technological Age Discrimination
Like many of you, I’m significantly addicted to my computer, and reading and sending emails are an integral part of my daily routine. But online marketers, through various means, have gotten their hands on my email address and constantly load my inbox with a variety of seemingly discriminatory messages—they seem to have figured out that I’m getting older. Here are a few obvious examples of what I consider technological age discrimination.
The most prominent and hardest sell ads are those offering a myriad of erectile dysfunction products. Why do they automatically assume that old guys can’t stand up on their own in this particular area? From what I understand most women in the senior age range prefer it if we simply let nature take its course. Besides, I spend enough time dealing with medical-related issues; the last thing I need is an emergency room visit because I’ve been involuntarily standing at attention longer than four hours.
As a follow on to the above topic, there’s no plausible reason that Internet marketers should assume that I need daily offerings of “hot babes” who are anxious to meet me. Then again, maybe they assume that I’ve been duped into loading up on the hardwood pills and want to sneak into the woods.
Aside from the obvious presumption that seniors are edging closer to the end of life’s yardstick, odds are we have an ample amount of life insurance. Even so, the offers roll in with warnings that one can never have too much life insurance. Want to bet? How’d we get suckered into the mindset that we have an obligation to convert our heirs into instant millionaires after we pass on? Aside from my wife, everyone else is on their own and shouldn’t expect a free financial handout. Besides, I like most animals better than a majority of the humans I’ve met, so if I have the final say my stuff is going to legitimate animal care organizations.
Unless I’m lying in a hospital bed hearing my last rights, I don’t need a fast loan with a mere 30+ percent interest rate? I’d love to see these sleazy operations out of business and maybe it’s incumbent on the most elderly seniors to make it happen. If these businesses are still around when I hit age 100, I plan to drive (you have a problem with that?!) to each one of them and take out as big a loan as they’ll give me. And I hope one of them turns me down; I’m itching to file an age discrimination lawsuit just to see how the system handles it.
I enjoy venturing off the retirement compound periodically for a little vacation, but the last option coming to mind when planning one of these overnight outings is a time share. Not long ago I got a phone call from one of them so I listened to the opening pitch. The representative introduced himself, and then asked if I had received their email about the spectacular sales offering. I told him yes, because I get at least one time share email daily that I never open, so there was a good chance that his had arrived and was deleted. After listening to the too-good-to-be-true sales promotion I asked for the cost of the annual maintenance fees along with mentioning that our usual number of overnight stays per year was five. I told the representative that dividing the annual fee by five gave an average cost per night comparable to the rack rate of the room in a five star luxury hotel. He hung up.
But on occasion, I do receive a legitimate email that lands in the spam file, so I read it. For example, printer ink. Like it or not, even a computer junkie needs things printed in hard copy sometimes. Given the astronomical retail price of printer ink, the online offerings from recognized provides can save a bundle of money. I also shop for a few vitamin-mineral supplements via the Internet, and the reputable companies typically offer a good value.
From what I’ve seen age discrimination is now prevalent in the world of technology via unsolicited emails, an elaborate assemblage of intriguing, unanticipated seemingly personalized offerings combined with an enticing blend of mystery and incentive; there’s always just enough to keep us fascinated with the possibilities. Maybe life is, in fact, intended to be ongoing potential age discrimination, so technology is an obvious entrant in the bias mix.
April 30, 2010
Trust in the federal government plummets
Americans' trust in government, or a lack of it, has plummeted to a near-historic low according to recent survey results released by the Pew Research Center.
A mere 22 percent of Americans that were surveyed by Pew said they can trust government in Washington "almost always or most of the time." This figure is among the lowest measures recorded during the past 50 years since pollsters began asking the question.
Possibly more concerting is the number confirming that about 1 of every 3 people said they believe government is a major threat to their personal freedoms and want federal power significantly diminished.
The Pew pollsters asked people to indicate whether they were content, frustrated or angry with the federal government, and 3 of every 4 respondents said they were either frustrated or angry. Historically, the tone of the country diminishes during Democratic administrations, and this was first measured and confirmed in 1958. Follow-on downturns of notable proportions were recorded during the Carter and Clinton administrations. When such fervor erupts among the masses for the long-term the midterm elections tend to favor Republicans. However, an interesting twist will be in play this November as Independents. This growing segment of voters has influential political clout by habitually voting, and they currently favor republicans over Democrats by a margin of 66 percent to 13 percent according to Pew. During the Bush era these trust numbers dipped accordingly and the results of the shift are now being felt. The political pendulum does swing both ways and it appears it’s gaining momentum as it swings from left to right once again, but by election time it could slow down somewhere around the middle.
Interestingly, the results of the Pew survey conducted in March, were so surprisingly bleak that the organization conducted three follow-up surveys to verify its findings to ensure not only accuracy but also credibility. The results of each survey remained essentially unchanged.
In fairness, about 55 percent of Americans routinely express frustration about the federal government, according to Pew surveys going back to 1997. But there’s a notable difference today with the growing numbers who expressed "intense anti-government views." The percentage of Americans who say they are angry has doubled since 2000.
The recent Pew also found that intense anti-government sentiment was highest among Republicans, Independents and those who agree with the Tea Party movement. Another noteworthy finding was that Anti-government frustration was intense among the 30 percent of those surveyed who said that "government is a major threat to my personal freedoms.”
Possibly the most interesting result was the growing disaffection for big government among independents. Independents who are extremely frustrated with government have expressed an intense commitment to voting in the November election. The survey also found that nearly one third of Independents said that the Tea Party accurately reflects their view.
Before President Obama took office, the public was virtually evenly divided regarding what size government was best for the country, with 42 percent advocating a smaller government and 43 percent for an expansion in Washington. Today, 50 percent of those surveyed want a smaller government; only 39 percent want a bigger one. An impressive 61 percent of those surveyed said they believe stricter regulation of financial companies is warranted.
The bottom line of all of this is that Washington has managed to turn a blind eye to the public at large in many instances and the repercussion is a mounting lack of trust in government and politicians in general. The November election may seem far away, but the antics to those currently in power will continue to be under close scrutiny by the ever-increasing number of people who say they are intent on voting.
Hello, Washington, is anybody there?
December 14, 2009
Prolonged Presence in Afghanistan is a Mistake
The “Yes We Can” president just rolled the dice for us again last week during his speech at West Point by opting to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. The problem is that he immediately followed that declaration with another one presuming his decision would result in a mission accomplished and vowed to begin a withdrawal in 2011.
Interesting how most of his colleagues applauded his decision as being rational and strategically sound, but a similar ploy by the former president drew immediate fire from the left side of the political aisle and quickly backfired. But President Obama differentiates his action from the former president’s by stating that his decision was made after a long, thoughtful, gut-checking analysis. Those questioning his rationale offer two reasonable objections: Where will he get the troops and how is he going to pay for it. If the president wanted to end both wars quickly he’d man up and demand that Congress implement the draft, something that hasn’t been openly discussed because of the guarantee of a political firestorm less than a year before House and Senate members come up for re-election.
The president has taken the least problematical step, escalating the war in Afghanistan. Bringing it to an end and getting every troop home will be challenging beyond current comprehension.
This dilemma was brilliantly stated by Andrew Bacevich, a retired U.S. Army colonel and Boston University professor of history, when he said on the radio show, “He (President Obama) seems to assume that war is a predictable and controllable instrument that can be directed with precision by people sitting in offices back in Washington, D.C. I think the history of Vietnam and the history of war more broadly teaches us something different. And that is, when statesmen choose war, they really are simply rolling the dice.’’
In effect, the president is willing to gamble with the lives of those in uniform and the future of our country. If he loses this gamble, which many sincerely believe is likely, every one of us stands to lose something in the process. But those with the most to lose are the ones on the front lines in actual conflict. I don’t believe the United States will pull out of Afghanistan in 2011. At that point the problem will be two-fold; we can’t afford to stay because we aren’t winning, lives are being lost and the country remains in turmoil, but we can’t afford to get out and observe that region, along with its neighbor Pakistan, become safe havens and uninterrupted training grounds for terrorists.
Within a short time after President Obama’s address at West Point, his top security advisor, General James Jones, said, “In no manner, shape or form is the United States leaving Afghanistan in 2011…"
Further degrading the validity of the president’s remarks was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She commented during an address to the North Atlantic Council, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO's) highest political body, that eventual troop withdrawal was significantly dependent on a gradual and continuous transfer of responsibility to Afghan security forces. She also stated, "The pace, size, and scope of the drawdown will be predicated on the situation on the ground. If things are going well, a larger number of forces could be removed from more areas. If not, the size and speed of the drawdown will be adjusted accordingly." She never referred to the 18 month timetable as an objective. Maybe she comprehends that telling your enemy your plans ahead of time gives them somewhat of a strategic advantage. The president should visit the U.S. Army War College and Institute for Strategic Studies sometime soon; he might learn something about tactics and war planning. He could also scan a classic book by Sun Tzu titled “The Art of War.”
You may recall that the president cited 43 nations as having vowed their support to help win the war in Afghanistan by deploying an estimated 10,000 additional troops. The president said, “Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. Now, we must come together to end this war successfully. For what’s at stake is not simply a test of NATO’s credibility. What’s at stake is the security of our allies, and the common security of the world.”
No, Mr. President, what’s primarily at stake are the lives of our service members who volunteered to ensure the safety and security of those of us at home by defeating an enemy based mainly in the Middle East. When you make a decision of this magnitude it should be done with the sheer intent of winning, offering a clear and concise statement of what that means, and providing your enemy with nothing more than an unwavering message that we have the will, resources, and tenacity for accomplishing that mission.
October 20, 2009
Deciphering President Obama’s Nobel Prize
Earlier this month, President Barack Obama hit the motherload when he received a Nobel Peace prize. But let’s take a closer look at how that may be perceived by many Americans and others around the world.
To date, the Obama presidency hasn’t accomplished any significant campaign promises, and certainly nothing tangible on the global front that could be attributable to him or his hand-picked cabinet members. On the global scene the Middle East remains in turmoil, Afghanistan is spiraling out of control as confirmed by the senior military commander appointed by Obama to fix that mess, the Israelis and Palestinians continue their long-standing disagreement, Iran thumbs its nose at the Americans even though they’ve agreed to an alleged nuclear inspection of their uranium enrichment sites, and Guantanamo Bay prison remains operational. Nationally, employment and foreclosure numbers continue to rise while the economy sputters, and health care overhaul bills have become so laden with earmarks and generally unintelligible that even lawyers are having trouble understanding them. And when he blows-off a meeting with the Dalai Lama in lieu of a face-to-face chat with China's President, where’s the peace part of the puzzle?
Here’s the deal: the prize he received should have been called the Nobel Piece Prize, because that’s what President Obama has managed to accomplish. He’s taken a piece of the auto industry, the housing market, Wall Street, and the largest banks and financial institutions in the country, tucked them under the wing of the federal government, and allowed the tab to be picked up the usual group of chumps, the taxpayers . Throw in an ongoing push for cap and trade that will hammer businesses even harder and you start to get a glimpse of how an actual peace price winner looks in today’s world of behind the scenes wheeling, dealing and, conscienceless functionality.
However, in his defense, President Obama has taken advantage of every conceivable opportunity for getting in front of a news camera to apologize for the way the United States has, over the years in good faith, given direct assistance to numerous countries in actual lives, goods, and humanitarian services. Unfortunately, most have squandered the potential benefits through foolish, conscious decisions or outright corruption. As if his opportunistic apologies aren’t adequate insults to the American people and especially those who were actively involved in these actions, both living and deceased, consider his resolute attempts to make friends with some the sleaziest world leaders (e.g., Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez). But the president intentionally ignored opportunities to assist recognized peace activists in Burma and Myanmar thereby allowing them to rot in prisons to this day.
I wonder how much a Nobel Prize would cost on eBay or Craigslist given the diminished value of it on a global scale.
August 25, 2009
Trouble on the home front
Good news: The House and Senate are in recess which means they can’t do any immediate damage. In fact, they’re attempting to perform personal damage control to save themselves with their constituents because of the health care debacle. And it didn't take long for them to run headlong into their voters who are miffed to the max about the House's "Health Care for all Americans" legislation, a conglomeration of multiple committees that simply guts health care for most Americans.
They’ve been attempting to peddle the bill like it was a bottle of 1800’s miracle medicine. But in keeping with their current mindset of get-it-done-quickly, not a single one of them has read the 1,018 page document that was hackneyed together the night before they left Washington even though they’re all experts on its contents.
Much to the representatives’ surprise and dismay, the taxpayers have awakened to the fact that the bill is potential disaster and have turned out in droves to the town hall meetings and spoken their minds. The politicians were so taken aback by the questions and comments that many of them have abruptly cancelled all of their planned town hall meetings and opted for phone and online offerings which are nothing more than safe havens for the interim until they can return to their private sanctuaries in Washington.
It became quickly obvious these legislators weren’t particularly adept at fielding legitimate questions and selling something they knew almost nothing about. One of the most popular and valid queries being heard is whether or not the taxpayers will have access to the same health care coverage as their elected representatives. As you might imagine the bureaucrats can’t offer an acceptable response and are often and rightfully “booed.” It’s obvious that none of them are fully knowledgeable of the contents of the rough draft and are attempting to spew rhetoric rather than information actually contained in the current bill. I’d like to make it even easier for the politicians, so here’s my proposal. All they have to do is promise us, the voters, they will totally dismantle their current executive insurance program and, once a bill is passed, select an option from those that will be offered to you and me.
Regarding the current bill, if any of them had skimmed it they’d have seen early on that page 16 contained a provision making individual private medical insurance illegal. That’s right—against the law. The provision would prohibit individual private coverage. Listed under the heading "Protecting The Choice To Keep Current Coverage," the "Limitation On New Enrollment" section of the bill clearly states: "Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day of the year the legislation becomes law.”
This shouldn’t come as a surprise since the naysayers have been warning us for months that the moment the Feds get into the business of offering subsidized health insurance coverage the private insurance market will be smothered. And why wouldn’t the government want that to happen? With the Feds offering a public option that could be 30% to 40% less costly than today’s typical annual premiums, who wouldn’t want to buy in. Of course, you know there’s a catch; we, the taxpayers, will be funding it, so employers will have no incentive to keep their private plans and will sign up for the government’s version of health coverage.
Various estimates have concluded that private carriers could end up with an estimated 50 million fewer customers. Many won’t go out of business, but their coverage costs will skyrocket. But keep your eye on the prize, the actual coverage, because that will shrink over time leaving many people virtually uncovered due to medical conditions deemed exclusionary and outside the cost effectiveness range for coverage.
While I’m still wading through the mishmash, I’ve already uncovered many hidden flaws in the bill, but another noteworthy one is found on page 425: Everyone currently receiving Social Security benefits regardless of age or circumstances (e.g., disability) will be required to attend mandatory counseling every five years to learn how to select from a list of options available/approved for eliminating your end of life suffering. In effect, you’ll be required to choose your form of death. Another little caveat is that the government can deny health care based on age, and $500 billion will be systematically cut from this senior-related health care plan. What that means is a radical reduction in health care offerings and the oldest and most ill citizens will become expendable or non-cost effective.
There’s also some ambiguous language that implies even those who can afford to pay for private health care may be prohibited by law to purchase and partake of it if their combination of age and health diagnosis doesn’t fit the approved government template, one that was created by bureaucrats rather than medical professionals. The government intends to manage our lives from cradle to grave, and they’ll begin by controlling the end—the forced termination of our life. If this frightens you as much as it does me, then I’ve accomplished my task of making you aware of the potential lethality of the current health care bill. Don’t buy into the notion that those seen speaking up at town hall meetings have been hand-picked shills by a right wing conspiracy.
I’ll close with another unmentioned pitfall in the health care legislation, one that’s going to wipe out health savings accounts. The government now has to demolish that choice to ensure that individuals have virtually zero control over their personal medical care. By now you may be getting the picture that we’re heading for a true welfare state with the majority of Americans dependent upon the government for nearly everything from jobs to life itself. A logical and “free” person would assume that Washington couldn’t muster the constitutional authority to outlaw private health care markets in which the citizens could choose to voluntarily participate. With a little luck the politicians, those people who are supposed to be working for rather than against us, won’t be able to pull it off, but only if voters continue voicing their vehement objections to this gigantic step toward a societal takeover.
Keep in mind this is only the draft legislation, not the final version that will likely emerge if we, the taxpayers, voters and health care recipients continue to oppose and don’t allow the Feds to have their way. It's frightening to consider how many additional personal liberty infringements will emerge in the final bill, but for the moment assume the worst.
Maybe we should push for legislation that would require our elected officials to extend their summer vacations to 11 months per year. That way they could spend a reasonable amount of quality time dodging their constituents and only enough time in Washington to do minimal damage.
June 8, 2009
Domestic terrorism to halt abortions?
Political terrorism is defined by prominent political scientists as the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property in order to coerce or intimidate a government or the civilian population in furtherance of political or social objectives. This is mainly applied to the violent acts of ‘jihad’ and predominately associated with anti-American sentiment stemming from the Middle East.
However, in recent years ‘domestic terrorism’ has resurged (it had been a popular method of protesting during the morally pious Reagan years); ‘soldiers’ of the morality war in America have rearmed themselves in the wake of an Obama Administration and have begun to assemble in opposition to the impending liberality.
The American population has been mired in economic woes and inundated with troubling news from a two-front war aboard for the better part of a decade now, yet the social and political crusaders continue to wage battle for America’s propriety. The death of American doctors, nurses, health care practitioners, etc, is a wholly unacceptable concept when defending the ‘right to life’ issue.
It should not have to be said that Roe vs. Wade was not simply a symbolic court decision; but it gave every woman the right to choose for herself the path that suits her life. This decision has been diluted and basically rendered meaningless over the past three decades thanks to conservatism in state legislatures who have systematically worked to create obstacles that prevent women in their states from obtaining clinically safe abortions or become at risk for targeted violence due to legislators’ open opposition to the practice of abortion.
This vitriolic passion toward abortion-seekers and providers violates not only the very essential decision of Roe, but also a woman’s basic right to quality of life. Keep in mind, most of these congressional usurpations of judicial/constitutional rights is decided upon by men. And the majority of those who become active domestic terrorists for the cause of abortion have predominately been men, including the most recent attacker of Dr. Tiller (the Fox News proclaimed “baby killer”).
It is time that Americans make up their own minds about what is right and what is wrong instead of attempting to legislate, regulate and enforce morality upon masses that are living in the present ….. Not the past. Americans should know better to fight for life with death; it is an embarrassment to the cause they are advocating for and to the nation in general. When we attempt to control our women and their minds, we become no better than those we find repugnant in other nations who dominate their women via national laws.
June 2, 2009
The End of Days: Republican leadership takes over
The official end of the first session of the 52nd Legislature was certainly anti-climatic following the antics perpetrated by the Republican Leadership on the adopted Sine Die date of May 22. Leaders in both the House, but predominately the Senate broke the public’s faith in the process of compromise and effective government (if they had it to begin with).
The Senate had failed a bill containing the new pet project of the Republican Party; the CIO bill, the language inhabited three separate bills in only a week (SB980, HB1704, HB1170). Instead of accepting that the language had failed to receive the approval necessary to move to the Governor’s desk, a certain Senator held the vote on SB980 open for nearly 5 hours allowing no other business to be conducted. While the President Pro Tempore waved the final action rule in order for the Senate to hear the bill that was gutted and replaced with the CIO language; HB1170 is the final form of the CIO bill and passed the Senate on Tuesday, May 26.
The irony is not lost on many; the Oklahoma Republicans have systematically attacked what they deem as Democratic pet projects/issues, most notably, Autism funding, without batting an eye. However, when a bipartisan vote to fail a bill occurs, they decide to procedurally throw a temper tantrum, hold a legislative session over which costs the taxpayers money; all in effort to ensure that their legacy in the majority was “successful.”
I offer the following statement for thought: how effective is your government/leadership (political affiliation aside) when it finds it not only necessary but imperative to shove a major governmental reform bill through the legislature during the final hour?
What occurred in the final days of session in the Oklahoma Legislature stands as a clear example of the abuses of procedure and leadership in order to achieve a political end. It will take awhile before we can judge whether or not the end justified the means of obtaining this potential new law, but something tells me the way in which the bill was passed that it could be very dangerous for the people of Oklahoma.
April 22, 2009
Budgeting: The Great American Process
As ‘budgeting season’ descends upon the Oklahoma State Capitol, let’s step back and evaluate the budgeting process in American politics. Pay particular attention to the in-fighting associated with the modern budgeting process.
Budgetary politics is the foundation of contemporary American governance with vested interest in the funding of discretionary as well entitlement programs that the populace relies upon. Although it has been through various stages of policy development and enactment, budgetary politics and the response by the citizenry in America has always been directly related to the political events in which the U.S. is involved.
There have been many attempts to restructure and reform the process of budgeting in American politics. Throughout our nation’s history there have only been a handful of budgeting policies that have seemingly reflected the domestic/public opinion, the political makeup of the legislature versus the executive and the events that America is linked to at the time. Power-shifting has defined the struggle to create comprehensive budgetary policy; from the Congress to the executive branch, to the newly adapted Obama strategy that involves the grassroots level of citizen-lobbying efforts to push stimulus plans through. The role that policy and the process play in budgeting continuously shifts depending on the political ‘place’ in which America finds itself.
Throughout this era in budgeting, the U.S. has seen many political maladies that have led to the attempted reformation of the process. The “Stalemate era” is characterized by the political factions that play budgeting as a game of Tit –for – Tat taxation and non-taxation; once the democrats began insisting (post 9/11) on passing legislation that assisted the unemployed, including health insurance. This idea was matched by the Republican plan to give tax credits to those who could not find employment (although welfare is certainly not a Republican-supported doctrine).
There have been many factors that have led to this stalled era in American budgeting; the rise of the “two Americas” and divided party governance. The executive branch has dominated by the Republican Party during the majority of the “Stalemate era” and has cultivated a brand of fiscal policy that is driven predominately by cronyism. There was also a large shift (since the mid-1960s) in who benefits from the budget and from where the money is raised to fund programs. There has been an increase in funding to entitlement programs and individuals in the form of social welfare which comes at the expense of another program. The real issue is not balancing the budget but budgeting the nation’s wealth; how and what to spend produces political infighting that is associated with contemporary budget agreements.
The budgeting process that the U.S. adheres to now is a culmination of economic forecasting and “new public management” ideals. There are limits to discretionary spending programs; this is accomplished by dividing discretionary spending into three categories: military/defense, international and domestic programs. This breakdown helps determine where and how much of the budget is going toward mandatory government programs. The “pay-as-you-go” mentality became common practice in the late 1980s through the 2001 period for mandatory spending programs; post-September 11, 2001 “pay-as-you-go” fell to the wayside.
Economic forecasting has become an essential tenant in the process of budgeting over the last three decades; when policy makers attempt to weigh all national and U.S. interests abroad while deciding what programs to fund and which to cut. Budget leaders, appropriation/finance committee chairs along with the executive branch began to consider economic instability (high unemployment, recessions, the global economy, disasters). Anticipating the nation’s debt and its expenditures before a fiscal year has become far more important to decision-makers struggling to gain control over the budget.
Budgetary politics is the foundation of contemporary American governance with vested interest in the funding of discretionary as well entitlement programs that the populace relies upon. Although it has been through various stages of policy development and enactment, budgetary politics and the response by the citizenry in America has always been directly related to the political events in which the U.S. is involved.
There have been many attempts to restructure and reform the process of budgeting in American politics. Throughout our nation’s history there have only been a handful of budgeting policies that have seemingly reflected the domestic/public opinion, the political makeup of the legislature versus the executive and the events that America is linked to at the time. Power-shifting has defined the struggle to create comprehensive budgetary policy; from the Congress to the executive branch, to the newly adapted Obama strategy that involves the grassroots level of citizen-lobbying efforts to push stimulus plans through. The role that policy and the process play in budgeting continuously shifts depending on the political ‘place’ in which America finds itself.
Throughout this era in budgeting, the U.S. has seen many political maladies that have led to the attempted reformation of the process. The “Stalemate era” is characterized by the political factions that play budgeting as a game of Tit –for – Tat taxation and non-taxation; once the democrats began insisting (post 9/11) on passing legislation that assisted the unemployed, including health insurance. This idea was matched by the Republican plan to give tax credits to those who could not find employment (although welfare is certainly not a Republican-supported doctrine).
There have been many factors that have led to this stalled era in American budgeting; the rise of the “two Americas” and divided party governance. The executive branch has dominated by the Republican Party during the majority of the “Stalemate era” and has cultivated a brand of fiscal policy that is driven predominately by cronyism. There was also a large shift (since the mid-1960s) in who benefits from the budget and from where the money is raised to fund programs. There has been an increase in funding to entitlement programs and individuals in the form of social welfare which comes at the expense of another program. The real issue is not balancing the budget but budgeting the nation’s wealth; how and what to spend produces political infighting that is associated with contemporary budget agreements.
The budgeting process that the U.S. adheres to now is a culmination of economic forecasting and “new public management” ideals. There are limits to discretionary spending programs; this is accomplished by dividing discretionary spending into three categories: military/defense, international and domestic programs. This breakdown helps determine where and how much of the budget is going toward mandatory government programs. The “pay-as-you-go” mentality became common practice in the late 1980s through the 2001 period for mandatory spending programs; post-September 11, 2001 “pay-as-you-go” fell to the wayside.
Economic forecasting has become an essential tenant in the process of budgeting over the last three decades; when policy makers attempt to weigh all national and U.S. interests abroad while deciding what programs to fund and which to cut. Budget leaders, appropriation/finance committee chairs along with the executive branch began to consider economic instability (high unemployment, recessions, the global economy, disasters). Anticipating the nation’s debt and its expenditures before a fiscal year has become far more important to decision-makers struggling to gain control over the budget.
February 2, 2009
House Republicans Respond to Obama Stimulus Plan
Ever the patriotic lot, the Oklahoma House Republicans are already hard at work stimulating the nation’s economy. The retail sector has been hard hit by the economic downturn. Circuit City has blown a circuit. Other national retail chains are laying people off or flirting with bankruptcy. But the conservative leaders of the legislature’s lower chamber are buying high dollar flat screen televisions like lobbyists used to buy lunch.
Apparently wanting to either support the President or beat him to the punch the Speaker has authorized the use of thousands of taxpayer dollars to purchase flat screen monitors. These monitors will have the dual use of economic stimulus and to clearly see in high definition excellence the red ink in this year’s budget.
The main 412 A, B, and C meeting rooms are awash in high definition flat screen electronics as is the appropriations room. A portable unit is available in meeting room 108.
The purpose of the new screens according to House Officials is to better display committee votes and to provide for presentations of important information to committees. Despite the new electronic gadgetry the screens were not available for presenting the recent historic inauguration ceremonies from Washington D.C. Other, older electronic devices picked up the proceedings just fine. Maybe the new devices don’t pick up the old Democratic analog signals.
It will be interesting to see how the first Republican legislature in state history responds to the estimated $2.5 billion dollars in Federal stimulus the Obama administration may send our way. Expect to see those dollars start showing up in this current fiscal year and for Oklahoma to continue to receive stimulus for the next 18 to 24 months. Funds will be targeted primarily for education; health and transportation but expect smaller amounts for energy and environment and for welfare.
The Medicaid portion of these funds will be vital in keeping many struggling Oklahoma rural hospitals afloat. U.S. Senators Inhofe and Coburn have expressed misgivings over the package and will probably vote against it in the Senate. Our U.S. House Republicans have already said they don’t want the money. It is a good bet they will want to have a say in how it is spent however. It looks like much of the stimulus package may go directly to Democratic Governor Brad Henry. The Governor may get to decide where more than 1/3 of the funding goes without consulting legislative leaders or congressional delegations.
New President Pro Tempore Glen Coffee is also trying his best to help President Obama. Coffee praised Obama for saying he wants to strengthen government transparency and accountability. Coffee wants to do the same thing at the state level – and he wants to do it the old fashioned Democratic way too. Coffee wants to create a new agency. This will set up a battle with Governor Henry who has not been keen on expanding the state bureaucracy while cutting state budgets.
This will be just one more area that Coffee and Henry will but heads. Henry will no doubt want to keep commitments to early childhood education, K-12 education and research proposals such as EDGE in his budget. Coffee will likely want to divert funds to public safety, corrections and perhaps even more tax cuts. This will be in addition to his drive to enact tort reform and workers compensation reform.
January 10, 2009
No shirt, no shoes, legislate!
Amidst all the debate on the Senate floor Tuesday concerning the Republicans’ new rules, senators and the media missed the real story: Male senators gotta’ wear pants!
For at least two years, 2007 and 2008, it appears that wasn’t the case. To their credit, when the new Republican majority rolled out their new rules they presented them like a bill, complete with underlined new language and stricken language from the last legislature’s rules. That made it easy to see what was added and what was taken away.
Under the previous session’s Code of Conduct and Standards for Member of the Senate and Staff, male members were required to wear “(C)oat and tie” in the chambers during sessions of the Senate. Female members were required to don “appropriate attire.” There was no mention of “slacks and trousers” for the men in last session’s rules.
Thankfully, that language was added in the new rules. Ironically, Democrats voted as a group against the new rules. In political parlance where every vote shows you’re either for or against something, it would appear the Republicans can hit the stump and claim Democrats are against pants.
But Democrats may want to seize on what was missing in the new rules in their own stump speeches. Republicans, apparently, believe it is appropriate to debate the merits of tax cuts, tort reform or education funding sans shirt and shoes, which are not required by the recently-passed rules. As long as male members throw on a tie, coat and some slacks or trousers, they’re good to go legislate.
And if that’s the case for the guys, just what is “appropriate attire” for the ladies?
Some have suggested that this legislative session could be particularly interesting. If they only knew!
December 15, 2008
A Civics Lesson
Did you know when you voted on November 4 in the Presidential election you were not really voting for Barak Obama or John McCain, but for their party electors who are pledged, but do not always, cast their vote for the candidate who won the most votes in their state when they meet to officially nominate their party candidate to be our next President?
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Each state has a number of electors equal to the number of its U.S. senators (2 in each state) plus the number of its U.S. Representatives which varies according to the state's population (determined by the census taken every 10 years) and 3 for Washington, D.C. , as allowed by the 23rd Amendment to our Constitution ratified on March 29, 1961. Washington, D.C. is not recognized as a State and does not have Representatives in the U.S. House or Senate. There are a total of 538 Electoral College members. Oklahoma has seven electoral votes.
Like the President and members of Congress, Electoral College members are sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States.
Most of the time, electors cast their votes for the candidate who has received the most votes in that particular state. However, there have been times when electors have voted contrary to the people's decision, which is entirely legal.
A faithless elector is one who casts an electoral vote for someone other than whom they have pledged to elect. On 158 occasions, electors have cast their votes for president or vice president in a different manner than that prescribed by the legislature of the state they represent.
Of those, 71 votes were changed because the original candidate died before the elector was able to cast a vote. Two votes were not cast at all when electors chose to abstain from casting their electoral vote for any candidate. The remaining 85 were changed by the elector's personal interest or perhaps by accident. Usually, the faithless electors act alone.
By law, on the Monday following the second Wednesday in December, the electors of each state meet in their respective state capitals to officially cast their votes for president and vice president. These votes are then sealed and sent to the president of the Senate, who on the first day of the new Congress, opens and reads the votes in the presence of both houses of Congress elected at the same time as the President.
This year electors will meet on Monday December 15, 2008 and the votes will be opened and counted by Vice President Cheney on January 6, 2009. The winner will be sworn into office at noon January 20, 2009.
If a candidate fails to receive a majority of the electoral votes (270) the House of Representatives will choose a President and the Senate will choose a vice president.
Members of Congress can object to any state's vote count, provided that the objection is supported by at least one member of each house of Congress. A successful objection will be followed by debate; however, objections to the electoral vote count are rarely raised.
WE THE PEOPLE are witnessing a historical time in our Nation. I hope all are paying attention and giving more than a passing glance to these events. Your grandchildren may ask you about them someday.
November 29, 2008
Post-election Personnel Changes Change Capitol
Will the new Republican majorities at the State Senate and the Corporation Commission mean a lean Christmas for staffers? Newly elected Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy was trying to force the resignations of Jin Roth’s staffers the day after the election even though his term had not expired. Murphy wrongly claimed since Roth had been appointed that his term ended immediately upon her election and that his staff should get out. Murphy certainly has the right to hire her own staff people upon taking office but the manner in which she approached this personnel issue was unprofessional and doesn’t speak well for how she will wield power in that office. Most newly elected officials at least review the qualifications of the existing staff to see if they should be retained. Secretaries and administrative assistants are often retained at the legislature even when the newly elected official is of a different party.
As for former Commissioner Jim Roth himself the electoral defeat may be the best thing that ever happened to him. While Oklahomans may not be comfortable yet with an openly gay official his intelligence and diligence in the job did not go unnoticed. Roth is deciding between numerous enticing career offers that range from a partnership in a law firm dealing with energy and environmental law to corporate offers with financial and energy firms. There is also the possibility that he will land an appointment in energy or environment with the Obama administration.
Meanwhile at the newly Republican State Senate it looks so far that the Pro Tempore elect Glenn Coffee has learned from the missteps of his Republican House counterparts. No big changes in the non-partisan professional staff are rumored. We don’t doubt there will be some at some time. Coffee has already announced that he is “streamlining” committees which could be a pretext for some staff retirements, reassignments or other changes.
The most interesting staff changes will occur among the leadership or caucus staff however. The Democrats will experience minority status for the first time which means diminished staff resources. Long time political and policy advisor Vic Thompson has retired for good and the Ds are unlikely to find anyone near his quality for the budget they will be allotted to hire their staff. They may have to get creative and hire someone to work part-time for their caucus and maybe find them other employment too. There are a couple of younger Democratic staff that will probably stay on but they have not been too involved in legislative strategy or policy development.
On the Republican side Coffee has moved quickly to make staff changes.
http://www.oksenate.gov/news/press_releases/press_releases_2008/pr20081126a.html As soon as Governor Henry announced that Election Board Secretary and Secretary of the Senate Mike Clingman had been appointed to the Director of Office of State Finance Coffee Announced that his staff person, Paul Zyriax, would now assume that post. Zyraix is a former Wes Watkins staff person who also served as press secretary for the Congressman. http://www.oksenate.gov/news/press_releases/press_releases_2008/pr20081120b.html
November 18, 2008
Oklahoma: The Republican Promised Land
Former Governor David Walters has a penchant for p***ing off the Oklahoman Editorial writers. http://newsok.com/somethings-the-matter-with-blasting-state-voters/article/3321550 Walters, although he can be arrogant and off-putting, also has a penchant for being right. Oklahoma’s complete and total rejection of the change of course that Barack Obama represents will hurt Oklahoma economically. With a solid majority of Democrats in both houses of Congress and a Democratic President likely for the next 8 years Oklahoma’s military bases will be in jeopardy like they never have before. Fort Sill and Tinker will weather the storm but not necessarily flourish. Other installations beware.
This is a not a liberal Democratic phenomenon but a hard-ball politics issue. Blow-hard Jim Inhofe is completely out of power – if not hot air. I believe the military will fare well under Obama – just not in Oklahoma. Tom Coburn will get to try out his no pork plan right here at home.
Beyond the military pork the real damage to the Sooner State will be as Walters predicted, our perception not in the country, but the world. The elections did not stop the increased globalization of the world economy and smart investment will be looking to find opportunities in the United States in areas that look like they will be increasing investment in infrastructure, human capital and education as well as new ideas. Oklahoma looks like an incredible backwater.
It is ironic that uber-Republican Burns Hargis, President of OSU and proponent of Oklahoma’s “Creativity Project” http://www.stateofcreativity.com/ will preside over one of the greatest losses of human capital and creativity in this state since the Dust Bowl.
In great part the Creativity Project has been based on Richard Florida’s “The Creative Class” http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0205.florida.html. This work details how acceptance of new ideas, diversity in lifestyle and sexual orientation, as well as education and quality of life lead to prosperity of locales. Say good bye to creativity and prosperity in Oklahoma when the new regime takes over.
Oklahoma will be last in line for any infrastructure spending beyond the usual formula outlays. Oklahoma’s low college attainment, aging population (older than the U.S. as a whole and aging faster), rural, dispersed workforce, and lack of diversity were just the recipe for bringing in McCain votes but just the opposite will be needed to compete in the global economy.
Republican leaders will have plenty of time to crow about their political successes but inherit a decaying kingdom. Until the Oklahoman is sold to Gannett they will also have a built in mouth piece to echo their ideas. By the looks of the paper that sale will probably be sooner than later.
Democratic Governor Brad Henry will be a lame duck in his final two years as the Republicans gained control of both houses of the legislature. The Republicans only announced agenda to date is to pass “family friendly legislation” – read completely ineffective, unconstitutional, politically motivated anti-abortion bills designed not to save lives but to garner more votes of the ignorant and drive away investment by the savvy. We do not support abortion on demand but think that proper sex education, responsible family planning, creating opportunities for young people might be a more effective first step toward reducing abortions than heavy handed government involvement in women’s lives and bodies.
Republicans also want to save the state’s economy by passing tort reform legislation. Much like Right-to-Work, the last pro-business reform that was designed to save the state this is another solution without a problem. You will be able to tell if they are serious about the legislation or whether they just want to fund raise by whether they try to realistically engage Governor Henry is developing a tort bill he can sign. If they leave him out and send him a bill just to be vetoed they are playing games. http://newsok.com/republicans-elect-oklahoma-state-senate-leadership/article/3319826
New Senate Pro Tempore Glen Coffee is also talking about enacting a responsible budget in light of the global financial crisis but he has not yet pledged to stop the last scheduled tax cut that his cronies engineered.
Contrary to the budget and financial mess that W. has created at the national level Democratic Governor Brad Henry has amassed a completely full rainy day fund of just shy of $600 million to face any revenue shortfall brought to the state by Bush’s economic policies. The operating budget of the state is not only balanced, but generating revenues in excess of estimates even through the third quarter of calendar 2008. Henry should enter 2009 with the rainy day fund intact and a couple of hundred million in cash. http://www.ok.gov/treasurer/
This is a far cry from the several hundred million dollar deficits and zero rainy day fund balance that Henry inherited from supposed fiscal conservative Frank Keating in 2003.
So step through the looking glass into Oklahoma in 2009 where Republicans introduce ideas to run off business and investment; Democrats balance budgets and plan responsibly for economic downturns; and the citizens are happy to live in 1950 while the rest of the country moves through the first decade of the 21st century.
October 29, 2008
The State of 'Race' in American Politics
Race, ethnicity, and often religion play a major role in American political participation and voter identity. Candidates have had to adapt the ever-changing identity of contested voting blocks, and the coalition politics of the “new citizenship”. The politics of the duel Americas encourages politicians and the electorate to divide into identity groups. Sociologist Jennifer Hochschild defines identity politics as groups who seek to be treated as a person who is defined by their “ascriptive characteristics.” Subscribers to identity politics reject the melting pot ideal of America and embrace the differences in the population. And politicians have no problem pandering to the different groups.
Factionalism in the American electorate only adds to the appeal of popularity politics played by contemporary politicians; instead of appealing to the establishment (parties), candidates only have to win over the public by 51% in order to be elected. Social inequality seems to be the prevalent divisive theme; this type of inequality stems from economic and racial inequalities that separate the public into pockets of hostile constituent groups. The idea of social division stems from Platonic ideals of philosopher-kings, the esoteric minority ruling over the unenlightened majority; the U.S. has established itself as a Republic. The bureaucracy acts as the decision-making power with CEOs and corporate-coveting presidents’ benefit in the way of political capital when big business succeeds. Citizens play a small role in influencing the government, which was not what democratic principles imply.
In recent years, the American dream has given way to immigrant intolerance due to the poor white Americans who are being drained by corporatism in Washington. Economic inequality breeds social inequality; the American public senses the divide within the population, and the media focuses on the divide, yet there has been no uprising against the corporate-funded government. The land of opportunity has diminished and left its people in serious doubt about the capitalist economy that is supposed to trickle-down to the common man.
The socioeconomic underpinnings of the racial divide in America, leaves the ethnic minorities stuck in poverty for generations. The increased internationalization of the American economy and the loss of menial labor that was suited towards the unfortunate in society (major factory closings, job transfers to low-wage paying nations). America quickly adopted the economic policies of a knowledge-based market, but failed to educate its majority.
The entire nation loses its sense of community when the divide between citizens allows them to feel ‘better than’ or ‘worse off’ than others in a democracy. It is imperative of the American government to adopt policies that reaffirm the significance of the majority of the U.S.; which are not the elites, but the middle and working-class. The new American dialogue is led by corporate interests and the cries of the middle-class, minorities they are crushing through structured policy.
The American government has created a cyclical process of responding to political apathy among the electorate by giving away their voice to the highest bidder; which exacerbates the economic and political distress of the poor.
September 23, 2008
MySpace is Killing American politics...Slowly...
The election process in America has become severely trivialized due to the modernity that attempts to change our system of government that was once ruled by the party establishment. In the contemporary United States, the unique perspective once taken in regards to the election of proper representatives of the people’s will has shifted from the traditional party politics that governed the nation based upon party platforms and general consensus on salient issues, to a system of “popularity politics.”
Elections were the foundation of democracy in Ancient Greek government; the election process was a forum of discussion and deliberation for all male citizens in the assembly. Bringing all males citizens together in a discussion of the policies that ruled their daily lives was essential to direct democracy. However, in representative democracies (like our own) elections and politics often skew the representation that the citizens actually receive.
In representative democracies, the responsibility for creating policy is shared between the voters and the officials they elect to carry out their will; instead of gathering in assembly, citizens must vote in order to exercise their voice. Elections today are more AND less personal because voters are more engaged yet less informed about the political dialogue that goes along with elections.
The candidate-centered platform used in the YouTube/MySpace generation has involved citizens that have never been considered in the past, by utilizing mechanisms of reaching the populace more efficiently than before. This is possible due to technological advancements that have become the standard means of communication and has defined the future of American politics. Particularly in this presidential election season; a three a.m. text message alerting the youth that Joe Biden is Obama’s vice-presidential nominee, need I say more?
Instead of presidential candidates climbing their way up in their respective party establishment, the virtually unknown and low men on the totem pole are hoisting themselves into the national limelight with empty, yet promising rhetoric without the credentials to back up many of their claims. They are winning the majority over with the same old slick talk but in a new package. Apparently, the masses are tired of being told what to do by “old white men” who seem out of touch. However, I must combat this argument with, not all change (especially that which is left unsaid) is good change.
Moreover, the portion of the population being reached in “popularity politics” are not necessarily the voters that should be reached; the ‘MySpacers’ are composed of virtually new voters who are not active in their local politics whatsoever. The wave of pandering to a base has gone farther in this election than ever before; you can tell this is true when the 70+ year old man has an interactive website and a host of YouTube videos (I’m going to venture to guess that if you asked, he would not be able to pull it up on any computer).
This election has not been about ANY issues, it has been a focused initiative to ad hominem attack the other candidates until there is only one standing. And everything is fair game; from illegitimate teenage births to half brothers living in huts in Kenya. It is hard to remember any policy positions when none have been presented or distinguished from the other candidates’.
Is it possible that all the high tech campaigning is tainting the real part of the American populace that is dedicated to the electoral process?
The answer is a resounding YES! While the Democrats will tout their extraordinary increased voter registration numbers, the majority of those new voters are the so-called “MySpacers”, who are between 18 and 35; which any historical inquiry into the frequency and reliability of this demographic are insignificant at best. So, while the Dems court the ‘youth vote’, the Republicans are stimulating the foundation of their base with Palin’s rampant evangelicalism.
I understand that most would counter this argument with the fact that this election season has energized a lot of people who would have otherwise remained marginalized within the system. But, upon closer examination, are those people that we really want voting anyway? It is great that the masses are enthusiastic about their possibility of leaders, or perhaps just a change in leadership period. Instead of playing into this game of “popularity politics” and easing the population into the process, maybe talking about the issues that plague our nation and actually engage the citizenry in an intellectual conversation about the future and health of our democracy.
September 8, 2008
Interviewing the Candidates- Who Would You Hire?
It is funny to see the far right so "exuberant" over Governor Palin joining the ticket with John McCain. Since one of the main anchors of far right ideology is that American public schools are failing and we must hold graduates to increasingly high standards, if we are going to compete with the godless Chinese hordes (who go to government schools by the way). It is interesting that they want to elect such a subpar candidate to help manage the free world.
Let’s start off with the premise that we should select our leaders with at least as much care as one would hire someone for an important corporate job. Take a look at the resumes of the four candidates for President and Vice-President; you will agree Palin would not have even received an interview if she sent her resume in for Vice-President of medium-sized bank, much less the most powerful nation on earth.
First let me state that I respect John McCain. I do not agree with him on policy much of the time but he is clearly the kind of individual who is qualified to run for president. His resume is superb. McCain is a graduate of one the best public higher educational institutions in the world - the United States Naval Academy. The admission to the USNA is very competitive and the curriculum is difficult enough for most extraordinary students, without the military training that goes with it. McCain excelled at the USNA and then became a top notch fighter pilot. He has been an outstanding member of the United States Senate for many years afterward, specializing in budget, ethics, and international issues. McCain does not have any executive branch experience, and as a certain General noted recently, getting shot down in an airplane doesn't make you a foreign policy expert.
It is only fair to look at the credentials of the Democratic Ticket as well. Barack Obama, despite growing up in less than ideal family circumstances was admitted to both Occidental College in Los Angeles (a highly selective and academically rigorous institution) and then the Ivy League's Columbia University. He graduated with honors and then was accepted to one of the pinnacles of American higher education - Harvard University Law School, where he made Law Review. Obama continued to distinguish himself. He turned down corporate law offers and immersed himself in representing the working man, creating economic opportunity as a community organizer in South Chicago. That shows some organizational and managerial skill. He also became a law professor at one of the top law schools in the country - the University of Chicago. This is a difficult job to get - you can't get there with a mediocre record. He was then elected first to the Illinois State Senate and then the United States Senate. Obama does not have any executive branch experience either - same as McCain. His legislative record is not nearly as long.
Joe Biden graduated from his home state university - University of Delaware. Delaware's average ACT score is 27 and Honors students score a 30 on average. The middle 50% of the 2007 class had a grade point of 3.45 - 3.9. Delaware is a fine state university. Biden went on from Delaware to Syracuse Law School. While Syracuse is not Ivy League rated, it is a charter member of the American Association of Law Schools, and rated in the top ten in the nation in trial and appellate law. After law school, Biden was elected to a County Council position, and then 2 years later to the United States Senate. He has been the Chair of both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Biden is also without executive branch experience, but his legislative record rivals or exceeds McCain's.
Now let’s compare the others' background to Palin. She attended Wasilla High School in Alaska - a town of less than 7,000 people (nothing wrong with that, but small town kids need to distinguish themselves). Other than admitting to smoking pot and playing basketball, she didn't seem to do much to set herself apart. She was pretty though and almost became Miss Alaska.
She then managed to get into the University of Idaho which I am sure is a fine public institution. It should be noted, however, that the University of Idaho's current website lists the admission requirements to be a 2.6 high school grade point and a 15 on the ACT. While the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University have a long way to go before joining the elite public universities of the nation, let it be said that a 2.6 and an ACT of 15 would not even allow you to smell the wait list at OU and OSU. She would have had to begin remedial courses at almost every institution in this state. And she did not exactly breeze her way through school. She dropped out of Idaho after a while to try Hawaii Pacific College. I am not well-versed about Hawaii Pacific, but their website says that their most notable alumni is Benny Agbayani- former major league player (who?). She didn't do so well there, took some time off and went to a 2 year college called Matanuska-Susitna College. She then tried North Idaho College next, another 2 year open admission school located in the heart of the survivalist area of Idaho. She managed to get back to the University of Idaho and finally graduated well after the normal 4-5 years that it usually takes. Yes, she has been elected Governor of Alaska after a distinguished career in the converted convenience store that serves as the home of the Wasilla Alaska City Hall. Competition is clearly not tough to become Governor of Alaska.
You are the interviewer - you make the call.
August 21, 2008
Wind is Now!
"Oklahoma- where the wind comes sweeping down the plain." The fourth word in our state song is "wind"; we can be the nation's highest wind power generation state and wind power manufacturing state. By focusing on small wind power generators, not just mega-watt, we can bring this industry to our backyards, schools, churches, parks, government buildings, new and existing housing developments, industrial parks, small and large businesses, etc... We can place these smaller turbines almost anywhere, even on buildings, because their footprint is so much smaller and lighter than the mega-watt class turbines. We can build these units in small shops with off-the-shelf supplies and tools without the need for huge factories and infrastructures.
We can start small scale farms in rural and suburban areas, small scale being 100kw or less per site. We can establish hundreds, even thousands, of these sites in Oklahoma alone; rendering mega-watt generators redundant. More is better when it comes to wind power generation. We can manufacture these units, small and large, here in Oklahoma and give people jobs by opening up the facilities that have been closing around the state. We can open new fields in the industry including site planning, wind assessment engineering, wind "cropping", localized maintenance jobs, installation techs. Not to mention the effects on related industries, such as, battery back-up and storage, steel fabricators, transportation and electrical services.
We can make a difference with small wind generators now. Large generators cost millions to place and years to build; small generators do not. Large corporations and electric companies have to plan the building of the large farms that home these generators years in advance, for the transmission lines alone. Small generators can use the existing lines that connect your house, business or farm now. Sites for large turbines take years of wind assessment readings and evaluations, whereas a small power generation site can be placed by reading the surrounding tree lines. This method is called "flagging" in the industry. You may have noticed trees that are leaning and growing toward one distinct direction. We can tell, without expensive and time consuming evaluation costs, that those trees have been battered by the wind for years.
By teaming up with local government agencies, we can keep the lights on at the civic centers, the police and fire departments, the local YMCA, the church, school or libraries, when the power grid goes down. We have the opportunity for our cities to paid by the electric company for the surplus energy our generators produce. We would receive carbon credits for the people of our hometown; imagine eventually being able to offset the carbon footprint of yourself, your company, town, city or state. That would be great!!
The people of Oklahoma need the state legislature to enact renewable energy incentive policies across the board. Oklahoma has one of the worst renewable energy incentive policies because we do not actually have a policy. Get in touch with your legislator before the next session and ask that they focus on wind energy this year; make the distinction between small wind generators and the large ones, and make it as easy as possible for an individual to place a small turbine. Our comfortable existence is contingent upon electricity. The future of electricity may depend on wind energy.
Wind Is Now!!!
July 31, 2008
Re-educating Oklahoma's lawmakers
Legislative refresher courses needed
There has been a trend in legislative politics requiring orientation for the newbies coming onto the scene. Some call it “Legislative boot camp”, but I prefer the ‘re-education of politicians’. What one would think was a part of mandatory courses in a junior high civics class is being taught (AGAIN!) to the people we have elected to represent our values and rights in government.
While new member orientation is a critical piece of beginners’ training, why are the ‘seasoned’ legislators no longer required to reintroduce themselves with politics and her ever-changing nature?
It seems due to the ineffective, often pious legislation that passes through the Oklahoma Legislature, and bearing witness to what is blocked by party politics, perhaps this orientation should be a mandatory adventure for every legislator before engaging in each session. The partisanship that has cultivated in Oklahoma legislature has acted as a wedge between the aisles, Republicans and Democrats do not mingle amongst themselves due in part to the professionalization of the legislature in the late 1970s. This lack of interaction leads to a decrease in what Dr. Alan Rosenthal (prominent political author) describes as “institutional commitment”.
There can be no “institutional commitment” on the part of the legislators, when they are divided among party lines. Their commitment is not to the issues or to their constituents’ beliefs, but to the party establishment that will decide whether or not to fund campaigns next time around. The commitment to bettering the Congress, as an institution cannot be achieved without cultivating relationships among the legislators themselves.
This is where refresher trainings come in: by forcing each legislator to participate in a course on ethics, civility, and procedural rules of the institution, perhaps can make it a stronger, more effective machine. Because how many of us really believe that Randy Terrill was elected with enough legislative education to only be required to participate in orientation once? He is definitely not the only one, but a great example.
Most view the legislature as a means to an end: the end being policy and the means, the process. However, in that evaluation we lose sight of how important our representatives are to the citizens. In a representative democracy, it is crucial that those elected to serve the people are indeed doing so and are equipped themselves to do so.
Particularly in term-limited states, the need to constantly engage our politicians together and in their field (that again, changes whenever the wind blows) is vast. In order for Oklahoma legislators that will only serve 12 years before they are ousted to create a sense of “institutional commitment” there should be a minimum requirement of 6 hours ‘legislative training’ per year. That amount of time would offer them ample opportunity to hone their personal issues, while building relationships and memories with fellow legislators.
A more personalized legislature would not only engage more politicians in their work, but also their constituents. When citizens see the community of legislators cooperating together regardless of party politics, it encourages the ordinary folk to participate as well.
Primaries Schmaries:
Oklahomans should be appalled by the pathetic 18% voter turnout for the primary elections. Some of the election seasons most controversial contests were decided on Tuesday (like Oklahoma County voters turning away from prejudice and the corporate takedown by Terrill). How can red-blooded Oklahomans allow the fate of their interests to be decided by 18% of the voting population??
The only thing that made up for the complete lack of interest on the part of Oklahoma voters was the ‘dethroning’ of one of the Oklahoma legislature’s frat boys. Rob Johnson, whose ‘Me for Corporation Commissioner’ wagon has been parked outside the Capitol since around April, was just barely defeated by Dana Murphy (to the she-grin of the establishment). The sad part (for Johnson), Ms. Murphy only outspent him on television advertising by a little more than $1200. Poor Rob, maybe you should hit up Worthen for a consulting job.
Finally, I love the conservative media’s obsession with the turnout of the Jim Rogers/ Andrew Rice primary…down to the breakdown of the money spent per voter (Rogers-$0, Rice-$6 bucks and change). If the conservatives think they are going to simply wish Rice away with empty noise, they are wrong. Rice only trailed incumbent Inhofe by a little more than 2500 votes. That’s not too far behind an incumbent candidate who outspent Rice by almost triple in primary advertising alone. The real story is not how many votes Rogers received, but how little the gap is between Inhofe and Rice. The general election is definitely up in the air, regardless of what the conservative media is spouting.
July 21, 2008
Golden Buffet, appointments, miscellaneous
We hear from good sources that the plans to knock out the broadcast media room on the 4th floor of the Capitol – and maybe part or all of Appropriations Chair Ken Miller’s office are underway. Workers have been seen taking measurements and architectural drawings are also being developed.
In case you missed the last installment of “As the Capitol Turns”, you need to know that House leadership has determined that their Appropriations meeting room (432) is far too small for the enormous crowds that come to watch them rearrange the deck chairs on the sinking ship that is the State of Oklahoma post tax cut delirium.
Who was it by the way that passed all those tax cuts? Oh yeah, it was those same guys. Representative Miller, the rookie budget chair was heard to lament late in the session that there was no discretionary spending left – everything had been earmarked or revenues were simply eliminated.
Back to the matter at hand– it is believed by the cognoscenti (that’s me and a couple of my friends in French by the way) that the real reason for the remodel is so that the lobbyist fare supplied to the Republican caucus (which uses the same room) won’t have to be set out in the hall for all to see (or share in).
While the Democratic caucus often feasts on chicken pot pie or sandwiches, the Republican caucus fare has become increasingly upscale and embarrassing to let the public see. Nicely catered Italian meals, first class barbeque, even French cuisine (or is that freedom cuisine) has been brought in by the lobbyists that foot the caucus lunch bill. The new room is supposed to have a built in buffet area to keep the food warm for the learned salons. This will be a “golden buffet” in more ways than one.
I think that maybe both caucuses should have to foot their own lunch bill out of their daily per diem that taxpayers supply and that they shouldn’t have anything fancier than what the average student on a free lunch program gets. Can anyone say P.B. and J and pudding packs?
New Old Kids on the Block
I guess it is true, yet unbelievable, former Keating appointee Jerry Regier has returned home. He has been hired by the newly formed Construction Industries Board. Regier left state service under a cloud of scandal more than ten years ago and then got into even more trouble in the sunshine state for taking improper gifts from vendors doing business with his agency in Florida.
Steve Burrage is the newly appointed Auditor and Inspector. Governor Henry selected Burrage who is a banker and CPA to fulfill the rest of the term vacated when Jeff McMahan was convicted in Federal Court of bribery. Burrage appears to be a good choice with a strong financial background and respect of many in both parties, but his family’s southeastern Oklahoma roots may raise questions. The Tulsa World has already noted that some will be suspicious of Burrage because his brother Michael was the defense attorney to former State Senator Gene Stipe. Stipe has a number of legal issues to deal with including being tied to the recent McMahan indictment through his business partner, Steve Phipps.
Odds and Ends
Governor Henry has some judicial appointments to address and most importantly, filling the post of Director of the Office of State Finance. Henry’s last two appointments have both come from the State Senate Staff. Both appointees left after less than 2 years for more lucrative jobs outside state agency pay bands – one to the private sector and one to higher education. If Henry goes outside the OSF hierarchy, it may be likely he will follow the same strategy– perhaps Fiscal Staff Director Randy Dowell. The problem is there is only a little over 2 years left of the Henry Administration, recruiting a talented person for a short term assignment will not be easy. The position is also complicated by the fact that Treasurer Scott Meacham has generally taken the lead on budget negotiations, thus relegating the position to less influence than in some other administrations.
Representative Rob Johnson made an ass of himself protesting the legitimacy of Republican primary opponent for Corporation Commissioner, Dana Murphy to the State Election Board. Johnson wanted Murphy disqualified over a minor signature technicality. The Board laughed at his protest.
There are a number of interesting races to watch but one that may fly under the radar is incumbent Senator Jim Reynolds versus “David L. Boren”. The Southside challenger has a legitimate famous name and from what we hear is not a bad candidate. Oklahoma has a history of electing famous name candidates. This has been considered a safe seat, but keep an eye on the race.
Also, look for Rep. Randy Terrill to get more than he bargained for protecting what should be a safe seat. Some very powerful interests are more than likely doing some opposition research on him right now.
June 17, 2008
The Oklahoma State Capitol: Laughable and Laudable
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.
The Laudable Capitol Press Corps versus the Laughable Local Network Affiliate Television Stations
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 Laudable Commissioner of Mental Health and the Laughable Oklahoma Observer
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.
The Laudable Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland and the Laughable Tom Daxon
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.
The Laughable Golden Buffet versus the Laudable Public Access to Live News Coverage
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 4th 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.
One last thought: I wonder if they’re going to have a salad bar? Some of them could afford to “cut down” a bit… possibly applying the no-growth philosophy to their waistbands as well as the budget.
May 18, 2008
Session Awards - 'And the winner is...'
With such an uneventful legislative session drawing to a close it's time already to give out some session awards.
Best Legislator (Senate and House)
The nominees are Harry Coates, Chris Benge and Johnny Crutchfield
Coates has been voice of reason on the immigration issue all session long despite intense pressure from fellow Republicans to back off. Coates has been statesman like while his colleagues have been demagogues.
Speaker Benge may have had the toughest job in the capitol trying to bring order to the intrinsically unruly house after former Speaker Lance Cargill’s tax troubles, ethics troubles and rumored personal life troubles imploded his speakership. Benge has had to guide a divided caucus that is much more reactionary and less pragmatic than him.
Senator Crutchfield has had to manage an appropriation process in an election year while bringing Republican Co-chair Mike Johnson up to speed without appearing condescending. To make matters worse no new money meant he could do very little to keep his own caucus happy and appease democratic interest groups.
The winner is Speaker Chris Benge. No one could have expected things to go as well as they have given the turmoil at the start of the session. Give an assist to his successor as appropriations chair, Ken Miller, for rapidly growing into that job and being one of the few members who made Benge’s challenges a little easier.
Best Staff Person (Senate and House)
Randy Dowell, Senate Fiscal Director- Dowell has had the unenviable job of serving both Republican and Democratic Appropriations Chairs of the Senate and serving as sort of a technical go-between with the political staffs of each Caucus. He appears to have the trust and respect of both – no small feat.
Chad Warmington House Chief of Staff – Warmington, a relative newcomer to the Capitol has already survived three speakers and a very contentious caucus – he must be doing something right. He seems to move well between political and strictly administrative decisions.
I’m going to wimp out and call this one a tie.
Worst Legislator (Senate and House)
The nominees are Lance Cargill, Randy Terrill and Jim Williamson, Sally Kern. This category has candidates that are dumb, dumber, dumbest and just plain mean.
No one has ever risen faster and then crashed and burned as fast as Lance Cargill.
The nominees are Lance Cargill, Randy Terrill and Jim Williamson, Sally Kern. This category has candidates that are dumb, dumber, dumbest and just plain mean.
No one has ever risen faster and then crashed and burned as fast as Lance Cargill.
Randy Terrill may be getting some political traction in the short run but butting heads with the likes of Aubrey McClendon and other business leaders is not the way for a Republican to advance their political career in the long run.
Sally Kern has done more damage to the state’s cultural and business image in her short legislative tenure than Gene Stipe did in 5 decades –that’s impressive in a negative sort of way.
Jim Williamson is nominated here really as a sort of lifetime achievement award. He is mean and nasty not only to other members (he drove Senator Nancy Riley into the arms of the Ds thus creating the tie we have now in the Senate) but he has threatened professional staff with their jobs when or if the Republicans take over.
The winner is Lance Cargill for sheer velocity of stupidity. Many others have made the same mistakes – but not in such an incredibly condensed period of time.
Worst Staff Person (Senate and House)
There are probably some nominees in this area but the quality of the House and Senate Staff, particularly in the professional fiscal, bill drafting and committee staffs areas, is uniformly good.
Some of the leadership staff probably deserves to be nominated in this category but I don’t want to sully the rest of the staff with their inclusion in the list.
Best Job by a Lobbyist
Jami Longacre- While the outcome of transportation funding is uncertain Ms. Longacre managed a very modern lobbying effort on behalf of the TRUST Organization that would be worthy of Washington D.C. TRUST which stands for Transportation Revenues Used Strictly for Transportation put forth a dual platform campaign that utilized both the old style capitol cajoling, access and fundraising help along side a sophisticated media campaign on television and radio aimed at getting grassroots support for their issues. Expect to see more groups copy this method.
Wild Card Nomination – The No Helmet Law Hells Angels Guys and their Biker Chicks that come to the Capitol every year. No one can ever argue with their effectiveness at lobbying. Fear of physical harm is still a useful lobbying device at times.
Ms. Longacre should win this category but I am afraid the bikers will hunt me down and kill me; so I am calling this one a tie also.
Jami Longacre- While the outcome of transportation funding is uncertain Ms. Longacre managed a very modern lobbying effort on behalf of the TRUST Organization that would be worthy of Washington D.C. TRUST which stands for Transportation Revenues Used Strictly for Transportation put forth a dual platform campaign that utilized both the old style capitol cajoling, access and fundraising help along side a sophisticated media campaign on television and radio aimed at getting grassroots support for their issues. Expect to see more groups copy this method.
Wild Card Nomination – The No Helmet Law Hells Angels Guys and their Biker Chicks that come to the Capitol every year. No one can ever argue with their effectiveness at lobbying. Fear of physical harm is still a useful lobbying device at times.
Ms. Longacre should win this category but I am afraid the bikers will hunt me down and kill me; so I am calling this one a tie also.
Worst Job by a Lobbyist
Nominees are
The pro-lifers led by screwball Tony Lauinger. These zealots think they will sway people’s views by showing gross photos and videos. Sure they have made nominal progress on their issue over the years but there really isn’t a policy issue in this area to be resolved at the state level. They are despised by many of those that vote for them. Good lobbyists build respect of opponents, develop coalitions, understand that not everyone that opposes them is evil and don’t destroy political lives of well intentioned legislators over a single issue.
The Minute Men- Randy Terrill’s unemployed brown shirt army of rednecks, hate mongers and other creeps. If these guys didn’t show up at the capitol so often or on the news, more middle class people might buy into the immigration rhetoric. Seeing these guys gives pause to many people who might be inclined to the anti-immigration message.
The Kernservatives – Sally Kern’s geriatric army of gay bashers who descended on the Capitol to defend her attack on gays as more dangerous than terrorists. Sure they bused in a couple hundred of these old coots but it is unlikely that most of them will be alive for the next election.
Home Schoolers- Every year I see those news stories about how a home schooler won the national spelling or geography bee (they don’t always win but they sure promote it when they do) and start thinking maybe there is a larger role for home schooling in education reform. Then the strange looking, socially inept parents and students descend upon the capitol and I remember that’s who those people are. In a global economy successful students will need to collaborate on software projects with colleagues in Mumbai – not just spell it and find in on a map, while they wash their prairie dresses with lye soap out in the hinterlands.
The winner is – the Pro-lifers. Their full sized movie screen presentation of blood and gore in the Capitol rotunda this year brought snack bar sales to a halt.
May 16, 2008
Business as usual …stupidity reigns supreme
I listen to the House on a daily basis as a concerned citizen of Oklahoma and most days I think they do okay. Then there are times when I wonder how did these yahoos get elected to serve the public? Most of the time I let it go but twice now there have been incidents which are inappropriate for public servants to broach when they should be doing the people’s work.
Let us start with the doling out of the Mouth of the House award. I can understand having fun with your fellow House members, but there is a point when it gets out of hand. I am not sure who said it but that person crossed the line when he introduced Representative Terrill (no matter your feelings for him or his immigration beliefs) as Randy “he’s never met a Mexican he liked” Terrill. I don’t care if you say it jokingly – that is racial and wholly inappropriate for anyone to say…much less an elected official. Mr. Speaker, had I been in the Chamber when that comment was made I would have booed it…
Secondly, let’s discuss Friday’s inappropriate actions and stupidity. For those who may not know, you can purchase a replica of a bull’s body part to hang from your truck hitch…which is disgusting enough in itself.
I can hear the conversation in all of those family sedans now…"Mommy, what are those hanging from the back of that truck?" How would you like to answer that question from your 4-year old?
But to buy a set to hang from another Representative's vehicle (and to jokingly refer to said Representative as the “moral compass of the House" as a practical joke and then having a citation read on the House floor about it is totally disgusting and unsuitable…especially for people whose salaries are paid with my tax dollars! What they do on their own time is their business but to announce it on the House floor, when there are elementary children in the gallery, really offends me! And the very fact that Representative Armes read the citation himself proves my point!
I, for one, think that we as citizens should write to our State Representative about the improper use of their time on the House floor. There are much more important things they should be dealing with then giving out silly, useless awards and discussing bovine genitalia. We need to tell our elected officials that we do not appreciate this kind of behavior! It us up to us as the taxpayers to remind them of their job! Shame on Speaker Benge for letting these kind of things take place!
May 6, 2008
Early Handicapping of the Fall Electoral Season
With the 2008 legislative session all but done and most of the money parceled out it appears only a few major issues are left to address.
Will there be a major bond issue for roads and state government?
Will an Official English bill further disgrace this state and make it more uncompetitive in the global economy?
Will Tort Reform rise from the dead to make one last appearance?
Is there anything else the legislature could give to millionaire basketball players and billionaire NBA owners we so covet?
We'll have to keep an eye on all that but in the meantime it is more interesting to turn our attention to the fall elections.
Since the television talking heads have sliced and diced the presidential election into every form of political analysis known to man or alien we will leave that one alone for now. Suffice it to say that Oklahoma’s record of not voting for a Dem for President since LBJ will stay in tact. If will be interesting to see if the general lack of enthusiasm for McCain will suppress GOP turnout however.
The following is a link to the state election board’s list of offices to be filled:
eCapitol’s iVote will also be a good source after the filing deadline on June 2 also.
U.S. Senate: Expect Jim Inhofe to crush Andrew Rice in the U.S. Senate Race. After winning Bernest Cain’s old State Senate Seat Rice has his eyes set on the U.S. Senate. He will find that Inhofe is not only one of the dirtiest campaigners in state history but also one of the most effective. Rice is ill-prepared for a state wide race having run only in one of the most liberal State Senate districts in Oklahoma. He will find that his latte sipping ways will not resonate with suburban cultural conservatives, rural ag types or even yellow dog democrats in southeastern Oklahoma. Many Democrats are hopeful he does not challenge Inhofe too strongly thus engaging more of the Republican base in a year when Democrats further down ticket may benefit from lower conservative turnout.
U.S. House: Expect no changes unless someone dies, gets indicted or just gets a higher paid job lobbying or running a special interest group. Watch Boren, Fallin and Cole in 2010 for Governor however.
Corporation Commission: Jim Roth versus one of two lesser known Republicans should be interesting. Roth, the former Democratic County Commissioner from Oklahoma County has positioned himself well. He is smart and hardworking and has garnered the financial backing of big shot energy Republicans such as Chesapeake’s Aubrey McClendon with his denial of a coal fired electricity plant. Will those moneyed Republicans leave Roth high and dry for a more traditional candidate such as Rep. Rob Johnson when the going gets tough on cultural issues?
The other seat should be an easy win for Republican Jeff Cloud if he chooses to run. There are rumblings he may take a more lucrative private sector position.
Oklahoma State Senate- The Senate will go Republican but just by a hair- 25-23 with Mike Morgan’s termed out seat going to former OSU President James Halligan. Halligan is being supported by new President Burns Hargis, Marilyn Strathe, former acting president and other old guard OSU administrative types and Athletic Director Mike Holder (AKA Boone’s Bitch). The Word is that Halligan is not in good health and is slowing in body and mind. Halligan who could not be considered a “movement conservative” would support OSU at the capitol but it is uncertain where his other interests might lie. The erstwhile conservative might not even be able to fill out his term according to some who are watching the situation carefully. That seat could easily switch back to the dems in the next election or even before.
Oklahoma House of Representatives – House Ds will gain one or two seats because of low Republican turnout and the arrogance of the former house leadership under Lance Cargill. Even though some Ds were caught not paying or paying their taxes late the brunt of the public’s ire will fall on the Republican tax hypocrites. Lance Cargill will become their albatross just as Gene Stipe has been the Dems problem for years. Even a three to one fund raising advantage will not help the Rs gain seats this year. Still they will retain power and hopefully be a bit chastened for the experience.
Early Speculation on the Governor’s Race in 2010 - Attorney General. Drew Edmonson, who has bumper stickers out already that say “Edmonson 2010” with no identifying office, appears to be the early leader. Many guess that Lt. Governor Jari Askins, Treasurer Scott Meacham or Congressman Dan Boren won’t run if Edmonson declares. One scenario that could throw a wrench into those plans would be if Obama wins the White House and puts supporter Governor Brad Henry into a Cabinet position or Judgeship before his term ends. Askins would then become the likely Democratic candidate as an incumbent occupying that position.
On the Republican side look for U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, Congressman Tom Cole, Congresswoman Mary Fallin and State Representative Randy Terrill to all give the Governor’s Mansion a look.
April 29, 2008
'Can’t Count Morgan' Rides Again!
In the 1929 Rose Bowl a California player named Roy Riegels scooped up a Georgia Tech fumble and ran the wrong way toward the Bear’s goal line. He was tackled by his teammates on the 1 yard line but on the ensuing play Cal attempted a punt to regain field position and it was blocked for a safety. Georgia Tech won the game 8-7. Riegels was forever known as “Wrong Way Riegels”.
What has all this got to do with Oklahoma politics? Nothing really - except that we have our own version of “Wrong Way Riegels” apparently calling the plays for the Oklahoma House of Representatives long after he should have graduated that body.
A few years ago current Senate Leadership Advisor Fred Morgan was Minority Leader Fred Morgan in the Oklahoma House. As the waning days of Democratic power drew close, and then Speaker Larry Adair was hanging on by a thread, Fred Morgan had a brilliant idea. In a bid to speed things up a bit and become the first Republican House Speaker in decades Rep. Morgan had lined up a secret vote to take power from Adair. According to inside sources Morgan was so sure he had the votes lined up to become Speaker he had already informed staff and was picking out furniture and paint for his new office.
One of the most important skills any legislative leader must have is to effectively and definitively count votes. Morgan lacks that skill. His bid to unseat Adair was defeated and Morgan termed out without ever becoming the Speaker or seeing his caucus gain power. Like “Wrong Way Riegels” his maneuver became part of legislative lore and he became “Can’t Count Morgan”
Where the two stories diverge however is unlike Riegels, whose college football career ended and he faded into the mists of time, Morgan has resurrected himself as a political strategist and convinced current Co- President Pro Tempore Glen Coffee that his counsel and experience are needed for the Republicans to take control of the Senate – and perhaps clear his name as a bungling political strategist.
This last week has proven that Morgan’s quantitative skill set has not improved significantly.
In one of the most harebrained schemes seen in years at the state capitol Morgan convinced Coffee that they would have the votes in the House to amend a Tort Reform measure, that had been successfully vetoed in the past by Governor Henry, into a referendum that would dramatically lower attorneys’ fees for plaintiff’s counsel in tort cases. Morgan reasoned that such a measure would have a doubly good impact for the Repubs – As a referendum the measure would get to by-pass Henry’s veto pen and go straight to the people thus giving the Republicans a win they could crow about to voters and financial supporters in the fall of this year. It could also effectively tie up the Trial Attorneys’ time and money fighting the state question and divert them from helping Democratic legislative candidates.
There was only one apparent problem with Morgan’s scheme. He sold it to the House Leadership but neither the House leaders nor Morgan bothered to tell bill authors or rank and file what the strategy was.
When the strategy started to take place on the House floor it resembled a circular firing squad for Republicans more than a legislative tactic. The author of the bill rebelled, Republicans members that weren’t in on the tactic voted against the measure and complete confusion embarrassed Speaker Benge and House Majority Leadership. In short they didn’t have the votes.
The end result is that a measure to carry the Republican holy grail of tort reform is now completely out of commission for the session, trust between the House and Senate Republican Leaders (never strong to start with) has exploded and “Can’t Count Morgan’s” legend has grown enormously.
Will Coffee keep Morgan on after this amazing blunder?
Will the Senate Republican Caucus figure out that a man that “Can’t Count” is negotiating this year’s budget for them?
Will the press ask why the Senate Republicans think it is wise to pay Morgan nearly $14,000 per month to advise them on how to make fools of themselves?
Stay tuned for the answer to these, and many other interesting questions, as the last few episodes of the 2008 Oklahoma legislative session wind down.
April 21, 2008
Spies, Revenge and Money at the State Capitol
Richard Nixon would have been proud. The anti-immigration “plumbers” broke into Senator Harry Coates’ office to steal documents they believed would prove that Coates, Chesapeake Energy’s Vice President Tom Price and a host of lobbyists were in engaged in an un-American conspiracy to weaken the provision of HB 1804. Heaven forbid a group of people would get together and share ideas about legislation –what could that lead to next?
What the spies procured was a printed out e-mail with some of Senator Coates notes on it. They turned the documents over to a blogger operating out of Missouri who posted the documents on his website www.okpns.com along with some hateful comments about Price, Coates and some of the lobbyists. The blogger says he has no idea who sent him the information but the site is clearly an organized front for hate.
Fortunately for all of us, these spies must have been trained at the old “KAOS” headquarters because even Maxwell Smart could trace these guys.
What the bungling paper thieves forgot was that the capitol has plenty of electronic eyes and that everyone coming or going from Senator Coate’s office is on tape. There was a bi-partisan meeting of Senate leaders Coffee and Morgan to look into this breach of Senator’s office and the OSBI has been brought in to investigate. I hear they have a pretty good idea about who might have done it. Rep. Randy Terrill had better hope that person does not have any clear ties back to him.
Speaking of Terrill getting himself into potential trouble he may have been tugging on superman’s cape too many times. Terrill also led the charge last week against Oklahoma City getting an NBA franchise. While publicly he said his opposition was based upon an aversion to corporate welfare and millions for millionaires, privately it is known that he hates Aubrey McClendon of Chesapeake so badly over McClendon’s opposition to his immigration bill that he will do anything to get even.
What he is really doing is making McClendon and his partners see that moderate Republicans and even Democrats are more pro-business than the hard right of the Oklahoma Republican party. Expect to see a well funded opponent to Terrill in the Republican primary this fall.
There is an old saying that the people who inhabit the City of Moore are – well – Morons. While this is absolutely NOT true, the City’s efforts to eliminate that label through education and economic growth have been stymied in recent years in that they are represented by not only the ignominious Randy Terrill but equally gray matter challenged Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson. Senator Wilcoxson as co-chair of the Senate’s Education Committee successfully blocked former House Speaker Larry Adair’s nomination to the State School Board. Despite Adair’s nomination by Governor Brad Henry, who has time and time again shown himself willing to work both sides of the aisle and Adair’s stellar qualifications, Wilcoxson and her henchmen on the Committee would not consider Adair. This was especially galling to the Governor, who on matters of education has not only supported education interests but also angered the education establishment, with performance based reform legislation such as his Achieving Classroom Excellence (ACE). Henry didn’t want a rubber stamp for the education establishment but a thoughtful, trusted, well qualified person who could move education forward by navigating the political and policy thickets. Adair showed he could do that better than most in his time as Speaker and he has a graduate degree in Education to boot. Wilcoxson, who claims to be a former Teacher of the Year (but her name does not appear on any of the award plaques so honoring teachers at the State Department) said he was not qualified because he doesn’t agree with her views on education reform.
It is rumored the Democrats have an interesting revenge vote planned for the good Senator from Moore.
April 6, 2008
Insults, Apologies, Rumors and Opportunities
There was lots of scrambling in the Speaker’s office after Rep. Guy Liebman insulted the Chief of the Cherokee Nation, Chad Smith last week. Chief Smith was at the Capitol to express his concerns about SB 163, the official English measure. Tribal leaders oppose this measure and the full implementation of last year’s HB 1804 for a variety of reasons. The tribes are also businesses and they see the measures as harming the economy and workforce of the state but at a deeper emotional level many tribal leaders either remember or have been told by their elders of the abusive treatment of young tribe members who were forced to quit speaking their own language and forced to learn English in government schools.
Smith, who is a registered Republican, was denied a chance to make a statement along with Secretary of State Susan Savage regarding the measure before Liebman’s General Government and Transportation committee. Liebman’s condescending tone with Chief Smith was as bad as his decision not let Smith make a statement. Liebman compounded his decision by telling Chief Smith that the meeting was not a public hearing and only House members with bills to present or members of the committee could speak. He then turned around and let Rep. Faught speak who had no bill to present and was not a member of the committee.
Tribal governments are important political players at the capitol these days. Their gaming and other enterprises not only contribute a significant amount to state coffers and employ a large number of native Americans and other Oklahomans in many legislative districts but they are large contributors to both parties’ political action committees.
The apologies where flying in the next few days with Speaker Benge’s office offering both private and public apologies to Chief Smith and issuing mild public and stiff private reprimands to Liebman. Democrats called various tribal leaders to tell them “I told you so” about Republican’s real feelings toward them. I am sure that U.S. Congressman Tom Cole was at his wits end with his partisans at the state house. Cole has worked diligently to build political bridges with all the major tribes and the Oklahoma Republican party. Cole, who is part Chickasaw, saw significant damage done to years of work by one dunderhead house member from Oklahoma City.
Meanwhile in the Senate an internal Republican caucus dispute was brewing. Numerous sources report that Senator Harry Coates was dressed down in Caucus for his ongoing opposition to Rep. Randy Terrill’s immigration reforms and the official English act. Coates had appeared on “Flashpoint” the Sunday prior in opposition to Terrill. It was heard on the elevator that Coates then had to endure another private scolding from Senator Jim Williamson regarding what Williamson sees as attacks on Republicans and Republican causes. Williamson, a massive failure in his attempt to become Lt. Governor, is known for having one of the most abrasive temperaments in the Senate. Many credit Williamson for driving for driving former Republican Senator Nancy Riley into the arms of the Democrats and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory for his Senate Republican Brethren last election.
Senator Coates has taken on a pro-business, yet statesman like leadership against the xenophobic and opportunistic anti-immigration forces. Coates, who is moderate, Main Street Republican from Seminole has a district that is heavily registered Democrat. Can Williamson turn the trick again and drive Coates to either caucus with the Ds or maybe even switch parties. If anyone is irritating enough to do it – it is Jim Williamson. There would be some very nicely remodeled offices waiting for the Senate Democrats if they were able to nudge this conversion into becoming a reality. Maybe they should offer the Pro Tem spot to Coates if he switches.
March 30, 2008
Terrill’s Histrionics Bomb on Flashpoint
I don’t know if Rep. Randy Terrill, the Republican from Moore, has ever read Thomas Friedman’s groundbreaking “The World is Flat” but if he did, he obviously didn’t understand it. Terrill did come off as a legitimate candidate for President of the Flat Earth Society however on the most recent Flashpoint.
Friedman’s thesis is that globalization of the economy and acceleration of telecommunications and other information technology will basically render irrelevant much of the Post-World War II economic advantages the United States has enjoyed. Terrill on the other hand seems to think that having the state of Oklahoma enact its own immigration policies and prevent other languages from being spoken will stop the rest of the world economy in its tracks -- If only Oklahoma were that powerful.
Terrill often confuses talking fast and loud with thinking. His point seems to be that some people in Oklahoma might like to have the jobs in landscaping, agriculture, food service et cetera that employ new immigrants and that they should be held open for them even if that means putting the rest of Oklahoma at a national and global economic disadvantage. Oklahoma is technically at full employment and when large companies have considered Oklahoma for location their main concern has been the availability of labor force – not too many laborers.
Fortunately companies like Dell, Google, and other high paying energy, bio-tech and aerospace employers have been able to see that many Oklahomans are underemployed. They will leave their lower paying jobs for better employment. And similar to the prior history of immigration that has served the U.S. so well, immigrants will take jobs others don’t want or leave behind – keeping the economy humming.
Fortunately Rep. Terrill was challenged by each of the other three panelists on Flashpoint this week. Senator Harry Coates, also a Republican, has tried to point out to the demagoging Terrill that Oklahoma has a low unemployment rate, fast growing personal income, high oil prices, high cattle and wheat prices and desperately needs a labor force to take advantage of these conditions to exploit the economic advantages that now present themselves.
Mike Turpen, pointed out that the Oklahoma Bankers Association just published an authoritative economic study showing that the Terrill sponsored state immigration law (HB 1804) will actually cost the state economy more than $1.3 billion.
Former Oklahoma City Mayor Kurt Humphreys and new Flashpoint panelist, pointed out that that despite Terrill’s ridiculous claims that both his immigration legislation and his proposed English only proposal will help the Oklahoma economy, the State Chamber of Commerce, the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce all disagree with Terrill.
Terrill, who seems to have a problem with selective memory, or simply the concept that he is wrong, said that bill was passed with all the Chambers’ input. Read the following excerpt from the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce legislative issue web page and make up your own mind:
“In 2007, the state legislature passed HB 1804, a law requiring employers to verify the legal status of all new employees through a verification system. The bill became effective Nov 1, 2007 for the public sector and will go into effect July 1, 2008 for the private sector. Additional legislation (son of HB 1804) may be introduced in 2008.
The Chamber never supported 1804 and actively worked to remove provisions of the bill which were onerous to business. The Chamber opposes any additional legislation that would place more burdens on the business community and believes any companion bill must not go forward so the impact(s) of HB 1804 on enforcement provisions, the state's future economy and constitutionality challenges can be evaluated.
This issue needs to be addressed at the federal level to ensure ALL states are subject to the same provisions, and encourages Congress to address this growing concern. Oklahoma's current regulations make Oklahoma less competitive for business due to the burdens of increased regulation. The Chamber is also concerned that HB 1804 makes it more costly and cumbersome to hire citizens and legal residents.
Additionally, the Chamber advocates for continuation and expansion of both temporary and permanent visa programs for highly-skilled workers, as well as programs that enable employers to access and keep the talent necessary to compete in the global market. We also urge Congress to address delays, backlogs and disruptions in immigration and border management systems that impede the movement of legitimate business travelers and tourists crossing U.S. borders.”
Wow!- that does seem awfully unclear – Those crazy anti-business wonks at the Chamber must have written it in some foreign language that Rep. Terrill can’t read!
References:
http://www.okhouse.gov/Committees/Member.aspx?MemberID=69
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_is_Flat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth_Society
http://www.kfor.com/Global/category.asp?C=22780
http://www.expansionmanagement.com/cmd/articledetail/articleid/18659/default.asp
http://www.globest.com/news/1114_1114/oklahomacity/169066-1.htmlhttp://www.expansionmanagement.com/cmd/articledetail/articleid/15929/default.asp
http://www.expansionmanagement.com/cmd/articledetail/articleid/15947/default.asp
http://www.oksenate.gov/Senators/biographies/coates_bio.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attorney_General_of_Oklahoma
http://www.okcchamber.com/page.asp?atomid=1037
March 27, 2008
Langston scholars speak out against HB2513
We, the undersigned, on behalf of the Langston University community of scholars (administrators, faculty, staff and student body) vehemently oppose House Bill 2513, which allows the carrying of concealed handguns on all college and university campuses in the stat of Oklahoma. Although we recognize the need for a solution to campus violence, a complex and challenging issue for university administrators across the country, it is our judgment that HB2513 is not the answer.
If passed, this bill would exacerbate security problems on all of our campuses. We believe that confronting campus violence effectively requires an approach that is comprehensive, multi-pronged, proactive or prevention-based, as well as response-based. Langston University shall endeavor to continue to find and implement additional effective policies and strategies to create a safe and healthy environment that is conducive to discovery, application and dissemination of knowledge for the betterment of society.
(signed)
JoAnn W. Haysbert, President, Langston University
Dr. Clyde Montgomery, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Mr. Marv Johnson, President, Student Government Association
March 23, 2008
Best Female Lobbyists at the Oklahoma Capitol
People love lists and rankings. Top twenty football teams, the top 64 basketball teams to get in the big dance, movies nominated for Academy Awards, Best Places to Live, Best Companies to Work For, Best Pizza in Town, et cetera.
Here is a new one to think about:
There was a time, not long ago (maybe 10-15 years) when only a handful of females were registered as lobbyists at the Oklahoma Capitol. The legislature was an old boys club and when the day was over the “old boys” in the legislature went out to Junior’s to eat, drink, smoke together and make deals. If any “ladies” were involved in the deal they were more likely to be an item negotiated in the deal as opposed to being a party negotiating the deal.
This is thankfully no longer the case- though male lobbyists still greatly outnumber the women. While Oklahoma unfortunately has one of the lowest percentages of women in the legislature it packs a powerful punch of female lobbyists. These women are smart, professional, well organized and generally outwork their male competition.
In any list someone deserving is bound to be left out. With apologies to that someone let me start by putting forward my list.
1. Otie Ann Fried : The gold standard of lobbyists – whether male or female starts with Ms. Fried. Otie Ann, along with husband and former House member Jim Fried head what many think is the most successful and powerful lobbying firm at 2300 North Lincoln -- Fried, Kilpatrick, Guinn. For those too young to remember it was Otie Ann who built the lobbying firm and Jim joined her. Otie Ann cut her teeth as a legislative staffer; then was one of the earliest and most successful women lobbyists. In the early 1980s there were some legislators than didn’t take her seriously because she was young and attractive. However, everyone has taken her seriously for the past twenty years and yet amongst her other deals she must have made one similar to Dorian Gray.
1A. Claudia Kamas: Claudia has become and institution unto herself at the capitol. She is at once charming and very politically savvy. While representing some the most powerful interests such as the pharmaceutical manufacturers, specialty medical associations, and telecommunications firms she has built a long term reservoir of trust with legislators and staff. She easily assembles coalitions on difficult issues while helping her clients not only navigate the process but actually understand much of what is going on.
2. Margaret Erling: Ms. Erling, after a distinguished career as an innovative educator, has turned her considerable talents on the state Capitol where she watches over the interests of the Cherokee nation and the richest man in Oklahoma among others. Margaret sets a standard for both color coordination and impeccable organization.
3. Tammie Kilpatrick: Ms. Kilpatrick is a partner with Otie Ann and also married to a former lawmaker and Tax Commissioner Don Kilpatrick. Like Otie Ann, Tammie made her way on her own before associating with her well connected spouse. Tammie is a former Deputy Insurance Commissioner and specializes in some of the most technical and arcane insurance legislation.
4. Lynne White and Patti Davis – a powerful lobbying duo for the Oklahoma Hospital Association. Lynne has tremendous history of lobbying on her own and running all sorts of campaigns and causes. Patti is former hospital administrator who does double duty helping Lynne lobby hospital issues and as V.P. of OHA.
Honorable Mention
Lisette Barnes: Lissette is another powerhouse with clients ranging from financial interests like Capital West Securities to health care interests such as the College of Emergency Physicians. She is well known for her efforts to advance the causes of Oklahoma Youth Services.
Jan Loftis - Has done an excellent job over the years lobbying for clients as diverse as Oklahoma City Public Schools to the Malt Beverage Association to the Academy of Physicians Assistants just to mention a few.
Vicki White Rankin- a former State House member (and member of the T-Bar 12) who has a diverse client base in health care, aging and counseling services. Vicki is known for the passion of her convictions to client’s causes.
Jamie Longacre-Jamie, who started at the Capitol as an OSU agricultural economics intern with the Senate Staff has stayed true to her Ag roots by representing the Pork Council and the Agricultural Educators Association. Though she has certainly diversified by adding clients like Cox Communications and Spirit Bank to those she represents. She is certainly on the cusp of moving into the top rankings.
Tonya Lee- Ms. Lee was the junior partner of former Speaker of the House Jim Barker when Barker died during the legislative session a few years ago. Tonya has not only held together the former Barker clients but has managed to make herself into a formidable lobbying presence. She has clients ranging from pharmaceuticals, to telecom to insurance.
New/Up and Comers: 1. Megan Benn, a former White House Aide, Senate Staffer and partner with her father, former State Senator Don Williams, 2. Lisa Smaligo, former State Regents for Higher Education Government Relations Aide and wife of former legislator and current Tulsa County Commissioner John Smaligo., 3. Emily Hall with the Oklahoma State Medical Association and daughter of former Tulsa Mayor and Secretary of State Susan Savage.
There are a number of other women who head health care, trade and social service associations as executive directors and also lobby as part of their jobs that deserve a mention. These women represent physicians groups, long-term care, nursing groups, and chambers of commerce. Similarly a number of impressive women are the legislative liaisons for their state agencies. They also deserve mention but maybe those should wait for another blog entry.
Wow- I know I have missed someone and I am sure that many will disagree with my rankings. That’s ok- I don’t claim they are scientific in any way. Write a response and tell me how they should really be.
March 15, 2008
Oklahoma Legislature in the News and in the Blogs
The National Conference of State Legislature’s www.ncsl.org blog page the “The Thicket” is chocked full of links to what is going on around the country’s legislatures. The link to the NCSL blog is http://ncsl.typepad.com/the_thicket/ . There is currently a great article by long-time NCSL staffer and legislative observer Karl Kurtz regarding the recent passing of former Oklahoma House Chief Clerk Richard Huddleston. Many people around the country knew of Richard’s influence in modernizing the legislative institution in Oklahoma and were saddened to hear of his death. Richard in recent years has been in a lobbying partnership with his son Gary, a former State Senate staff member.
I hear there will soon be a link on www.ecapitol.net ‘s ISpeak that will take you directly to NCSL’s blog pages as well as links to other Oklahoma and national blogs. NCSL has a nice collection of political blogs by state if you want to keep up with what is going on around the country. The two current ones that are highlighted for Oklahoma are:
If you know of additional good blogs about Oklahoma Politics send them to ISpeak to have them included.
March 3, 2008
Defeat of HB2211 Urged
The President of the Oklahoma Academy of Science has issued the following sttatement regarding HB 2211 currently under consideration by the Oklahoma House of Representatives:
“The Oklahoma Academy of Science is seriously concerned about threats to the quality of science education in our public schools. The members demonstrated their concern by adopting a Statement on Science, Religion, and Teaching Evolution at their recent Annual Meeting. HB 2211 is a major threat to the quality of science education and should not be adopted.
A basic understanding by all citizens of what science has learned over decades of observation and experimentation about how the natural world works is crucial for continued prosperity of our nation and our state. Equally important for the future is training in the scientific process. This process, of posing hypotheses, testing the hypotheses and logically evaluating the results, was central to US preeminence in the world. Oklahoma, if it wants to be competitive nationally in science and technology based industry, cannot afford to dilute or hamper the science education of its citizens.
Enactment of HB 2211 will poison education in science. Teachers will be prohibited from guiding students into understanding how the natural world works. They will not be allowed to guide students into scientific analysis of subject matter. For example, in class discussion of natural variation in populations of individuals and selective forces acting on those populations, a student will be allowed to raise ideas derived from creationism. These ideas are non-scientific. They can not be tested and have no place in a science class. Yet, the teacher will be prevented from explaining that such ideas have no scientific support. The bill further requires the teacher to give full credit to non-scientific ideas when they are part of a student’s homework assignment or part of an examination.
HB2211 may seem attractive to some individuals because it also supports many other activities of religious groups in the public school setting that are already possible and legal. There is no need to adopt HB 2211 to allow these ongoing activities. Inclusion of the provisions allowing the inclusion of religion in all classes appears to be a means that the drafters of the resolution have used to gain support for the assault on science they are engaged in. The bill has been likened by others to a Trojan Horse, introducing undesired clauses into a palatable, but unnecessary, package.
The Oklahoma Academy of Science believes that “Science and religion can coexist harmoniously if people understand the strengths and limitations of each field.“ Many of its members have learned to allow religion and science to coexist in their world-views. They assert that “science teachers should not be required to teach ideas, models, and theories that are extra-scientific” as they would be under HB 2211.”
March 2, 2008
What Makes Legislative Leaders Tick?
It’s easy to find information regarding the backgrounds the Speaker of the House, the Co-Tems or the Senate Appropriation Chairs. Their official positions are often available in the form of statements or press releases on the House and Senate websites – www.oksenate.gov or www.okhouse.gov .
Go to http://www.okhouse.gov/OkhouseMedia/PressRoom.aspx to get official press releases issued by the House. Go to http://www.oksenate.gov/news.htm for links to official Senate press releases. For more in-depth information about their votes or their positions on specific pieces of legislation you probably need to go the www.ecapitol.net and look at the “legislators” link where you can get member profiles and links to legislation that also has news stories about the legislation and what particular members said about a bill.
For biographical information about the leaders you can go to members section of the House and Senate web sites. Go to http://www.okhouse.gov/Committees/Member.aspx?MemberID=39 to look up Speaker Benge for instance. That site will tell you everything from his church home - View Acres Baptist Church to his term limit date -2010.
If you want the same for Senate leadership go to http://www.oksenate.gov/Senators/biographies/morgan_bio.html to learn about Senate Pro Tempore Mike Morgan. Morgan’s bio will, among other things tell you that he went to Tulsa Public Schools, loves to run and golf and that his law practice in Stillwater specializes in business transactions and real estate.
Co-Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee’s bio is at http://www.oksenate.gov/Senators/biographies/coffee_bio.html . It will give you useful information such as that Senator Coffee is very proud to have eliminated an outdated vehicle inspection system from the law books and that he was the first Republican to hold the title of Pro Tempore – for one month last summer. Coffee is a member of the Phillips, McFall law firm in Oklahoma City and practices in the areas of business, commercial and electronic commerce law.
Much of this information is also in a condensed form in the profile section of www.ecapitol.net .
But what if you want to find out the real scoop?
One good way is to go the State Ethics Commission web page at http://www.state.ok.us/~ethics/ . There you can find out all sorts of information about what makes these guys tick (and they are all guys right now).
For instance you can find out the Senate Pro Tempore Mike Morgan can have pretty down to earth tastes. The Oklahoma Restaurant Association bought him lunch at Applebees for $19.39. On the other hand if you want to get through Morgan’s gatekeeper and really discuss your issues with him you may have to buy a $150.00 round of golf for Senate Leadership Assistant Vic Thompson like Electronic Data Systems did.
Also at the Ethics Commission site you can find that Speaker Benge received a $100 honorarium for speaking to an education-related association, that AT&T treated him to a round of golf and that another association donated a mailing list to him valued at $220.
The Ethics Commission also reports that Glenn Coffee, like most other members of the legislature received a $100 centennial watch courtesy of the Chickasaw nation.
But you also need to know that if you want to spend some quality time with him you will need to treat him and his key staff person – a Senate contractor – Fred Morgan to a round of golf like Dunlap and Associates.
But now that you know a little about where they went to school, where they work, and that they like to eat out you may need a little more information before you make a big pitch for something you need. You need some really inside information that only Capitol gym rats can provide.
You may think that Mike Morgan will listen to you if you take him to Applebees but you would make much better inroads if you knew he was one of the few heterosexual males in the world that likes musical theatre. Don’t waste your time talking about tort reform though – not even front row seats on Broadway is going to affect those deep held beliefs.
Speaker Benge lists in his current bio information that he has a business degree from Oklahoma State University. But what you might not know is that he only recently earned that degree. Knowing that might let you understand he could be interested in promoting getting adults to go back to school and complete their educations. His former job as A&B chair and his new duties as Speaker certainly make him aware of how hard it is for working adults to return to school. Find something he is interested in and maybe your bill can be magically resurrected after it has “died” in subcommittee.
Lets say you have some K-12 education reforms in mind. It may be important for you to know that while Senate Co-President Pro Tem Glen Coffee lives in the Putnam City School district and graduated from Putnam City North High School he does not care much for that district’s administration or policies. He ships his kids to Bethany Schools for their education.
Getting those last bits of information is often expensive. Hiring the Capitol gym rats (lobbyists) that know that sort of thing runs anywhere from $30,000 to $80,000 per session. It also helps to search the Ethics Commission site and see which lobbyist have what kind of relationship to legislators.
February 20, 2008
Twists and Turns Predicted for State Budget
State Budget Story Will Have Lots of Twists and Turns Before the End of Session
The old saying goes that politics makes for strange bedfellows. We may see some of the strangest this session.
For instance State Senator Kenneth Corn, a Southeastern Democrat, is standing with former Republican Transportation Secretary Neal McCaleb asking that more money be allocated to transportation even as the Board of Equalization was saying revenue growth was insufficient to trigger additional funds into the special ROADS fund. McCaleb who is a former Republican lawmaker and Cabinet Secretary in Governor Frank Keating’s administration is behind a program to remove the revenue growth trigger for the ROADS fund and make the funding automatic- this would add more than $30 million annually to highway spending and reduce the general fund by a corresponding amount. McCaleb also wants to increase the total amount that can go into ROADS and add motor vehicle tax collections that currently go into the general fund to ROADS.
Senator Corn who has floated a plan to make two year junior and community college educations free to all high school graduates has signed on to increasing the ROADS monies; apparently at the expense of his own higher education initiative.
But that is not where the weirdness ends. Old line liberals like Senators Jim Wilson and Richard Lerblanc have endorsed a plan to build more prison beds and infuse the Department of Corrections with up to $60 million of new money. This wing of the Democratic party used eschew law and order spending to make sure schools had adequate funding and teachers got pay raises. Now they stand with Republicans like Senator Mike Johnson to fund more lock-ups.
While the House and Senate have a had a long tradition of feuding, even when they are controlled by the same party, new coalitions are developing over use of the rainy day fund that put a different twist on that feud. Both Senate Republicans and Democrats want to break open the state piggy bank - better known as the rainy day reserve to fund road projects and corrections while the House Republicans are standing with Democratic Governor Brad Henry in his effort to keep the rainy day fund intact and not use it for on-going expenditures such as corrections.
House Republican leaders keep talking about more tax cuts even though the budget picture looks bleak and no “stimulus” from the previous tax rate reductions has yet materialized. Though they now have modified their stand to be for “revenue-neutral” tax cuts – that means taking someone else’s tax break to pay for your own.
Senate Republicans while talking about further rate reductions early on have now adopted the State Chamber of Commerce point of view that discretion regarding more tax cuts is probably wise.
This session will make it hard to keep track key issues and actors even you have a program listing the names and numbers of all the players. Some players may switch teams throughout the session depending on the tax or budget issue at hand. Polls show that people want change – they may get something closer to chaos.
February 10, 2008
Won't Be Fooled Again!
Anyone who has been following the Oklahoma House Speaker follies has to be thinking – "What the heck is going on? – Surely after two failed attempts the House Republicans can make a break from their ethics challenged, tax evading past and turn the page on a new chapter.
We don't think it is likely. With apologies to the WHO "Meet the new boss – same as the old boss".
To recap: While former Speaker Lance Cargill had to slink out of the position due to a litany of charges including not filing income tax, late property tax payments, and alleged campaign fund raising improprieties he was purchasing nearly a $1,000,000 worth of new furniture for his and his cronies offices. Cargill was replaced with current Speaker Pro Tempore Gus Blackwell, who while lacking the breadth of improprieties of Cargill, was much more consistent – He didn't pay his property taxes on time for 13 years in a row. House leaders thought they could still slide Blackwell by blaming the information on a witch hunt by the "liberal media". There was one slight obstacle; no one bought that the Daily Oklahoman was liberal. So Blackwell had to walk the plank too.
After much back room deal making, Rep. Chris Benge, the former Appropriations and Budget Chairman under both Republican Speaker Todd Hiett and Lance Cargill was selected in a close vote over Rep. Dale DeWitt. Benge enjoys a deserved reputation as a more thoughtful and fair minded legislator than either of the previous Republican speakers. Benge has worked well with numerous legislative factions and with interest groups around the capitol in his role as A&B Chair. So does this mean the Republicans have gotten off to a fresh start?
Not likely. Benge will be largely a figurehead – the real power will remain where it has always been – even under Hiett and Cargill. Political consultant Fount Holland, a former Tulsa World reporter and self made strategist really pulls all the strings. The gnome like Holland – a poor man's Karl Rove made sure that no real change would occur in the leadership. Disaffected members, moderate members and other fringe elements were all threatened by Holland with primary opponents and loss of access to the House GOP PAC money during the next election cycle to keep them in line. Because Rep. Dewitt posed a real challenge and actually chairs a bi-partisan rural caucus he could not easily be controlled. DeWitt might actually allow ideas to be debated and change to occur.
What is really surprising about this whole scenario is not that Holland and his hardball politics came out on top, but how much courage was actually shown by many in the Republican caucus to get DeWitt within a vote or two of nomination. We'll be on the watch for retribution on those members who had the guts to risk their positions and stand up to Holland's forces. We will also be watching carefully to see if Benge is willing to buck the trend and govern with integrity. We think he is basically a good guy caught in a bad system but his decision to appoint Cargill chief lieutenant Ken Miller to the important A&B post this week is not an auspicious start.
To quote a well know philosopher - "Fool me once – uh, uh won't be fooled again"
February 4, 2008
Winds of Change
The winds of change are blowing across the country you and I love. Your thoughtful letters have added to their velocity and fanned the flames of discontent and confusion about Immigration, middle class America, health care, poverty, etc. This sets the stage for the election of visionary leaders who will put the priorities of the American people above the influence of corporate money and cheap labor in China.
Like you, I’ve studied the Republican and Democratic candidates, watched the debates and reached a conclusion where my vote will go on Super Tuesday. I agree with the Wise Wizard of the East that John McCain is a phony who will likely get the necessary votes Tuesday to become the Republican nominee. I would predict that if McCain does not get the necessary votes Tuesday the hard Right Wing of the Republican Party will give Romney the support necessary to carry the contest to the Convention where they will have a chance to derail McCain.
The contest on the Democratic side has been historic. I truly hated to see John Edwards drop out and if the Democrats win the Presidency I hope the winner will appoint John Edwards to the office of Attorney General.
After watching the debate in California I’ve come to the conclusion that Hillary Clinton will get my vote. My decision is based on the following:
- The history of Hillary Clinton was investigated by all the private investigators that Kenneth Star felt necessary to hire, add to that an army of FBI agents for 8 years and she was finally given a clean bill of health.
- Hillary’s baptism in Hellfire and Brimstone created by the Right Wing of the Republican Party and her experience with the lobbyist Of the Pharmaceutical and Insurance Companies in trying to create a program of National Health Care has created within her intelligence the true grit necessary to overcome their influence.
- No one in America is smart enough to be President of the United States in this world of conflict and confusion. I believe that Hillary, more than any other candidate, understands this. I truly believe she has an understanding of the intellect of America and will reach out to those whose intelligence and knowledge is greater than hers and make them a part of her administration without regards to political affiliation.
- I believe that she expressed in the debate the only solution to the Immigration problem when she said she would enforce the fines on industries that hire illegal immigrants. If the jobs are eliminated they will stop coming and those that are here will go home. She is the only candidate that I’ve heard clearly say she would enforce the law.
I hope we have a record vote on Tuesday and the wisdom of American people make a choice that will grow middle class America and once again the United States will be recognized as a Nation that advocates, PEACE ON EARTH AND GOOD WILL TOWARD ALL.
Jim Townsend
January 25, 2008
Look Out! Session's about to begin!
New legislative sessions will be getting under way soon and for legislative junkies like me this is an exciting time of the year. I would compare it to that feeling just before football season when everybody thinks their team has a chance to win it all. I usually go out and buy the pre-season football magazines to check out roster changes, home and away schedules and glean any info I can on possible new offensive and defensive schemes.
I am beginning to do the same things today for the upcoming legislative session. Term limits are making the rosters of state legislatures change faster than every. By the time many legislators start to understand the process and ascend to a leadership position it is time for them to leave the public eye or start to plot their next elective move outside their current legislative body. I go to the National Conference of State Legislature s home page (ncsl.org) to help me track the players.
Of course one thing that tends to remain constant is the legislative schedules. I am checking out what’s going on this year on my new e-capitol subscription. Oregon, which wouldn’t usually meet this year, is trying out a new budget only session at the urging of Democratic leaders in their Senate.
Others like Texas, Arkansas, Montana, Nevada and North Dakota won’t meet at all.
There are certain bell weather states, that like star players, seem to set the pace for the season. Legislatures in these states more likely than not will begin policy trends that often sweep across their regions if not the nation. My list of bellweathers include California, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, and Colorado. To keep track of these I look for introduced bill by subject on e-capitol and try to determine what the major pieces of legislation are by subject. Usual suspects include environmental, education, health care insurance, consumer protection, and taxation. The Massachusetts experiment in mandating health care coverage for instance is popping up in many forms around the country in various forms of proposed legislation this session. The anti-sprawl legislation that help flip the Colorado legislature to Democratic control is being considered elsewhere now.
Like weather in football the political and economic environment of each legislative session can shape what plays lawmakers can successfully call. . 2008 is an election year which always affects behaviors in legislatures. There will be more emphasis on partisan politics as the control of a number of legislative bodies is up for grabs. Last session for instance the Oklahoma Senate surprised everyone by basically having a productive and cooperative session despite having co-Senate leaders with a 24-24 tie. Don’t expect such cooperation this session as the Republicans have their first change to wrest control in that state’s history.
The other strong environmental force is the economy. State coffers have been at record highs since the end of an economic downturn in 2003. The National Governor’s Association (nga.org) reports some of the highest year end budget balances in history. Don’t count on that to last through this session. The business cycle has not been repealed. The economy is slowing and corporate income tax collections around the country are down. Balancing the budget will be one of the most difficult problems in states like California this year. Even energy producing states that have benefited from higher oil and gas revenues are starting to feel the pinch.
What does that mean? Who knows for sure. But there will be pressure from teachers and state workers to restore some the tax base given up during good economic times while business groups will argue that an economic downturn is the worst time to hike taxes.
January 18, 2008
'It's the Economy Stupid'
With the Presidential campaign in full swing I am reminded of the famous line used by the Clinton loyalists in their first term campaign – “It’s the economy stupid”
That line of course referred to keeping on message to voters but I think it is equally applicable to understanding the chaos of a legislative session. Legislation as diverse as lawsuit reform, transportation funding, testing of school children, and tax credits are more often explained by different interest groups desire to change or enhance a state’s (or their own) economy. States have not only become the “Laboratories of Democracy” but the test labs for economic development theories.
For instance lawsuit reform is a major issue in many states. Medical and business advocacy groups have transformed this policy matter into a matter of economic competitiveness rather than a judicial matter. Check out the United States Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform at www.instituteforlegalreform.com. The American Bar Association will give you an alternative perspective at http://www.abanet.org/barserv/medmal.
You can also find that major national policy organizations are aligning their education recommendations around workforce and global competitiveness issues. You may want to go the Education Commission of the State’s briefing memo the newsroom at www.ecs.org. That memo will tell you how business view education reform as a prime mover in creating “engines for regional economic development and workforce development. The National Conference of State Legislatures issue briefs can help you understand what policies are being debated to encourage global competitiveness in Science, Math and Engineering education at www.ncsl.org/programs/educ/STEMMain.htm.
A stop by the Associated General Contractors web site can help you make sense of what is going on in legislative activity related to the economy of road building in the states. Visit www.agc.org/cs/advocacy/legislative.
I have found one of the best places to go to keep up with state tax law trends in the Federation of State Tax Administrators. At their site - www.taxadmin.org/ you can find out tax burdens, rates and collections for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
www.eCapitol.net can be your one stop source for making sense of all this chaos of legislation moving through the various legislatures. You can develop personalized bill tracking that can help you spot trends, provide analyses and put you in touch with links like the ones mentioned above to provide background and perspective across the 50 states. This tool will make help you make sense of the economic aspects of state legislative activity throughout the nation and not feel “stupid”