A New Deal for Oklahoma
Just over 84 years ago, in the midst of the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office and delivered his first inaugural address. The speech mostly was about the Depression, which was (and still is) the worst financial crisis in American history. However, if you read it now, you'd think he was talking to us about Oklahoma's present budget situation. We've been saying things are bad, and hearing FDR's words echo across history gives our current situation some much-needed context. The familiar phrase "those who choose to ignore history are doomed to repeat it" has never felt more relevant.
Just over 84 years ago, in the midst of the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office and delivered his first inaugural address. The speech mostly was about the Depression, which was (and still is) the worst financial crisis in American history. However, if you read it now, you'd think he was talking to us about Oklahoma's present budget situation. We've been saying things are bad, and hearing FDR's words echo across history gives our current situation some much-needed context. The familiar phrase "those who choose to ignore history are doomed to repeat it" has never felt more relevant.
To help illustrate this point, I reworked parts his speech to make it sound more modern and swapped out national nuances for Oklahoman ones, while retaining key phrases to preserve the overall feel and sentiment of the original. And, because I believe we need to be inspired by strong voices and thoughtful dialogue, I will be delivering this version during our Capitol Day event this later morning.
This is a day of statewide importance. This is the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. We should not shrink from discussing the conditions that face our state today. This great State will endure as it has endured. Together we can overcome, and together we will prosper.
First of all, let me be clear: the only thing that stands in our way is our own fear of speaking up, of speaking out, and of being labeled "too political." This is an unjustified terror which paralyzes us and inhibits our willingness to lead and do what is right and what is best for the people of Oklahoma. In this dark hour, as in every dark hour of our state, we need a leadership of frankness and of humility, a leadership that understands and supports the people themselves. We need to live up to the Oklahoma Standard that we so often revere.
Year after year, we face the same problems. Revenue has declined; taxes are levied inequitably and irresponsibly. Our government's ability to pay has fallen; our progress is frozen in the currents of corporate coddling; the withered leaves of broken families lie on every side; prisons teem with huddled, neglected masses; and the very safety nets that have saved thousands of Oklahoma families are now riddled with holes. Many of my fellow Oklahomans continue to face the grim reality of unshakable poverty, and an even greater number work tirelessly, week after week, living check to check, hovering just above economic collapse. Only a fool can deny the dark realities of the moment.
And yet, we have faced this adversity before. Compared with the perils of our past - the Dust Bowl, the oil bust, the other oil bust - we have much to be thankful for. The Earth still offers her bounty and our human efforts have multiplied it. However, while there is a package of prosperity at our doorstep, greed threatens to steal it away. The leaders of our state have failed, and yet, due to their own stubbornness or perhaps their own myopic incompetence, they still refuse to admit their failure. The shameless behavior of special interests stand indicted in the court of public opinion, and they are rejected by the hearts and minds of men.
True, the Legislative leadership may say they have tried, but they continue to act in the pattern of an outworn tradition. Faced by repeated revenue failures, they have only proposed more cuts and more social control. Without the ability to promise prosperity and entice us to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for us to trust them while placating us with platitudes of moral indignation. They have no vision, and when there is no vision, the people perish.
Yes, some of those who created this situation have fled from their high seats in this building, the temple of our state. We may now restore this temple to the truth it once held. How well we restore it requires we seek values more noble than mere monetary profit.
Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy and the moral stimulation of work should not be forgotten in the mad chase of fleeting profits. These dark days, my friends, will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to live in fear that our government may abandon us in our time of need, but to remind us that our state constitution was ordained to secure a just and rightful government, and to promote our mutual welfare and happiness.
We must recognize that lower taxes will not magically make Oklahoma successful, and that must go hand in hand with legislators giving up the false belief that the only value of public office and political position are pride and personal gain. There must be an end to the conduct by both the legislature and by businesses that places politics and profits ahead of people. I'm not surprised that people have no confidence in our state government. Confidence thrives only on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, and on unselfish performance. Without them, confidence cannot live.
If we are to restore this state, it will require more than changes in ethics alone. This State is asking for action, and action now. As I stand before you today, our primary task is to fix the budget. This problem is completely solvable if we face it wisely and courageously. There are, in fact, many ways in which the budget can be helped, but it can never be helped by merely talking about it. We must act, and we must act quickly.
We must recognize that this will require nearly all of us to share the responsibility. However, the burden borne by each person should be fair, equitable, and proportionate to the degree of blessings each of us has received. Broadly supported measures, such as increasing taxes on cigarettes and fuel, despite their regressive nature, are a must. A surcharge on high incomes would only affect three percent of households, and they would still be paying less income tax than they did prior to the most recent round of tax cuts. Ending wind subsidies and the capital gains exemption, adopting combined corporate reporting, and increasing the gross production tax are all reasonable, viable, and totally justifiable means for reconstituting our lost revenue.
And finally, in our progress toward fixing our budget, we require two safeguards against a return of the evils of old: there must be a strict supervision of funding and how it is spent. There must be an end to automatic tax cut triggers that ignore the full context of the state's economy.
These, my friends, are the lines of attack. Through adoption of this plan, we begin to put our house in order and slowly restore the persistent optimism that has guided our state for more than a hundred years. Our social policy, though very important, must be secondary to establishing a sound state economy. I favor, as a practical policy, the putting of first things first. We all want to completely eliminate every ounce of waste, fraud, and abuse, but the emergency we face cannot wait on that accomplishment.
The basic thought that guides this specific plan of statewide recovery is the recognition of the old and permanently important Oklahoma spirit of the pioneer. It is the way to recovery, and it is the immediate way. It is the strongest assurance that recovery will endure. We must blaze a trail to solvency, to hope, to our successful future.
We must be good neighbors; we must be the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and the rights of others; the neighbor who respects his obligations and respects the sanctity of his agreements with all of his neighbors. We cannot merely take; we must give as well. If we are to move forward, we must recognize that we are all in this together.
We hope that the normal balance of authority between the House and Senate will be enough to meet the unprecedented task before us. However, in the event that the legislature fails to take a proper course; in the event that the statewide emergency is still critical, we shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront us. We will file, we will campaign, we will vote, and we will win each and every seat currently occupied by legislators who do not represent the best interests of the good, hardworking people of Oklahoma.
Now, we don't distrust the future of democracy. We, the people of Oklahoma, have not failed. We have registered a mandate that we want direct, vigorous action. We have asked for discipline and direction under leadership. We have made the governor and the legislature the instruments of our wishes, and in the spirit of that gift, we request, nay, we demand that our leaders stand up and lead.
We face the difficult days ahead with an increasingly warm courage of growing statewide unity; with the collective decision to seek justice based upon inclusive and accepting moral values; and with the clean satisfaction that comes from doing what we all know, deep down, is for the common good. We all want a secure and prosperous Oklahoma life.
My fellow Oklahomans, I ask you to join me in this fight. Join us in asking the legislature to fix the budget, to redeem our state. There are many in this building who already stand with us. My friends, with your help, we can do this. Grab a friend, join me, and together: let's fix this.
Breaking the Cycle
Most of my career has been spent working in the mental health field, which isn't exactly known for being lucrative. (For reference, it's likely that NASA will put a man on Mars before I will pay off my student loans.) But, it's good, honest work and I have always appreciated the opportunity to serve a group of people who have complex, sometimes painfully difficult needs. It is truly a privilege to be bear witness to the depth and darkness of a person's life, to hear their secrets and their fears, and to be a living testament to the struggles and suffering they have endured.
Most of my career has been spent working in the mental health field, which isn't exactly known for being lucrative. (For reference, it's likely that NASA will put a man on Mars before I will pay off my student loans.) But, it's good, honest work and I have always appreciated the opportunity to serve a group of people who have complex, sometimes painfully difficult needs. It is truly a privilege to be bear witness to the depth and darkness of a person's life, to hear their secrets and their fears, and to be a living testament to the struggles and suffering they have endured.
Most of the counselors I know make in the low to mid $30,000s, and they do this work because it is important, it is rewarding, and it is absolutely necessary. Same with many teachers, social workers, police officers, custodians, bus drivers, and a bajillion other jobs that allow our society to function with civility and help people support their families and pay their bills.
Except for when they can't.
Sadly, most Oklahomans live paycheck-to-paycheck. We get by so long as our paycheck is deposited on time and nothing unexpected pops up. You can pay most of your bills, but you dont' really get to save much. And then sometimes it's a cold winter and your gas bill is really high, or it's a really hot summer and your electricity bill skyrockets. Suddenly, living paycheck-to-paycheck really sucks, and you don't have quite enough to pay all the bills. If you're fortunate enough to have some money tucked away into a savings account, you might dip into it to make ends meet and hope to replace it later on down the road.
Until it's all gone. Then what?
That's where Oklahoma is right now. The state has been living paycheck to paycheck, and it simply doesn't have enough money coming in each month to pay all the bills. In fact, it was announced earlier this week that the state's Rainy Day Fund had been depleted. We had to use the last $240 million in our savings account to make it through the month...and there's still three months left in the fiscal year. The folks at the Capitol think there will be enough revenue in April to put that $240 million back in savings...but what if we they're wrong? What if we don't even have enough revenue to pay bills next month?
I'll tell you what would happen: Agencies will get cut, schools will end the year a few days short, and ultimately Oklahomans will lose their jobs. That's right. It won't be pretty. Just for reference, ending the school year early means that tens of thousands of people get paid less, plus tens of thousands of Oklahoma parents have to scramble to find childcare for a day when their kids should be in school. So, they have to take off of work (if they can), which costs Oklahoma businesses tens of millions of dollars in lost productivity. People will lose wages (or even their actual jobs), and then they'll need to state assistance so that their family doesn't starve. Tell me: How does that help the state move forward?
It doesn't have to be that way. We don't have to keep cutting and cutting and cutting until we're just a poor, demoralized, shell of a state. There's another, better option.
We need to bring in more money.
As I said earlier, the I didn't go into the most lucrative career field, and I've faced my share of personal "budget shortfalls." When things have been tight for me, I immediately reduced my expenses as much as I could. I turned off my cable, I stopped going to the movies, I started taking my lunch. When that wasn't enough, I got a second job...and sometimes a third and a forth. Shortly after grad school I worked as an adjunct professor three days a week, mowed lawns two days a week, and saw counseling clients at my office in the evenings...and I still picked up occasional odd jobs, like painting houses, whenever I could. In order to make ends meet after my son was born, I did contract work for a mental health agency in the evenings and did roofing on weekends in addition to working full-time. The point is, we've cut all we can cut, and now we need to look at ways to increase income. If we want things to improve, we must increase how much money the state takes in. If I can do it, the state can do it.
The state only gets money one way: we pay taxes. Now, nobody wants to pay any more taxes than they absolutely have to, but there's a trade-off. You pay taxes, and in return you [should] get a robust public school system that feeds the minds of our children so they can grow up and be productive members of society, roads and bridges that are safe and don't rattle your car to pieces, clean air and water that is safe to consume, laws and policies that give structure to our society so that individuals are protected and businesses thrive and grow, state parks and museums and cultural events to enjoy.
You get what you pay for.
You know it's true. Pretty much anything worthwhile costs money, and nice stuff costs extra. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of Oklahoma being among the worst at everything. Seriously, we're in the top 10 worst for: Obesity. Education. Children in poverty. No health insurance. Cardiovascular deaths, cancer deaths, drug deaths, premature deaths, Deaths at work. Infant deaths. Suicide. Diabetes. Chlamydia. Frequent mental distress, frequent physical distress. Smoking. Median household income. And, you know, just Overall.
Ugh. Let's stop doing that. Instead, let's fix this.
Running a state isn't cheap, but it is a team effort, and we need all hands on deck for this. We need you to understand that you get what you pay for, which means we're all going to need to pay a little bit more in taxes so we can pay for something better.
We need the richest 3 percent of the population to be willing to be a teensy bit less rich so that their fellow Oklahomans who are incredibly poor can not die.
We need big businesses who are making fat profits to do more to prioritize people over profits, otherwise they won't have any employees or customers.
We need legislators of both parties to stop worrying about being one of the popular kids in that big marble high school, to put people over politics, and to vote for increased revenue.
Together, we can do this. We can fix this.
You Must Get Involved
A lot of people started this legislative session feeling fairly optimistic - we believed the new leadership in the Oklahoma House & Senate were going to be thoughtful, reasonable, and empowering to the people of Oklahoma. We were prepared for the news of yet another revenue failure and an $878 million budget shortfall, but with so many people at the Capitol agreeing that the state isn't bringing in enough recenue to cover its expenses, we thought that we'd see multiple revenue measures pass through both chambers relatively quickly.
A lot of people started this legislative session feeling fairly optimistic - we believed the new leadership in the Oklahoma House & Senate were going to be thoughtful, reasonable, and empowering to the people of Oklahoma. We were prepared for the news of yet another revenue failure and an $878 million budget shortfall, but with so many people at the Capitol agreeing that the state isn't bringing in enough recenue to cover its expenses, we thought that we'd see multiple revenue measures pass through both chambers relatively quickly.
That's not what happened.
Instead, the Oklahoma legislature passed bills to make it harder for poor people to get food and healthcare, refused to even hear a bill to ensure women and men are paid equally, were found guilty of improperly using lottery money to supplant actual education funding, and, just this week, a state senator was arrested & charged with soliciting sex from an underage male prostitute. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Yesterday I sat in a meeting with leaders from organizations who advocate for the rights of women, children, education, churches, social workers, healthcare, the arts, criminal justice, and budget/tax policy (basically, all the key parts of society besides Big Corporate), and as we discussed what was actually happening at the Capitol and the potential ramifications of the legislature's inaction, the consensus was clear:
This is going to be really bad.
Sure, we've budget shortfalls the past couple of years, but the legislature had people who knew where to find money to help minimize the sting of the budget cuts. This year, that's not the case. We've used up most of the one-time monies, and thus far our current leadership has been either too timid or simply unwilling to do what really needs to be done to fix things. That's not just annoying and offensive; it's literally going to cost people their lives. To quote the Governor's own Finance Secretary, Preston Doerflinger: "Our situation is dire. I beg you to have an appreciation for the situation we have before us."
Mark my words, if the legislature doesn't do something to raise revenue (and a lot of it), it's going to get ugly. State agencies are already being asked to outline will happen if they get cut an another 15% next year. Cuts to education will be catastrophic for Oklahoma's education system; schools will close, students will drop out. Cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other safety net programs will have devastating effects for millions of Oklahomans. Oklahoma's roads and bridges are already some of the worst in the country, and failing to fund repairs will bring more potholes, more vehicle damage, and more bridge collapses.
Clearly the Oklahoma legislature doesn't get it, because we keep finding ourselves in this same position year after year after year. They've tried to "cut our way to prosperity;" that method hasn't worked. In fact, it's made things way worse. So, it's time for a different approach.
And that's why you must get involved.
I'm not being dramatic here. I'm trying to get you and all the other regular folks out there across the state to understand the gravity of the situation we're in. I need you to understand how serious this is so that you'll do something about it. And that something is to speak up, to communicate with your legislators however you can. Phone calls and emails are a great start, and they should be part of every citizen's efforts. But if you really want to make a difference, show up at your legislators' offices. Show up, meet with them face-to-face, and ask them what they're going to fix things. What solutions have they proposed? What solutions do they face? Stand there until they give you an answer. Tell them what ideas you support.
If you're not sure what revenue-boosting options the state has at their disposal, here's a great list. There's also a decent chance that your state legislators don't really know what options we have...which, again, is why we need to talk to them.
Saving the budget is not a partisan issue.
A sound and solid budget is required for the healthy functioning of our state, and there are TONS of things that pretty much everyone on both sides of the aisle agree on. Just off the top of my head, a quick list of some of those things that have broad, bipartisan support:
- Good public schools that are free for everyone
- Appropriate teacher pay
- Improving treatment for substance abuse and mental illness
- Healthcare and food assistance for the poor
- Reducing prison overcrowding
- Protecting consumers from skeezy business practices
- Clean air to breathe and water that is safe to drink
- Fixing bad roads and unsafe bridges
- Protecting children from being abused and neglected
- Making college more affordable
- Assessing taxes in a manner that is fair, equitable, and not overly burdensome
- Protecting the civil rights of all Oklahomans
I want those things, don't you? Doesn't everyone? I don't fully understand why the budget has become such a partisan issue, but I suspect it may have something to do with priorities. Not everyone at the state Capitol has the same priorities...and I suspect some legislators are prioritizing outside interests in order to protect their careers. I suspect that there are decisions being made to appease the voices at the Capitol who are the loudest, and sadly, it's not the voice of the people. Which brings me back to...
You. must. get. involved.
This is not optional. Seriously, you must get involved. I know a lot of people don't want to "be political." This isn't about being political; this is about being a good citizen. Heck, this is about being a good person. This is about caring for your neighbor who has cancer, this is about wanting your children or your grandchildren to be able to get a decent education, this is about helping the poor, the elderly, and the disabled. This is about living up to the Oklahoma Standard in our daily life, not just when there's an crisis. (Also, this is a crisis.)
Ok, ok, I get it. I'll get involved. But...how?
- Find out who your state legislators are. (Go here.)
- Decide what you want to say to them. (Use this.)
- Call or send them an email right now. (Here's a contact list.)
- Join us this Wednesday, March 22nd for our next Capitol Day.
- Can't make it this week? Plan ahead for April and May.
- Can't take off work? Come for a Capitol Crawl.
- Follow us on Twitter & Facebook for last-minute announcements and live coverage of our events.
- Vote in every single election you can. Sign up for TurboVote and/or register to vote by mail so you never miss another election.
Here's the thing: Whether or not you get involved, decisions about the budget will be made. And as we all know, decisions are made by those who show up. So if you want to have a say in them, you must get involved. I'm in this. I'm doing this, and so should you. Invite your BFF and come to our Capitol Day. I promise it'll be worthwhile.
See you then,
Andy
The Enemy of Our Time is Inaction
If you're like me, you spent the past weekend indoors, awaiting the arrival of an ice storm that [thankfully] didn't materialize for most of the state. And, if you're like me, that also means you spent most of your time eating, sleeping, and catching up on your Netflix queue. Or, to put it more succinctly, you were inactive.
If you're like me, you spent the past weekend indoors, awaiting the arrival of an ice storm that [thankfully] didn't materialize for most of the state. And, if you're like me, that also means you spent most of your time eating, sleeping, and catching up on your Netflix queue. Or, to put it more bluntly, you were inactive.
PHYSICAL INACTION
What happens to our body when we are physically inactive for too long? Nothing good, right? You get lazy, lethargic, fat, and flabby. You can't do all the things you used to. You start to see other things in your life slip, you feel uninspired, demoralized, and maybe even depressed. In some cases, you just give up and let the world pass you by.
I hate to break it to you, but the same thing happens when we become politically inactive. (Yes, I realize I'm making a connection between two things many people dislike: exercise and politics. But those are also two things we all know we need to be better about, right? Okay, so just hear me out...)
POLITICAL INACTION
What happens when you are politically inactive for too long? Again, nothing good. When we stop caring about what happens in our government, when we tune out and "let ourselves go," things have a way of just...getting worse over time. Slowly, at first, but then one day you wake up and realize that we, as a state, can't do all the things we used to. You look around and see that everything has begun to slip - teachers losing jobs, health outcomes in the toilet, roads crumbling as you drive. Your state is near the bottom in all the measures that people care about when they're looking for a place to raise their families. You find yourself whispering "Oh my gosh...what is going on with this place?" after nearly every news story. You feel helpless, demoralized, and probably even depressed. Political inaction means that we stand by, complacent in our negligence, as our state buckles under the weight of failed policy. And as you stand there, you realize that you have two options: give up and let Oklahoma continue to crumble, or decide to get involved and do something about it.
LET'S GET ACTIVE
We must be shapers of events, not observers, for if we do not act, the moment will pass, and we will lose the best possibilities of our future. We face no imminent threat, but we do have an enemy. The enemy of our time is inaction.
Those words, spoken 20 years ago by President Bill Clinton in his fourth State of the Union address, have never been more true than they are today, for you and I, right here in the great state of Oklahoma. It's up to us to make the brave, bold decision to become active participants in our state government. It's up to us to stop complaining online and get out there and act like we give a damn.
I challenge you to do just that - to do what very few of your fellow Oklahomans ever do - to voice your thoughts and your opinion directly to your legislators. I bet you didn't realize that it often only takes a few phone calls or emails to legislators to make a difference. The thing is, if you're not talking to them, someone else is - and that someone else is probably lobbyists and special interest groups. But who is more "special" than you, the voters? No one, but the public doesn't have a lobbyist. We just have ourselves.
A DAY AT THE CAPITOL FOR REGULAR FOLKS
Over the next few months we are hosting several events to help you (and all the other regular folks out there) share your thoughts with the elected officials at the Capitol, and we'd love for you to join us. These events are designed for people who have never been to the state Capitol before so that you feel comfortable, prepared, and maybe even a little excited.
February 9th we're having an Info & Training Session where we will talk about the state budget, other issues, and what to expect at the Capitol Day & Capitol Crawl (see below). Details will be posted to the event pages on our Facebook & website.
February 15th is two events:
First, it's our first Capitol Day of the 2017 legislative session. We'll meet at the Capitol in room 412-A at 9am to hear from a few legislators about why hearing from constituents is important and recommendations for how to have a successful Capitol visit. After that, we'll break out and do visit our legislators' offices. (Pro tip: We recommend that you call ahead and schedule an appointment to meet with your legislators on that day so that you can be sure to catch them in the office.) More details can be found on our Facebook event page as well as the event page on our website, so check back often for updates!
Second, it's our first Capitol Crawl of 2017. Following the Capitol Day, we will convene in several local restaurants, coffeeshops, and bars just down the street from the Capitol to meet, greet, and visit with legislators in a more relaxed environment. We had seven legislators participate in our first Crawl in December, and we look forward to having more at each one this spring. Details will be posted to our Facebook & website soon!
CAN'T MAKE IT?
If you can't make it to these events, don't worry - we're going to repeat the same format every month of the legislative session (February-May) as well as several impromptu events, so you'll have many more chances. Subscribe to our Facebook events page and sign up for our email list and you'll never miss an invite! Remember - decisions are made by those who show up.
Also, regardless of whether or not you can make it up to the Capitol in person, you can always call and email your representatives. You can find out who your House & Senate members are here, and we have a full list of all members' contact info available here.
Remember, they can't represent you effectively if you don't talk to them. This is how we do it. This is how we fix this.
Why We're Here
A few hours ago I watched President Obama deliver his farewell speech to the nation. It was a good speech - warm, reflective, inspiring. All the things you'd want an outgoing, two-term president's speech to be. After the speech I did some laundry and did some tidying up around the house, but I couldn't stop thinking about one passage of the speech that resonated with me so strongly that it kinda weirded me out.
A few hours ago I watched President Obama deliver his farewell speech to the nation. It was a good speech - warm, reflective, inspiring. All the things you'd want an outgoing, two-term president's speech to be. After the speech I did some laundry and did some tidying up around the house, but I couldn't stop thinking about one passage of the speech that resonated with me so strongly that it kinda weirded me out. Here's the passage:
If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the Internet, try talking with one of them in real life.
If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing.
If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clip board, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.
Show up, dive in, stay at it.
Sometimes you’ll win, sometimes you’ll lose. And more often than not, your faith in America and in Americans will be confirmed. Mine sure has been.
Did you catch that? Read the second sentence of the passage again:
If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing.
That is literally how Let's Fix This got started. I saw that something needed fixing, so I laced up my shoes (err...or created a Facebook event) and started organizing. You can imagine my surprise when the leader of the free world told the American people to do that very same thing.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
In the spring of 2016, the local media posted story after story about the state budget shortfall and it's ramifications on state services. The government had declared not one but two "revenue failures" which resulted in two across-the-board budget cuts to all state agencies. Teachers and child welfare workers lost their jobs, disabled people lost benefits, poor people lost health insurance coverage. It was bad news all around, and it was getting worse every day. Like most folks, I mostly just reposted news articles on Facebook and exclaimed "Somebody should fix this!"
Now, I need to admit to you that at the time, I had never contacted my state legislators. Not even once. I didn't even know who they were. I actually had a couple of friends who were in the legislature, but I hadn't even bothered to reach out to them about anything. Sure, I knew I was "supposed" to send emails and make phone calls, but I didn't think it would matter and somehow I continued to rationalize that I didn't have time to do that. (As if sending one more email is really going to throw my entire day off track. Sheesh.) I started joking to friends that we should do it better - rather than an email or phone call, we should just take the day off of work and go to the Capitol and have a face-to-face conversation with our legislators about these issues. After the fourth or fifth person responded with "Yes, we should do that. If you organize it, I'll go with you," I knew what I needed to do. It seemed increasingly clear that my exclamation needed to change from "Someone should fix this" to "Let's fix this," with the contracted "us" meaning all of us - you, me, and our state legislators. We're all in this together, and we needed (and still need) to fix some stuff with how our government runs.
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
On my closet door still hangs a giant, 3' x 2' Post-It note from our first group meeting, on which we brainstormed a list of who we are and what we do:
The starred items are what it all boils down to: We are regular people who promote civic engagement and provide education to the public (about governmental/political topics) and to the legislature (about how those issues actually affect Oklahomans in real life). We want to empower people to engage with their elected officials by helping them understand how easy it is to do (and how effective it actually can be!). And while we are also nonpartisan, we also want to encourage our state legislature to be less partisan as well. Many of the issues facing our state really aren't inherently partisan issues, or at least they shouldn't be. Both parties should properly funding support public education. Both parties should support ensuring that widows and orphans and vulnerable people are protected and cared for. Both parties should support managing our state's money in such a way that is beneficial to the most people, not just for the benefit of the rich. And don't forget - both parties need input from their constituents. We can't expect them to represent us accurately if we don't talk to them.
Let's be honest - we're all sick and tired of Oklahoma being last in everything, right? Well, I hate to break it to you, but getting better is going to take work, and it's going to require all of us working together to get there. You don't magically lose a bunch of weight by yelling on Facebook that "someone" needs to exercise - you actually have to do some work. (You also don't lose weight by simply pointing out that someone else is overweight, but that's the sort of non-working, painfully partisan, mud-slinging that we've gotten mired in.)
WHAT'S NEXT?
You've got to do something, and I think you should make plans right now that you are going to be involved this legislative session. We want to make it super easy for you. Here's a quick to-do list to help:
1. Find out who your legislators are.
2. Call them or email them. It only takes 2 minutes, I promise. (Pro tip: Write out what you want to say to them before you call. You can use this form we created to help you find your words.
3. Make plans to join us for one or more of our monthly Capitol Days. If you can, request off of work so you can really have a chance to experience and understand what happens at the Capitol. As an added bonus, in the evening following each Capitol Day we will have what we call a Capitol Crawl, where members of the legislature actually come hang out with us at nearby restaurants and bars. It's a really great opportunity to talk with them about issues in an environment that's not so...governmenty." [Web | Facebook]
3a. Pro tip: if you plan to visit your representative and/or senator in person during a Capitol Day event, it's usually advisable to call ahead and make an appointment with them.
4. Invite a friend or two (or twenty) to come with you. It's always less intimidating - and way more fun - when you have a friend with you. If they don't live in the same district as you, even better - you can go to each other's
5. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter so you can stay in the loop.
IN CLOSING
I started this post with a quote from Obama's speech, so in the spirit of bipartisanship, I'll end with a quote from the farewell speech of his predecessor, George W. Bush:
President Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." As I leave the house he occupied two centuries ago, I share that optimism. America is a young country, full of vitality, constantly growing and renewing itself. And even in the toughest times, we lift our eyes to the broad horizon ahead.
Oklahoma may be facing some tough times, but I, too, share in our past presidents' optimism about the future. We can do this, you guys. We can totally do this.
Knowing Your Limits
Several months ago Together Oklahoma invited me to write a blog about the importance of self care for advocates, and at the time I eagerly agreed. We had just finished the 2016 state legislative session and everyone was exhausted, including myself. I knew I had done a terrible job at self care - Let's Fix This began more-or-less on accident and blossomed more quickly than I had ever imagined. In response, I gave it my all without consideration for what it would mean for my physical or mental health. By the time the legislature proclaimed sine die near the end of May, I had a full-blown sinus infection, middle school-grade acne, and a sleep debt that could only be counted on both hands and feet. I was the poster child for "How not to take care of yourself."
Several months ago Together Oklahoma invited me to write a blog about the importance of self care for advocates, and at the time I eagerly agreed. We had just finished the 2016 state legislative session and everyone was exhausted, including myself. I knew I had done a terrible job at self care - Let's Fix This began more-or-less on accident and blossomed more quickly than I had ever imagined. In response, I gave it my all without consideration for what it would mean for my physical or mental health. By the time the legislature proclaimed sine die near the end of May, I had a full-blown sinus infection, middle school-grade acne, and a sleep debt that could only be counted on both hands and feet. I was the poster child for "How not to take care of yourself."
Here's the deal: If we're honest with ourselves, we really do know our own limits - we just choose to ignore them and rationalize that whatever it is we're doing is more important, thereby justifying our self neglect for the sake of the greater good. Friends, I'm here to tell you that nobody believes that lie. Not your friends, not your family, not your own flesh. Burning the candle at both ends means you run out of light more quickly, and that doesn't help the cause whatsoever. What we all do believe is that taking care of yourself is not just advisable, it is downright necessary. There are dozens of TED talks that document it and articles that explain how to do it. Heck, the University of Buffalo School of Social Work even has a free, online Self-Care Starter Kit that you can use (and you should).
Some of you may know that my background is actually in mental health, not politics. (Hence the emphasis on the "regular people" theme with LFT.) I've been a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) for nearly 10 years, and during that time I've treated hundreds of people for a wide range of issues, including the ever-popular: "Trying to do too much stuff all at once" phenomenon. It's an increasingly common ailment in today's busier-than-thou world: we try to be everything to everyone, all the time. Our society values busyness and stress; we measure others' worth by how many hats they wear, on how many boards they serve, and on their ability to be seen at all the important events in town. And we fail, miserably, all the time.
We fail because that's not the way it should be. I confess that I'm absolutely guilty of perpetually overextending myself. For example, in addition to running Let's Fix This, I'm a single father, I have a demanding full-time job, and I'm also pursuing my MBA at the OU Price College of Business. I try to rationalize all these things by saying that LFT was an accident, school won't last forever, and someday I'll have an amazing job that allows me the freedom and flexibility to take breaks and vacations whenever I want while also saving the world during the work week. That's a lie, and both you and I know it.
HOMEWORK
So here's my challenge to you: Do less stuff. I mean it. Say "no" more often. You know your limits, and you need to adhere to them. Choose one night each week to spend with your favorite person, whether that is your spouse, significant other, BFF, child, grandparent, whomever - just make it happen. (On a related note, go visit your grandparents. My grandma lives 10 minutes away and I'm terrible about this, but I'm pledging right now, publicly, that I am committed to improving that.) I promise you, it's much easier to stick to a plan that you've made in advance than it is to try to simply "wing it" each week.
I promise you - once you've said "no" to a few things, you'll start to understand (and appreciate) the value in doing so. Freeing up one or two nights a week means you can spend more time with the person(s) that matter most to you...and that can most certainly include you. There is no shame in unplugging and choosing to be alone for a bit. Whether you want to exercise, sew, take a bath, read a book, watch a movie, play video games, etc., the point is, doing something for yourself that takes your mind off of work (or "work") will invariably make you feel better and make you more productive once you return.
Promoting Public Comment
You know how most city council meetings have an item on the agenda for "public comment?" That's the time when they allow residents to get up and share their opinion/perspective on a given issue. Pretty cool, right? Our city government actually setting aside time to hear from the public on matters that will affect them. Well, our state government doesn't really do that. Currently there isn't a provision in the state legislature's operating procedures that allow for public comment during committee hearings.
You know how most city council meetings have an item on the agenda for "public comment?" That's the time when they allow residents to get up and share their opinion/perspective on a given issue. In most every city council meeting, you can show up, sign in, and be granted a few minutes to speak on the topic at hand. Pretty cool, right? Our city government actually setting aside time to hear from the public on matters that will affect them.
Well, our state government doesn't really do that. There isn't a provision in the state legislature's operating procedures that allows for public comment during committee hearings. The committee chair can invite individuals to share their thoughts on the subject, but there isn't a dedicated time for public comment on the agenda.
But what if there was?
What if there was an easier way for the public to share our thoughts and opinions directly to the state House & Senate committees regarding the bills they're reviewing? Many other states do this already. Some states allow comments in person while others have an online tool, but either way the public comments are heard. The comments of the people, both in favor and against, would be part of the history of that legislation.
We think that'd be great, and here's what we're doing about it.
We've drafted a letter to all committee chairs requesting that they schedule a short period of time - even just 10 minutes - for public comment during each committee meeting. We're asking other organizations, elected officials, and constituents who think this is a good and worthy idea to add their names to the letter.
If this is something you support - this crazy idea that maybe the public should be able to share our opinion about legislation directly to the committees that are voting on it - please complete the form below to add your name to the list!
Signatories
Organizations
- Amnesty OKC
- CAIR Oklahoma
- OKC AIDS Coalition
- Generation Citizen Oklahoma
- Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice
- Oklahoma Parents & Educators for Public Education
- Oklahoma Policy Institute
- Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes
Legislators
- Representative Jason Dunnington
- Representative Cyndi Munson
- Senator David Holt
Plus more than 100 individual registered voters!
The Plan for 2017
Wow, what a year it's been! It's hard to imagine that it was just 8 months ago I created a Facebook event and invited a bunch of people to join me at the Capitol to talk to our lawmakers about the dire situation in which we found ourselves. That event exceed my wildest expectations and it was clear that the public was thirsty for way to be involved, so we held another event, and then another, and then another. Since April, we've mobilized thousands of Oklahomans - most of them just regular folks who, like me, had never done anything political in their lives. We've worked hard to create opportunities for people to engage with their government in meaningful ways. We've fostered conversations between the public and their legislators wherever we can - at the Capitol, on social media, at restaurants, and even in bars. And that was just the first year!
Wow, what a year it's been! It's hard to imagine that it was just 8 months ago I created a Facebook event and invited a bunch of people to join me at the Capitol to talk to our lawmakers about the dire situation in which we found ourselves. That event exceed my wildest expectations and it was clear that the public was thirsty for way to be involved, so we held another event, and then another, and then another. Since April, we've mobilized thousands of Oklahomans - most of them just regular folks who, like me, had never done anything political in their lives. We've worked hard to create opportunities for people to engage with their government in meaningful ways. We've fostered conversations between the public and their legislators wherever we can - at the Capitol, on social media, at restaurants, and even in bars. And that was just the first year!
Where does that leave us for 2017, you ask? Well, we've been busy making plans and putting things into motion. Here's a quick preview of what we have scheduled right now, and we will be rolling out more content every week for the next several months:
Staying true to our roots, we will be holding "Capitol Day" every month while the legislature is in session where people can come meet with their legislators and get some information and training from us.
We're also going to have a "Capitol Crawl" each month as well (usually the same days that we're at the Capitol), where representatives, senators, and city leaders come out of their offices and interact with the public in places where we "regular folks" feel more comfortable - namely the restaurants, coffee shops, and bars of our communities.
In the final days of the legislative session, it's almost inevitable that the House and/or Senate will have some long floor debates that extend into late night hours, sometimes as late as 9pm, 10pm, or even midnight. During these late night sessions, the legislature often debates very important bills, including the state budget, and they occur long after the public and news crews have gone home. So, this year we're going to make sure that they know we're paying attention, regardless of what time it is, and we're going to gather outside the chambers and continue to have face-to-face conversations with legislators. Can't make it that late? You can still participate by communicating with your legislators via social media while they're in session.
(Because of the unpredictable nature of these events, be sure you're following us on Twitter & Facebook so you can catch the announcements.)
Feeling unprepared for all of that? Don't worry - we'll get you ready. We understand that going to the Capitol to talk to legislators can be kind of intimidating, but it's a lot easier if you feel confident in what you're going to say before you go. Most people can identify a problem, but when it comes time to suggest a solution, sometimes folks lock up and shut down. So, we're going to be hosting Info & Training Sessions in the community and online where you can learn how to be a better advocate for yourself. We'll also post tools and resources to our website that you can print off at home and practice before you go.
Remember, we're all in this together. Oklahomans have always relied on one another to survive. We believe that the "Oklahoma Standard" should be a way of life, not just something that happens when there's a traumatic event or natural disaster. That standard - the desire to help our neighbors, a respect for others, a willingness to seek solutions in order to overcome big challenges - should be the basis for our society and for our government. The public is sick of the bickering and partisan politics, which is why we are nonpartisan and why we actively promote transparency and civil discourse between parties. We applaud those (in the community and in the legislature) who actively reach out to those who may see the world differently so that they can learn to see from another perspective. Whether that's across the aisle, across town, or across the state, we must work together to fix this place.
We look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new people at each event this year. If you've attended LFT events in the past and plan to come again this year, please invite someone to come with you. It could be your friend, your neighbor, your coworker, or that person who posts political rants on Facebook all day. Tell them to put their words into action, just like you're doing. You don't even have to agree on issues or be of the same political party - just get them to come and participate in something bigger than themselves and see what it's like. Heck, bring them to a Capitol Crawl and let's have a beer or share some cheese fries or something. We all want Oklahoma to be better, right? Great, so let's stand on that common ground and work toward solutions together.
Counting Every Penny
The Oklahoman recently published an editorial written by Oklahoma House of Representatives Speaker-elect Charles McCall (R-Atoka), in which he states that before the legislative sessions starts in February, the House will hold budget hearings for the top five appropriated state agencies. (He doesn't mention which agencies, but they are Education, Health, Human Services, Public Safety, and Transportation.)
The Oklahoman recently published an editorial written by Oklahoma House of Representatives Speaker-elect Charles McCall (R-Atoka), in which he states that before the legislative sessions starts in February, the House will hold budget hearings for the top five appropriated state agencies. (He doesn't mention which agencies, but they are Education, Health, Human Services, Public Safety, and Transportation.) McCall also appears to want these hearings to be group participation activities, stating:
These hearings will take place in the House chamber, allowing every member of the House to attend and ask questions. In addition, the public will be encouraged to attend. When hearings are scheduled, a meeting notice with the date and time will be added to the House website at www.okhouse.gov.
Now, we're big supporters of public involvement and we certainly believe that the state budget deserves a close examination every year, but we're rather disappointed that these hearings are only looking at spending and, yet again, ignoring income. His decision to examine appropriations to five state agencies completely ignores (and arguably distracts from) the fact our state doesn't have a spending problem, we have a revenue problem. Everyone wants a larger piece of the pie, and rather than trying to slice it differently, we need to be looking at how to make the entire pie larger.
{ Hey look, the proportions are the same AND all the slices got bigger! }
McCall's analogy of the legislature deciding about funding agencies like a mother who is forced to choose between buying healthy vegetables or face another week of PB&J sandwiches is not just overly simplistic (and sexist), it completely disregards any consideration of how much money is coming into the household and what other non-food expenses the woman may have. To better reflect the reality of how our legislature handles Oklahoma's budget, perhaps we should compare it to a man who complains he doesn't have enough money because he refuses to go pick up his paycheck from his employer (and then keeps spending what little money he does have on beef jerky and orange soda).
If Oklahoma is going to experience growth and prosperity, we have got to talk about taxes. The only source of income our government has is from taxes, and yet some of the good folks at 23rd & Lincoln still believe that we can cut taxes year after year and somehow have more money. Think about that for a second - if someone said to you "If I give you less money, you'll actually have more money," you'd say they were delusional. It's not getting any cheaper to operate this state - the cost of everything has gone up. Roads, healthcare, pensions, copy paper, Capitol repairs - all these things cost money, and a million dollars doesn't buy as much as it did 10 years ago. (There are 50,000 more students in Oklahoma schools than there were in 2008, but we're spending $175 million less on education. How is that a good idea?)
Listen, I don't want to pay any more taxes than you do, but I'm okay with paying my fair share. And based on the conversations I've had with friends, family, and folks at the Capitol, it seems like most people agree. Most folks think that corporations should pay their fair share, too. People should be rewarded for doing a good job, but let's not go overboard. Call me crazy, but maybe companies shouldn't receive millions in tax credits and incentives even when they're making hundreds of millions in profits.
So, what can you do? First of all, talk to your state representatives and senators. They need (and want) to hear from you. Ask them questions like:
- "Will you move to stop future income tax cuts until the state economy has time to fully recover?
- "Why does Oklahoma have the lowest gross production tax rate in the country? Will you propose restoring the gross production tax rate to 7 percent?"
- "Why do we give money to energy companies for wells that don't produce anything?"
- "Did you know that nearly 1 in 4 children in Oklahoma live in poverty? What are you doing to reduce the gap between rich and poor Oklahomans?"
- "What are you doing to ensure that schools in my district have enough money to provide my children with the education and experience they deserve?"
- "Will you stand up for what is right for Oklahoma, even if your party's leadership asks you to vote otherwise?"
- "What's your favorite kind of cookie?"
(Throw that last one in there just to mess with them...and also as a reminder that they're people, too, who also pay taxes and have families and have to live in this state with us. Plus it's helpful to know what kind of cookie to send them as a thank-you for standing up for what's right, even when that's politically unpopular.)
Once they announce the date(s) of the budget hearings, we'll share the information on Facebook and Twitter.
Wrap-Up: Hall & Oaths and Capitol Crawl
Last week we hosted our first events of the 2017 Oklahoma legislative season - Hall & Oaths and the inaugural Capitol Crawl. Both of these events were timed to coincide with the swearing-in ceremonies of the 56th Legislature, which more-or-less marks the first "official" day for the 43 new members of the legislature.
Last week we hosted our first events of the 2017 Oklahoma legislative season - Hall & Oaths and the inaugural Capitol Crawl. Both of these events were timed to coincide with the swearing-in ceremonies of the 56th Legislature, which more-or-less marks the first "official" day for the 43 new members of the legislature.
Hall & Oaths
The purpose of Hall & Oaths was to get people to do something rather unusual: go to the state Capitol, watch the legislature take their oath of office, and actually have face-to-face conversations with them. What better way to welcome state representatives and senators to the job than to show up, wear buttons, and start the discussion. These folks ran for office because they want to make a difference in our state, so we wanted to tell them what issues are most important to we, the people of Oklahoma.
As it turns out, the general public rarely attends the swearing-in ceremonies, so our presence there was highly unusual. Multiple people commented that they have never seen a crowd so large for these events. There were people sporting red Let's Fix This buttons throughout the Capitol - in the halls, in galleries, in legislators' offices.
We estimate there were 75 to 100 people attending LFT throughout the day, and among our group were teachers, parents, healthcare workers, blue collar workers, white collar professionals, retired adults, newborn babies - the whole gamut. I'm proud to say that our group proudly represented the diversity of our state. The media took notice as well, with the following comprehensive reports from OETA, NonDoc, and the Red Dirt Report:
Capitol Crawl
While the purpose of Hall & Oaths was to the bring the people to the Capitol, the purpose of the Capitol Crawl was to bring the Capitol to the people. We decided to hold the event in the Uptown 23rd district, in shadow of the Capitol itself. The crawl began at 6:00pm at Guyutes with around 35 people (including four legislators) and then moved to The Pump Bar, where we joined up with more people (and another legislator). You could feel the momentum and excitement growing with each stop along the route.
By the time the full group reached the Rockford Cocktail Den around 8:30pm, we numbered more than 150 and had strangers asking "What's going on?" followed by "Oh wow, this is really cool!"
Here's the thing: it really was cool. People were introducing themselves to legislators and asking them real questions, like "What's your stance on school vouchers?" and "What are you going to do about mental health funding?" Furthermore, the legislators were also introducing themselves to constituents, asking where they lived, who their representatives are, and finding out what issues are important to them.
We [the public] hold onto this notion that legislature doesn't care about us, and I understand why. We want to change that perception, and, to the extent that it exists, we want to change that reality. I also have a hunch that many in the legislature feel like the public doesn't care about what they do, because we don't act like we care. Low voter turnout and very little interaction with the folks at the Capitol mean they have to govern in a vacuum. They can't represent you if you never talk to them. Even if you didn't vote for them, they still represent you.
It's not hard. We did it, and on pretty short notice, too. All you have to do is call your legislator and invite them. Or even tweet at them, like one of our board members did:
Altogether we had over 200 people - including seven legislators - who were able to come to our first Capitol Crawl. We look forward to many more constituents, many more legislators, and many more conversations at our next one in February. And we hope that more people feel like this attendee: