Podcast Ep. 48 | Words Have Meaning (with Daniela Busciglio)
Summary
We're joined by academic linguist and political consultant Daniela Busciglio with DFB Consulting to discuss why words matter and how advocates can use science to help us get our point across more effectively.
Links
During the episode we discussed author George Lakoff, the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI), and Daniela mentioned her upcoming training event, which is linked below.
Take-Aways
Daniela explained that messaging has less to do with what you're saying and more to do with how you say it. Facts and figures are helpful for shaping actual policy, but in order to win over the person to whom you're speaking, emotion - especially authentic emotion - is more important. Choose your words carefully, consider how they will be received by the listener, and make sure that you're connecting with them on a human level.
This makes sense with what we've already learned (and shared with you) about how to talk to legislators. Remember that they're just regular people, too, and as such, they are just as easily impacted by genuine, emotional stories that help them connect policy with people. As Daniela said during this interview, it's not enough to just say you support an issue in the abstract. You need to be very specific in what you support and why you support it.
So, rather than saying to your legislators "I care about education and want it to be fully funded," you could say "I'm a mother of two kids in public school, and I'm worried about the quality of the education they're getting. Because of years of cuts to their school's budget, my son has 28 kids in his kindergarten class, and my daughter has 33 in her second grade class. They tell me stories about how loud it is and how they don't have enough books for everyone."
Podcast Ep. 47 | Post-mortem with Senator AJ Griffin
Summary
This week's episode is just a round-up of three quick articles and then a fantastic interview with outgoing state Senator AJ Griffin.
Podcast Ep. 46 | You're in charge while I'm gone (feat. Dana Murphy & Matt Pinnell)
Summary
As the primary run-off nears, we're joined by Republican candidates for Lt. Governor, Dana Murphy and Matt Pinnell, to discuss their perspectives on what that position actually does and their plan for it, should they be elected. Listen below:
Articles Discussed
OKC's development has raised new questions about local homeless
OKC eviction rate is "20th worst" in nation, new program gives free legal help to tenants
Board of Health approves latest, revised medical marijuana rules
Event Reminders
Aug 21: Primary run-off debates for Corporation Commissioner
Aug 24: Primary run-off debate between GOP candidates for State Superintendent of Education
Question of the Week
It was announced this week that SQ798, which would amend the state constitution to allow the Governor and Lt. Governor to run as a single ticket (like the President/Vice President) beginning in 2026. Do you feel this is a good, bad, or something else? Let us know via email or Twitter!
Take-aways
These candidates bring very different skill sets and experiences to the race:
Dana Murphy is from a rural area and has been a Corporation Commissioner for 10 years, working directly with the legislature and other state leaders.
Matt Pinnell is from the Tulsa area and is a small business owner, but has worked for the Republican party at both the state and national level.
We'll let yo u listen to both interviews and form your own opinions on the candidates' positions.
Reminder that these are just the candidates in the Republican primary run-off for this position. We hope to have the Democratic nominee, Anastasia Pittman, join us on the podcast soon so that you can hear her thoughts on these same questions.
Podcast Ep. 45 | Carpathians, Kardashians, and Cardassians
News Round-Up
For recreational marijuana in Oklahoma, November vote might be too early
New Energy Index indicates continued strong growth for Oklahoma oil and gas industry
Take-Aways
First of all, you probably should know the difference between Carpathians, Kardashians, and Cardassians.
And here's the article we discussed about the actor who played Vigo the Carpathian in Ghostbusters 2.
Despite the behavior of some of the folks at the top, most rank-and-file employees at the Oklahoma State Department of Health do really great (and important) work. During this episode we mentioned that Oklahoma has a high teen birth rate as well as high rates of STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. To help reduce all those things, OSDH is now able to distribute free condoms to organizations who request them, and all you have to do to request them is send them an email.
Beyond that, this week was primarily a discussion of the articles listed above.
Oh, and we announced our Let's Fix This Election Watch Party on November 6th! Details are on our website and our Facebook page.
Podcast Ep. 44 | Reefer Madness Continues, plus an interview with state auditor Gary Jones
Summary
We discuss the bizarre things that happened this week in Oklahoma's medical marijuana saga, and then we speak with State Auditor Gary Jones to learn about the role of that position in our state government. At the end, a surprise edition of Pruitt Watch!
News Round-Up
- SQ 788 lawsuits to follow district court path
- Medical marijuana rule changes clearly the result of lobbying effort
- Investigators accuse former health department lawyer of emailing herself threats over medical marijuana
- Ethics Commission And Gov. Fallin Will Square Off In Court Over Funding
- Oklahoma Women Find Common Ground In Unease With Political Parties And Education Issues
- With Low Turnout, Should Oklahoma Kill the Primary Runoff?
Take-Aways
- Let's start with our ongoing timeline of events related to SQ788, as we now know them:
- June 26: The measure passed with 57% of the vote. Subsequently, the State Board of Health published and began accepting public comments on a set of proposed rules to guide the medical marijuana industry.
- July 7: Julie Ezell, general counsel for the State Department of Health, has a text message conversation with Chelsea Church, who is the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Board of Pharmacy, in which it appears that Church offered Ezell a higher-paying job at the Board of Pharmacy if Ezell would recommend a rule that all medical marijuana dispensaries must be managed by an in-house pharmacist. (The public would not learn of these messages until July 19th.)
- July 8: Julie Ezell creates an email account made to look like a pro-medical marijuana activist and begins emailing fake threats to herself.
- July 10: Board of Health meeting, passes previously-discussed rules along with two additional, previously unannounced rules: (1) ban smokable marijuana and (2) require a pharmacist to be on-site at every dispensary. Both of these motions passed on a 5-4 vote. During the meeting, Ezell told the board that she did not believe those rules were legal and advised against passage.
- July 11: Governor Fallin approved the rules as they were passed.
- July 12: Speaker McCall and Pro Tem Treat issued joint statement saying they would establish a "working group" of legislators next month to look at the issues. House Democrats call for special session to address the issues.
- July 13: Two lawsuits filed against the Governor, legislature, and Board of Health, alleging that the five members of the BoH had a secret meeting prior to the full board meeting, which was in violation of the Open Meeting Act. Julie Ezell resigns as general counsel for OSDH, but that is not made public until July 17th.
- July 16: Attorney General Mike Hunter announces his office will review the rules passed by the Board of Health.
- July 17: It is publicly announced that Julie Ezell resigned. It is also made publicly known that she is charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor related to her fake emails and reporting false threats.
- July 18: Attorney General Mike Hunter advises the Board of Health to amend the rules they passed on July 10th.
- July 19: NonDoc publishes texts messages between Ezell and Church. Senate Democrats call for a special session to address the medical marijuana issue.
- Interview with State Auditor & Inspector Gary Jones:
- Jones shared lots of insights into what the State Auditor does, how his office responds to requests for audits, the state of the state economy, and, of course, the ongoing debacle at the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
- Pruitt Watch - A court has blocked Scott Pruitt's final act as head of the EPA. Still making news, even though after he resigned.
Closing
- There are still slots available for our August 10th tour of the Capitol Restoration Project. Tickets are free, just sign up online.
- Want to sponsor the podcast or support Let's Fix This in general? Great, follow those links and do it!
Join the LFT Board of Directors
This past Saturday was our annual board retreat, and it was fantastic. Staged in Verbode's beautiful downtown office space, we began the day with a recap of the past year and then moved into our strategy session. Tons of great ideas about how we act our our mission - educating and equipping Oklahomans to engage with their government.
As we worked to identify our target audience, someone used the term "politically curious," and it was like mental lightbulbs went on throughout the room. That term describes most of our board when we started this organization - people who were not particularly involved in politics, but who were curious about it. We saw that things were a mess, and at a time when some people were tuning out from the news at the State Capitol, we couldn't help but tune in.
As we move into our second full year as a "real" nonprofit organization, we are seeking to fill a few spots on our board. If you're interested in joining, submit your application between now and 7/31. The board plans to review the applications and make decisions at our August meeting.
Podcast: A Doctor, a Lawyer, and a Therapist Walk Into a Bar
Summary
In this episode, Scott (a doctor) and Andy (a therapist) have an unusually candid discussion about SQ788 (medical marijuana), ridiculous voter outrage, and how the issue is playing out in Oklahoma. (The lawyer couldn't make it.) Also, a brief "Pruitt Watch" segment.
News Round-Up
- Rule Change Conceals Statewide Candidates’ Personal Finances
- Coalition pushes changes to Oklahoma medical marijuana law
- Recreational Marijuana Petition Halfway Toward Goal
- Scott Pruitt, Fallen E.P.A. Chief, May Rise Again in Oklahom
Take-aways
- Quick recap of SQ788:
- On June 26th, the measure passed with 57% of the vote.
- Governor Fallin initially said she'd likely call a special session to deal with the issue, but then backed off and said she would not call it, leaving it up to the State Board of Health.
- The State Board of Health published a set of proposed rules to guide the medical marijuana industry and accepted public comment on those rules.
- Then, during the BoH meeting, there were motions to recommend two additional, previously unannounced rules: (1) ban smokable marijuana and (2) require a pharmacist to be on-site at every dispensary. Both motions passed on a 5-4 vote, and Governor Fallin approved the rules the very next day.
- Big public outcry, as you might expect.
- Speaker McCall and Pro Tem Treat issued joint statement saying they would establish a "working group" of legislators next month to look at the issues.
- On 7/13, two lawsuits were filed against the Governor, legislature, and Board of Health, alleging that the five members of the BoH had a secret meeting prior to the full board meeting, which was in violation of the Open Meetings Act.
- During the episode, Scott speaks from his personal perspective and that of a medical doctor; Andy speaks from his personal perspective. Andy argues that the some of the issues that upset supporters are misguided and distract from the larger, more pressing legal issues. Scott argues that the rules attempt to treat medical marijuana like an actual medication and people don't like that. Both Andy & Scott agree that the real issue is that SQ788 supporters actually want full recreational marijuana and therein lies the rub.
- Pruitt Watch - Have we seen the last of Scott Pruitt in politics? (Spoiler: probably not.)
Closing
- There are still slots available for our August 10th tour of the Capitol Restoration Project. Tickets are free, just sign up online.
- Want to sponsor the podcast or support Let's Fix This in general? Great, follow those links and do it!
Preparing for the Primaries
We believe that there should be more to political campaigns than commercials, mailers, and knocking doors. In particular, we believe that those who seek statewide office should be required to stand on a stage with their opponents and in front of a audience of voters and answer questions about specific issues that they will face if they are elected.
We believe that there should be more to political campaigns than commercials, mailers, and knocking doors. In particular, we believe that those who seek statewide office should be required to stand on a stage with their opponents and in front of a audience of voters and answer questions about specific issues that they will face if they are elected.
And so, over the last couple of weeks, we partnered with other nonpartisan organizations such as NonDoc, Generation Citizen, Women Lead, Freedom Oklahoma, and Folded Owl to host several debates between candidates for some of the statewide elected positions.
Since this was in preparation for the primary election, the debates were segmented by the respective parties. Links to summaries of each debate are included below, along with the video from the event so you can watch it yourself. (Apologies in advance for the Republican Labor Commissioner debate video - it was our first one, and we had some kinks to work out, so you'll have to go to Facebook in order to watch it.)
Labor Commissioner
Auditor & Inspector General
- Republican candidates: Summary (Video is below)
- Democratic candidates: There are no Democratic candidates for this position.
- Libertarian candidates: There is one Libertarian candidates, so he automatically advances to the general election in November.
Attorney General
- Republican candidates: Summary (Video is below)
- Democratic candidates: There is only one Democratic candidates, so he automatically advances to the general election in November.
Debate Videos
Labor Commissioner: Republican Candidates
Labor Commissioner: Democratic Candidates
Auditor & Inspector General
Attorney General
2018 Session: Week 4 Recap
Hey everyone! It was a busy week at the Capitol with a packed schedule of committee meetings, floor votes and wrapping up business from the Second Extraordinary Session. Thursday was the deadline for bills to get out of committee in the chamber of origin. Read more...
Hey everyone! It was a busy week at the Capitol with a packed schedule of committee meetings, floor votes and wrapping up business from the Second Extraordinary Session. Thursday was the deadline for bills to get out of committee in the chamber of origin. So, for the most part, any bill that failed to get of committee this week is dead and will not be heard again this session. The next step for bills that did make it out of committee is to be passed off the floor. So, look for more floor activity in the weeks ahead. The biggest news of the week was Governor Fallin signing HB1020XX; this is the final budget bill of FY17-18 and enacts 0.667% cuts across all state agencies. Combined with the Senate’s passage of the emergency appropriations bill for medical education (HB1022XX), and caps on coal tax credits and railroad rehab credits (HB 1034XX and HB1036XX), the signage of HB1020XX should signal the end of the second special session.
Don’t Miss This
Here is a list of the the articles, podcasts, blog posts and more from this week that you don’t want to miss:
- First up this week is great piece from The Journal Record that summarizes a number of Senate Joint Resolutions introduced this week. If passed, these would create ballot initiatives amending the Oklahoma Constitution in a number of ways. This is definitely worth your time. Full disclosure, The Journal Record does have a paywall, so the article cannot be accessed without a subscription. The Journal Record really does a fantastic job covering local business and politics; in our opinion, a subscription is worth the money.
- Our friends at NonDoc have this editorial discussing the possibility of a teacher’s strike. The article really does a great job of explaining why teachers in our state feel that a work stoppage is their only recourse, as well as exploring the potential effects and ramifications.
- Gun laws are a hot topic at both the local and federal level right now, and Oklahoma Watch has put together a Q&A that summarizes all of our local laws that regulate who can carry what kind of gun and where. No matter where you fall on the gun debate, this is good information.
- Oklahoma is making news nationally this week and for a couple of different issues. The Seattle Times has an update on the tracking device scandal in which Rep. Mark McBride has been a victim. The trail of who is responsible now leads to Texas and a political operative known as Dr. Dirt. This is a Scandal episode in the making.
- Lastly, The Kansas City Star discusses laws making their way through both the Oklahoma and Florida legislatures that would require the display of the national motto, “In God We Trust” in all public school classrooms. The bill does require that the display either be donated or paid for with private funds rather than using taxpayer dollars.
Legislative Recap
As we noted above, this was a busy week at the Capitol. We expect that this week the Legislature will declare Sine Die on the second special session and turn their attention towards the remainder of the regular session. Given the recent budget woes faced by our state, it seems like the folks at 23rd and Lincoln might want to focus on the the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, as the recent revenue certification by the Board of Equalization anticipates a budget hole of $167.8 million for the upcoming fiscal year. So far though, it looks like budget concerns may again be pushed to the last few days and weeks of session.
Several health care related bills were heard in committee this week. Most notable to us were SB1120 and SB1123, both authored by Sen. Yen. SB1120 anticipates the passage of State Question 788 in June and significantly pares down resultant medical marijuana laws, placing limits on the medical conditions for which it can be prescribed. The bill passed committee on a vote of 6-5. SB1123 alters the circumstances under which parents can claim and exemption to mandatory vaccinations and limits it to medical exemptions only. The bill failed in committee on a vote of 3-8. Two bills that would significantly alter Oklahoma’s Medicaid program passed out of committee this week as well. HB3556 would institute a work requirement for the Medicaid program while SB1030 significantly lowers the income threshold at which individuals and families qualify for Medicaid coverage. The folks at Oklahoma Policy Institute contend that both bills would result in a loss of coverage for a significant portion of Oklahoma’s Medicaid recipients. Despite the fact that both bills passed out of the committee, we’re hearing that neither of them are likely to run the gauntlet of the Legislature and ultimately be passed into law.
A number of bills concerning firearms were heard by the House Public Safety committee this week. All sponsored by Rep. Coody, HB 2918, HB 2951, and HB 3192 all passed out of committee. HB 2918 allows for the carrying of concealed or unconcealed weapons on personal property as long as permission has been obtained. HB2951, so-called “Constitutional Carry”, allows the carrying of handguns without licensure or training. Finally, HB 3192 allows school boards to designate personnel who can carry weapons on campus. Similar to the bills changing Medicaid eligibility, we’re hearing at these measures likely don’t have a future.
One other development this week was the passage of SB1086 from the full Senate Committee on Appropriations and Budget. SB1086 repeals the capital gains deduction, a tax break that is estimated to cost the state around $100 million annually.
Next Week…
Well, that wraps up our recap of a whirlwind week. Be sure to tune in to #LetsPodThis next week and check the blog for our recap and analysis, and remember:
Decisions are made by those who show up.
2018 Session: Week 3 Recap
Hey guys! Welcome back - this will be a short post as the weather made for a short legislative week. The House met only on Monday and Tuesday while the Senate met briefly on Wednesday. All legislative offices were closed on Thursday with no floor or committee activity. That also meant our first Capitol Day of the year was canceled. Don’t worry though, we have several more coming upand we’d love to see you there. Also, be sure to catch up with us on Let’s Pod This - next week should be a busy one!
Hey guys! Welcome back - this will be a short post as the weather made for a short legislative week. The House met only on Monday and Tuesday while the Senate met briefly on Wednesday. All legislative offices were closed on Thursday with no floor or committee activity. That also meant our first Capitol Day of the year was canceled. Don’t worry though, we have several more coming up and we’d love to see you there. Also, be sure to catch up with us on Let’s Pod This - next week should be a busy one!
Don’t Miss This
There is so much news and noise being created these days it can be hard to know where to look for good information. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here is a list of the the articles, podcasts, blog posts and more from this week that you don’t want to miss.
We’re going to start this week with a commentary from Otis White of Civic Strategies in Governing. The piece wasn't written for Oklahoma specifically but it sure feels like it could have been. White contends state governments that find themselves facing crises of funding or gridlock could learn a lot from the way municipal governments have been handling these problems for the last twenty or thirty years. We agree.
While most of the focus on new revenue has been on raising taxes, another avenue is the creation of new jobs and industries that pay into the existing tax structure. NonDoc takes a look at HB2913, which creates a pilot program for industrial hemp. The authors think could lead to a whole new division of Oklahoma’s agriculture sector (and thereby add some much-needed diversification to our state's economy).
What would happen if all our teachers just decided not to show up for work one day? Well, that appears to be an increasingly likely possibility. Oklahoma Watch discusses the petition started by a teacher from Tulsa advocating for a work stoppage. They also recap the last time there was a teacher strike in Oklahoma and its ultimate result (hint: it was a state question and it rhymes with “fix-shorty”).
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that was created during the Obama Administration has been in the news a lot lately due to the recent Justice Department decision to rescind the program. Sometimes debates about these issues can seem very detached from how we and those people in our circles of influence live our everyday lives. This article from NewsOK highlights how personal this issue is for many Oklahomans.
The folks FiveThirtyEight have officially listed Oklahoma as one of the state who could see their Governor’s Mansion change hands in November. We included this because the idea that the Governor’s race would be competitive feels like news.
Capitol Watch and Legislative Recap
This was a short week at the Capitol but there still were some important developments. One of the most consequential events of the week was the meeting of The State Board of Equalization met this week and the news is, well, mixed. The Board of Equalization is responsible for certifying the states revenue estimate for the upcoming fiscal year; in other words, they tell the Legislature how much money they have to spend.
At their meeting on Tuesday, the board certified the revenue projection for FY18-19, which comes with a $167.8 million budget hole. This is actually a smaller budget hole than anticipated as economic growth has been more robust, but the increase in revenue is not enough meet spending obligations.
The other major piece of news was the passage of HB1020XX and HB1022XX. These will likely be two of the last bills passed in the 2nd Extraordinary Special Session of 2017. HB1020XX is the big budget bill that cuts all agencies by 0.66% for the last quarter of FY17-18. It passed both the House and Senate this week largely along party lines and will go to the Governor’s desk for signature early next week. HB1022XX is an emergency spending bill that fills a $140 million dollar funding gap in medical education created by the loss of a waiver from the federal government that matches state Medicaid dollars with federal funds for medical education. 1022XX passed the House and is expected to pass the Senate.
A couple other noteworthy developments this week were the passage of SB1104 out of the Senate Education Committee and HB1530 passing out of House Appropriations. SB1104 prohibits lunch shaming by requiring schools to provide meal applications for students as well as assistance with completing the application. It also prevents schools from taking punitive measures against students who develop negative account balances due to their inability to pay for lunches. The bills passed out of committee unanimously. HB1530 is a bipartisan bill that prohibits discrimination in wages and other compensation on the basis of sex; HB1530 passed out of committee 24-2.
Next Week
It’s going to be a busy four days at the Capitol next week. March 1 is the deadline for bills to be heard out of committee and the Legislature lost two working days this week. So, next week will likely be a whirlwind. We’ll make sure you get all the details right here. See you next week, and remember: Decisions are made by those who show up.