Watching HB 1270 at the Capitol as an Average Joe (NonDoc)
March 23, 2017
By William W. Savage III
Wednesday night at the Oklahoma State Capitol, I learned a lot about my personal privilege.
As a proud member of the underpaid media, it was not until I had wandered to the people’s house with a Let’s Fix This pub crawl that I realized how much behavioral leeway I typically have that “regular people” apparently don’t.
For instance, did you know that citizens are not allowed to record smartphone video of their legislators from the House gallery? I had forgotten that rule because I’ve always been able to identify myself as a journalist and strike some compromise about where I can stand to capture footage of the People’s Business.
Wednesday night, however, a humble Sergeant At Arms gently asked me to stop recording Rep. John Bennett (R-Sallisaw) as he passionately pontificated on food-stamp beneficiaries buying steaks and Red Bull at a Sequoyah County Wal-Mart.
I intentionally avoided claiming media privilege with the gentleman. I also resisted the temptation to walk 10 feet to my right and stand at the permanent TV-camera mount. I was trying to blend in as an Average Joe, with his shirt untucked and a beer in his belly.
Meanwhile, I wondered if Bennett knew that funny little cars actually drive around to dispense free Red Bulls.
‘Top-of-the-line stuff’
Bennett was debating in favor of HB 1270 (embedded below), a bill requiring the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and Oklahoma Department of Human Services to “verify” various pieces of information about the eligibility of Medicaid or food-stamp applicants. In Bennett’s eyes, the bill was a righteous attack on all the fake deadbeats and faux single moms out there. You know, freeloaders who are sucking that fat government teat of Medicaid and SNAP to their own affluence and the state’s budget-busting detriment.
Quoth Bennett:
So I’m standing in line at Wal-Mart the other day, and I notice that the people checking out in front of me are buying all of the top-of-the-line stuff. They were buying steaks, they had Red Bulls. They had all kinds of stuff in their cart, and it was overflowing. Which, you know, is not a surprise that people would enjoy higher-end stuff or high-quality stuff. That’s fine.
However, I was surprised when I saw those same people paid for those items with their welfare card. As I’m watching them put their costly items in their cart, I looked down at my own cart. My wife and I, we’ve got five kids, there’s seven of us we’ve got to feed, and we’ve got to set a budget for our groceries and our toiletries every single month. (…) I couldn’t help but think, something’s not right about that.
And then you walk out into the parking lot and, guess what, they get in a brand new Denali! Something ain’t right. So here I am buying the cheap items trying to stay within my budget while they’re buying all the best on my dime. How is that fair?
‘The lying liberal media’
While I had succeeded in feeling what it was like to visit the Capitol as an Average Joe with Let’s Fix This, Bennett’s reference to what is “fair” made me bothered by the chamber’s videography rules. Why should media have extra rights above those available to all?
Bennett, for one, dislikes media as much as he dislikes social-program leeches.
“Why should our money fund someone else’s lifestyle when they refuse to work?” Bennett asked in his debate. “Before you say it — and no doubt, the lying liberal media is going to say, ‘Well, he’s being unfair because he’s got a nice car or a nice house.’ Somehow, they’re going to say that somehow I don’t have a right to say anything about somebody who’s on welfare or talk about people who are poor. Well, let me tell you a little something about John Bennett. I grew up poor. Dirt poor. We were so poor we couldn’t even pay attention we were so poor.”
Ironically, Bennett seemed right about common people lacking the agency to “pay attention.” Aside from Let’s Fix This’s presence of about 15 people, the House gallery held only a half-dozen spectators for the conclusion of HB 1270’s two-hour consideration.
It was well after 9 p.m. Parents of young children were surely home. Bedtime stood on the horizon.
‘This is dumbfounding’
After Bennett and bill author Rep. Elise Hall (R-OKC) concluded debate in favor of HB 1270, House Minority Leader Scott Inman (D-Del City) offered a critique in opposition. He ran through his usual laundry list of state policies that benefit wealthy Oklahomans and large corporations, saying he had always thought those were the main drains on state finances.
“I could have sworn that’s what it was. But tonight, Mr. Speaker, I got an education. My eyes have been opened. The light has shone down upon us,” Inman said. “The reason our public school children are suffering; the reason the University of Oklahoma has five million fewer dollars this year than it did in 1999; the reason our public safety system is staffed at 65 percent and incarcerated at 110 percent; the reason isn’t because of all those other things I’ve seen with my own eyes in the last 11 years. No, it’s because there’s some poor guy driving around in a Denali!”
The chamber echoed with laughter.
“Holy cow,” Inman said. “Or it’s that poor family — apparently at the Wal-Mart in Sequoyah County — who, after they shopped for their $75 worth of groceries with a SNAP card, got on an airplane and flew to Hawaii. This is dumbfounding. It’s just dumbfounding.”
Inman continued his righteous indignation. He hammered home his message about what poor people really need, and it had all the passion and fire necessary for a great campaign spot until he awkwardly uttered the phrase “a set of Twinkies” as a punchline.
Still, the potential gubernatorial candidate impressed much of the Let’s Fix This crowd, leading one woman to ask a telling question: “Who is that guy?”
A ‘travesty’?
When debate concluded and the voting bell tolled, Let’s Fix This director Andy Moore and I walked around the gallery to watch the scoreboard. The bill passed 63-25 along mostly party lines. Rep. Carol Bush (R-Tulsa), Rep. Marcus McEntire (R-Duncan) and Rep. Katie Henke (R-Tulsa) voted no.
Moore, a therapist, shook his head and said any bill making it harder for the low-income clients he sees to obtain Medicaid coverage will directly hurt children and families.
A constituent of co-author Hall’s, he called the bill a “travesty” on Twitter, which Hall questioned. Moore fired back:
And therein lies the purpose and value of Let’s Fix This, I suppose: The people most likely to be connected with low-income or even “Average Joe” Oklahomans are the Average Joes themselves. They are not high-priced lobbyists, and they are not even members of the media like me who can be blind to our own privilege.
Instead, they are often made to feel like the government is too powerful, confusing and off-limits for them to make a difference.
But that’s wrong. Public dollars pave the Capitol’s parking spaces.
Go park your Denali in one.
Press Release: Citizens Head to Capitol to Voice Concerns Over State Revenue
Citizens Head to Capitol to Voice Concerns Over State Revenue
Members of Let’s Fix This Host Second Capitol Event of 2017
OKLAHOMA CITY (March 22, 2017) — This morning a passionate crowd of Oklahomans is gathering together at the State Capitol to encourage their legislators to pass measures that address the state’s revenue problems.
Nonpartisan group Let’s Fix This is hosting the day-long event to help everyday citizens overcome their fear of speaking with their legislators.
Andy Moore, executive director of Let’s Fix This, said the organizations’ Capitol events offer an opportunity for citizens to meet their legislators and voice their opinions in a comfortable environment.
“We’ve begun hosting these events to help people get more comfortable with engaging with their legislators and being at the Capitol,” Moore said. “Sometimes folks just need a little support and are more willing to speak up if there’s a group or a few friends with them, and that’s what we offer.”
Oklahomans are encouraged to meet at the State Capitol Building, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., at 9 a.m., Wednesday, March 22 in the Blue Room on the second floor.
“We’ve got some serious issues to discuss with our legislators today and they need our ideas and support now more than ever,” said Moore. “Our state needs to find new revenue sources and support public education, and legislators need to know that’s what matters to their constituents.”
For more information on the Let’s Fix This event, visit the Facebook event: Let's Fix This Capitol Days
To learn more about Let’s Fix It, check out the website at https://www.letsfixthisok.org/
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The Let’s Fix This organization began last legislative session with a simple idea from Andy Moore that if enough people felt encouraged to visit with their legislators, some positive changes could occur.
First time at the state Capitol?
Tomorrow is will be the first event of Oklahoma's 56th Legislature, and for many of the folks attending our Hall & Oaths event, it will be their very first time to ever visit the state Capitol. Which, by the way, is terrific. When Let's Fix This started in the spring of 2016, it was the first time most of us had ever gone to the Capitol, at least for something other than a tour. Personally, I wasn't sure where to park or walk or where to find the restrooms, much less my Senator's office.
And so, here's your quick guide to visiting the Oklahoma State Capitol!
Tomorrow is will be the first event of Oklahoma's 56th Legislature, and for many of the folks attending our Hall & Oaths event, it will be their very first time to ever visit the state Capitol. Which, by the way, is terrific. When Let's Fix This started in the spring of 2016, it was the first time most of us had ever gone to the Capitol, at least for something other than a tour. Personally, I wasn't sure where to park or walk or where to find the restrooms, much less my Senator's office.
And so, here's your quick guide to visiting the Oklahoma State Capitol!
Where do I park?
There are two lots: one to the south of the building and another lot to the east, just across Lincoln Blvd. To get to the east lot, take the 21st Street exit from Lincoln and then the entrance will be on your left. You can see on this map that both lots are roughly the same size.
Where do I enter the Capitol?
If you park in the south lot (#1 on the map), just walk through the parking lot to the building. If you park in the east lot (#2 on the map), you'll have to cross Lincoln Blvd. Ordinarily you could take the tunnel and go underneath the road, however, it's currently closed due to construction.
Looking at the south side of the building, you will immediately notice that the south steps are currently barricaded due to the potential of falling rock (yes, seriously). Just to the right of the steps is a sidewalk that leads up to the entrance. There are some signs; it's really not too difficult. There are two other entrances to the building, but I think most visitors enter this way, so we'll stick with that.
Once you're inside you will immediately go through security, so leave your weapons at home, lest they be confiscated and sold at public auction.
Where do I go?
Depends what you want to do...so, let's consult the floor plans of the state Capitol and get the basic breakdown:
- Basement: State Auditor, Ethics, and Election Board, and the snack bar (but it's currently closed). The entrance to the tunnel is down here, too, but it is also closed due to construction.
- 1st Floor: Various state offices
- 2nd Floor: Supreme Court, Governor, Treasurer, some House Representatives' offices, and a few other things. Nice art.
- 3rd Floor: More House Representatives' offices, Senate admin offices.
- 4th Floor: More House Reps' offices, Senators' offices, plus both Chambers. This is the main hub where most of the action takes place.
- 5th Floor: More House Reps' office (including all Democrats, except for Munson), more Senators' offices, and the Gallery seating for both chambers. (That's where us regular folks get to sit and watch the proceedings).
You'll note that all House-related stuff is on the west side of the building and all Senate-related stuff is all on the east side. That's actually pretty convenient. Also, note that the restrooms are in the same place on every floor, always at the north end of the building. Also convenient. Offices have not yet been moved around so if your Legislator is new on the House side, you will need to look for them personally as you won't find an office with their name on it.
Each floor definitely has it's own unique "feel." I don't know how to explain it, but you'll understand once you walk around a little. Offices are assigned based on position and seniority; consequently, they greatly vary in size.
Okay, but where do I go tomorrow?
4th floor rotunda. We'll have smiling volunteers standing around to help guide you. But remember, if you're running late and are just going to try to grab a seat in the gallery, the entrance for those are on the 5th floor.
How do I find my legislator's office?
First, find out who your legislators are. Get to know their face so you'll recognize them when you see them. (Caveat: the newly-elected legislators haven't even sworn in yet, much less had headshots, so they're not yet in the directory. If your district has a new rep, you may need to look at NewsOK's Election Results to find them.)
Now, I know this sounds weird, but to find offices I actually use a free app put out by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives. It's available for both iOS and Android and it's incredibly helpful. (Caveat: like the OKLeg website, the app hasn't yet been updated to reflect the election. Check back in a few weeks.) Also, as I said earlier, offices have not yet been moved around so if your Legislator is new you will need to look for them personally as you won't find an office with their name on it.
Okay, I found them, now what do I say to them?
That, my friend, is up to you. Legislators rely on us constituents to to keep them informed and educated about how legislation affects our lives. That's really why I started Let's Fix This in the first place - I realized that most of us just complain on Facebook and Twitter but never actually communicate with our elected officials, and I wanted to change that. And what I've learned from them is that they want to get to know us and hear our personal stories so that they can more effectively represent us at the Capitol.
If you need a help articulating what you want to say, try writing it down. We have a handout called A Letter to My Legislator for that very purpose. You can write down your message, take it with you to be used as a script when talking to your representative or senator, and then leave it with them so that they can refer to it later. Feel free to print the form yourself; we'll have plenty of of copies of it with us at the Capitol as well.
What if I'm not sure what to ask them to do about my issue?
That's okay, we don't expect you to have to have all the answers! If you're not sure, I encourage you to ask your legislators what they plan to do about the issues. They may not have a solution (or not one you agree with), and that's why these conversations are so important - we are highlighting to them what issues are most important to us, their constituents.
I also encourage you to talk to other people attending the event with you. Remember, we're all in this together, and I love learning from other people about what ideas they have and what resources are out there.
Anything else I need to know?
Yes! You need to know that every conversation, every email, every phone call really does matter, especially on the state and local level. Sometimes all it takes is 5 or 6 phone calls from constituents to kill a bill. Your legislators are paid to represent you...well, you and all your neighbors. But chances are your neighbors aren't talking to their legislators, either, so you already have an advantage. (But seriously, invite your neighbors to our next Capitol Day. You'll be glad you did!)
Can't wait to meet all of you tomorrow!