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VOL. 43, NO. 20 An Independent Journal of Commentary NOVEMBER 10, 2011 Dreaming Of A Blue Oklahoma Generation Y-Not? What must Democrats do to reverse the Red Tide in Oklahoma? It’s a question that haunts liberals and progressives old enough to remember when their party’s nomination was tantamount to election and the Republican caucus was small enough to convene in a phone booth. The answer may well rest with the Millennials – aka Generation Y. Born mostly in the ‘80s and ‘90s, they are the first generation to come of age in a new millennium dominated politically by the GOP – super majorities in both houses of the Legislature, all 11 statewide elective offices, all but one federal seat. Yet, studies suggest Generation Y could hold the keys to a lib- eral, progressive – yes, Democratic – renaissance in Oklahoma: Millennials are more likely than older voters to hold liberal views. They also are more likely to express support for an activist govern- ment. And they are more ethnically diverse than other generations. Millennials still give President Obama a higher job approval rat- ing than other groups – 49% in one recent poll – even though their overall enthusiasm has waned. What may be the most important harbinger of a coming politi- cal sea change is this: Millennials could be the first generation in American history that is less well off economically than the last. With the next general election less than a year away, The Ob- server asked four of Oklahoma’s sharpest Millennial thinkers what Democrats, liberals and progressives must do to get back in the game – to become politically relevant again. Their answers may surprise you. They may give you hope. They are certain to stir the debate. Special Report: Generation Y – pages 1, 17, 18 Winning By Saving Not Boxed Into Any The American Dream Party Or Ideology By Sarah K. Burris By Brittany M. Novotny The death of the dream is immi- movement or another, while at the A new generation of young Oklaho- cific islander. nent. The American Dream used to be same time I get addled right-wingers mans is coming of age. A new genera- As the demographics of Oklahoma that, if you worked hard enough, you on Twitter belittling my progressive tion that has grown up in the digital continue to evolve, younger Oklaho- could make enough to achieve a good values as “out of touch” with Okla- age. A new generation that has no mans will undoubtedly move away life for your family. homa. And yet, in election after elec- personal memory of the Great Depres- from political candidates and par- But as the productivity of workers tion, Oklahoma Democrats who are sion, the Civil Rights movement of ties that espouse narrow views of the has doubled in the last 50 years, wag- smarter, better, and care so much the 1950s and 1960s, Vietnam, Nixon, world and fail to understand Oklaho- es have gone down. In a sense, we are more about fighting for the middle Watergate, the oil embargo, or even ma’s place in the global economy. now expected to work harder for less. class, lose. Ronald Reagan. We are not likely to be scared away Not a week goes by that I’m not ac- There are some days I feel like the We’ve come of age in the 1990s and from a candidate by fears that he or costed by a blogger or activist from radical-right is holding a shotgun to the 2000s. We’ve come of age in an era she is some “other” category than the left questioning my loyalty to one See DREAM Page 18 where information travels around the ourselves. world almost instantaneously. We’ve Really, we still want a lot of the come of age in an era that is more same things as those who came be- globally interconnected than ever be- fore us – access to affordable higher fore. And we embrace diversity more education and access to capital so than ever before. that we may be the entrepreneurs of In 1990, 74% of Oklahoma’s public the future. We want opportunities for school students were white. By 2009, jobs that pay enough for us to enjoy the demographics of Oklahoma’s all the new technology that our par- public schools shifted dramatically, ents and grandparents helped create. with 56% identified as white, 11% His- The next generation of Oklahoma panic, 11% black/non-Hispanic, 19% voters are neither “tea partiers” nor American Indian, and 2% Asian/Pa- See IDEOLOGY Page 18 Observations Democracy

Wonder why there are thousands in Officials told legislators that just the streets, mad as hell and vowing to 36% of the l,597 home-based daycares push until the rich are taxed? currently carry liability insurance. The hourly wage of a typical worker However, 92% of larger daycare cen- grew from $14.73 in 1973 to $15.96 in ters do carry liability insurance. 2009, for a raise in real terms [after “You want to make sure the busi- accounting for inflation] of $1.23 over ness owner is protected as well as the 36 years. Yes, you read that right. family whose child was injured,” says Only $1.23, an 8.4% increase over the Demarion’s mother, Edna. last 36 years. Demarion’s medical expenses to- Top earners, meanwhile, saw a gain taled more than $2.5 million in a year of $12.70 per hour gain [30%] over the and a half. same time frame. The growing gaps between the wealthy and everyone else could not be more stark. Fund It! Let’s hope people keep flooding the streets across America – an obvious How about adequately funding and der then-Speaker Chris Benge did the Right, it’s helpful to brush up on rebuke to Republicans in Congress staffing the Department of Human allow for a performance audit of the where millions of tax dollars are go- who won’t even consider President Services before hurling brickbats? agency, which came with a price tag of ing to pay for sex “education” – inef- Obama’s jobs bill. Headlines and statistics tell a tale more than $400,000. The audit report fective and stigmatizing abstinence- of failures to provide adequate protec- made suggestions for significant poli- only-until-marriage programs. tion for those children placed in their cy changes but to date, only a handful Study after study has revealed the A Great Idea care and custody. of those have been implemented and ineffectiveness of abstinence-only State Rep. Mike Sanders, R-King- many others in only partial compli- programs in reducing the number of We think state Rep. Mike Shelton, fisher, and Rep. Richard Morrissette, ance. teen pregnancies and the spread of D-OKC, is on to something: if all day- D-OKC, are demanding an immediate They cost a lot of money that DHS disease. cares in Oklahoma were to carry li- halt to business as usual by DHS. doesn’t have. The Department of Hu- According to the Journal of Adoles- ability insurance coverage, it would Fifty children – on average – con- man Services Commission, whose cent Health, virginity pledges, a staple benefit all parties involved – “the day- tinue to die annually under DHS care. task is to oversee the workings at the of abstinence-only programming, not care operator, the families, and most Oklahoma is one of four states that agency, openly admitted to not even only did not decrease occurrences of of all the children.” had an increase in child deaths. having read the report except for Ste- teen STDs, but also actually resulted “Furthermore, the security provid- Sanders serves as vice chairman of ven Dow of Tulsa. That’s a disgrace. in pledge-takers not seeking medical ed by liability insurance should more the House Human Services Commit- attention once infected, leading to an than offset any cost to providers.” tee which oversees the formation of increased possibility of transmission. In 2008, Shelton authored “Demar- policy and necessary statutory chang- Dads Count Americans spent more than $1.5 ion’s Law,” a bill requiring daycare es required to provide direction for billion on abstinence-only programs facilities to carry liability insurance. the Department of Human Services. The state Department of Human over the past 15 years through Title The legislation was filed after a pre- Until recently, there was no action Services Office of Faith-Based and V of the Social Security Act and other school child, Demarion Pittman, was plan about helping DHS and Director Community Initiatives is vital to ef- federal legislation. What a waste. accidentally left in a hot van and suf- Howard Hendrick. forts to increase the participation of fered severe injuries that left him un- In fairness to Morrissette, he got fathers in their children’s lives. able to walk or talk. nowhere in 2008 when he authored Rep. Seneca Scott, D-Tulsa, held a Rich Grow Richer Although the legislation required HB 2596 with the intention of reduc- legislative study to examine the fac- daycare facilities to carry a minimum ing the burden upon child welfare tors that keep fathers from partici- Remember when the deficit was of $200,000 in coverage, the law in- case workers and those who admin- pating in their children’s lives. It is the most important thing in the uni- cluded an exemption, primarily for ister these cases on behalf of Okla- critical that the state encourage and verse? National Priorities Project has home daycare operations. Under the homa children taken into custody by promote the fatherhood role. a new site, costoftaxcuts.com, which law, those facilities are required to the department because of abuse and Fatherhood network organizations tracks the revenues lost to those notify parents of the lack of coverage. neglect within the home. provide father-to-father mentoring “temporary” high-end tax cuts that Officials representing all areas of That legislation involved breaking and helping fathers to gain employ- never quite expire. the daycare industry attended a re- the department into the three man- ment. A rolling counter depicts the cent legislative meeting where they ageable divisions. The bill was not al- The study produced several sugges- amount of money lost to the U.S. expressed support for ending the ex- lowed to be heard in committee and tions for legislation, including sim- Treasury as a result of tax cuts for the emption and ensuring all facilities children kept dying. plifying the process of requesting the top 5% of U.S. wage earners – $3.2 per have liability coverage. The House of Representatives un- right to parental visitation and creat- millisecond. The site also features ing a registry for individuals who be- rolling counters for the top 1% and lieve they may be fathers. next 4% of households. Keep up the momentum! In total, the top 5% of wage earners live in 1.4 million households. They earn $477,453 per year, on average, www.okobserver.net Abstinence Only? and will receive an average tax cut of $66,384 in 2011. FOUNDING PUBLISHER • Helen B. Troy [1970-2006] PUBLISHER When will the religious nuts rec- Conversely, the bottom 20% of wage [ISSN 0030-1795] Beverly Hamilton The Oklahoma Observer [USPS 865-720] is published ognize the truth – abstinence-only earners will receive an average tax cut the 10th and 25th of each month, except July 25th and Dec. [email protected] doesn’t work. of $107 this year. The wealthiest 5% 25th, by AHB Enterprises LLC, 13912 Plymouth Xing, P.O. Box 405.478.8700 It is being reported that Republi- of Americans earn 33% of all U.S. in- 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113-0275. Periodicals postage cans are planning the next step in the come. paid at Oklahoma City, OK 73125. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Oklahoma EDITOR ongoing effort to defund Planned Par- Between 2001 and the current pro- Observer, P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113-0275. Arnold Hamilton enthood: take away its sex-ed money. jected end of the tax cut extension, SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1-Year [22 issues] $40. Send check to [email protected] They are lamenting the fact that tax cuts for the wealthiest 5% will The Oklahoma Observer, P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 405.478.8700 73113-0275. Online: Visit www.okobserver.net to use a credit Planned Parenthood got federal mon- cost the U.S. Treasury $1.184 trillion. card. ey to implement evidence-based com- If extended through 2021 as some UPDATE ADDRESSES: Please notify us at least two weeks FOUNDING EDITOR prehensive sex education via PREP lawmakers propose but President before your move to ensure uninterrupted service. E-Mail to Frosty Troy funding [Personal Responsibility Ed- Obama opposes, the total cost will ex- [email protected] or mail to P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113-0275. [email protected] ucation Program]. ceed $3.2 trillion. LETTERS TO EDITOR: E-mail to [email protected] or 405.760.1843 Oklahoma got into the act via the Costoftaxcuts.com also features a mail to P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113-0275. Frank Keating Administration – $10 detailed look at the average income SPEAKERS BUREAU: To book Founding Editor Frosty Troy OUR MOTTO: To Comfort the Afflicted and Afflict the Comfort- for your Chamber banquet, convention or other gathering, and able. million from the Feds to underwrite and tax cuts for the top 1% and the for rates and availability, call 405.760.1843. You also may sub- OUR CREDO: So then to all their chance, to all their shining abstinence-only. So who is among the poorest 20%. Among the findings: the mit your request via e-mail to [email protected] or by U.S. golden opportunity. To all the right to love, to live, to work, nation’s leaders in teen pregnancies? wealthiest 1% receive an average an- mail to P.O. Box 53371, Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3371. to be themselves, and to become whatever thing their vision Oklahoma ranks third. nual tax cut greater than the average To invite Editor Arnold Hamilton to address your civic and humanity can combine to make them. This seeker, is the club, students or political gathering, contact him directly at promise of America. In preparation for what may eventu- income of the remaining 99% of U.S. 405.478.8700 or at [email protected]. - Adapted from Thomas Wolfe ally be another expose trumpeted by households. THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 2 Observerscope

By 2025 America is expected to be Dart: To those importing the School a quarter-million short of registered of Justice at the University of Cincin- nurses. Today Oklahoma is short nati to tell us what we already knew more than 3,000 RNs. – Oklahoma’s criminal justice system is a mess, especially releasing 50% of Laurel: To the University of Okla- prisoners without supervision. homa, enrolling more National Merit Scholars than any other university. The nation’s largest veterans groups The Princeton Review ranks OU in the are furious, mobilizing to pressure Top 10 for academic excellence and Congress to preserve veterans’ bene- cost for students. fits. The president has called for mod- ifying military health benefits and We recommend Michael Moore’s creation of a commission to study the Here Comes Trouble, an autobiogra- system. phy taking on political big shots of both parties. – Grand Central Publish- Laurel: To the Department of Hu- ing [$26.99] man Services Commission, calling for a briefing on every child’s death while Dart: To U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, claim- in custody of DHS. Talk about closing ing that President Obama is pursuing the gate after the horse has left! a program of “killing jobs.” Inhofe is simply a shiver looking for a spine to That commission tasked to cut $1.5 The first annual Mike Synar Achieve- Dart: To the Department of Human run up. trillion in federal spending has zeroed ment Award has gone to former state Services for not enacting the recom- in on the federal government’s huge Superintendent Sandy Garrett. The mendations of a $400,000-plus audit. The decline of America can be limousine fleet and $2.6 million spent late Mike Synar held the John F. Ken- It sits on a shelf, another example of traced to vicious political attacks on annually to hire mascots to appear at nedy Profile in Courage Award. lethargic leadership. unions by Big Business. The decline family-friendly outreach events. is steep – in 2010 11.9% were union Laurel: To Reuters Poll that found Tulsa billionaire George Kaiser has members, down from 12.6% in 2009. Don’t fall for Herman Cain’s 9-9-9. 78% of Americans support federal been cleared of all allegations by Re- Economists say it would be a big tax subsidies for family planning ser- publicans trying to shame the White Laurel: To those circulating an ini- hike but a windfall for the rich. It’s vices. More than 90% of respondents House in a failed solar energy com- tiative petition, SQ 760, to put honest one more way he panders to the Koch under age 35 favored family planning. pany. We wish Oklahoma had more redistricting in the State Constitution Brothers, furnishing him plenty of George Kaisers. – not the corrupt program the State campaign money. The Oklahoma Press Association Senate did this year. is up in arms over a legislative com- Laurel: To the Tulsa State Fair, find- A shocking 154 children in shelters mittee studying the necessity for pub- ing stock and cash worth $320,000 Wonder why so many people are an- and group homes suffered abuse and lishing legal notices in newspapers. for fairgoers thanks to a booth set up gry at the government? Consider that neglect last year. One more case of by the state Treasurer. One surprise more than two million – including the Legislature’s lack of oversight. Dart: To those public bodies that was an $84,000 cashier’s check for an some prisoners – wrongly collected fail to list specific items on their unidentified woman. $3.2 billion in college tax credits. Laurel: To state Rep. Jeannie Mc- agendas. Members ought to familiar- Daniel, D-Tulsa, given this year’s ize themselves with the Open Meet- Don’t look for grocery stores stock- Dart: To “law and order” state leg- Faith and Freedom Award from the ing/Open Records Act. ing strong beer and wine any day islators who continue requiring some Oklahoma Religious Coalition for Re- soon. The panel studying it quit with- inmates to serve 85% of their sentenc- productive Choice. The presentation John Yeats, former editor of the out a recommendation. Oklahomans es before being considered for parole. was in Tulsa’s Temple Israel. Oklahoma Baptist Messenger, has chugged 76.5 million gallons of low- The trend toward longer sentences been named to head the Missouri point beer last year – 28.8 gallons for compounds the problem. Special commissions set salaries Baptist Convention. every man, woman and child. for legislators, judges and DAs. Legis- Laurel: To Quik Trip for a $103,000 lators won’t get a pay hike and judges Laurel: To the Oklahoma Policy In- The Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish donation to the Folds of Honor Foun- and DAs slated for a 6.1% hike are un- stitute for throwing down a challenge the Death Penalty rallied at the Capi- dation. The foundation has now likely to get it since House Speaker – if the income tax is repealed, where tol. Oklahoma ranks fourth in assess- raised $5 million to help families of Kris Steele turned thumbs down. will legislators make up $2.5 billion a ing the death penalty. More than 139 fallen soldiers. year that it brings in? countries have abandoned it. Since Dart: To ex-Cherokee Principal 1973: 138 exonerations in 26 states Fifty percent of U.S. workers are Chief Chad Smith, continually chal- Fifth District Democrats meet Nov. due to factors such as DNA. earning less than $26,364. The num- lenging his opponent, Bill John Bak- 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Langston cam- ber making $1 million or more soared er. The tribe’s Supreme Court put an pus on North Lincoln in OKC. It will Dart: To the Legislature and gov- l8% last year. There are 5.2 million end to Smith’s antics and Baker is be a barbecue featuring major politi- ernor cutting taxes while Tulsa and fewer jobs than in 2007. chief. cal figures re-enacting famous Okla- Oklahoma counties rank in the top homans such as Will Rogers. five nationally in dangerous and un- safe bridges. Dart: To the Legislature, forcing the state to lose $5.6 billion in revenue The Oklahoma Domestic Violence every year through various tax credits Fatality Review Board reported thou- – more than $2 billion have never cre- sands of incidents last year, with ated a job. Rep. David Dank, R-OKC, 46 resulting in death. About 71% of is conducting an interim study on the female inmates endured domestic issue, vowing to sweep off the purely abuse and 18% reported being raped political tax credits. after the age of 18.

We mourn the passing of our friend Laurel: To the Legislature honoring Mary Ellen Chiles, a gifted educator, the late Hannah Diggs Atkins by nam- champion for social justice and one ing a section of Interstate 35 in her of the founders of the Interfaith Alli- honor. She was the first black woman ance of Oklahoma. to be elected to the Legislature, and served with distinction. Laurel: To the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, spreading the word There are 3.2 million public school that Oklahoma has 658,862 unin- teachers in America, with 50% of them sured – 18% of the population. Chil- eligible for retirement. What’s trou- dren account for 13%. Yet the Legis- bling is that 62% of all new teachers lature continues to cut taxes for the leave the profession within their first affluent – $120 million this year. five years. No. 1 reason? No respect. THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 3 Letters Editor, The Observer: plants – which contains dangerous I think the Occupy marches call at- heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, tention to the fact that there are so lead and selenium. Every year, 140 many citizens very angry about the million tons of coal ash are generated self-serving actions of the powerful and often dumped in unlined and un- people in our society – Congress, the protected ponds and landfills, where wealthiest citizens, and the financial it poisons our water and air. markets, to name three. Oklahomans who live near unlined By using the slogan “we’re the 99%” coal ash ponds in towns like Bokoshe the marchers are calling attention to or Oologah have a one in 50 risk of de- the fact that there are more of us than veloping cancer – a risk that is 2,000 there are of them. The 1% are the times greater than what is deemed ac- wealthiest – millionaires and billion- ceptable. aires who for the past 30 years have Yet, on Oct. 14, the U.S. House of benefitted from Republican policies Representatives passed HR 2273, a that stripped the middle class of any bill that would block the Environmen- power to earn a decent living, save for tal Protection Agency from adopting a decent retirement, breathe clean air, regulations for coal ash disposal. It’s or be able to trust our food supply or time to ask our U.S. senators to op- consumer products. pose HR 2273, the Coal Residuals Re- With the Supreme Court decision use and Management Act of 2011, and on Citizens United, they have stacked others effort to delay federal coal ash the deck further against democracy regulations. swer’s pretty simple: We’ve taken a tions of this view are several. because the evil wealthy can prevent Our health and our future depend liking to the First Amendment around First, to espouse a religious pro- any legislative remedies by buying on it. here. gram for “returning” America or Okla- Congress. Colata Harlan You failed to mention that the very homa to a monolithic sectarian view, I think the Occupy marches call at- Yukon next day Scott Carter wrote from the as seen in the Reclaiming America tention to the unity of the 99% under- opposite point of view in his column, For Christ crusade, is not in keep- dogs on these issues. Editor, The Observer: which appears on Fridays, every week, ing with the Founders of this nation Alice Geary Sgroi Another Peace Festival is coming in the same position on the same who wrote freedom of religion into St. Louis, MO up. When will there be peace on this page as the Spiropoulos column does the Constitution. Such efforts have planet? on Thursdays. That might be more political overtones when they are ap- Editor, The Observer: When human numbers match the than coincidental. parently endorsed by politicians such Well, it looks as if our excuse for resources of the habitat. When ev- Censor a columnist because I dis- as James Lankford, Scott Pruitt and an American Congress cannot be sat- eryone is secure in the knowledge agree with his opinion? Now that Sally Kern. isfied with venality, self-righteous- that no one will ever come and take would be worth a dart. Publicly call a But such efforts are out of touch ness, and sanctimonious behavior anything by force, since no one lacks fellow newspaper trash? That’s worth with the reality of America, which of all kinds! It appears that Cantor, anything. No war, no violence, no tor- a dart, too. may well be the most religiously di- Boehner, Ryan and Democracy Mur- ture, no hunger, no homelessness. Ted Streuli verse country in the world. In short, der Inc. will stop at nothing to turn All that is needed is to put a lid on Oklahoma City religious diversity is an American our [once] great nation into the Cor- fertility. All of us. All nations, races, Editor’s Note: We believe strongly value. porate State [aka Fascist Dictator- creeds and colors. in spirited public debate, but Spiropo- Second, the personal question for ship]. Will this happen? Of course not. lous clearly wasn’t offering a princi- each of us, no matter our individual Public education and inter-city pas- To see the absurdity of continued pled argument for vouchering special race or religion, is, “How am I going senger rail [and public mass transit, growth, I suggest that you search needs students when he decried the to grow into the kind of person who is to a certain extent] are among the in your own trusted search engine “thuggish tactics of the school mafia appreciative of diversity?” favorite whipping boys of the extrem- for “Is anyone listening?” This was and their legal henchmen.” Instead, Dr. Carroll noted that those who ist Far Right and their insidious [and one of the last editorials that Isaac he was invoking demagogic imagery wish to achieve top-level management credulous] allies. Asimov wrote before he died in the that is beneath the typically high positions in major corporations will I suppose the only remedy to this mid-1980’s. Nothing has changed standards we’ve come to expect from do the inner work that enables them is a considerably more activist, edu- since. the Journal Record. Streuli is edi- to function creatively in the midst of cated and less credulous electorate He likes to use the term population tor of the Journal Record. He should diversity. that can see through the images cre- density in Manhattan at high noon. In take his title more seriously. The good news is that in OKC we ated by Rick Perry, Tom Coburn, Jim relatively – relatively – short years our have many who are doing that creative Inhofe, and others of this motley col- planet, oceans, deserts and moun- Editor, The Observer: inner work. This is seen in groups lection of dangerous demagogues. taintops included will have that den- Found this at the end of a forwarded like the Respect Diversity Founda- The current crisis is precisely what sity. message; don’t know the origin: tion, Religions United of the Okla- Ralph Waldo Emerson warned about Of course, we will not get there. I’ll believe that a corporation is in- homa Conference of Churches and [in 1837] when he stated that the What will stop us? War, violence, hun- deed a “person” when one is executed the Amazing Faiths dialogue dinners mind aimed at low objects feeds upon ger, pollution. by a Texas governor! being organized by the Interfaith Alli- itself. Amen! Kerry Lund Tim Larason ance Foundation of Oklahoma. There Roger Elliott Carter Oklahoma City Oklahoma City are many such groups and people. Chickasha I feel that Dr. Carroll encouraged us Editor, The Observer: Editor, The Observer: to keep on accepting the creative pos- Editor, The Observer: You asked [10.25.11 Observerscope] Dr. Jill Carroll was the keynote sibilities of diversity for the enrich- Household garbage is better regu- why The Journal Record peddles “this speaker on “The Challenge of Reli- ment of self and community. lated in the U.S. than toxic coal ash kind of trash” in reference to a recent gious Diversity” for the annual meet- Jeff Hamilton – the byproduct of coal-fired power Andrew Spiropoulos column. The an- ing of the Interfaith Alliance Founda- Midwest City tion of Oklahoma on Oct. 18. Editor’s Note: Hamilton, a former Dr. Carroll is a Houston-based Democratic state representative, is Frosty Troy’s scholar who specializes in issues of president of The Interfaith Alliance religion, politics and cultural diversi- Foundation of Oklahoma. What’s Right About Oklahoma ty. She traced the history of diversity in our country and demonstrated how Editor, The Observer: diversity has always been a factor of Newly minted rightwing icon Paul Want a pungent, humorous speech significance. Ryan [our congressman, James Lank- She also mentioned that since 1965 ford, usually stands close to him dur- from one of America’s best speakers? we live in an America that is much ing his press availabilities] is ranting Frosty covers 50 years of Oklahoma’s richer in diversity than it was before about class warfare. What he means is that date. That diversity includes eth- the possibility of raising taxes on the crazy political scene. nicity, culture and religion. wealthiest Americans by not renew- So the question is not whether ing their Bush tax cuts or a surcharge there should be such diversity; rath- on income over $1 million a year. Call Frosty at 405.760.1843 to book a speech. er, diversity just is. It is not about mo- But is it not class warfare to take rality, but demographics. The implica- See LETTERS Page 9 THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 4 Frosty Troy’s Notebook Lies Some people lie when telling the truth would serve them better. Some politicians lie at the drop of a hat about everything from the quality of their opponents to whether they have sold out to lobbyists. A new USA Today survey finds that 91% in the U.S. say they lie routinely. And 36% of those confess to dark, important lies yet we Americans pride ourselves on Truth, Justice and the American Way. We teach our kids about the virtues of Hon- est Abe Lincoln and George Washington and the fabled cherry tree. Check your history books and you will learn that our Founding Fathers had no trouble lying when it served their needs. They claimed they formed a more “perfect union” but in fact only 4% were allowed to vote FROSTY TROY in the first national election. No women, no Founding Editor blacks. If you didn’t own land you were denied the right to vote. Author and columnist Jim Hightower was in town the other day and he lauded the people in the streets – especially young people. He said it’s all about 1% of the people owning 41% of the nation’s wealth – buying members of Congress for cold hard cash. Students finish college and there are no jobs. We claim to honor veterans but when they return from multiple assignments in our two wars they can’t find a job in greed-ridden America. The stark reality is when people do tell the truth, they voice things that few people want to hear. Lying is simply part of our lives. America’s high-profile professional, political and religious liars continue to be People say what others want to hear and those who dare to say differently caught with their integrity down; some forced into confessing, while some just [speak the truth] usually are branded as outspoken or, worse, troublemakers. languish in an advanced state of embarrassment. Those who are in the streets today are not only speaking truth to power, they’re The reasons they lie through their teeth are often complex, according to social spelling it out. The collapse of the American economy is laid at the doorstep of scientists that monitor social and institutional pathology. And yes, it does mat- big banks, thanks to George W. Bush’s regulators looking the other way. ter. People do care. It all adds up – or comes down – to more fodder to feed an All but one of the GOP candidates for president has told repeated lies to the increasingly cynical society. American people. Mitt Romney can’t keep his stories straight. Rick Perry will Oklahoma’s Republican Sen. Tom Coburn, the pillar of “family values,” “moral tell them what they want to hear, lying about his accomplishments as Texas responsibility” and the “sanctity of marriage,” lied about the role he played in governor. the negotiations between ex-Sen. John Ensign, R-NV, and his former aide, Doug Herman Cain is the worst of the bunch with his 9-9-9 tax plan which is a total Hampton. fraud designed the make the rich richer. It’s no accident he has tapped the bil- Ensign was having a torrid affair with Hampton’s wife, while Ensign employed lionaire Koch brothers. both Hampton and Mrs. Hampton. Lying in America is now a coveted badge of honor. Lying in America is an in- A scathing ethics violation report released by the U.S. Senate on May 12 states, trinsic code for acceptable conduct. America is now a society of pathological “Coburn attempted to negotiate a payment to Doug Hampton ‘down from $8 mil- liars. lion to about $2.8 million’” in exchange for the Hampton’s silence about the per- Look at the widespread cheating scandals in the schools resulting from the verted affair and the illegal turn of events to buy the Hampton’s silence. sorry No Child Left Behind Act – one of the biggest lies of the century. In fact it Look no further than Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife for was designed to force schools to fail, thus leading to vouchers. their non-disclosure of $685,000 she made while working for the GOP’s Heritage There is so much lying going on throughout America, we have become de- Foundation for five years. sensitized to the enormous significance of lying, while at the same time the And then there is the whopper Clarence Thomas told when he was paid by the cancerous and destructive effects of lying continues to lower the level of trust in conservative Federalist Society for attending a retreat in 2008. anything we read or hear. At first the justice said he just dropped in, but his financial disclosure reports While 78% of Americans polled say our moral values are very weak, we have show that the Federalist Society – funded by the radical activist Koch brothers – moved lying from an art form to a science. Over the last 40 years – from Richard paid for an entire weekend getaway. Nixon’s Watergate to George W. Bush’s Weapons of Mass Destruction – lying Public lying is sapping this nation’s moral strength and it has created a moral shifted into overdrive. and spiritual vacuum reflected in all aspects of society. Look no further than the Oklahoma Legislature. In order to funnel money to For the love of money, social status, educational attainment and getting elect- private and parochial schools they named a new voucher law for special needs ed to public office, lying and cheating are now prized possessions for entry into students for former Gov. Brad and Kim Henry’s dead child. exclusive circles of deceit and corruption. Understanding Okie

We realize that folks new to Oklahoma have a difficult time picking up on our all – walkway between rows of seats. “It was so crowded, people had to sit out use of English. Herewith an Okie dictionary: in the all.” ackrit – without error. “This gun doesn’t shoot ackrit.” almernack – a yearly calendar containing various information. “The almer- acrost – on the other side. “She lives acrost from the fire station.” nack says we’re in for a lot of rain this month.” addmar – to regard with high esteem. “I really addmar the governor.” amlance – vehicle for transporting the ill or wounded. “He was taken to the agin – once more. “I’d sure like to see that movie agin.” hospital in an amlance.” aidge – the point where something begins or ends. “We were camping near the ansister – person from whom one descends. “My ansisters came here from aidge of the water.” Georgia.” aigs – objects laid by a hen. “I had ham and aigs for breakfast.” – A tip of the hat to Daniel Hudgins who compiled Okie Speak ails – in addition. “Is somebody ails going with you?” ainser – a response or reply. “You didn’t ainser my question.” aint – mother or father’s sister. “On my mother’s side, I’ve got three aints.” airgate – to supply with water. “If it doesn’t rain soon, I’ll have to airgate my Read crop.” akwar – to gain possession of. “I’d like to akwar the land next to me.” THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER ON-LINE aljibur – a branch of mathematics. “The only class I have trouble with is alji- By subscribing bur.” @ www.okobserver.net alkeehol – an intoxicating liquid. “I bet he spends half of his check on al- keehol.” THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 5 From The Editor’s Desk Thought Police Coming After OETA

Rep. Leslie Osborn is considering legisla- Second, as a card-carrying lefty, my political radar often hones in on what I tion that would eliminate state funding for the regard as public television’s none-too-subtle attempts to placate the noisy right Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, by giving conservatives a pass on some hot-button issues. ostensibly because the cash-strapped state has My experience is, if both sides are unhappy, it probably means public televi- higher fiscal priorities than helping finance a sion is doing an excellent job of playing it straight. statewide public TV network. Osborn’s claims that the state cannot afford $3.8 million for OETA – out of a “At a time when school budgets and road nearly $6 billion overall state budget – ends up looking like she’s searching for funding are stretched thin,” says the Tuttle Re- any excuse to pull the plug on an operation she loathes. publican, “we must ask ourselves if it makes It’s a perfectly fine idea to debate what government should and shouldn’t do. In sense to continue diverting money from those fact, we’d be a much healthier state and nation if the general public would take needs to projects like OETA, especially when the time to get engaged with elected officials in a serious, adult dialogue about PBS stations have proven the station can raise what we can and can’t afford – as well as what we consider to be important and significant money from other sources.” unimportant. Anyone who believes this is all about poor, If Osborn and her ilk don’t think OETA – with Big Bird and Lawrence Welk, conflicted state lawmakers being forced to make Nature and NewsHour, American Experience and Antiques Road Show, not to tough, heart-breaking, gut-wrenching budget mention state-centric shows like Oklahoma Forum – ought to be a government decisions, please step to the far, far right. The function, then we ought to be looking at everything not related to such basic ARNOLD HAMILTON mental health professionals will be arriving services as education, highways, child welfare and criminal justice. shortly to begin your evaluation. So how about we take a closer look at taxpayer dollars steered in recent years Editor What’s really happening is the national right- by the Republican legislative majority into an Office of Faith-Based Initiatives? wing war against PBS is spreading to Oklahoma. Or into a so-called Marriage Initiative aimed at reducing the divorce rate? Or The more you listen to GOP opponents decry public television, the more you into billions of dollars in tax breaks for corporations and tax cuts for the state’s realize their real beef is that OETA’s programming doesn’t parrot their ultra- wealthiest? conservative, anti-science, often theocratic worldviews. In other words, Osborn and Co. can’t be allowed to willy-nilly steer taxpayers’ At a recent legislative hearing, for example, Rep. Charles Ortega, R-Altus, com- money to their pet projects while gutting, for example, those with which they plained that OETA carried a national program on – gasp! – evolution. And Rep. have a political beef or that they consider expendable because it serves a less Sally Kern, R-OKC, asserted OETA’s news programs reflect a – surprise, surprise advantaged population. – pro-liberal, anti-conservative bias. According to OETA’s 2011 annual report, Oklahoma taxpayers are yearly It’s the local equivalent of Jerry Falwell insisting the children’s television Tele- dunned a whopping $1.12 each for public television – which reaches 95% of the tubby character known as Tinky Winky is gay. state’s population. You see, these rightwingers are comrades in a 21st Century Thought Police For years OETA was one of the few lifelines that connected residents in the that cannot abide anyone who doesn’t think and speak like they do. state’s remotest regions to the rest of the state – foremost via a daily newscast Two quick thoughts: that covered the entire state. But OETA’s budget has been slashed repeatedly in First, as a Christian and regular church attender, I’m not inclined to view the See OETA Page 19 Bible and science as mutually exclusive. I’m fascinated by theologians who can help provide insight into the Bible’s mysteries and by scientists who are un- earthing clues to our origin as a species. Why are so many so threatened these days by science? Is it simply a knee-jerk response, born of an anti-intellectual gene that seems present in many of our fellow Sooners?

First Black Speaker The Insight And Analysis You’ve Come To Expect ...... Now Delivered The Way You Want IN PRINT Blind To Prejudice? - OR - By Wallace Collins ON-LINE I recently read that the House man’s decision to desegregate the SUBSCRIBING Republican Caucus voted to elect military in 1948? If that had not TO Rep. T.W. Shannon of Lawton as the happened, would T.W. still have had THE OBSERVER next Speaker of the House. This was the same opportunities he enjoyed in touted as “the first African Ameri- his life? IS AS EASY AS can” to be Speaker of the Oklahoma Has the Lawton representative ever House of Representatives, which is experienced “DWB,” Driving While 1-2-3 quite an achievement. Rep. Shannon Black or Driving While Brown? I is to be congratulated for his accom- know of people that have suffered the 1. TOTAL ACCESS plishment. indignation of being stopped by law Only $60 for a full year In my mind, the “fly in the oint- enforcement because of their color. Unlimited access to ment” is the fact that Rep. Shannon Since he, his legislative colleagues The Oklahoma Observer has chosen to author a bill which and the governor believe we should on-line and in print. One-year subscription includes 22 would end affirmative action in Okla- end “equal opportunity,” do they issues of our award-winning print homa. not understand that women are still edition sent to your mailbox, on-line access to each issue as it becomes Some are wondering if this was a discriminated against in the working available and on-line access to our trade off, “African American repre- world, being paid on a lower scale national columnists and special features.

sentative carries a bill to end affirma- than men? $2.50

25,000 Blue Chip tive action, then is rewarded by being There is even discrimination Readers 2. DIGITAL selected Speaker of the House?” among women – white women are VOL. 40, NO. 19 An Independent Journal of Commentary OCTOBER 25, 2008 Only $40 for a full year State Oblivious To National Trends It does seem to be a question wor- paid more than African American Land Of The Red Voter One-year subscription includes on-line access to 22 issues of The By Arnold Hamilton 7HATSæTHEæMATTERæWITHæ/KLAHOMA /KLAHOMAæ RESIDENTSæ RAILæ AGAINSTæ THEæ 7ITHæ APOLOGIESæ TOæ 4HOMASæ &RANKæ /KLAHOMANSæ hBIASvæ INæ ONEæ BREATHæ Observer as it becomes available and on-line access to our national thy of an answer. women, who are paid more than His- ANDæ HISæ REMARKABLEæ ANALYSISæ OFæ THEæ næYETæPARROTæITSæ*OHNæ"IRCH ESQUEæEDI +ANSASæ ELECTORATE æ FEWæ STATESæ CANæ TORIALSæWITHOUTæEVENæREALIZINGæITæINæTHEæ MATCHæ /KLAHOMASæ POLITICALæ TRANSFOR NEXT MATIONæOFæTHEæLASTææYEARS $Ræ $AVIDæ "AIRD æ Aæ NOTEDæ /KLAHO &ROMæ Aæ STATEæ WITHæ ARGUABLYæ MOREæ MAæ HISTORIANæ WHOæ SERVESæ ASæ Aæ DEANæ SOCIALISTSæ PERæ CAPITAæ THANæ ANYæ OTHERæ EMERITUSæANDæPROFESSORæATæ0EPPERDINEæ columnists and special features. INæTHEæEARLYæTHæ#ENTURY æ/KLAHOMAæ 5NIVERSITYæ INæ -ALIBU æ #! æ SAYSæ THEæ Why does Rep. Shannon want to panic women. HASæ MORPHEDæ INTOæ !MERICASæ REDDESTæ /KLAHOMANSæINmUENCEæONæTHEæSTATESæ BASTIONænæALLæBUTæCERTAINæTOæVOTEæOVER DEVELOPMENTæ ANDæ ITSæ POLITICSæ CANNOTæ WHELMINGLYæ 2EPUBLICANæ FORæ THEæ THæ BEæOVERSTATED CONSECUTIVEæPRESIDENTIALæELECTION h)Tæ PLAYEDæ Aæ HUGEæ ROLEæ OVERæ THEæ 7ITHæMUCHæOFæTHEæNATIONæPOISEDæTOæ YEARS væHEæSAYSæh)TæWASæOFTENæSAIDæTHEYæ REPUDIATEæ THEæ '/0Sæ DIVIDE AND CON COULDNTæALWAYSæELECTæPEOPLE æBUTæTHEYæ QUERæ POLITICALæ ANDæ LAISSEZ FAIREæ GOV COULDæALMOSTæALWAYSæDEFEATæTHEMv deny others the same equal oppor- Do women in the business world ERNINGæMODELSænæANDæTOæELECTæTHEælRSTæ /KLAHOMASæ HISTORICALæ RELIANCEæ ONæ !FRICAN !MERICANæPRESIDENTænæ/KLAHO MININGæ næ FROMæ COALæ TOæ OILæ TOæ NATURALæ MAæGLIDESæALONG æOBLIVIOUSæTOæNATIONALæ GASænæALSOæMAYæHELPæEXPLAINæTHEæSTATESæ TRENDS COLLECTIVEæ INSISTENCEæ ONæ 2EDæ 3TATEæ 3IGNSæ THATæ THEæ PENDULUMæ ISæ SWING POLITICSæATæAæTIMEæWHENæTHEæRESTæOFæTHEæ INGæ NATIONALLYæ næ EVENæ INæ LONGTIMEæ NATIONæ SEEMSæ TOæ BEæ CATCHINGæ Aæ "LUEæ tunities he received? Republicans have equal opportunities for advance- 2EPUBLICANæ HOTBEDSæ LIKEæ 4EXASæ næ AREæ WAVE DIFlCULT æ IFæ NOTæ IMPOSSIBLE æ TOæ lNDæ INæ "AIRD æAUTHORæOFæTHEæNEWæBOOKæ/KLA 3. PRINT /KLAHOMA æWHEREæ'/0æNOMINEEæ*OHNæ HOMAæ!æ(ISTORY æSAYSæTHEæMININGæCUL -C#AINæ ENJOYSæ HISæ LARGESTæ LEADæ INæ TUREæOFTENæCREATESæAæBOOTSTRAP PULLING æ STATE BY STATEæPOLLS ME lRST æYOURE ON YOUR OWNæMENTALI (OWæ DIDæ /KLAHOMA æ WITHæ ITSæ COL TYæOFæhYOUæHAVEæYOURæMONEYæANDæ)æWANTæ LECTIVEæ PIONEER ERAæ SUSPICIONæ OFæ SILK TOæMAKEæSUREæANDæGETæMINEv think of “affirmative action” as quo- ment, same as men? STOCKING æBIG BUSINESSæELITES æBECOMEæ !LLæMAYæHELPæEXPLAINæWHYæ/KLAHOMAæ Only $40 for a full year SUCHæ Aæ RELIABLEæ RUBBER STAMPæ FORæ THEæ STUBBORNLYæVOTESæTOæRETURNæAæNATIONALæ NATIONSæUNABASHEDLYæCORPORATISTæPAR LAUGHINGSTOCK æ*IMæ)NHOFE æTOæTHEæ53æ TY 3ENATEæ!NDæ WHYæ )NHOFEæ SUCCESSFULLYæ !NDæWHATæCANæBEæDONEæTOæPENETRATEæ WOULDæ ATTEMPTæ TOæ MANDATEæ Aæ RELIGIONæ 4HEIRæTHINKINGæISæILLUSTRATEDæBYæTHEæ CAMPAIGNSænæORæSOæITæWOULDæSEEMænæASæ THEæ RIGHT WINGæ CACOPHONYæ ANDæ RE IG ORæ CERTAINæ RELIGIOUSæ PRACTICESæ THEYæ STORYæ OFæ Aæ  YEAR OLDæ /KLAHOMAæ COL AæMANæOFæPRINCIPLEDæSTUBBORNNESS NITEæ Aæ HEALTHY æ INCLUSIVEæ POLITICALæ DE OPPOSEDæ næ NOWæ AREæ ONEæ OFæ THEæ '/0Sæ LEGEæSTUDENTæWHOæWASæRAISEDæAæ3OUTH )Tæ DOESNTæ MATTERæ THATæ /KLAHOMAæ 22 issues of our award-winning print edition sent to your mailbox. tas, while Democrats think of it as What about age discrimination, or BATEæOVERæ/KLAHOMASæFUTURE MOSTæLOYALæVOTINGæBLOCS ERNæ "APTISTæ BUTæ HASæ DECIDEDæ TOæ CASTæ RANKSæ INæ THEæ BOTTOMæ HALF æ IFæ NOTæ THEæ 4HEæ lRSTæ QUESTIONæ næ HOWæ DIDæ THISæ 4HEYæ FREELYæ DISTRIBUTEæ ONE SIDEDæ HISæ lRSTæ PRESIDENTIALæ VOTEæ FORæ $EMO BOTTOMæ lVE æ INæ MOSTæ SOCIOECONOMICæ HAPPEN ænæISæEXPLAINEDæMOSTLYæBYæTHEæ VOTERæhGUIDESvæTHATæPILLORYæ$EMOCRATSæ CRATæ "ARACKæ /BAMAæ 4HEæ YOUNGæ MANæ CATEGORIESæ)TSæASæIFæ/KLAHOMANSæHAVEæ POWERFUL æ TWINæ INmUENCESæ INæ /KLAHO ANDæALLæBUTæNOMINATEæ2EPUBLICANSæFORæ RECENTLYæWASæCONFRONTEDæBYæAæFRIENDSæ BEENæCONVINCEDæITSæBETTERæTOæBEæPOOR æ MAæ HISTORYæ OFæ POLITICALLY ACTIVE æ FUN SAINTHOODæ 4HEYæ WELCOMEæ RIGHTWINGæ FATHER UNEDUCATEDæANDæUNHEALTHYæTHANæTOæBEæ DAMENTALISTæRELIGIOUSæLEADERSæANDæTHEæ ZEALOTSæLIKEæSTATEæ2EPæ3ALLYæ+ERN æ53æ h9OUæ KNOW væ SAIDæ THEæ OLDERæ MAN æ Aæ VIEWEDæASænæGASP
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Shannon say he with a physical or mental disability? næ TOæ SPEAKæ UNWAVERINGLYæ AGAINSTæ THEæ BEENæUNTHINKABLEæ THEæ THæ #ENTURY æ THEæ STATESæ MOSTæ -ICKEYæ%DWARDS TYRANNYæOFæTHEæMAJORITYæANDæFORæSOCIALæ 3OUTHERNæ"APTISTSæANDæ2OMANæ#ATH POWERFULæMEDIAæOUTLETæANDæITSæNOTæDIF 3O æWHATæCANæ$EMOCRATS æANDæTHOSEæ To Subscribe, Visit ANDæECONOMICæJUSTICE OLICS æONCEæMORTALæENEMIES æPUTæASIDEæ lCULTæTOæUNDERSTANDæHOWæ/KLAHOMANSæ INTERESTEDæ INæ SOCIALæ ANDæ ECONOMICæ 4HEæCONmUENCEæOFæRELIGIONæANDæPOLI AæSEEMINGLYæUNBRIDGEABLEæTHEOLOGICALæ COULDæ BEæ PERSUADEDæ TOæ VOTEæ AGAINSTæ JUSTICE æDOæTOæGETæTHEIRæGROOVEæBACKæINæ TICSæISæSTRONGæINæAæSTATEæTHATæCONSIDERSæ DIVIDEæ INæ ORDERæ TOæ UNITEæ ONæ Aæ SERIESæ THEIRæSELF INTERESTS æECONOMICALLYæANDæ /KLAHOMA æ ITSELFæTHEæBUCKLEæONæTHEæ"IBLEæBELTæ OFæ SOCIALæ ISSUES æ INCLUDINGæ ABORTIONæ SOCIALLYæ 7HILEæITæISæALMOSTæCERTAINLYæTOOæLATEæ &ORæEXAMPLE æ3OUTHERNæ"APTISTSæWHOæ ANDæGAYæMARRIAGEæCREATINGæAæPOWERFULæ %VENæ MOREæ REMARKABLEæ )Næ ANæ ERAæ TOæ OVERCOMEæ WHATæ THEæ POLLSæ SUGGESTæ is from a military family. I wonder As a former legislator, I know that ONCEæ CHAMPIONEDæ THEæ SEPARATIONæ OFæ POLITICALæ FORCEæ THATæ OFTENæ DOMINATESæ WHENæ THEæ INmUENCEæ OFæ DAILYæ NEWSPA ISæ -C#AINSæ INSURMOUNTABLEæ LEADæ INæ CHURCHæ ANDæ STATEæ næ FORæ FEARæ THEæ STATEæ /KLAHOMAæELECTIONS PERSæISæWANINGæACROSSæ!MERICA æMANYæ See RED STATE Page 16 WWW.OKOBSERVER.NET if he and his family benefited from Democrats feel that children with Democratic President Harry Tru- See EQUALITY Page 8 THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 6 Health Care Reform Could Save State Money By David Blatt Under the new national health care law, the Patient Protection and Affordable increase by a staggering $11.4 billion during 2014-2023 as a result of the ACA, Care Act [ACA], one major strategy for providing health insurance coverage to and grow 35% greater than without the new federal law. the 50 million Americans who are currently uninsured is an expansion of eligi- OK Policy’s issue brief carefully shows how the OCPA/Cato Institute is based bility in the Medicaid program. on flawed and exaggerated assumptions about who will enroll in Medicaid under Even though the federal government will assume the lion’s share of the costs the new law and how much they will cost. of insurance for those who gain Medicaid coverage, this expansion has created For example, all studies take into account the effect of enhanced outreach ef- concern and uncertainty about the impact the law will have on state budgets. forts and the individual mandate to bring those currently eligible but un-enrolled We do not yet have a comprehensive study of the projected costs and savings out of the woodwork. This population of “old eligible” will only receive the tradi- of the Affordable Care Act for Oklahoma’s state budget. However, as a new OK tional federal match rate and so will be considerably more expensive to the state. Policy issue brief shows, most studies of the impact of the Affordable Care Act Because Medicaid eligibility for working-age adults in Oklahoma is restricted have concluded that increases to state Medicaid budgets will be modest. to parents of dependent children under 37% of the poverty level, the state has National studies from the Urban Institute and projections developed by the few eligible but un-enrolled individuals – 60,000, according to estimates by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority have estimated that state spending on Medic- Oklahoma Health Care Authority, most of whom are children. aid may grow by $200 million to $800 million between 2014 and 2019 or 2020, Yet the OCPA/Cato report somehow projects that some 145,000 individuals depending on various assumptions, while increasing state Medicaid spending by who are currently eligible but un-enrolled in Medicaid will sign up under the under 10%. Affordable Care Act. This enrollment surge among the “old eligible” goes well The federal government will assume over 90% of total costs of expanded Med- beyond any “woodwork effect” and appears to be more of a pure “thin air effect.” icaid coverage. Similarly, in developing their cost calculations, the OCPA/Cato study over- To cite the conclusion of the study by John Holahan and Irene Headen, the states both the current Medicaid population and the average cost per recipient. Urban Institute’s experienced and widely-respected health policy analysts, “Most Compounded together, the flaws in their study produce highly inflated estimates of the cost of the new expansion will be borne by the federal government. States of the future cost of the Medicaid budget. will have relatively small increases in state spending, but these will be swamped At the same time, the report neglects to consider ways that additional state by new federal dollars that they will receive because of the reform. This is par- costs will be partly or fully offset by savings to the state budget under various ticularly true of the states that have low coverage today and will experience the provisions of the Affordable Care Act that reduce the uninsured population and largest increases in individuals newly eligible for the program.” provide federal funding for functions previously financed by the state. Several studies at the national and state levels that have considered a broader There is no doubt that paying for health care at a time of scarce resources will range of factors associated with the Affordable Care Act – such as the federal remain an ongoing challenge for state leaders. However, by significantly reduc- government paying for the mental health care costs of those currently without ing the number of Oklahomans without health insurance, the Affordable Care insurance and new premium tax revenues from those purchasing insurance Act will reduce the strains that uncompensated care places on our health care through a health care exchange – have concluded that the cost of the health care providers across the state and will provide better health care and greater finan- law will be less for states and could even yield net savings. cial security to Oklahoma families. A July 2011 report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation asserts, “State These benefits will far outweigh the likely modest cost to the state budget of governments will collectively save between $92 billion and $129 billion from paying a small portion of the total bill. 2014 to 2019 because of provisions in the Affordable Care Act that are designed – The author is director of the Oklahoma Policy Institute. An earlier version to reduce the uninsured population and provide federal funding for functions of this article appeared on the OKPolicy blog. You can sign up for OK Policy’s that, in the past, have been financed by states and localities.” e-mail alerts and daily news digest at http://okpolicy.org Sticking out from this consensus, a report from the Oklahoma Council of Pub- lic Affairs and Cato Institute contends that Oklahoma’s Medicaid spending will Abuse of Those With Disabilities Is Growing

There are too many substantiated cases of a care provider abusing an individu- al with developmental disabilities, according to state Rep. Anastasia A. Pittman. Digital fingerprinting was among the solutions discussed at a legislative study reviewing the idea of expanding Kelley’s Law to better protect disabled adults from abuse. The study was requested by Pittman, D-OKC, and state Reps. Doug Cox, R- Grove, and John Trebilcock, R-Broken Arrow. “I think it is clear that we are going to have to do something to better protect disabled individuals from predators who target them because of their vulner- ability,” Pittman said. “I think the use of the digital fingerprinting system is critical in ensuring that we correctly identify and weed out those who abuse our disabled adults.” MOTHER AGREES Robin Steward, the mother of Kelley and an advocate for the developmentally disabled, agreed. “I feel like the expansion of Kelley’s Law to include digital fingerprinting is very important as we move forward to protect the vulnerable members of our communities,” Steward said. “Last year, Oklahoma had over 10,000 cases of substantiated abuse of individuals with developmental disabilities. If we cannot identify these abusers, we cannot prosecute them. Digital fingerprinting will aid us in the prevention, identification and prosecution of abuse.” The original “Kelley’s Law” prohibited the Department of Human Services De- velopmental Disabilities Service Division and its contract providers from allow- ing the Social Security numbers of service applicants or recipients to be main- Featuring Baratunde Thurston of The Onion tained in a home record. GRANT IS IN THE WORKS Health Resources Development Service Chief James Joslin said the Oklahoma BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY State Department of Health has received a grant for the purpose of establishing a standardized nationwide program for states to conduct fingerprint-based back- Science Museum Oklahoma, Oklahoma City ground checks on all prospective direct patient access employees of longer term November 12, 2011 at Sponsor 6:00pm Reception at 5pm care facilities and providers. “This study not only allows us to address current problems, but to review any Tickets $50 each Student Tickets $25 each way we can increase the safety of these vulnerable citizens,” Pittman said. “We Purchase tickets online at www.acluok.org need to be proactive rather than reactive. I think there are significant expansions that need to be made to Kelley’s Law.” For sponsorship information, contact Allie Shinn today at [email protected] THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 7 ‘We Need To Fight A Smarter War’ By Dan Boren Oct. 7 marked the 10-year anniversary of U.S. military operations in Afghani- stan. This anniversary provides a time to reflect on what we have accomplished, and what our mission there should be as we move forward. I first want to thank our troops for their service. No one has sacrificed more than our men and women in uniform and their families these past 10 years. During my time in Congress, I have had opportunities to visit the combat zones in the Middle East. Most recently this spring I traveled to Afghanistan with House Speaker John Boehner. 2,300 OKLAHOMA SOLDIERS While in the region we had the opportunity to visit with our troops, some of whom hail from Oklahoma. Over 2,300 soldiers from the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are currently serving in Afghanistan. They are the pride of Okla- homa, and I want to thank each of them and their family members for their sac- rifice. Throughout my entire career in Congress, I have been an advocate for our It is time to reduce our involvement in Afghanistan. However, this does not soldiers and our veterans. I will continue that effort, but part of honoring this mean we have to abandon the mission. Instead, it means we must adjust our commitment is to provide a long-term strategy which will carry forward their strategy. sacrifice. Bin Laden was taken out with a targeted strike by our Special Forces. This mis- REEVALUATING STRATEGY sion was successful due to careful intelligence collection, including the use of As this conflict enters a new decade, now is the time to reevaluate our involve- satellite reconnaissance and unmanned aerial vehicles. Our boots on the ground ment and strategy. have laid the foundation for this kind of warfare, which can be accomplished When we first invaded in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks, our goals were clear: through these types of tactics. remove the Taliban regime from power, and capture or kill Osama bin Laden. We SMARTER STRATEGY soon accomplished the first goal of ousting the Taliban, by 2004 Afghanistan had We can continue to disrupt and dismantle al Qaeda in a way that is more ef- its first democratic elections, and we recently killed bin Laden. ficient, with less soldiers and a reduced financial commitment. But still, we continue to pour billions of dollars into the war. Over the past 10 We need to fight a smarter war. Instead of spending more money to develop years, we have spent over $468 billion. At a time when we are facing record high a foreign nation, we should invest these resources at home to rebuild our own deficits at home, this is unsustainable. economy and infrastructure. AMERICA NEEDS REBUILDING This will benefit communities across America, including our own in eastern During my visit to Afghanistan, I couldn’t help but recognize that while we Oklahoma. are rebuilding its roads, bridges and schools, our infrastructure in America is – The author, a Muskogee Democrat, represents Oklahoma’s 2nd Congres- crumbling. sional District Senate Staff Donates Thousands For Hungry Twelve months of furloughs and losing nearly 30% of their staff over the last Staffers chose to focus their efforts on the Food Bank given the growing prob- three years hasn’t dampened the spirits or generosity of the employees at the lem of hunger in Oklahoma. According to the State Department of Human Servic- Oklahoma State Senate who donated thousands of dollars to various state chari- es, Oklahoma ranks as the fifth hungriest state in the nation. Each day, there are ties including the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank last month. over 600,000 individuals who do not know where they will get their next meal. Each fall, Senate staff, which consists of around 100 full-time employees, The number of Oklahoma families applying for the Supplemental Nutrition chooses a state charity to support in correlation with the United Way’s Annual Assistance Program [SNAP], formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, has State Charitable Campaign. The staff were able to raise $1,500 for the Food Bank, steadily increased in recent years to its highest numbers in state history. which will help the organization provide 7,500 meals around the state. Since March, the number of recipients has climbed from nearly 607,400 to just Many staffers also contributed to the State Charitable Campaign [SCC], which over 625,000. In FY 2011, over 880,000 Oklahomans received some kind of food is an annual, unified fundraising effort that provides state employees with the assistance – an increase of nearly 248,000 people since FY ‘08. opportunity to make donations to their favorite charitable organizations through Given that the state’s population is just under 3.7 million, nearly one-fourth of the convenience of payroll deduction or one-time gifts. Together Senate employ- the state’s citizens received some kind of nutritional assistance in the last year. ees contributed just under $3,700 to the SCC. Unfortunately, for many of these families the assistance they receive is not “We have a tremendous staff in the Senate. Not only are they some of the most enough to get them through the month so they depend on local churches and knowledgeable and hard working employees in state government, they’re also nonprofit organizations like the Food Bank to put food on their tables. some of the most generous,” said Bingman, R-Sapulpa. “Each year, regardless of the ups and downs of the economy, our employees open their hearts and checkbooks to local charities like the Regional Food Bank. An Ode To State Employees I’m proud to be able to work with this amazing group of people.” Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is my shepherd – I shall want. She leadeth me beside still government. EQUALITY She restoreth my doubt in the Republican Party. She guideth me to the path of unemployment for the party’s sake. From Page 6 I do not fear GOP although they are against me. She anointest my state wages with freezes, thus my expenses runneth over my Autism, Asberger’s Syndrome, or If Oklahoma no longer needs af- state income. other similar conditions should be firmative action, why did Tulsa lay off Surely poverty and hard living shall guide the Republican Party. given an “equal opportunity” to learn about 400 teachers and deny learn- And I shall live in a rented house forever. and grow up healthy, same as other ing access to children with special – Anonymous children. needs? Indeed, why did the gover- Have we come so far that Repub- nor decide to eliminate the Human licans don’t believe in equal access Rights Commission and the Affirma- to healthcare for the children who tive Action Committee? can’t control the circumstances unto Is Oklahoma so perfect that these which they are born? The Republican groups are no longer needed? controlled-DHS doesn’t seem to be I think these are all reasons to vote the place to look for any answers. NO on the upcoming State Question Don’t these state leaders realize 759 in November 2012! that the National Health Care Initia- Speaker-elect Shannon, you au- tive removed the loopholes regard- thored this bill. How are you going to ing “pre-existing conditions,” which vote? allowed insurance companies to – The author, a former state repre- discriminate against children with sentative from Norman, is chair of autism and other maladies? the Oklahoma Democratic Party THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 8 The Nigh Years, Part II State Economy: From Penthouse To Outhouse By Cal Hobson

Third In A Series was never on any piece of legislation were convicted of anything. has one of the most dysfunctional My last article in The Observer that became law during his 30-plus It was a bitter and emotional de- tax codes in the country – one filled reviewed the first term of former Gov. years of public service, his finger- bate culminating in the retention of with loopholes, gimmicks and so- George Nigh [1979-83]. Due to large prints were all over them. the former leaders and it also sowed called tax credits. They are primarily increases in energy prices there was All during Nigh II, Democrats still the seeds, through a group known for the benefit of major businesses plenty of money for both new spend- dominated the Legislature but now, as the Flaming Moderates, of the and corporations and are passed in ing on vital state programs, such as instead of spending growth revenue, eventual political demise of Speaker the name of economic development. education, health, public safety, and they and the governor faced only Barker. In truth they are mostly corporate roads, as well as for large permanent deep budget cuts and significant tax As a very minor footnote in history welfare. To his credit the current tax cuts. increases – not a good formula for a I was the elected “Chairman for Life” Speaker, Kris Steele, is trying to However, there were two seminal popularity contest. of the Moderates, an ignominious abolish some of them, but having events – one in 1981 and another As mentioned before, we politi- honor at best. served on five blue ribbon panels to in 1982 – that signaled change was cians love to cut taxes and there had Putting political drama aside for a reform the tax code, I wish him luck. coming to Oklahoma in what was to been much of that in the ‘70s and moment, and of much greater con- He’ll need it. become Nigh’s second term [1983- early ‘80s. However, by 1984 it was cern to the citizens and taxpayers in 2. When the three most powerful 87.] Let’s review them now: obvious, even to the Republicans, Oklahoma, it’s worth repeating our people in the Capitol – the governor, First, on July 5, 1981, Nigh called that the tax base was in free-fall due state’s depression of the ‘80s was speaker and pro tempore – agree on the Legislature back into special to those tax cuts and the nosedive in driven by the complete collapse of anything, hard or easy, it is eminent- session for a single purpose – to oil prices. the energy business. ly doable. When they don’t, NOTHING spend money. Three hundred and Back then, 80% of the rigs work- Couple this with the very generous is possible. fifty million dollars had gushed into ing in Oklahoma were looking for pay and retirement benefits passed 3. Nigh proved nice guys can get state coffers at the end of the fiscal oil, only 20% for natural gas. Twenty during Nigh I, most rational observ- things done but the mother’s milk of year [June 30]. This windfall was, of years later it was exactly the reverse ers of the “goings on” at the Capitol politics – $$$$$$$$$$ – sure helps course, partly generated by countries [80% gas, 20% oil] and now it is about could see what was coming; however, lubricate the process. in the Middle East as they drove the 50/50. Therefore, and after only mod- and as usual, we legislators did what 4. Finally, everyone’s best advice price of crude oil to all-time record est opposition, a temporary one-cent we do best – which is to wait until a on 23rd Street is usually after the highs. sales tax increase was approved by crisis has enveloped our state and financial train wreck has occurred To his credit, Gov. Nigh limited the the Legislature and signed into law then try to respond. and, of course, has the benefit of spending during the special session by the governor. We finally did, as outlined above, 20/20 hindsight. to roads and bridges only. That is As 1985 arrived, both the House but it wasn’t easy or pretty. Sausage There are very few fiscal wizards why the Hefner Parkway, the Cen- and Senate were being directed by making never is. in elected positions in the Capitol tennial Expressway and many other new leaders [Jim Barker as speaker, Of course there were many other building – just a bunch of folks who statewide projects were finally com- Bob Cullison as pro tempore] and issues that came and went during think they are. pleted – and in record time. it became apparent to many that a Nigh II. For example, the once every In the next issue of the Observer The second unforgettable event to- larger, permanent, and diversified tax 10-year battle over implementation of I’ll both criticize and compliment ward the end of Nigh I was the failure increase was imperative if Oklaho- a statewide water plan was debated, the performance of Henry Bellmon, of the Penn Square Bank in Okla- mans didn’t want to keep leading the and then defeated. Agency consolida- the man who followed Nigh. He was homa City on July 5, 1982, exactly nation in all the wrong quality of life tion continued to be all the rage, but a farmer, warrior, leader, thinker, and one year after the special session. indicators – last in funding for educa- only one out of 300-plus was abol- founder of the modern Republican Beep Jennings was the chairman and tion, health care, roads, etc. ished – that being the Energy Depart- Party in Oklahoma. Bellmon also president of PSB and as oil prices By a quirk of circumstances I ment and it had only 10 employees. could be dogmatic, partisan, judg- began to collapse the banking struc- ended up being the principal author More turnpike bonds, ever the favor- mental and blunt. ture throughout Oklahoma imploded of the tax bill [HB 1219] and Sen. Lee ite of governors and legislators, were Most importantly, he was the right due to the cross pledging of so many Cate of Norman was the author in the issued. man at the right time to lead our loans among financial institutions. higher body. We argued about this In closing out the Nigh years, state from the depths of the worst Notwithstanding this alarming situ- legislation all session long and had lessons learned and soon forgotten economic disaster since the Great ation Nigh carried every county in to pass it four times in the House were: Depression. the November 1982 election for gov- and the same number of times in the 1. Raising taxes is the hardest – The author, a Lexington Demo- ernor, defeating Republican Auditor Senate. thing to do politically and the easiest crat, served in the Oklahoma Leg- and Inspector Tom Daxon. Crying, arm-twisting, arguing, and is cutting taxes. Legislators and gov- islature from 1978-2006, including Daxon would reappear several even a fight or two were the order of ernors alike never seem to learn this one term as Senate President Pro times in future Republican adminis- the day before the proposal finally painful fact and, as a result, our state Tempore trations, most notably as future Gov. arrived on the governor’s desk for Frank Keating’s budget director. He signature, which he promptly signed. was a piece of work. Another historic event occurred LETTERS For example, Tom was obsessed early during Nigh II and that was the with removing former Speaker J.D. conviction for voter fraud, and subse- From Page 4 McCarty’s name from the cerebral quent removal from office, of Speaker away the right to collective bargain- class and working poor in America. palsy center in Norman, an issue that Dan Draper and Floor Leader Joe ing? There is also generational war be- was not on anyone else’s Top 100 “to Fitzgibbon. Is it not only class, but generational ing waged against the middle class by do” list. The convictions in themselves warfare to kill Medicare, which Ryan’s trying to divide our country between Yes, McCarty was a convicted felon were not unprecented [there have April 2011 budget proposed? those who are 55-plus and those who for handing out meal money to mem- been many throughout Oklahoma’s Is it not only class, but generation- are 54 and younger, thereby destroy- bers of the Legislature, an art form political wheeling and dealing] but, al warfare to privatize Social Security ing Medicare and Social Security. now perfected through organized and as things played out, a federal judge and destroy the most popular and ef- Ryan is leading the charge in this sanctioned “get to know you events” in Kansas overturned them. fective middle-class program on the shameless class and generational paid for by lobbyists. Then, the fireworks began when books [which Ryan supports]? warfare. During my time in the Legislature Draper and his floor leader returned Is it not class warfare to give pref- The fat cats and their protectors I was an active participant in such to the House to reclaim their seats, erential tax treatment to capital gains are winning the war and doing irrepa- activities and the steaks were damn which had been filled in special elec- taxes, which are tilted heavily towards rable harm to our country. The “job good. tions. fat cats? creators” are winning the battle by Back to Mr. Daxon, I must admit he The new representatives, Larry Is it not class warfare to allow Wall selfishly refusing to spend their un- could add and subtract but he saw Gish and Larry Roberts, did the cou- Street to write its own rules, which told trillions to actually create jobs the budgeting process as black and rageous thing and left their chairs in results in losses of trillions of dollars and help America’s middle class and white or more accurately Red versus the chamber. invested by the middle class, because working poor! Blue. However, Speaker Barker and his their investments aren’t protected? Tom Guild Fortunately for Gov. Nigh, Vic leadership team firmly opposed the Congressman Ryan and his bud- Edmond Thompson, an extremely able and return of Draper/Fitzgibbon and dies, including our own congress- Editor’s Note: Guild is seeking the competent bureaucrat, served as his lodged a motion to remove them man, are correct – there is class war- 2012 Democratic nomination for budget director. Although Vic’s name again – even though they no longer fare being waged against the middle Congress in Oklahoma’s 5th District. THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 9 BOOKS ‘A Liberating Pursuit Of Individuality’ By Orlando Patterson With so many ways of performing blackness, there is now no consensus about WHO’S AFRAID OF POST-BLACKNESS? what it is or should be. One of his goals, Touré writes, is “to attack and destroy What It Means to Be Black Now the idea that there is a correct or legitimate way of doing blackness.” Post-black- By Touré ness has no patience with “self-appointed identity cops” and their “cultural bul- Free Press lying.” 251 pages, $25 What this malleability means, according to nearly all the 105 prominent Afri- can-Americans interviewed for this book, is a liberating pursuit of individuality. Much has been written on the benefits that accrued to the generation of Af- Black artists, like other professionals, now feel free to pursue any interest they rican-Americans reaping the rewards of the civil rights revolution. But we have like and are no longer burdened with the requirement to represent “the race.” heard surprisingly little from those in the post-civil-rights age about what these Indeed, when they do explore black themes, as most still do, they feel at liberty benefits have meant to them, and especially how they view themselves as black to be irreverent and humorous. Thus Kara Walker, a typical post-black artist, people in an America now led by a black president. unhesitatingly “mines modern visions of slavery for comedy without disrespect- In his new book, Touré’s aim is to provide an account of this “post-black” ing slaves.” condition, one that emerged only in the 1980s but by the ’90s had become the There are no sacred cows, not even the great civil rights leaders. The artist “new black.” Rashid Johnson is typically candid in a way many older African-Americans are Post-blackness entails a different perspective from earlier generations’, one bound to find hurtful and ungrateful. According to Touré, some of Johnson’s that takes for granted what they fought for: equal rights, integration, middle- work says, “These people are our history, so honor them, but also, these people class status, affirmative action and political power. While rooted in blackness, are history, so let’s move on.” Ouch! it is not restricted by it, as Michael Eric Dyson says in the book’s foreword; it Post-blackness also means an expanding of collective identity “into infinity.” is an enormously complex and malleable state, Touré says, “a completely liquid This involves a radically new inter­cultural fluency, partly exemplified in hip-hop shape-shifter that can take any form.” See POST-BLACKNESS Page 14 A Tuesday Like No Other For Ex-Soldier By Sheila Litsch

UNTIL TUESDAY A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him By Luis Carlos Montalvan Hyperion 252 pages, $22.99

Until Tuesday is not just another story about a man and his dog. It is special because, although it is about both a man and a dog, it is also a story about hope and possibilities and a rebuilding of trust on the part of both man and dog. Over the last 10 years approximately 300,000 soldiers have returned from the wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq with varying degrees of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] and/or Traumatic Brain Injury [TBI]. Both are the invisible wounds of war, the wounds that many, including the mil- itary, would like to say don’t really exist. Many service personnel and veterans who claimed these invisible wounds were ignored and/or given the run-a-round. Until Tuesday is a soldier’s story of what it is like to live and function with PTSD and TBI; a story told with refreshing candor and sprinkles of humor. It is also the story of Tuesday, a golden retriever, who not only becomes Luis Carlos Montalvan’s service dog but so much more than that. In no other article or book about PTSD and/or TBI have I been given such a vivid glimpse of what it is like to experience, to live with those dual invisible wounds. Every person who reads this book should become a little more understanding of what these wounds mean to another human being’s life. It is a gift to both non-military and military people alike. Anyone who reads this book will learn that, although it is never easy, one can live with PTSD and/or TBI, especially if one has a service dog like Tuesday. An excerpt: Tuesday combines a golden retriever’s innate playfulness and bouncy exu- berance with a noble bearing and seriousness of purpose. But it is not his beau- tiful coat, or his regal attitude, that attract stares. Tuesday has an extraordi- narily expressive face. He has sensitive, almost sad eyes, but they are more than offset by his goofy smile. He can’t pass anyone without flashing them a sly look with those eyes, as if to say, sorry, I’d love to play, but I’m working. He just makes a connection; he has a personality that shines. I am not kidding when I say it is common for people to pull out their cell phones and take pic- tures of and with him. Tuesday is that kind of dog. And then, in passing, they notice me, the big man with the tight haircut. There is nothing about me – even the straight, stiff way I carry myself – that signals disabled. Until people notice the cane in my left hand, that is, and the way I lean WHY WAIT? on it every few steps. Then they realize my stiff walk and straight posture aren’t just pride, and that Tuesday isn’t just an ordinary dog. He walks directly beside Now you can subscribe to The Oklahoma Observer me, for instance, so that my right leg always bisects his body. He nuzzles me at the Full Circle Books checkout counter when my breathing changes, and he moves immediately between me and the object – a cat, an overeager child, a suspiciously closed door – any time I feel and receive your free book certificate on the spot! apprehensive. Because beautiful, happy-go-lucky, favorite-of-the-neighborhood Tuesday isn’t my pet; he’s my service dog. IMPORTANT RESTRICTIONS To take advantage of this offer, visit Full Circle Books, where you can subscribe to The Oklahoma Observer at the checkout counter If you wish to see pictures of Tuesday “in-motion,” visit www.luiscarlosmontal- and receive your free book certificate immediately. You also may subscribe to The Observer using the coupon on page 3 of this issue van.com/. When the site opens, click on Tuesday. You will find a number of short or by visiting our web site www.okobserver.net. You then will receive via U.S. Mail a certificate from Full Circle Books for a free book [$20 limit]. The certificate is not transferable and must be presented in person at Full Circle Books in order to receive your free book. videos that will warm your heart and make your day. No facsimiles, printouts or photocopies will be accepted as a substitute for the original Full Circle certificate. This book offer is for new – Sheila Litsch lives in Clinton subscribers only. Not valid with any other offer. THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 10 Headed For The Promised Land The Education Of Barack Obama By Wanda Jo Stapleton Note: This article is based on only a small portion of an amazing book, just released to the public Oct. 18, Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President, by Ron Suskind, winner of the Pulitzer Prize. I have stuck strictly with the author’s work based on his research and have withheld my opinion or ideas. This “guy” named Barack Obama, with his silver tongue and words that daz- zled, was only four years out of the Illinois Senate when he rose to become president of the United States! With a father from Kenya and a mother from Kan- sas, he was dubbed “Black Jesus” by his innermost circle – while the hope and expectation, of almost religious fervor, was apparent in the waves of supporters who helped with his assent to the presidency. Along the way, one group chanted – “Fired up!” “Ready to go!” – to demonstrate the roaring hope of this expectant crowd, hope which was felt throughout the country. On the evening of his electoral victory, around 11 p.m., Obama stood on the floodlit stage in Chicago’s Grant Park preparing to speak to a huge crowd full of the “sensation of a world filled with possibility.” Those tearful people, overcome by the emotion of the moment, hoped to tell their grandchildren about this day. Near the stage, the ever-ambitious Jesse Jackson [who had tried twice to become president himself] sat weeping, as tears rolled down his “weathered face.” HOLD THE FIREWORKS Nevertheless, Obama ordered the fireworks cancelled because they were too “celebratory” for a country on the verge of a collapsed financial system. So when Michelle raised her palm for a “high five,” he gently lowered it with a “Not to- night. Not tonight.” The “fired-up” atmosphere of the campaign was giving way to the solemn real- ity that, although he was well educated and had exceptional talent in multiple areas, he had no executive experience. In other words, he lacked the kind of experience necessary for running a country. • Consider also that Tim Geithner, treasury secretary, instead of implement- DELEGATE, DELEGATE ing presidential decisions with which he disagreed, has been “slow and uneven” Obama’s obvious choice was to select staff members with executive experience enough to kill those decisions. and give them important positions. Chief among those he named were Larry Nevertheless, Geithner was the only one left standing during a clean sweep of Summers, chair of the National Economic Council; Tim Geithner, treasury sec- senior personnel from the White House soon to take place. Why? Who knows? retary; and Rahm Emanuel, chief of staff. Perhaps mercy prevailed in this instance? The president defended these choices by saying, “There is no doubt that I OBAMA WITH A BROOM brought in a bunch of folks who understand the financial markets, the same That clean sweep started, in Obama’s mind, early in 2010 with the first of way, by the way, that FDR brought in a lot of folks who understood the financial Rouse’s confidential memos [also called treatises] to the president for “revamp- markets after the crash.” ing the White House’s administrative structure” – memos which Obama reviewed Regarding Summers and Geithner, Byron Dorgan, longtime North Dakota sena- in detail with Rouse. tor, told Obama, “You’ve picked the wrong people. I don’t understand how you By the time the seventh memo arrived in August, eight senior staffers were could do it. You’ve picked the wrong people!” gone or were soon to go. They were being replaced by the team that Obama origi- In Dorgan’s view, the actions of Summers and Geithner had contributed to the nally wanted. very financial problems they were hired to solve. [Note: Other articles follow later When Rahm Emanuel, one of the last to leave, departed to run for mayor of about this subject and other subjects in the book]. Chicago, his departure left Obama “joyous.” ISOLATED AT THE TOP Pete Rouse replaced Emanuel temporarily as chief of staff to help Obama “take Not only was the president lacking in executive experience, he was also iso- ownership of his reconstituted White House.” Then, 61-year-old Rouse left, will- lated inside the White House. That structure can serve as a “bubble” to keep a ingly, for a new life with the woman he was dating. Rouse was replaced in Janu- president insulated, thus separated from the world outside. ary 2011 by William Daley, son of Chicago’s former mayor. Unfortunately, Summers, Geithner, and Emanuel worked together to keep ONWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER Obama as isolated as possible. Summers served as gatekeeper for domestic poli- Although he had been systematically undermined by his “seasoned advisors,” cies [having to do mainly with things economic]. Emanuel took care of political Obama displayed the qualities which people find most admirable about him. He matters and convinced Obama that “all Rahm, all the time” was all he needed for didn’t blame those experienced subordinates for the failure of his administra- chief of staff and things political. Geithner worked with the other two to maintain tion. He blamed himself. this group’s status quo. The most “sweeping” change, noted by several top advisors, was in the Noteworthy, though, is the fact that Obama willingly ceded authority to these president himself. He spent several days moping and soul-searching after the senior staffers, who, in turn, were anxious to assume that authority. “shellacking” voters gave him and his Democratic Party at midterm. Then, he One day, Obama found out that Geithner had ignored the president’s directing acknowledged that he had “heard the American people loud and clear.” That ac- him to pull together a plan for restructuring many of the large, troubled banks, knowledgement appeared to revive and liberate him. starting with Citigroup. Nevertheless, Obama rationalized that if that policy had So it was onward ever, backward never for a renewed President, comfortably gone forward and failed, it could have made everything worse. The president at home inside his White House, where the atmosphere had also undergone a apparently had more confidence in Geithner’s opinions than in his own; so he dramatic shift. He had pushed the reset button for a new beginning, a second forgave his skillful subordinate. chance. CONSENSUS COUNTS – The author, a former Democratic state representative, lives in Oklahoma Nevertheless, Obama was the president, and there were decisions that only a City president can make. However, Obama’s instinct required him to always push for consensus. Con- sensus was a requirement difficult, if not impossible, to achieve regarding com- The Cardiologist’s plex issues. It appeared to be Obama’s crutch which contributed to decisions being avoided or delayed and policies left drifting without direction. Summers described the situation by saying, “We’re home alone without an adult in charge of the mightiest nation in its time of peril.” Funeral TO THE RESCUE A very prestigious cardiologist died, and was given a very elaborate funeral by the Pete Rouse, Obama’s trusted confidant inside the White House and one of his hospital where he worked most of his life. closest advisors since 2004, came to the beleaguered president’s rescue. A huge heart, covered in flowers, stood behind the casket during the service as all Rouse, gifted in analyzing complexity, turned his “annual review” into a confi- the doctors from the hospital sat in awe. dential treatise on how Obama could save his presidency. Following the eulogy, the heart opened, and the casket rolled inside. The heart Rouse’s insights and recommendations to Obama: then closed, sealing the doctor in the beautiful heart forever. • Consider replacing Larry Summers [National Economic Council chair] who is At that point, one of the mourners burst into laughter. imperious, heavy-handed, and insubordinate in controlling the economic team. When all eyes stared at him, he said, “I am so sorry. I was just thinking of my own Further, Summers has failed to implement presidential decisions with which he funeral. I’m a gynecologist.” disagrees. Therefore, Summers “needs either to leave or accept a modified posi- The priest fainted. tion.” [He left.] – Thanks to Iris Lochner for this gem THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 11 Supercommittee Takes Aim At Social Security By Dean Baker If anyone still questioned who owns Washington, the Congressional super- committee charged with reducing projected deficits by $1.2 trillion seems de- termined to end any doubts. According to press accounts, both the Republicans and Democrats on the committee support a plan to reduce average Social Secu- rity benefits by 3%. While whacking our parents and grandparents with a big cut in Social Security benefits apparently draws bipartisan support, the supercommittee will not even score a plan to tax Wall Street financial speculation. No committee member from either party is prepared to make a simple request to the Joint Tax Committee of Congress that would allow a speculation tax to be one of the items considered in the mix. It’s hard to know which part of this picture is worse. The plan to cut Social Security benefits at a time when seniors are more dependent than ever on them is incredibly pernicious. The people who would see their benefits cuts under this proposal paid for their benefits contributing to Social Security over their entire working career. Most retirees have little other than Social Security to support them in their retirement. In large part, this is due to the economic mismanagement of the supercommittee types. If they or their friends, like former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan, actually had been doing their jobs, we would not have had the huge housing bubble that wrecked the economy. The collapse of this bubble caused most of the wealth that retirees and near the supercommittee is preventing this idea from even being included in the dis- retirees had accumulated in their home to disappear, leaving them with nothing cussion. other than Social Security to sustain them in retirement. Now, they want to cut Given the role of Wall Street in both creating the conditions for the crash and Social Security as well. prospering at the expense of the other 99%, it might seem reasonable to include This particular cut is especially pernicious since it will hit the oldest and a tax on speculation in the mix of items to consider. poorest beneficiaries hardest. A person who is in their 90s and has been getting This is not a radical proposal. The European Commission is currently on the benefits for 30 years would see a reduction in benefits of close to 9% under the edge of approving a FST. Its leading proponents are the conservative leaders of new cost-of-living adjustment formula apparently supported by members of the Germany and France. committee. It is easy to see that this could be a very substantial source of revenue. The The benefit cut is being justified by claiming that the current cost-of-living ad- United Kingdom already has a FST. It raises the equivalent of 0.2% to 0.3% of justment exceeds the true rate of inflation. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics gross domestic product [$30-$40 billion a year in the United States], by just tax- index that measures the cost of living of the elderly indicates that the current ing stock. adjustment understates the rate of inflation experienced by retirees. If options, futures, credit default swaps, and other derivative instruments were There should be no doubt, this is a proposal for cutting Social Security ben- also taxed, it is easy to believe that we could raise three to four times as much efits; it has nothing to do with making the cost-of-living adjustments accurate. money in the United States. While the supercommittee has plenty of time to think of ways to make life But the supercommittee doesn’t want to think about a proposal that would more miserable for seniors, it won’t even countenance the idea of taxing Wall impose serious costs on Wall Street. It is more interested in taking away Social Street speculation. In spite of the repeated pledges that everything is on the Security and Medicare benefits from the old and disabled. table, taxing Wall Street speculation is absolutely off the table. This contempt for the 99% coupled with protection for the 1% is the reason In order for a tax bill to be considered by Congress, it must be scored by the Congress has an approval rating of 9%. Joint Tax Committee [JTC]. While many members, including some very senior When both parties in Congress work against the interest of the overwhelming members from both houses, have requested a score from the JTC of a bill taxing majority in order to protect a tiny elite, it is not surprising that most of the coun- financial speculation, the supercommittee has the JTC completely tied up meet- try would return the contempt. ing its requests. – The author is a macroeconomist and co-director of the Center for Economic By refusing to include a financial speculation tax [FST] in its scoring request, and Policy Research in Washington, DC Insidious Love Of Mammon Destroying Us By Jim Hightower In the Bible, Paul doesn’t say that As a result, these privileged few good unless you spread it around.” other self-serving acts of the mon- money is the root of all evil – rather, have more than doubled the slice of Instead of recognizing such common- eyed powers have created the convey- it is the love of money that he warns America’s income pie that they con- sense wisdom, America’s corporate or belt that’s moving our wealth from against. sume, going from 8% to 17% of the and political leaders have intention- the grassroots to the penthouses. In recent years, the insidious love whole in just three decades. ally been shoveling wealth into an Not since 1928, in the Gilded of mammon [in the form of greed and From whom did these richest ever-bigger pile for those at the top. Age that preceded and precipitated excess] has not merely been toler- 1-percenters get their extra-big slice? They’ve gotten away with this by ly- the Great Depression, have so few ated in our country, but celebrated From us, the 99%. ing to the great majority, which has amassed so much of our nation’s and even exalted into official public The share of national income going seen its share of America’s prosper- riches. Having learned nothing from policy, marring our economy with to middle class and poor families ity steadily disappearing. that devastating financial crash dangerous inequality and injustice. shrank in this period – which is why Yes, they’ve told us with lying almost exactly 82 years ago, nor The reigning ethos of those at the there is such broad support today smiles, the rich are getting richer, from their own financial failure that apex of our nation’s wealth pyra- for Occupy Wall Street’s “We are the but that’s just the natural workings collapsed their banks in 2008 and mid is that too much is not enough. 99%” movement. of the new global economy, in which crushed our economy, the wealthiest They’re not merely out to make loads At the extreme tip of America’s financial elites are rewarded for their of the wealthy fully intend to keep of the money they love, but to make a wealth pyramid are the multimil- exceptional talents, innovation and taking more for themselves at our killing, everyone else be damned. lionaire CEOs and billionaire Wall bold risk-taking. expense. New numbers from the Congres- Streeters. They are the richest Horse dooties. The massive redis- Now, however, the people are sional Budget Office confirm that as .01-percenters [a mere 14,836 house- tribution of America’s wealth from onto their lies. In an October poll, the moneyed elites have been making holds]. These few now take 6% of all the many to the few is happening two-thirds of Americans support their killing, wealth disparity has be- U.S. income – the biggest piece ever because the rich and their politi- increased taxes on millionaires, and come extreme in a country that once consumed by America’s mega-rich. cal puppets have rigged the system. two-thirds want an end to corporate prided itself on trying to build a more If the widening chasm between the Years of subsidized off-shoring and tax subsidies and are for policies to egalitarian society. rich and the rest of us is not ad- downsizing, gutting labor rights, more evenly distribute the wealth Analyzing 30 years of income data, dressed, our society will devolve into monkey-wrenching the tax code, that all of us help create. the nonpartisan CBO reports that a jungle – and not even billionaires legalizing financial recklessness and This rising egalitarianism is the the richest 1% of our population has will enjoy living there. finagling, dismantling social pro- real America, and it will change our enjoyed a stunning 275% increase in As an old country saying puts it, grams, increasing the political domi- politics – for the better. their income during that time. “Money is like manure – it does no nance of corporate cash – these and © Creators Syndicate THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 12 America’s Crisis Does Anyone Have Slightest Idea What To Do? By Alexander Cockburn Just over a year from now, Americans will be deciding whether to re-elect President Barack Obama or ... probably Mitt Romney. In the latter case, this is to assume that Mitt, a Mormon and a family man, doesn’t, like one of his rivals for the Republican nomination – Herman Cain – get caught up in the dreadful minefield known as “charges of sexual harassment.” Study recent photographs of the broken Frenchman named Dominique Strauss-Kahn if you want to be reminded of what such charges can do to a can- didate for high office. Do any of the present candidates, Obama included, offer an answer to Amer- ica’s dreadful situation – a crisis caused by 40 years of neo-liberal onslaught? They do not because there is no answer available within the terms and boundar- ies of the present system. CRASHED INTO PENURY The middle class has – at least two-thirds of it – crashed into penury. Ameri- cans’ store of value and savings – the house – is worthless; social safety nets have eroded; students emerge from higher education crushed by debt. Thirty million Americans are without work or are working part-time. Nearly 6 million manufacturing jobs in the United States have disappeared since 2000, and more than 40,000 factories have closed. African-Americans have endured the greatest loss in collective assets in their history. Hispanics have seen their net worth drop by two-thirds. Millions of whites have been pitchforked into poverty and desperation. UNDERSTANDING OCCUPY MOVEMENT This is the mulch that has created the Occupy Wall Street movement. Its Editor’s Note: For coverage of Occupy Tulsa and Occupy OKC, visit The Ob- strength lies in the simplicity and truth of its basic message: The few are rich; server on-line at www.okobserver.net the many are poor. In terms of its pretensions, the capitalist system has failed. tion, covert and then overt, is under way, using the usual arsenal of assassina- But for all its simplicity and truth, how much staying power does the OWS tion, drone attacks and armed support for whatever security forces do not defect message have as presently deployed? In terms of its powers of repression, the to the left. system has not failed. Sixty-six years after the defeat of Hitler and 40 years on from the neo-liberal To date, the OWS movement has not even confronted the moneyed elite with capitalist counterattack that ratcheted up its tempo in the early ‘70s, the premis- a threat on the scale of the 1999 protests in Seattle. Indeed, right now everyone es of the system are under fearsome pressure. They are being powerfully evoked loves OWS. The London Financial Times ran an editorial in favor of it. by demonstrations from Athens to Oakland. But in the end, to reform finance capital you have to offend people and institu- BATONS AND PEPPER SPRAY tions, including the Financial Times. Having briefly tasted batons and pepper spray, OWS-ers should know that FROM ATHENS TO OAKLAND when the capital feels it is being pushed to the wall, it will stop at nothing to Writing these lines at the start of November, after digesting the daily reports crush any serious challenge. from the national OWS battlefield [Zuccotti Park in Manhattan, Oscar Grant Pla- The cop puts away his smile. The indulgent mayor imposes a curfew. “Exem- za in Oakland and similar venues across the country Austin, Philadelphia, At- plary” sentences are handed down. The prisons fill up. Nationwide, organized lanta, Nashville, Portland, etc.], my eyes flicker across the world map to Greece, resistance can only defeat organized repression. and my heart beats a lot faster. How to mount this, is the OWS-ers’ urgent and immediate challenge. In Oak- Now there surely we can savor the whiff of a pre-revolutionary situation! land, the first week in November, OWS staged a rally calling for a General Strike. I’ve no doubt that if, by chance, the left in Greece today evicts the local politi- That’s at least thinking along the right lines. cal agents of the international banks, it won’t be long before a NATO interven- © Creators Syndicate ‘We The People,’ Not ‘We The Corporations’ By Jim Hightower A year from now, Americans will be Kafkaesque lie to say they are equal freakish decision to bestow political lated, video and other good graphics caught in an unprecedented blizzard to – much less superior to – human “personhood” on corporations, I got to educate people in your commu- of presidential campaign ads. We’ll beings. As a friend of mine puts it, an e-mail from a guy named Larry, nity, and a wealth of other organizing be blinded by the whiteout and bur- “A corporation is not a person until screaming that “big money has ideas. ied in the storm’s negativity. Texas executes one!” plucked our eagle!” LOCALIZE. Pass your own local For the first time ever, most of this The good news is that real citizens Yes, it has – and the Powers that and state laws to stop the wholesale ad blizzard will not come from the of our country are united against Be want us to believe there’s noth- corporate purchase of our govern- candidates, but from ads secretly Citizens United. In a January Hart ing we can really do about it. Rather ment. These include outlawing any funded by huge corporations. This Research poll, 87% of Democrats, than actually trying to undo this corporate claim of personhood in is because a five-man cabal on the 82% of independents and even 68% of theft of our people’s democratic your area, providing the alternative Supreme Court issued an edict last Republicans favor passing a consti- authority, they tell us to be satisfied of public financing for your local and year that perverts nature itself. In a tutional amendment to overrule the with a few tangential regulations, state elections, and banning cam- case titled Citizens United, the five Court’s bizarre decision and make like maybe requiring corporations to paign donations by corporations that decreed that – shazam! – lifeless clear that only people are people. disclose how much they’re spending try to get government contracts and corporate entities are henceforth Sadly [though not surprisingly], on campaigns. Now there’s a weak subsidies. For information and help, “persons” with more electioneer- our national elected officials – in- stand for democracy: “Give us cam- check out PublicCampaign.org and ing rights than ... well, us real-life cluding Republicans, Democrats paign finance reporting regulations, ReclaimDemocracy.org. persons. and Tea Partiers – are too hooked or give us death!” CONFRONT. Yes, get in the face In a black-robed coup against our on corporate money to stand up for Come on, we’re bigger than that. of power. Go see candidates to ask democracy, the Supremes ruled that us ... for America’s democracy. So, Here are just a few actions for real where they stand on corporate a corporation’s money is “speech” do we just have to surrender to the change that ordinary Americans can personhood, and demand that top ex- and that CEOs may dump unlimited corporados? Of course not – we’re take, teaming up with others right ecutives of big corporations located sums of it into their own ad cam- Americans! where you live: in your area publicly agree not to paigns to elect or defeat any candi- Rebel! A new “We the People Cam- AMEND. Two major coalitions are send corporate cash on your elec- dates they choose. paign” is rallying grass-roots folks to organizing coast to coast to overturn tions. You can get more info at www. Of course, Wal-Mart, Goldman sign a “Declaration of Independence the courts corporate money edict. democracyisforpeople.org. Sachs, ExxonMobil and the rest are From Corporate Power.” To sign the One is FreeSpeechForPeople.org, and Remember, the Constitution plain- nothing but legalistic constructs – declaration and join the action, go to the other is MoveToAmend.org – and ly says “We the People,” not “We the really just pieces of paper issued by www.WeThePeopleCampaign.org. both have action kits for raising the Corporations.” state governments. It’s a grotesque, In response to the Supreme Court’s issue locally, petitions to be circu- © Creators Syndicate THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 13 Who Is Better Examplar Of American Dream? By Joe Conason Lauded by the Washington press debts. indicates the primacy of government incivility toward his political oppo- corps for his “courage” and “hones- “You built a factory out there? over the individual and the family, or nents. [Such complaints might be ty” in confronting federal deficits and Good for you,” she explained in even the private sector – and Ryan taken more seriously from a politi- the national debt, Rep. Paul Ryan, videotaped remarks that lit up the is certainly intelligent enough to cian who had spoken up at some R-WI, wrote a budget that almost Internet not long ago. “But I want to understand what she meant. Did he point against the racially divisive sank the Republican Party – and may be clear. You moved your goods to misinterpret her words intention- “birther” propaganda in his own still damage its prospects – because market on the roads the rest of us ally? The telltale evidence lies in his party.] Understandably, Ryan isn’t he proposed to dismantle Medicare. paid for. You hired workers the rest own remarks about government’s eager to discuss the issues of wealth Yet his party still relies upon Ryan to of us paid to educate. You were safe role in society. and income distribution, preferring speak on behalf of its most important in your factory because of police “No one is suggesting that we to focus on “upward mobility.” constituency, now known in America forces and fire forces that the rest of don’t need good schools and roads But between Ryan and Warren, who and across the world as “the 1%.” us paid for. You didn’t have to worry and infrastructure as a basis for a is the better exemplar of the Ameri- Addressing the right-wing Heritage that marauding bands would come free society and a free enterprise can Dream? Ryan is a figure from the Foundation recently, Ryan sought to and seize everything at your factory – system,” he told the Heritage audi- privileged class he defends, scion of discredit Elizabeth Warren – the Mas- and hire someone to protect against ence. But Ryan’s own budget, with a Midwestern construction empire sachusetts Democratic senatorial this – because of the work the rest of its enormous tax cuts for the wealthy created two generations ago that candidate, Harvard faculty member, us did.” and its required cuts in spending, enabled him to pursue an expensive creator of the Consumer Finance “Now look, you built a factory and would cripple government’s capacity education and a political career with- Protection Agency and enemy No. 1 it turned into something terrific, or to provide those services. out worrying about the cost. Growing of Wall Street cheaters – for daring to a great idea. God bless – keep a big Under a Ryan budget, infrastruc- up middle-class in Oklahoma City, utter an obvious truth. hunk of it. But part of the underlying ture and education would not only Warren had to struggle for her own While praising the creativity and social contract is, you take a hunk of continue to languish but starve. He advancement from the age of 12, after industriousness of entrepreneurs, that and pay forward for the next kid also nodded toward “our safety net her father’s heart attack and medical Warren recently pointed out that who comes along.” system,” calling it “necessary, I be- bills almost ruined her family. She business cannot thrive without func- That simple, plainly factual state- lieve, to help people who can’t them- has worked all her life, starting as a tional government providing police ment obviously rankled Ryan, a selves, to help people who are down waitress, and put herself through law and fire protection, safe and efficient philosophical acolyte of the extreme on their luck get back onto their school. transportation, educated workers libertarianism of the late Ayn Rand, feet,” without acknowledging that his Before Ryan delivers another lec- and myriad other public services. whose spirit he channeled in excori- budget would decimate that system ture on the “fatal conceit of liberal- Paying for those services is a ating Warren for supposedly elevat- entirely, depriving seniors of the ben- ism,” he ought to examine his own responsibility that must be broadly ing government over “the individual, efits that have raised millions from silly conceit: that he and others shared, she said, and the rich who the family, the entrepreneur,” which poverty over the past half-century. like him represent the hardworking have benefited most from govern- he called “completely, inherently The gist of Ryan’s speech was to majority, when he was merely born at ment in so many ways should now backwards.” scold President Obama for allegedly the top. pay their fair share of its budgets and Nothing that Warren actually said promoting “class warfare” and for © Creators Syndicate POST-BLACKNESS From Page 10 but also in the new hybrid genres challenging its hegemony. For every Eminem Less metaphysical accounts of what constitutes post-black identity turn out there is a post-black Santigold, who counts the Pixies and punk rock among her to be nothing more than the shared experience of living with, and overcoming, strongest influences. lingering old-fashioned racism, of learning to ignore the white gaze, along with Oddly, there is no mention of the retro-futuristic singer Janelle Monáe, whose the added burden of disregarding the censoring black one. portrayal of an android as the Other – pamphlets listing Monáe’s “Ten Droid This sounds remarkably like a black version of what Alan Dershowitz calls the Commandments” for individuality have been handed out at her concerts – has to Tsuris Theory of Jewish Survival, in which assimilated American Jews desper- be the ultimate in post-blackness. ately need external troubles and imagined enemies to maintain their identity. SUCH FLUENCY UNDERGIRDS complete ease in interethnic relations. Touré, TOURE AT HIS BEST in his finely delineated observations of the joys and himself married to a Lebanese-American, praises the effortless “mode-switching” dangers of post-blackness, whether it is being lived or being staged. He offers of celebrities and leaders like Oprah Winfrey and President Obama: “Blackness a wickedly funny account of a performance piece by the artist William Pope.L, is an important part of them but does not necessarily dominate their persona.” some of whose “best-known projects are his crawls, where he dons a business This allows them not only to trust and be trusted by European-Americans, but suit and crawls on hands and knees through miles of Manhattan.” to seamlessly display the many forms of blackness when the occasion demands. During one such performance, in Tompkins Square Park, an older black man This all sounds idyllic, but there are problems. To his credit, Touré – a cor- accosts a white man who is videotaping Pope.L, thinking that the videographer is respondent for MSNBC, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone and the author of humiliating a homeless brother. “What are you doing showing black people like three previous books – devotes nearly half of Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness? this?” Pope.L tries to explain: “I’m working. . . . I create symbolic acts.” There squarely, if not always successfully, to confronting them. is generational bewilderment: “What is a symbolic act? Crawling up to the white If blackness has become so infinite and malleable a thing, wherein does it man, or what?!” exist? Touré insists that there is a “core” there and that “who I am is indelibly Touré fully assays the “complex and messy and fluid” possibilities and dan- shaped by blackness.” gers inherent in post-blackness in a dazzling deconstruction of the tragicomic NONETHELESS, MANY BLACKS, including members of his own generation, art and life of Dave Chappelle. may wonder if there is anything left, as Touré discovered one terrible night in UTTERLY UNINHIBITED by black or white gazes, Chappelle irreverently cast a college. During his freshman year at Emory, he had hung out mostly with white sharply revealing light on black life that drew a multiracial audience of millions friends, but soon enough was spending “all my social time with black students.” to his Comedy Central routines. But did he go too far in his comic mining of tra- Later on, after a party at the black dorm, a large black man from Alabama barked ditional black postures and vulnerabilities? at him: “Shut up, Touré! You ain’t black!” Devastated, Touré spent the rest of the Touré suggests that, in the end, Chappelle came close to both prostituting and night in the soul-searching that eventually led to the present book. pimping the black life he had once so endearingly parodied, and that in a ter- Helping him to understand, in the words of Henry Louis Gates Jr., [an inter- rible moment of self-recognition he realized that his “comic mouth has written viewee], the core beneath the “multiplicity of multiplicities” of ways to express checks that his body is afraid to cash. . . . The freedom of the post-black era has blackness were the many successful people he spoke to. Post-black identity, we scared him to death. So he picks up the gauntlet he threw down at the beginning learn, resides in the need to live with and transcend new and subtle but perva- of the show and he runs,” ditching a $50 million contract for the anonymity of sive forms of racism: “Post-black does not mean ‘post-racial.’ ” Africa. This new racism is invisible and unknowable, always lurking in the shadows, FOR ALL ITS OCCASIONAL CONTRADICTIONS [why the put-down of the co- the secret decisions of whites resulting in lost opportunities blacks never knew median Byron Allen for his Middle American cultural fluency?] and omissions about or even thought possible: “There’s a sense of malevolent ghosts darting [there is no consideration of the ways immigrant blacks and mixed-race people around you, screwing with you, often out of sight but never out of mind.” are contributing to post-black heterogeneity],­ this is one of the most acutely EVEN SO EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL a person as Elizabeth Alexan- observed accounts of what it is like to be young, black and middle-class in con- der, the tenured Yale professor and inaugural poet, claims to be haunted by “a temporary America. continual underestimation of my intellectual ability and capacity, and the real Touré inventively draws on a range of evidence – autobiography, music, art, in- insidious aspect of that kind of racism is that we don’t know half the time when terviews, comedy and popular social analysis – for a performance carried through people are underestimating us.” with unsparing honesty, in a distinctive voice that is often humorous, occasion- Touré, though he doesn’t call it that, seems to have unearthed here a new post- ally wary and defensive, but always intensely engaging. black sociological evil: counterfactual racism. © New York Times THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 14 Dominionism: Politics For God’s Sake By Barbara Santee The first presidential campaign The Domionists are committed to I ever worked on was for John F. this theological fantasy that plays Kennedy. Since then, I have been very well into their political game through a lot of political elections plan of taking over the government and battles; and I’ve never seen this of the United States. By politically country so divided as it is now. It is controlling the U.S. government, they obvious that the combatants are not can better protect Israel on the world interested in doing things that will stage and achieve their own self- help their constituents [unless those delusional Christian fantasies of an constituents are big donors], but imaginary playmate rising from the are more absorbed in politics for the dead to swoop them up to an equally sake of politics, not for the sake of imaginary heaven. people. What better way to accomplish this I have been a Democrat all of my game plan than to take over one of political life, and have been very the two major political parties in the involved in the local party in Okla- U.S.? And they have done that. homa, serving as chair of the reso- It’s still called the Republican lutions committee and attending Party, but not the Republican Party precinct, county, district and state most of us knew years ago. Now they meetings. But I stopped being ac- are working on the Democrats. If this tive in the party because I became doesn’t scare the hell out of you, it disgusted. Several times when I should. asked, “What is the purpose of the Oklahoman’s entire legislative Democratic Party,” I’ve been told that delegation is made up of people who its purpose is to elect Democrats to kowtow to the religious beliefs of office! The first time I heard this, I the white, male backlash to the civil people toward anyone who disagrees these delusional people, and al- was shocked. Then I began to notice rights and women’s movements of with them. They are the rightful rul- though they may only be parroting it was becoming a mantra for the the ‘70s. They are scared to death of ers and those who don’t agree are the fundamentalist rhetoric in order party. That’s when I realized that the losing male privilege. standing in their way of doing God’s to garner votes, they also carry the Democratic Party I had known all of When women were beginning to go bidding. water for these lunatics in Congress. my life was not the Democratic Party into the workplace in positions gen- Dominionism is tied to their theo- They are selling the rest of us down of today. erally held by men, men claimed that logical beliefs about the end times the drain and they are endangering At one point, the Democratic Party women were taking their jobs. Now which are based on biblical prophesy the survival of this country. Hence, [large D] stood for democratic [small they are claiming the same about involving the second coming, the we have people screaming “Anti- d] ideals that actually would benefit Hispanics. resurrection of the dead, the rapture Christ” at President Obama at Politi- Americans. I thought the party stood The problem I have with that is of the living, Armageddon where cal rallies. for equality, justice, freedom, access that no job belongs to anyone au- sinners will be destroyed by God’s We have read about the house to a free public education, workers’ tomatically. Jobs are earned, not a wrath, and the other dire biblical on “C” Street [also known as “The rights, protecting the disenfran- perk given because you happen to be prophesies. Family”] where many of our law- chised and vulnerable, etc. Apparent- white and male. Essentially, the biblical literalists makers were given cheap room and ly, I didn’t have a grip on reality if my The same idea of white privilege believe that all of these actions will board, along with a heavy dose of fellow Democrats are to be believed. permeates the Republican and Tea be triggered by the second coming daily prayer. C Street is officially Our politicians used to discuss parties. Most of them honestly of Christ. But more importantly, registered as a church; but in prac- ideas. Now they engage in character believe that the office of president they deeply believe that Christ can tice, they do their share of political assassination. At one time, both belongs to the Republicans, and any only return to Israel. Therefore, it is conniving to push the agenda of the sides would compromise for the sake Democrat who dares to wrest that imperative that Israel must continue Dominionists. of getting something done for The power from them is a usurper and to exist. They fervently support the “C” Street serves as a meeting People. Not so today. All we see are not a legitimate leader; hence, the safety and existence of an Israeli place and residence for politicians screaming matches so loud and ex- disrespect and animosity for our state as part of their greater Chris- like South Carolina Gov. Mark San- treme you literally can’t understand president. They feel they have a God- tian plan, not because they love the ford [adulterer], Nevada Sen. John what either side is saying. By doing given right to rule this country. Jews as a people. They are Christian Ensign [adulterer], and our own this, neither side is proving how If memory serves me correctly, Zionists, if you will. Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn [bagman right they are – they are proving how there was once a King named George The irony is, according to their for an adulterer]. Coburn was in- immature and wrong they are. who thought the same thing. Of theology, when Christ returns, the volved in a scandal as the go-between At a labor rally recently, Jimmy course, he was nuts, and it took a people on earth will be given one last in trying to negotiate blackmail to Hoffa Jr. called the Tea Party people little war to convince him that his chance to either accept him or be cover up Ensign’s adulterous affair. “those sons-a-bitches.” A Republican power was not God-given. thrown into the bowels of hell. The This small group of politicians col- called the president a liar during a Where did the Tea Party Republi- Jews also will be given this choice. lectively has incredible political clout State of the Union speech. Recently, cans get the idea that the presidency, Those who refuse will die in eternal and access to powerful people all a Republican representative said he indeed this country, literally belongs flames just like every other non- over the world. And they have used would not attend President Obama’s to them? Most of them are religious believer. Jews get no free pass for those assets to push the Domionist speech on jobs being made before a extremists who fervently believe in preserving Israel. agenda worldwide. special session of the joint Congress. Dominion theology, the belief that So much for the love of Israel and The stated purpose of The Family He said he didn’t want to be a “politi- society should be governed exclu- the Jews. They are merely the means is to provide a fellowship forum for cal prop” for the president. So in- sively by the law of God as codified in to an end for the Zionist Christians. decision makers. Yet the organiza- stead of prioritizing jobs, this guy is the Bible, to the exclusion of secular The most prominent of these is tion has been described as one of laser focused on trying to embarrass law. John Hagee, a televangelist who the most politically well-connected the president. I could give dozens of Their core belief is that the King- raises millions of dollars annually ministries in the United States. other examples from both parties. dom of God will be established on that are sent to Israel. The Family is very secretive, but its Of course, this level of animosity Earth through political and [in some Thousands of Zionist Christians known participants include rank- against the president is generated cases] even military means. And who tour Israel each year. Israel’s govern- ing United States government of- not by Obama’s policies, but by his will be in charge of this new Domion- ment tolerates this movement and ficials, corporate executives, heads race. The rightwing extremists have ist world? They will be, of course. the tourists because they don’t see of religious and humanitarian aid re-invented themselves as the Tea Domionism is what drives many them as a political threat to their organizations, ambassadors and high Party, but they are the same bigoted, politically active, conservative country. But there are many Jews ranking politicians from across the racist, white-power extremists who Christians to seek influence or who see through Hagee’s scheming world. Many United States senators have been with us since Jim Crow control over secular civil government and disagree with their government’s and Congressmen who have publicly and the KKK. through political action, especially stance toward these extremists. acknowledged working with the Fel- The passing years have not mel- in the United States, with the goal of They know that the public support lowship or are documented as having lowed their hatred of blacks, but it a nation governed by Christians and of Israel does not translate into their done so work together to pass or seems to have exacerbated it. All biblical law. That explains the rancor personal acceptance of Jews in this influence legislation. of this spewed hatred is a result of and out-and-out hostility of these country. See DOMINIONISTS Page 16 THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 15 Comma Punctuates Health Care Fight By Danny M. Adkison The Supreme Court is still in the early days of its term. But soon the court will tion’s general welfare, and why doesn’t it today make the sane argument for the decide whether or not it will rule in one of the most closely watched cases of its authority to pass national health care? Except for a comma, it might. term. Will the Court grant certiorari in the several cases on appeal concerning The Supreme Court has ruled that the General Welfare Clause is not an inde- the health care law Congress passed at the urging of President Obama? pendent grant of authority to Congress. In other words, in spite of this wording Were it not for a comma, it would be easy to predict how the court would rule. in the Constitution, Congress does not have the power to provide for the general As nearly everyone knows by now, the one aspect of the health care law that is welfare. Why not? under constitutional attack is the tax mandate. The tax mandate was included in The general welfare clause is separated from the references to taxes, duties, the law for two reasons. imposts, and excises by a comma. This apparently means that the reference to First, it helps prevent the “free rider syndrome.” Second, it is a way of helping providing for the general welfare does not stand alone, but pertains to those to pay for the costs incurred because of the health care law. types of government taxes. Thus, the General Welfare Clause is not an indepen- The “free rider syndrome’ is the tendency for individuals to take advantage of dent grant of power, but is inextricably connected with passing taxes. laws without suffering any cost. Some people work tirelessly to do all they can For Congress to have the authority to pass a law merely on the justification to guarantee that we have clean air. Others do nothing in this regard, except that it provided for the general welfare, the word Excises would have to be fol- breathe. These are the free riders. lowed by a semicolon. A semicolon placed there would result in the Constitution The tax mandate addresses this syndrome and at the same time raises money stipulating that Congress had the power to tax AND Congress had the power to [from what will probably be the most healthy part of the citizenry] to help pay for provide for the general welfare. the health care of those who can’t afford it. It seems improbable that such differences in congressional authority could The argument is going to be made [and it will probably resonate with a majority result from the difference between a comma and a semicolon. Maybe it is. of the Supreme Court] that Congress exceeded its constitutional authority. What Were you to research this provision as it made its way through the Constitu- authority? The authority to regulate commerce among the states. tional Convention you would notice something interesting. When the Constitu- There was a time when such authority would have gone unquestioned. In 1964 tion was sent to the Committee of Style there was a semicolon separating the when Congress passed a major Civil Rights Act prohibiting racial discrimination language concerning taxes and the provision pertaining to providing for the gen- in public accommodations [restaurants, hotels motels, etc.] the court upheld the eral welfare. So what? It was still changed to a comma, right? law. But the court’s approach changed in 1995. Yes it was, but it is important to know what the mandate of the Committee of Since then the Court has been more willing to second-guess Congress’ reli- Style was. This committee was told it could reword provisions which had passed ance on the interstate clause for passing laws. Why can’t Congress just pass a on the floor [and indeed some provisions needed rewording], but the important law and justify it on the grounds that it is good for our country? point was that the committee was told it could in no way change the meaning of If our Constitution were interpreted properly it could. The reason is because the provisions. the Constitution grants Congress the authority to pass laws for the “general Change the wording? That was the committee‘s function. Change the mean- welfare” of the nation. Isn’t that broad enough to cover health care? Yes it is, but ing? No way. no it doesn’t. This means that under the original meaning of the Constitution, Congress Here is what the Constitution actually stipulates [quoting exactly from the ac- would have the power to pass any law it deemed needed for the general welfare tual government document]: “The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect of the nation. Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the com- It also means that none of this is going to change the outcome of how the court mon Defence and general Welfare of the United States …” will eventually rule on the constitutionality of the health care bill. Why didn’t Congress say it was passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for the na- – The author teaches constitutional law at Oklahoma State University DOMINIONISTS From Page 15 For example, Oklahoma Sen. Jim that the Dominionists have not only disagree with the Tea Party on fiscal Boren, an Oklahoma representative Inhofe has traveled to Africa 19 times stuck their nose in the Republican matters. But increasingly there are who cannot be counted on to vote to meet with the Nigerian president tent but taken it over. Democrats who align philosophically with the Democrats on a lot of is- as a representative of “The Fam- How will you get the other person with the Tea Party people on both fis- sues. He straddles the fence, and as ily.” Is it just a coincidence that Jim to support your ideas or policies cal and social issues, yet they stay in Jim Hightower likes to say, “The only Inhofe’s negative view on gay rights after you’ve called him/her a fool or the Democratic Party out of habit or thing is the middle of the road is a may have served as the basis of the a liar or the anti-Christ? Everyone family tradition. Same is true for the yellow stripe and a dead armadillo.” Nigerian law that same-sex sexual on this earth wants the same thing. Republicans. With the rise of the Religious activity is punishable by death from Respect. It is a fundamental human So we have a lot of Democrats and Right’s takeover of the Republican stoning? need, and is the basis of something Republicans disgruntled with their party, we are faced with people who The Republicans have already stat- I remember from my childhood, “Do parties. And we have politicians who are judgmental, self-righteous, liter- ed that their major focus is to vote unto others…” do not stand on principle, but change ally “holier than thou.” With this President Obama out of office – not To continue this hostile interaction their positions according with the type of binary, black-or-white rigidity, jobs, not unemployment, not medi- only proves that the lunatics are now most recent poll results. you can’t have a simple difference cal care, not anything else! Nothing in charge of the asylum. This current campaign for the of opinion. If you do differ, you are else trumps that, unless it would be We used to understand that when Republican candidate for president “evil” or an instrument of Satan. criminalizing abortion which they someone said they were a Democrat, is a perfect example. A candidate They claim God is wreaking havoc attack at every opportunity. he or she embraced the ideals of says something one day, and within on this country through hurricanes, Everything else falls by the way- the party. There was a mutual social hours, he/she backtracks embracing floods, wild fires, tornadoes, etc. side. So instead of addressing issues, contract of sorts by both sides about the opposite view! They don’t have because the populace stubbornly they are spending their time [and what their fundamental values were. the guts to say what they stand for refuses to bow down to the Domion- your taxes] trying to show how much Unfortunately, that’s not true and stick with it. ist’s skewed view of the world. [Of more anti-Obama they are than the today. The problem with the ideal No Republican or Democratic voter course, Hurricane Irene hit Pat Rob- next person. This dance of death of “electing Democrats to office” is happy with politicians like that. ertson’s area so I’m wondering if God boils down to a recalcitrant fac- doesn’t include a job description We want to know a candidate’s core was asleep at the wheel that time!] tion in the Republican Party that is setting out the ideals I’ve mentioned. beliefs and commitments, and that It has been my experience after 40 entrenched in their positions due to Literally anyone can claim to be a he or she will remain true to defend- years as a pro-choice activist, you their racial and religious beliefs, and “Democrat.” ing those beliefs. don’t change the minds of people like not their political duties. This trans- As long as they are registered as So a lot of Republicans and Demo- this. You simply try to dilute their lates into a lack of respect shown by a Democrat in Oklahoma, they can crats have left their respective par- impact by activating average, main- being demeaning and insulting as run for office under the party flag, ties in protest. That’s the reason stream Americans who generally possible to the other side. even though they may not embrace Independents represent about 40% of have not been involved politically. Af- Of course, this hostility prompts a single one of the old ideals that the voting population in this country. ter all, those mainstream Americans a response in kind. The exchanges Democrats once held. That’s the reason the unprincipled outnumber the extremists by a long between the two sides are filled with We are in a period of political re- politicians have to speak out of both shot. But if they don’t get involved, anger, contempt, and animosity. This alignment in this country. Many Re- sides of their mouths in order to cap- if they don’t care, we will continue might be good strategy during a war publicans do not agree with the anti- ture that unstable “mushy” middle down this road of mutual destruction to define the enemy, but it is a deadly science, anti-abortion, anti-education vote. And that’s the reason we have with the two sides acting like two policy in politics where compromise of the Tea Party, but they agree with so many politicians who are RINOs male deer with their antlers locked is essential to a well-run govern- their fiscal ideas. Many Democrats [Republican in name only] and DINOs together in a dance of death that will ment. But this hate-filled practice embrace science, abortion rights, [Democrat in name only]. drag all of us down with them. has become common practice now gay rights, public education, etc., but An example of a DINO is Dan – The author lives in Tulsa THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 16 Generation Y Focus: Legislature, MEET THE Urban Districts MILLENNIALS By Chad Hunter • They are the most ethnically and racially diverse cohort of youth in the There is no denying how successful Republicans and Conservatives have been nation’s history. Among those ages 13 to 29: 18.5% are Hispanic; 14.2% are over the last decade when it comes to electoral politics in Oklahoma. They cur- black; 4.3% are Asian; 3.2% are mixed race or other; and 59.8%, a record rently hold all 11 statewide elected offices and super majorities in both houses low, are white. of the Legislature. Only 20 years ago, the roles of the two parties were virtually • They are starting out as the most politically progressive age group in reversed. modern history. In the 2008 election, Millennials voted for Barack Obama While relying on Brad Henry’s veto pen to stop the spew of conservative ideol- over John McCain by 66%-32%, while adults ages 30 and over split their ogy that was coming out of the Legislature, that strategy was doomed to work only in the short term. votes 50%-49%. In the four decades since the development of Election Day For Democrats to really reverse this trend, we will need to focus on the Legis- exit polling, this is the largest gap ever seen in a presidential election be- lature. tween the votes of those under and over age 30. Knowing what makes campaigns successful isn’t all that hard, but putting • They are the first generation in human history who regard behaviors like those things into place is a much larger challenge. To be able to do so, there tweeting and texting, along with websites like Facebook, YouTube, Google needs to be a focus on the micro-level of campaigns: recruiting good candidates, and Wikipedia, not as astonishing innovations of the digital era, but as ev- organizing volunteers in each district, fundraising, and also the macro level of eryday parts of their social lives and their search for understanding. campaigns, primarily forming a successful message. • They are the least religiously observant youths since survey research The first step is obviously recruiting good candidates, but even more impor- began charting religious behavior. tant is training those candidates. A run for the state Legislature will be a lot of people’s first attempt at public office and many will have no clue how to run a • They are more inclined toward trust in institutions than were either of successful campaign. their two predecessor generations – Gen Xers [now mostly ages 35 to 45] They become too wrapped up in things that don’t matter. They think that yard and Baby Boomers [now mostly 46 to 64] when they were coming of age. signs are the only things that matter [yard signs don’t vote!] or worse yet, they – Pew Research Center become obsessed with a perceived conspiracy that someone is stealing their yard signs. These trivial matters become all consuming, totally distracting from the few things that campaigns should be doing. on these things. At its basic level, a campaign is a candidate calling his friends and family for A first time candidate should be informed of this fact and be hoarding their money and then using that money to convince low information voters who de- money for the very end of a campaign where voters will be most receptive to a cide in the last two weeks before an election. It is easy to lose sight of those two pitch from a campaign. main goals. That brings us back to message, which anyone will admit is a major problem Let’s start with fundraising. Without money a campaign is truly helpless. The for Oklahoma Democrats. The bottom line is Oklahoma voters aren’t in line with goal should be to recruit candidates who have a good personal circle they can national Democrats. I don’t think anyone has the answer on what will change raise money from and then train them how to do it. The biggest fallacy of cam- that. paign fundraising is that there are a few donors who fund virtually all campaigns. It seems the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas are moving in our direc- These donors simply don’t exist. You’ll just have to trust me on this one. tion, and this should be our main focus when looking for pick-up opportunities. Successful campaigns are funded by a candidate’s friends, family, business as- We see other parts of the country where urban voters are more receptive to the sociates, etc. A candidate that doesn’t have those personal connections is going Democratic message. to be in major trouble when it comes to raising money. It will also be more cost effective for us to focus on these geographically small, None of that matters, however, if we don’t train the candidate how to raise dense districts. money. This is a hard truth, but you are going to have to sit down several times So we need candidates with a good personal circle, who are hard working and a week, and call people close to you and ask them for money. There is no other organized, with logistical support from statewide groups, in districts that we can way around it. It is hard, but it is necessary if you want to be successful. hope to win. That is a lot to ask, but there are people and districts out there that We need people around these campaigns that understand this and will make fit that description. sure candidates understand this. This message can come from the state party, We all need to make sure we are looking for those people, encouraging them to from liberal electoral organizations, from experienced staff, or from consultants. run, working for them and contributing to them when they make that decision, Without that expertise to train the candidate and the will to push them to stay and holding them accountable when they get into office. on task, a campaign can hardly be expected to succeed. – Chad Hunter, 26, is a campaign professional and political fundraiser cur- The second part of a campaign is voter contact. For the Legislature, this is rently working on a congressional campaign in Washington state. A Ponca City largely phone banking from the candidate and volunteers, robo-calls, radio and native and Oklahoma State University graduate, Hunter worked on statewide newspaper ads, and direct mail. I would question any money that was not spent and congressional campaigns in Oklahoma as well as several other states. Creating New Path To Political Victory By Tamya Cox

Young Oklahoma progressives are eye to all his or her faults. fear of failure have all occurred in the box, then that middle that we have at a crossroads. That path is just as destructive as Obama Administration. been waiting in will eventually be- We can turn right and follow the the other path. That path will only We have to be the first to admit come the destination we have been path others have taken, where they lead to constant conflict and create there are areas where progressives impatiently seeking. deny their progressive roots and at- bitterness among fellow Oklahomans. have dissappointed us, but we have to – Tamya Cox, 30, grew up in Des tempt to blend in with the majority. And that path will surely lead one couple that with great things as well. Moines, IA, and moved to Tulsa when They refuse to protest outside of straight out of Oklahoma. We have to focus on local govern- she was 15. She graduated from Rep. Sally Kern’s office but anony- I think both paths will lead to pro- ment. We have to support local candi- Oklahoma State University and dur- mously give monthly donations to gressive annihilation or worse – de- dates even more fervently than we do ing her time at Oklahoma City Uni- the Cimarron Alliance Foundation. legitimatizing progressives. our presidential ones. versity School of Law, she began They retreat back into the progres- I suggest a different alternative. I In the middle of the fork, we have interning at the ACLU of Oklahoma sive closet whenever their friends or suggest we stay right in the middle to stop the infighting. Stop belittling office, where she now is deputy direc- co-workers mention ObamaCare or of the fork. We don’t move. We don’t new and innovative ideas that young tor and legislative counsel. Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan. They awk- budge. We wait until the destination progressives have. Stop thinking that wardly laugh when someone cracks of both paths change. older progressives are out of touch What’s up @ the a joke about Muslims or an undocu- Now, I don’t mean stand idly by in and obstructionists. mented Oklahoman. the middle of the fork. In fact, I mean In the middle, working together will Capitol? Many have taken this path for far the exact opposite. Let’s take what is be the rule not the exception. And Follow The Observer too long. great from both paths and make that most importantly, in the middle we Or we can turn left on that path, middle the new destination. have to stop being so apologetic for up-to-the-minute on ... where they unequivocally praise ev- We have to stop making excuses for valuing progressive ideals. ery Democrat that has ever come to President Obama’s failed policies. We Then, maybe, if we just stand still, power, defend every policy that he or should be the first to admit that bad demand accountability from all pro- http://twitter.com/okobs she has ever created, and turn a blind policy, lack of clear direction, and a gressives and refuse to be put in a THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 17 Generation Y DREAM From Page One the head of Lady Liberty and, instead If we want to win, we can’t stop of saving her, the left would rather campaigning. The day after the 2010 work to outlaw the gun. Our priorities election, we should have been look- seem to need an adjustment. ing for the next candidates, and de- I can tell you emphatically that, veloping a strategy to hold the newly no matter your issue, you’re wasting elected members accountable for bad your time if the GOP is winning all of policies. the elections. At the same time, we’re The work that needs to be done for wasting our time if we have an elected Democrats in Oklahoma is a mara- official who only votes with his party thon, not a sprint. We need long-term 19% of the time. strategies that look four, six, 10 and There’s a great line in the movie even 20 years out. The American President about fight- Let’s build a leadership pipeline, ing fights you can win and fighting train our activists to actually staff fights that need fighting. If we plan campaigns and knock doors strategi- on having any success in the future, cally, and not just around personali- Oklahoma needs a very careful bal- ties, but legislative issues and public ance of both. policy goals. Every legislative seat should have a Finally, our message is key, and candidate, even in the races we know it must begin with fighting for the we can’t win. It increases the incum- middle class that refuses to give up bent’s accountability to the district, on the American Dream. As long as increases Democratic performance, corporations control our government, and with an active effort, should in- the people lose. IDEOLOGY crease Democratic voter registration. Now is the time to highlight that the From Page One While having a candidate in every Right’s war only aims to scratch the district is key, recruitment for viable backs of the rich. Most Americans are socialists. candidates who will offer real solu- candidates for competitive districts is finally starting to see it. Let’s capital- Young Oklahomans are not ready tions that will improve our chances far more important. ize on that. to be boxed into any political party or of competing in the world economy of As much as I’m sure consultants If our party explains to Oklaho- ideology. As of 2010, new voters were the 21st Century. We want candidates would love us to believe it’s all about mans how and why we’re speaking up more likely to register as independent who will help alleviate our student money or direct mail, there is no sub- for them and that GOP policies have than as Democratic or Republican. loan debt burden, while increasing stitute for a candidate that is smart, failed, voters will begin to view us as Young voters are equally turned off our access to capital so we can un- hard working, and a well known lead- working for their best interest. It will by big government social conserva- leash our creative side and become er in the district. be the first step in the right direction. tives as by big government economic the next generation of great innova- The same can be said for statewide We’re not going to win every fight, liberals. We still believe government tors and entrepreneurs. offices. Experience, campaign savvy, and we might not win very many this has a role to play in ensuring a social We don’t want government to cod- dedication, and the right message can year, but a smarter proactive strategy safety net and some economic fair- dle us, but we do want government take candidates with some leadership that never stops means we’ll win soon ness, but we don’t believe that gov- where politicians of all ideological history to viability. and then we’ll keep winning. ernment can or will solve all of our backgrounds work together to create We must raise what money we can, – Born in Yukon, Sarah Burris, 29, problems. conditions conducive to commerce. but ultimately, we must be smarter has worked on Democratic cam- We also do not understand why – Brittany M. Novotny, 31, is an at- about the ways in which we campaign. paigns in red states and challenger certain social conservatives seem so torney in private practice in Oklaho- With the Supreme Court decision races across the country. She previ- bent on preventing two people who ma City. She has served as president in Citizens United, PACs, and unlim- ously worked for a foundation that love each other from enjoying the of Young Democrats of Oklahoma ited contributions from corporations, helped start up state-based youth same rights as other couples, merely and was the Democratic candidate I can assure you that Democrats will organizations in the west, served as because the former couple is of the for House District 84 in 2010. She is never have enough money in a red the managing editor for FutureMajor- same-sex. a graduate of the University of Sci- state. We need to be prepared to work ity.com, and covered the 2008 presi- The next generation of Oklahoma ence and Arts of Oklahoma and the harder and work smarter, making use dential election for Rock the Vote’s voters are looking for political candi- University of California-Hastings of every tool in our box to win. This Rock the Trail reports. She was re- dates that are ready to lead. We want College of Law. means being prepared never to stop cently Lt. Governor Jari Askins’ me- fighting. dia director, a campaign cited by the Our political system used to work Democratic Governors Association Bank of America’s when we divided legislative season as one of the top two in the country from campaign season. At one time, for new media work. She now is the candidates would announce they new media manager at EMILY’s List, Apology Will Cost You were running after the first of the year working to elect Democratic women The following letter was sent today by Bank of America to all of its debit card cus- during an election year. No more. at all levels of government. tomers: Dear Valued Customer: As most of you probably know by now, last month we instituted a $5 monthly fee Oh, To Be 8 Again! for all of our debit card users. To say that what followed this decision was a sh-- storm would be a massive understatement. A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching his wife, who was looking at Considering that just three years earlier taxpayers had bailed us out with billions herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off, he asked what she’d like to of their hard-earned dollars, it’s understandable that Bank of America was compared have for her birthday. to a person who, as he is pulled from a burning building, turns and kicks the fireman “I’d like to be eight again,” she replied, still looking at the mirror. in the nuts. On the morning of her birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Coco That’s why we are writing to you today with a simple message: “Our bad.” Puffs, and then took her to Adventure World theme park. What a day! And to tell you that we are refunding the $5 to you, effective immediately. All you He put her on every ride in the park: the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Scream- have to do is pay a simple, one-time $10 refund fee. ing Roller Coaster. Everything there was. You can receive your refund online, or pick it up at your nearest Bank of America Five hours later, they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and branch, where a teller will hand the money directly to you for a simple, one-time $15 her stomach felt upside down. He then took her to a McDonald’s where he ordered handling fee. her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake. If you do visit your branch, feel free to use any of our services, including our state Then it was off to a movie, complete with popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite of the art ballpoint pens and deposit slips. [Prices on request.] candy, M&Ms. What a fabulous adventure! Again, accept our apologies for instituting the debit card fee. We have learned our Finally, she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed, exhausted. lesson, and we make this solemn promise: next time we squeeze money from you, He leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, “Well, dear, what was we’ll do it in a way you won’t notice. it like being eight again?” Sincerely, Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed. Bank of America “I meant my dress size, you moron!” – Andy Borowitz

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 18 America Losing Battle Against Vets’ Suicides

One U.S. veteran of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan attempts suicide every 80 minutes, according to new study. In a staggering indictment on the lack of mental health programs in the U.S. military, the report reveals 1,868 veterans made suicide attempts in 2009 alone. Many veterans face dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, high unem- ployment and a loss of military camaraderie after returning from tours. Dr. Margaret C. Harrell and Nancy Berglass, who authored the Center for a New American Security Suicide report, said: “America is losing its battle against sui- cide by veterans and service members. “And as more troops return from deployment, the risk will only grow.” CURRENT TROOPS But it is not just returning servicemen and women who are suffering. From 2005 to 2010, approximately one current service member attempted suicide ev- ing the weapons privately owned by service personnel and improving the analy- ery 36 hours, the study revealed. sis of veteran suicides. Marine Corps veteran Jason Christiansen, 35, from St. Paul, MN, attempted It goes on to suggest that the growing number of suicides and attempted sui- to kill himself after completing his service. He lost his job as a car salesman in cides could undercut public confidence in the U.S. military. 2008 and became depressed, according to Minnesota.publicradio.org. According to Department of Defense statistics, there were 309 suicides among He told the site: “At one point, I was sitting there with a gun in my mouth.” active-duty and reserve troops in the military in 2009, compared with 160 in The Veterans Crisis Line, launched in 2007, has received more than 400,000 2001. calls and saved more than 14,000 lives, according to the Veterans Affairs mental RECORD HIGH IN JULY health website. There was a record high number of suicides in July this year – with the deaths THREE AREAS OF FOCUS of 33 service members categorized as suicides, the report said. The report says three areas need to be tackled to help prevent further service It said: “The military must take care of its own. Although a goal of no suicides members from killing themselves. may be unachievable, the increasing number of suicides is unacceptable. These include keeping units together for 90 days after returning from a de- “There is a national shortage of mental health care and behavioral health care ployment to prevent service people struggling with reintegration; rescinding the professionals, a factor linked to higher rates of suicide.” 2011 National Defense Authorization Act which prevents officers from discuss- © The UK Daily Mail OETA From Page 6

recent years, resulting in cancellation of the daily news program. It’s estimated 90% of the households in America now subscribe to cable TV Interestingly, OETA was the only news operation to cover the Legislature gav- or satellite programming. Moreover, PBS’ viewership is often small. But it’s also el-to-gavel. Frankly, the best hope of attracting the state’s commercial TV sta- true that Oklahoma is a high poverty state, resulting in a lower percentage of tions to the Capitol would be a nearby grass fire or triple-ax murder. By contrast, cable and satellite subscribers. OETA’s reporters and cameras were there everyday, covering the news, asking “I take [programming options] for granted living in a metropolitan area,” said the tough questions, shining light on the activities of our elected officials. Rep. Jeannie McDaniel, a Tulsa Democrat who regards OETA as a vehicle to help Here’s a dirty little secret the Republican leadership – notice I specified “lead- “educate people in regions where they don’t have the economic advantage to see ership” – doesn’t want you to know: They are forever bloviating about transpar- more TV or it’s just not available. ency, but it’s really just a political slogan. “As a legislator I don’t feel that’s my role to decide what people can and can’t Their grumbling over OETA’s omnipresence, and its newscasts, has intensified watch … You can turn the dial. You don’t have to watch the shows you don’t in recent years as the GOP solidified control over state government. Why? It’s want. amazing the deals you can strike when no one is looking. “In the big scheme of things think how little we give to this programming and Last session, Republicans tried, but failed to turn OETA into the Oklahoma how much joy it brings to people. I’ve never met anyone [outside the Legislature] equivalent of C-Span. Their hope? Most Okies would be so overwhelmed and who didn’t think it was a good idea.” bored by the non-stop coverage of meetings that they’d turn the channel. OETA connects us as a people – even if we don’t tune in regularly – whether There’s no question GOP lawmakers are developing plans to eliminate tax- we’re from Boise City or Broken Bow, Miami or Hollis, Blackwell or Thackerville. payer funding for OETA – 39% of the network’s $10.2 million budget. What will We get so much for our $1.12 annual commitment. Why would lawmakers fo- be the impact on Oklahomans who rely on OETA for programming and for civic cus on this meager appropriation when really big money is at stake? understanding? Can you spell c-e-n-s-o-r-s-h-i-p?

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TOM and SHERRI Friends Meeting (Quakers) Better Information, Better Policy Oklahoma Policy Institute provides timely and credible GOODWIN Oklahoma City (Sunday evening) 405-632-7574 information, analysis and commentary on state policy issues. Cheyenne, OK Worship at 7:00 p.m. (use west entry) See our latest issue briefs, fact sheets and blog posts at: Wesley Methodist Church 1401 NW 25 (at Classen) Readers and supporters of The Observer for over 20 years and counting. Stillwater (Sunday morning) 405-372-4839 Tulsa (Sunday afternoon) 918-743-6827 Norman (Sunday morning) 405-321-7971 David Blatt, Director n 918.794.3944 n [email protected]

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER, NOVEMBER 10, 2011, PAGE 20