Mullin's Mischief

• An Independent Journal of Commentary • SEPTEMBER 2018 • VOLUME 50 NUMBER 9 • $5.00 Mullin’s Mischief

2nd District Rep’s Ethical Lapses, Broken Promises And Arrogance Tarnish Citizen-Legislator Image SPECIAL REPORT Begins On Page 12 Observations

www.okobserver.org Where There’s Smoke … VOLUME 50, NO. 9 Oklahoma’s Department of Veterans Affairs is a suffering leadership crisis. PUBLISHER Beverly Hamilton There can be no other conclusion after a scathing audit revealed a EDITOR Arnold Hamilton “culture of fear and intimidation” created by a power grab at the top and the shedding of hundreds of employees at the bottom. ADVISORY BOARD The back-and-forth the audit ignited – including alleged patient pri- Andrew Hamilton, Matthew Hamilton, vacy violations and legislative calls for two top agency officials to be Scott J. Hamilton, Trevor James, Ryan Kiesel, George Krumme, fired – isn’t politics as usual. Nor should it be viewed that way. Gayla Machell, MaryAnn Martin, It’s potentially a life or death matter for the 1,300 or so veterans cared Bruce Prescott, Bob Rogers, for at seven state veterans centers. Robyn Lemon Sellers, Kyle Williams The agency’s leadership clearly knew it was in for trouble when state OUR MOTTO Auditor Gary Jones’ office deployed its flashlights and magnifying glass- To Comfort the Afflicted and Afflict the es. Comfortable. In fact, Executive Director Doug Elliott sent an email to staff before the audit’s release, warning he could be fired “due to findings of mis- OUR CREDO So then to all their chance, to all their management, toxic environment, improper purchases or whatever other shining golden opportunity. To all the allegations I have heard of in the rumor mill.” right to love, to live, to work, to be Elliott later claimed the email was a joke. But even if it were, it was themselves, and to become whatever unwise, if not unprofessional, for an agency leader to fuel rumors and thing their vision and humanity can combine to make them. This seeker, innuendo in what was already a toxic environment. is the promise of America. Some legislators took issue with the state audit’s findings, demanding - Adapted from Thomas Wolfe in an Aug. 13 letter that Jones explain why it included only “negative feedback.” FOUNDING PUBLISHER Classic misdirection. The lawmakers didn’t take issue with the audit’s Helen B. Troy [1932-2007] specifics, hoping instead to shift the focus to alleged bias. The problem with that strategy is Jones’ record: In two terms as state FOUNDING EDITOR auditor, he’s proven to be a straight shooter – an umpire who simply Frosty Troy [1933-2017] calls balls and strikes. He doesn’t play games. Remember, the Legislature’s audit critics – led by Ardmore Sen. Frank [ISSN 0030-1795] Simpson and OKC’s Rep. Chris Kannady – sided with veterans affairs The Oklahoma Observer [USPS 865-720] is published on the first Wednesday of each leaders who pushed the controversial closing of the Talihina Veterans month by AHB Enterprises LLC, 13912 Plym- CONTINUED ON PAGE 43 outh Crossing, P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113-0275. Periodicals postage paid at Edmond, OK and additional entry office. Phone: 405.478.8700.

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LETTERS TO EDITOR E-mail to [email protected] or mail to P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113- 0275. 2 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Observerscope

Date Change! September’s News- Did you see what happened when The summer’s best news? Argu- makers is the first Thursday – the Louisiana accepted Medicaid ex- ably, the FCC’s thwarting of Sin- 6th – featuring Rep. Forrest Ben- pansion? Saved lives and tax dol- clair Broadcast Group’s merger nett, OKPolicy’s Carly Putnam and lars. Democrat Drew Edmondson with Tribune Media. Uber-right Health Care Authority’s MaryAnn is only major party gubernatorial Sinclair could have controlled half Martin. See back cover for details. nominee for expansion. of OKC’s TV newsrooms.

Dart: To turgid twins Donald Dart: To Gov. Mary Fallin’s hand- Dart: To Green the Vote leaders, Trump and Mick Mulvaney, rolling picked State Board of Education, misleading Oklahomans on sig- back protections for active-duty yet again overruling a locally nature gathering for SQs 796 and military preyed upon by payday elected school board to approve an 797. The claims proved wildly in- lenders. Will it soon be open sea- American Indian charter school in accurate, setting the push for full son on underpaid Tinker, Fort Sill, OKC. Didn’t Republicans stand for marijuana legalization back years. Vance and Altus personnel? local control, once upon a time? Fear of deep-pocketed rightwing- SQ 801 is a Trojan horse. The Rhetoric: OU and OSU made ers [think Walton and DeVos fami- November ballot referendum does headlines declaring medical mari- lies] keeps Oklahoma lawmakers nothing to solve Oklahoma’s pub- juana will remain illegal on their from mandating homeschool stan- lic education funding crisis. It campuses under federal law. Real- dards. The recent child abuse case only widens the gap between rich ity: Legal or not, pot won’t be hard involving a “homeschooled” Meek- and poor districts. to find in Norman or Stillwater – er teen underscores the need. never has been. Laurel: To University of Central Colorado hopes to succeed Oklahoma President Don Betz, Laurel: To Rep. Regina Goodwin, where Oklahoma failed: Initiative honored with the OK Political Sci- D-Tulsa, working to clarify state 93 on November’s statewide ballot ence Association’s Robert Darcy laws on when voting rights are re- would hike income taxes, generat- Lifetime Achievement Award. Betz stored for ex-felons. Fairness dic- ing $1.6 billion for public schools. is retiring next June after eight tates as soon as society’s debt is years at UCO. paid – not 10 years later. CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 3 Letters

by the OSSAA], one Spring Break [in statute], one state testing win- dow [formerly in statute but now to be a SDE rule – not yet passed], and one statewide walk-out. It’s 2018 and it’s time to be fair to taxpayers – 28 different start dates is not the best use of state funds. The proposal for a uniform start date is not far-fetched. Three of our neighboring states have such laws [Missouri, Arkansas and Tex- as]. Maybe the later start date is a positive factor for all the teachers who have moved to these states. Barbara Bowersox Oklahoma City

Editor, The Observer: In a 1955 article “The Role of Government in Education,” Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Editor, The Observer: the educational priority of starting Friedman proposed supplement- True story [I couldn’t make this school in peak utility rate periods ing publicly operated schools stuff up]: Today, waiting for an oil of the school year. OK4SCR urges with privately run but publicly change for my elder, faithful Hon- a uniform start date so that there funded schools through a sys- da, I read a hunting magazine sto- is prioritization of educational tem of school vouchers. In 1996, ry in which several hunting guides funds on instruction over summer Friedman and his wife founded the compared notes. They agreed that utility bills. A later start date and Friedman Foundation for Educa- hunters/clients who believed in going to school for more days in tional Choice to advocate school Big Foot-Sasquatch also voted for May [not in the peak utility rate pe- choice and vouchers. In 2016, the Trump! riod] would help shift this priority. Foundation changed its name to Bob Jackman Another question is how the EdChoice, respecting the Friedma- Tulsa statutory mission of state test- ns’ desire to have the movement ing is fulfilled when schools start continue without their names. Editor, The Observer: in July and August. The statute’s In response to Greg Forster’s Regarding “State of Emergency,” purpose is to “guide instruction Aug. 25 editorial in the Oklaho- [Observer, August 2018], one item and student remediation.” The man, it does not appear that he has been overlooked: including timeline under the most recent takes his own advice of not po- school calendar reform in a com- version was that results were to liticizing Oklahoma schools. Mr. prehensive approach to improve be returned to districts by Aug. 1. Forster is a Friedman Fellow at Ed- and stabilize education budgets. With schools starting on, before or Choice, the organization founded Oklahomans for School Calen- shortly after this date, are the re- by Milton Friedman, Republican/ dar Reform [OK4SCR] is pleased sults being used for the students’ libertarian economic advisor to that House Interim Study 18-051 best interests? A third question is President Reagan and others. Con- regarding school calendar adjust- how does the sales tax free week- troversial still, Friedman consis- ment was approved. We hope the end help Oklahoma families in tently claimed both that “markets next Legislature and governor can districts [such as Oklahoma City always work and that only markets be supportive of the suggested re- Public Schools] that begin school work,” according to Paul Krug- form of a uniform start date of af- before the annual savings event? man, also a Nobel Prize-winning ter Labor Day. To those who stand firm on the economist. Somehow July and August are “local control” of districts’ calen- The Oklahoman in a same-day now part of the Oklahoma school dars, our state funded 28 different editorial reports support of school year. Two charter schools suing calendars for the 2017-18 year. Yet, choice [in the form of tax-credit the state for more money started in the schools follow one calendar scholarships] now stands at 57%. July this year. OK4SCR questions for extracurricular activities [set CONTINUED ON PAGE 45 4 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Arnold Hamilton

Big Money Produces Big Load Of Bull Stitt

No matter how November’s elections turn out, De- can raise [or self-finance] at least $150,000. For a cision 2018 will be remembered for one thing: “Bull job that pays $38,400. Stitt.” If you’re not independently wealthy and need to Hilarious wordplay. Guaranteed to produce a grin raise that kind of money to have a chance elector- … until the elementary aged grandchildren repeat ally, to whom do you turn? it, over and over and over, delighting in the fact it Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders built his 2016 presi- skirts the limits of what they’re permitted to say. dential campaign on $27 contributions – an anoma- At that point it becomes a despairing reminder of ly. Most candidates rely on larger donors, typically what Big Money hath wrought in the serious matter special interests looking to grease the statehouse of choosing our democratic republic’s leaders. wheels. Sadly, the biennial opponent-trashing that now In this scenario, it’s human nature that a well- passes for political discourse is less about specific heeled, select few move to the head of the line when public policies – and Oklahoma’s future – than about it comes to determining public policy. sloganeering often deployed in selling soap or used That – and not the phrase “Bull Stitt” – is what is cars. most disturbing about the state of Oklahoma cam- Case in point: The Republican gubernatorial run- paigning in 2018. So far, gubernatorial hopefuls have off. spent the equivalent of about $8 on each registered The stuff that really matters – how they would voter – nearly $16 million. propose to reverse a decade of cuts in public educa- Let that breathtaking amount sink in. Then re- tion or help enact voter-approved Smart on Crime member, it’s still two months before the general initiatives – were lost in the juvenile giggling and election. back-biting over “Bull Stitt,” a barnyard epithet Even more staggering is the amount some office- Cornett unleashed in response to Stitt’s negative seekers “loaned” their campaigns – Stitt $1.1 mil- ads, including one accusing the former Oklahoma lion in the latest reports, Attorney General Mike City mayor of being insufficiently loyal to President Hunter $700,000 and his GOP runoff opponent Trump and somehow pro-illegal immigration. Gentner Drummond $2 million-plus. [Cornett didn’t What the hell did that have to do with Oklahoma’s report any loans, but his candidacy was supported serious problems? With resolving our mental health by two outside groups that helped more than make crisis? Or that one in four children is food insecure, up the difference.] often going to bed hungry? Or that state officials For context, consider these two points: First, the warn against eating fish from 54 increasingly pol- governor’s salary is only $147,000, the attorney gen- luted lakes? eral’s $132,825. Second, winners typically recoup Lowest common denominator campaigning may those loans from the special interests anxious to not be the result of, but it certainly is encouraged curry favor with the winner. by, Big Money that now pours into almost every cam- On Election Day, of course, all voters are equal – paign for public office. each with one vote whether wielding a huge check- The U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United deci- book or shouldering a mountain of debt. But it’s sion undoubtedly opened the spigot even more. But also true that big money – and the advertising it campaigning for – even serving in – public office long underwrites – shape the contours of campaigns for has been a never-ending fund-raising marathon. public office. Good grief – you’re not considered a serious candi- To paraphrase an ages-old political adage: money date for one of the 101 state House seats unless you talks and Bull Stitt walks. THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 5 HOLY STITT! Three Takeaways From The Status Quo Shattering Runoffs BY ARNOLD HAMILTON ould a national Blue Wave spill into Red a far more formidable general election nominee for State Oklahoma? Republicans, even though he, too, was squishy on Many of the necessary ingredients fell into public school funding. He was widely – and correctly place in Aug. 28’s runoffs, giving Republican – viewed as more mainstream GOP, better able to ap- Cpowers-that-be pause and Democrats serious reason peal to independents who will decide the race. for hope. Stitt, by contrast, is Oklahoma’s version of Donald THE CORNER OFFICE Trump – a hit-and-miss voter, devoid of understand- Kevin Stitt’s victory in the GOP runoff gives voters ing the intricacies of public policy and governance, an unambiguous choice for governor on the state’s but a wealthy outsider promising to shake things up. paramount issue: public education. With an R behind his name and a massive check- Stitt lives in the netherworld that is convinced book, he enters the general election sprint with im- Oklahoma has plenty of money to properly fund pub- portant assets. But it’s important to remember he lic education. He opposed last spring’s tax hike to was nominated by a distinct minority [only 164,816 give teachers their first pay raise in a decade. votes] in a low-turnout, late-August runoff – making By contrast, Democrat Drew Edmondson is an un- him a creation of the hard-right, far-out, Alex Jones- wavering supporter of public education, even joining loving wing of the Republican Party. teachers, students and patrons who jammed the Cap- It worked for Trump. Will it work for Stitt? itol during last spring’s two-week walkout. There is reason to think not. Remember, there are Former OKC Mayor Mick Cornett would have been more than two million registered voters in Oklahoma

6 • SEPTEMBER 2018 – many of whom have sent clear signals they intend technologically limited schools to crumbling rural to break a GOP statehouse stranglehold that has all healthcare and criminal justice systems. but destroyed vital state services. Turnout in Novem- The lopsided Republican margins in both the House ber is the key. and Senate are not likely to change significantly in EXTREME LEGISLATIVE MAKEOVER November’s balloting. Knocking out an incumbent in Any worries that teachers and public school sup- the GOP primary does not mean the party won’t hold porters would lose focus and enthusiasm in the long, the seat in the general. hot summer after the raucous legislative session and But the unprecedented intra-party tumult repre- incumbent-tossing June primary were erased Aug. sents a missile fired across the bow of statehouse 28. powers-that-be. The people are watching. And they Voters booted six more incumbent House Republi- are voting. cans – each considered roadblocks to improving pub- DC DELEGATION IN PLAY? lic education. That brings to 12 the number of law- It is not a pipe dream to suggest Democrats could makers unseated in pre-general election battles. pick up three of the state’s five U.S. House seats in Grandfield’s Jeff Coody, gone. Broken Arrow’s Mike November. Ritze, gone. Slaughterville’s Bobby Cleveland, gone. You read that correctly. Three. Muskogee’s George Faught, gone. Choctaw’s Tess With an aroused electorate and a trio of strong Teague, gone. Bartlesville’s Travis Dunlap, gone. nominees, Congressional Districts 5, 2 and 1 could Clearly, even GOP voters are coming to understand be in play. Needles must be threaded, of course. But their legislative supermajorities failed to fix huge it’s do-able. Here’s why: problems, ranging from overcrowded classrooms and CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 Interim Study Season In Full Swing

BY JOE DORMAN

he work at the Oklahoma Capitol does not makers. McCall requested a study that would look to abruptly end for incumbents after May’s ad- revise the Open Meeting Act for the state. journment. Lawmakers have the opportuni- The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy [OICA] ty to request “interim studies” as a way to was pleased to work with lawmakers to request stud- Tresearch ideas that they are considering for future ies examining issues surrounding Oklahoma’s chil- laws, or review the success of previous bills that be- dren, several of which were approved for hearings. came law. The two primary studies which we will have a part Both the Oklahoma House of Representatives and of will be one on Adverse Childhood Experiences, re- the state Senate allow lawmakers the chance to requested by Sens. Greg McCortney and Kay Floyd, and quest these studies, which are then either approved a second to review school suspension practices, re- by the presiding officers of the respective bodies or quested by Sen. Allison Ikley-Freeman. denied a hearing. The studies that are approved are Other studies will be monitored by OICA so we can supported with staff resources and requestors can report back to you what transpires. Some studies that bring in outside speakers to promote their agenda. OICA will watch closely include Reps. Emily Virgin Senate President Pro Tem-designate Greg Treat re- and Mark Lepak’s examination of Juvenile Life with- cently released a list of approved 2018 interim stud- out Parole, the review of DHS/Foster Care practices ies. A total of 43 requests were approved. You can re- by Reps. Rhonda Baker and Cyndi Munson, safety view the list at http://www.oksenate.gov/publications/ and security in public schools by Rep. Mark McBride, senate_studies/interim_studies.aspx. the study of child custody and parental notification Speaker Charles McCall approved 63 interim stud- by Sen. J.J. Dossett, and a study on suicide preven- ies after receiving 136 study requests from House tion best practices by Sen. Kevin Matthews. members. Thirty-two requests were either withdrawn Chairs for the standing committees in which the by the requester or disapproved, while many were studies were assigned will now determine the dates combined. In 2015, the last non-election year, 76 and times for holding interim studies, which must studies were approved. To review the list of House be completed by Nov. 8. If you have a specific study studies, go to https://www.okhouse.gov/Committees/ which you would like to follow, please contact the au- ShowInterimStudies.aspx. thor/requestor of the study and have their office add The approved studies cover a range of topics from you to the distribution list. We hope to see many of criminal justice reform and education to school bul- you there joining us as legislators learn more about lying. Treat requested an interim study on the de- these important issues! velopment of a legislative budget office that would Former state Rep. Joe Dorman is CEO of the Okla- provide additional data and resources to state law- homa Institute for Child Advocacy.

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 7 The Proven, Sinful Path To Our Governor’s Chair BY CAL HOBSON At last, with millions spent by the candidates and the curious but mixed signals sent to policymakers gazillions more raised from donors, Oklahoma’s No- by folks we purport to understand and represent. vember election ballot is set. Now, as an important public service, I offer for Although the final winners of some statewide your consideration the qualifications, background races were probably settled during the Republican and work experience necessary for a write-in candi- runoff Aug. 28, most prognosticators think the gov- date, not me of course, to prevail in November over ernor’s chair can be won by either of the two party the nominees of both major parties. nominees. They are former Attorney General Drew Yes, I know it is a long-shot but crazy, unpredict- Edmondson, D-Edmond, and Gateway Mortgage able and unfathomable stuff happens in topsy-turvy owner Kevin Stitt, R-Tulsa. American elections. Call Hillary for details. Thankfully, both of these gentlemen appear to However, to put my currently unidentified dark possess many characteristics voters admire when horse dandy in proper context, I must begin with the selecting the replacement for current Gov. Mary 2002 gubernatorial election between then unknown Fallin, R-OKC. These include public service experi- state Sen. Brad Henry, D-Shawnee, and very well ence, embodied by Edmondson, or business success known Congressman/pro football Hall of Fame mem- which spells Stitt, and both fellows have developed ber Steve Largent, R-Tulsa. platforms and policies they think are important to Obviously the sure-footed split end receiver had the electorate. sticky hands chocked full of campaign cash which Such priorities for them are education, health foretold he couldn’t lose to the penniless, plodding care, public safety, infrastructure, abortion, prayer, and some say boring Brad ... but he did, so the ques- flag monuments, job creation and tax reform. You tion is why? can expect to be inundated by repetitive TV spots, I don’t mean to ruffle your feathers again but it catchy radio jingles, colorful mailers, flyers, social was due to the cockfighters’ voting block. On that media posts, blog blabs and many other forms of same November 2002 ballot was a proposal to ban communication highlighting these topics over the the popular bloodsport in our fair state. next nine weeks. Both finalists will spend millions Many of the bird breeders resided in southeastern more on them and the public will respond appropri- Oklahoma, formerly a Democratic stronghold. How- ately … most likely with utter boredom. Say what ever, over time, it evolved into a reliable Republican and ... redoubt. How do I know that????? Primarily from lengthy, But on that cold election day, 16 years ago, party rough and tumble experiences for nearly 30 years as allegiance from the cockers temporarily flipped back a member of both the Oklahoma House and Senate; to a downtrodden donkey – Henry – rather than risk a winner of 13 elections but humiliated loser of two, their industry with the silk-stocking, cleated-shoe including one for statewide office; leader of numer- tea-sipper from Tulsa – Largent. ous university level courses on politics; but mostly In a very close contest, settled by less than 1%, from being a longtime observer and/or recipient of the cocks of the walk were briefly kingmakers but lost the ballot measure that abolished their industry. I’m sure they wanted to wring many of the voters’ necks in urban centers. Moral of this story? I’m not sure, because Oklahoma is indeed known as the Buckle of the Bible Belt, but also is the home to about 135 booming and profitable Native Ameri- can casinos [double the number in California]; oper- ates a government-sanctioned, multi-state mega lottery; just approved a very liberally designed medical marijuana proposal; has bet on horses legally and illegally for more than a century; offers big prizes playing bingo; and I predict will soon allow sports betting on both pro and fantasy versions of football

8 • SEPTEMBER 2018 and basketball games. Cultural Center, nestled along The Oklahoma River Oops! I almost forgot about the new roulette and just an arrow’s flight from Bricktown. wheels and crap tables, identical to those played in As a special draw, bettors will be allowed to wager Vegas which happens to be the No. 1 vacation spot on the kayak crews in training for the 2020 Summer for thousands upon thousands of our friends and Olympics in Tokyo. However, no exotic bets like ex- neighbors. actas and trifectas on these amateur athletes. That Confused? Me, too, but as a spoiler alert to both would just be going a step too far. Edmondson and Stitt, their expensive campaign After all, we must maintain for all the world to see managers and consultants, not to mention big dollar The Oklahoma Standard … don’t we? donors, let me describe the write-in candidate they Anyway, see you and the little lady in church on should fear most in the fall. Sunday ... if we’re back from Vegas by then. He, or she, will reflect the following heritage, work Cal Hobson, a Lexington Democrat, served in the experiences and obvious priorities important to Ok- Oklahoma Legislature from 1978-2006, including ies. one term as Senate President Pro Tempore. The next governor selected soon by our sin-loving, yet God-fearing citizens will be the offspring of a non-denomi- national mega-church founder who is charismatic, has good hair, can strum That Old Rugged Cross at the drop of a ten-gallon hat, lip-sync flawlessly gos- pel, country, classical, jazz or rock and roll, then effortlessly flip through well- worn pages of the Bible while simultaneously shouting scary sermons from it. However, just being able to speak in rhyme about Revelation is no longer enough to win the battle of the ballots. There’s just too much devilish dark money competing for the allegiance of true believers. Just ask Representative/Preacher/ Motivational Speaker/Abortion Banning and Book Peddling Dan Fisher, R-Yukon, who finished a distant fifth in the gover- nor’s primary June 26. Obviously these mixed messages sent by citizens demand a special kind of candidate that reflects their own complex proclivities. Therefore, the winning resume should include gigs as: • A bingo caller in Catholic church basements on Saturday nights. • Poker dealer three days a week at Winstar, Riverwind or Hard Rock casinos. • Avid horse rider during childhood. • Frequent buyer of lottery tickets at Quik Trips in and around Tulsa as well as at numerous 7-11s while campaigning all 77 counties. • A hands on, quality-control tester in a new medical marijuana retail store. • And, finally, my mystery candidate – to spur job creation – will also have invested heavily in a new fantasy and professional sports betting complex located in the now bankrupt, but soon to be fabulously profitable Chickasaw

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 9 State Budget Growing, But Not Fully Recovered

BY DAVID BLATT

s Oklahoma heads into a new budget year and gas production took effect July 1. and closes the books on FY ‘18, two things However, we still have a long way to go to make up are clear: Oklahoma’s fiscal situation is for years of cuts. As Senate Appropriations Chair Kim much improved, but we still have a long way David stated during debate on the FY ‘19 appropria- toA go to recover from a decade of deep budget cuts. tions bill, “This budget in no way makes everyone as After years of shortfalls and lagging collections, complete and whole as we were in 2009.” This year’s last fiscal year was a good one for state tax collec- budget remains 9.4% [$788 million] below the bud- tions. Total collections to the General Revenue [GR] get of FY ‘09 when adjusted for inflation. General fund, the principal funding source for most Oklaho- Revenue collections, which are the primary funding ma government operations, reached $5.85 billion, an source for most government operations, have not increase of 16% from FY ‘17. Last fiscal year’s GR col- even fully returned to where they were over a decade lections were the largest since the start of the Great ago, even without accounting for inflation and popu- Recession in 2009, but they were still some $100 mil- lation growth. lion below the pre-recession peak of 2008. The effects of sustained cuts can still be seen across The future revenue outlook is also positive. State much of state government. For example, state sup- appropriations for the current budget year, FY ‘19, port for K-12 school operations will remain $145 mil- are $7.57 billion – an increase of $719 million, or lion less than in FY ‘09 [not including the new money 10.5%, compared to last fiscal year. Of the total bud- that must be dedicated to teacher and school staff get growth, about $500 million is a result of tax in- pay raises], even as school enrollment has grown by creases approved to pay for teacher and state worker over 50,000 students. Most school districts are repay raises, with the rest from economic growth. The porting that the teacher shortage is worse compared tax increases on cigarettes, motor fuels, and new oil to last year and that they will continue to need emer-

10 • SEPTEMBER 2018 gency certification of teachers to fill vacancies. workers since 2014, while the number of investiga- The Regents for Higher Education received an ad- tions it is responsible for has jumped more than 50%. ditional $7.5 million for concurrent enrollment pro- Overall, of 65 agencies funded with state appropri- grams, but no additional money to support opera- ations, 39 are operating with at least one-fifth less tions of colleges and universities. Higher education state support than in 2009, without adjusting for in- funding will remain $263 million, or 25.3%, below its flation. FY ‘09 levels. The Legislature took bold but partial steps last State funding for the Department of Corrections is year to change direction after a prolonged period of 2.8% above what it was in 2009, but the state’s in- shrinking investments in our public institutions. mate population has grown by close to 10% during There is still a very long ways to go before we have re- this time, along with growing costs for medical care stored our public resources to levels needed to build and other fixed expenses. a thriving, prosperous state. The Adult Protective Services division within the David Blatt is executive director of Oklahoma Policy Department of Human Services has lost 30% of its Institute; okpolicy.org. It’s The [Low] Taxes, Stupid!

BY DAVID PERRYMAN

his is the time of year that we hear about contains a hidden transaction tax that generates bil- how Oklahoma needs to be more like Texas. lions of dollars of revenue for the Lone Star State. It Normally, the discussion begins with some- is called a “margin tax” and actually taxes, in pyramid one remarking how groceries aren’t taxed in fashion, revenue on goods and services at multiple TTexas or if it is true that Texas has no income tax. points as those goods and services wind through the Usually someone in the room who has just returned manufacturing, production, wholesale and retail mar- from a trip to Texas mentions how much better their ketplaces. roads are than ours. Perhaps the greatest inequity between Oklahoma Inevitably, Oklahoma comes out on the short end of and Texas is in the form of state and local property the stick and some legislator files a bill to eliminate taxes. The per capita amount of property tax paid in Oklahoma’s income tax or the tax on groceries and to Oklahoma is $678 and is $1,731 in Texas. Put anoth- audit some state agency to root out the “horrendous” er way, the average Texan’s property tax bill is more waste of taxpayer money. than 155% higher than the average Oklahoman. It is not my intent to vilify Texas or any other state Another measure of tax burden is the debt load that may have better roads or higher paid teachers placed on citizens by state and local government. or state services that appear to function more effec- According to the 2018 Tax Foundation report [where tively. But it is important to note some basic facts. all of these numbers may be located], the debt load In 2018, Oklahomans will pay less in state and local placed on each and every Texan for state and local taxes than any state except Alaska and Louisiana. debt is $10,108, while the state and local tax burden So how is it possible for Oklahomans to pay so lit- in Oklahoma is less than half at $4,836 per capita. tle in taxes and for so many Oklahomans to believe That same publication shows pretty clearly why our that they are comparatively overtaxed? The answer is roads and our schools are substandard and why state not too complicated, but does require a little digging. and local agencies are not able to deliver adequate First is the fact that the effective gross production services to our citizens, why prisons are overcrowd- tax and ad valorem taxes paid by the oil and gas in- ed, why hospitals and nursing homes are closing, dustry in Texas remains more than 65% higher than why there are 7,657 developmentally disabled citi- Oklahoma’s new GPT rate of 5% adopted earlier this zens on the waiver request waiting list for services. In year. a nutshell, per capita state and local tax collections Likewise, gasoline and diesel fuel taxes in Texas in Texas in 2015 were $4,120, which was over 11% remain more than 5% higher than Oklahoma’s new higher than the per capita state and local tax collec- gasoline and diesel tax rate of 19 cents per gallon. tions in Oklahoma that same year. While many people believe that Texans pay no sales We don’t want to be Texas, but most Oklahomans tax, the truth is that the average Texan pays $1,495 need to know why our tire repair bills are so high per year in local and state sales taxes which is nearly and why we are incarcerating such a high number of 23% more than the local and state sales tax paid by emotionally disturbed citizens rather than properly the average Oklahoman. funding services in the Sooner State. Oklahoma does assess an income tax of up to 5% Chickasha’s David Perryman serves District 56 in on taxable income over $7,200 as compared to a Tex- the Oklahoma House and is House Democratic Floor as income tax of zero. However, the Texas tax code Leader. THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 11 In Search Of The Real Mullin Politician, Citizen-Lawmaker Or Chameleon?

hen Markwayne Mullin first ran for the He told the Associated Press, “I don’t want to be 2nd District Congressional seat in 2012, there [in Washington] and become part of the prob- he said, “A sacrificial investment is worth lem. If we can’t accomplish anything in six years, it’s restoring freedom to our great country.” a waste of time anyway.” WBut five years later he denied taxpayers even fund Mullin changed his mind in July 2017 and turned his Congressional salary – calling that “Bullcrap” Coburn into a formidable enemy by announcing for a – saying his own taxes footed the bill and adding, fourth term, explaining “he knew nothing of politics “Thank God this is not how I make my living.” when he ran for Congress. He and his wife were con- In 2010, Sen. Tom Coburn won his second term with cerned about the effects a congressional tenure be- more than 70% of the vote – saying it would also be yond six years would have on his business and family his last – and Mullin, then 34, won Coburn’s strong … Mullin said breaking the term limit pledge is a sign support and former House seat by pledging to limit of personal growth,” the Oklahoman reported then. himself to three terms. Ethics concepts basic to most folks “don’t fit the bill as a citizen legislator … plumber, and rancher” when used in Washington, he added last month. An Observer review of his federal assets and income disclosure sheets show he’s enjoyed financial growth there, despite insisting just last month that ethics rules shackle citizen legislators. He took office with income somewhere between $357,000 and $1.3 million a year, a net worth between $2.8 million and $9 million, and no liabilities over $10,000. [Before filing that form in May 2013, the Oklahoman had reported Dec. 9, 2012 that his campaign was “deep in debt,” owing $99,237 to consultants and – despite $39,000 in payments – the rest of $255,750 he’d personally loaned the campaign. The campaign said, “Our fundraising efforts are ongoing and we continue to reach out to donors as we close out the 2012 campaign.”] After six years’ sacrifice in Washington, he reported his income as $3.4 million to $13.1 million and a net worth of $3.3 million to over $14.7 million. [The ethics guidelines let those they burden reveal individual income, assets and debts in ranges – $1-$1,000, $1,001-$15,000, $500,000 to $1 million, with no firm totals]. Using even the minimums, he’s gone from rich to richer in DC. Yet he just charged taxpayers to create and send a slick high-dollar mailer touting his political views – possibly violating two of those

12 • SEPTEMBER 2018 You Decide This postcard was paid for with your tax dollars. Is it simply a congressman routinely updating his constituents, as allowed by law? Or is it more accurately a campaign mailer aimed at bolstering an incumbent’s re-election efforts?

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 13 regulations he decries: page list of questions and opportunities to comment • Regulations ban distributing mass mailings using on the issues discussed in this story to both the the franking [free postage] privilege within 90 days of campaign’s and Congressional Office’s primary mean election in which a member is running and pro- dia contacts provided during the phone call. Neither hibit using any “congressional office resources” for responded in any way. campaign purposes at any time. If indeed the mailer violates the federal rules, it of- The U.S. Postal Service defines distribution not as fers more proof of Mullin’s claim that he was elected mailing fliers but as the steps to transport, sort, and with no government experience. process mail for delivery. pparently what he’s gained could have The author’s copy of the mailing was delivered Aug. earned a student a strong scolding or deten- 10 at his Oologah Post Office box, 88 days before the tion in grade school. Nov. 6 general election. That’s roughly what Mullin got from a • Several people at a recent gathering reported get- lengthyA ethics probe that started when he took office ting the mailer even later. All initially thought the and ended Aug. 10. government-funded card was a typical campaign flier, After reviewing many allegations, the House Ethics but such franked communication is banned by the Committee told him to repay $40,000 he was mistak- Federal Election Commission. enly paid in 2013, but also noted that he had sought A footnote to the regulation adds, “A communica- and complied with ethics advice from the committee tion is the functional equivalent of express advocacy involving all other complaints made against him. if it is ‘susceptible to no reasonable interpretation His 2013 letter to the committee called the original other than as an appeal to vote for or against a clearly inquiry “unwarranted,” undertaken with “no suffi- identified candidate.’ This content standard applies cient basis.” A year later, his lawyers wrote the com- without regard to the timing of the communication or mittee, “This matter never should have come before the intended audience.” the Committee in an investigative posture.” ullin’s mailing is printed on heavy, glossy When the final report was issued, Mullin huffed in a postcard stock with the headlines “Con- taxpayer-funded news release, “You can no longer be gressman Markwayne Mullin: RESULTS, a citizen legislator. You have to be a career politician NOT RHETORIC” on the address side and to serve in Washington, DC.” M“Working for your priorities, NOT WASHINGTON’S” Mullin began his career with an early fund-raising on the other side. letter blasting the same devil Republicans still abhor The latter headline covers a statement over Mullin’s today: signature reading: “The 24-hour news is consistently “Nancy Pelosi’s team in Washington, DC already negative. Even though they’re not reporting on the is at work. The Pelosi team at the Democratic cam- good news, I have been working hard on the issues paign committee issued a press release full of lies that matter to you and your family. We’ve made real and distortions even before the results were in Tues- progress in Congress to help the people of the 2nd day night. District.” “Yes, the Obama-Pelosi spin-machine has fired up His talking points: “Lowering taxes, Growing the right here in the 2nd Congressional District of Okla- Economy, Improving Health Care, Supporting U.S. homa. Energy, Cutting Red Tape, Improving Vets’ Care, Re- “These Chicago-style political bosses also have building the Military [and] Reforming Immigration.” boots on the ground, desperately digging up dirt. Each phrase was in large white type on a deep blue They are even looking into my wife, Christie’s, speed- background, preceded by a bright gold checkmark. ing tickets. It’s obvious they will do anything to sling Half the page is devoted to three favorable head- mud … lines taken from Public Radio Tulsa, Oklahoma Wel- “What will they do next? come and the Antlers American. “I know what I look forward to doing next. I look Tulsa Public Radio was not contacted by Mullin or forward to seeing Nancy Pelosi and telling her: We his staff, did not approve the use of its name or copy- did build this! righted logo on the mailer, and did not see a copy “We built our business using our talents, with the until queried by The Observer. sweat of our brows, and with daily dependence on our General Manager Rich Fisher said, “Leaving aside Creator.” the issues involving franking, Public Radio Tulsa ut Democrats weren’t his problem. He won would have had no objection to our name being used, his Congressional seat 57.3%-38.3% over as the headline in the flyer was factual. We did report Democrat Rob Wallace, with remaining votes that story, and that is a capture from our website. going to an Independent. “But if the campaign had asked, I would have asked BHis 2014 re-election was a blowout, with Mullin them to refrain from using our logo, as it could pos- winning 70% of the vote, and did even better in 2016, sibly imply an endorsement, when none was given.” taking 70.61% of the vote vs. 23.2% for Democrat After a telephone conference with Mullin’s cam- Joshua Harris-Till. paign media contact, The Observer emailed a two- Mullin’s problems came from his own party’s right.

14 • SEPTEMBER 2018 While he was fine in the 2014 primary, crushing tor Wayne Greene offered another view: “Will the 2nd Darrell Robertson 79.7% to 20.3%, serious rumblings District reject Mullin because he reneged on his six- began in 2016. and-out promise? Perhaps, perhaps not. Oologah native, West Point graduate and combat “His explanation – that after prayerful consider- veteran Jarrin Jackson cut Mullin’s primary victory ation he has determined that he now has a chance to margin to 63.41%-36.59%. accomplish some things he’s been working on for a And when Mullin reversed his term limits pledge long time – has a ring of authenticity about it. Even just eight months after crushing Democrat Harris- when he’s saying he’s not as good as his word, Mark- Till, he faced the ire of pro-term limits groups, Sen. wayne Mullin sounds genuine.” Coburn and the Sooner Tea Party. Mullin’s campaign website still strikes the same That was evident when two other challengers joined basic theme as his first one in 2011. This year’s version features large type on the home page reading, “A Rancher. A Businessman. Not a Politician. I am not a politician and have no interest in a life- long government career. I enjoy running my business, and being a dad, a coach and a youth leader in my church.” It lacks images of the Capitol or anything Wash- ington. Three pictures alter- nate behind his words – a spar- kling blue river running through a rugged country field; his family resting on a red iron fence sur- Jackson, leaving Mullin with just 54.1% of the vote – rounding a lush green pasture, and a sunlit church. only four-plus percentage points from a runoff. That That’s been Mullin’s image since entering politics was despite a Jackson family emergency when Jar- and so far he’s sticking to it. rin’s father and campaign manager – well-known at- Democrats smell blood in the water, much from torney, accountant and Rogers County community Mullen’s fellow Republicans, but few savvy gamblers volunteer Dale Jackson – suffered a near-fatal illness would place bets yet. Two more months before Nov. early in the campaign that cost him both legs. 6 leaves lots of time for new twists and mini bomb- Jarrin Jackson campaigned actively throughout shells. the district, but the ballot listed a second Jackson, Greene nailed it, saying, “Constituents have only Brian, atop the candidate list. He took 11.45% of the their congressman’s word on what they will do and vote, Jarrin Jackson took 25.21% and John McCar- the only enforcement mechanism is the ultimate thy took 6.19% – meaning opposition to Mullen in his term limit, the ballot box.” own party had risen from just over 20.3% to 42.85%, That leaves the big question unanswered: Will more than doubling in just two years. Markwayne Mullin awaken in Adair County as what he Watchman, writing in the July 16, 2017 he’s seeking, fourth term Congressman Markwayne Sooner Tea Party Newsletter, wrote, “This is Mullin, or as what he’s always said he really is: A a man who has let power go to his head … rancher, a businessman, but not a politician. How in the world did this man ever get elect- John M. Wylie II, retired publisher of the Oologah Ted to Congress in the first place?” Lake Leader, is an independent investigative report- But the same day, Tulsa World Editorial Page Edi- er and author based in Oologah.

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 15 LABOR DAY 2018

Why Unions Are Key To Oklahoma’s Future BY MICKEY DOLLENS ur neighbors in Missouri have extra cause have proper health care coverage, to protecting wom- for celebration this Labor Day. After defeat- en and minorities from wage and promotion discrimi- ing a so-called “right-to-work” proposition nation. Perhaps most importantly, unions ensure by almost half a million votes, Missouri cit- that employees receive fair wages for their work. Oizens showed us there is quite a bit of power, and The Economic Policy Institute found that union pride, that comes from standing in solidarity with workers make 13% more than nonunion workers, on unions. average. But the benefits of unions aren’t limited to Back here in Oklahoma, we are entering an age those that join them. Wage decreases across indus- of insecurity. Automation is threatening tradition- tries occur when rates of unionization decrease. ally steady jobs, apps like Uber and TaskRabbit are Here in Oklahoma, we passed “Right-to-work” legis- facilitating the rise of the gig economy and divisive lation that crippled the rights of our workers. Before ideological wedges seem to be separating us from our right-to-work, our state was seeing a rise in manufac- neighbors. We are also faced with massive income in- turing jobs and even saw a trend of relocation to the equality, and corporations that seem to step on work- state. Since the law took effect in 2001, these num- ers’ rights every chance they get. bers reversed course and began to fall. But with unions fighting for labor rights, there is The safeguards provided by unionization will be still someone holding corporate interests account- imperative as we move into a future where automa- able. This affects everything from ensuring workers tion will continue to reshape our workforce. As Okla-

16 • SEPTEMBER 2018 LABOR DAY 2018 homans, we should not only stand strong with our cess. Teachers in our state brought real change by unions but also seek ways to improve our bargaining collectively saying enough was enough and linking power across industries. arms to show their strength. In countries with high rates of union member- I take pride in the ability of Oklahomans to come to- ships, unions argue across sectors to establish in- gether and help when the need arises. If our neighbor dustry standards. Arguing across entire sectors for is going through a hard time we reach out, knowing the rights of roughnecks, or teachers or steelworkers our communities are stronger when we look out for here in Oklahoma could help ensure that the working each other. people of our state are able to provide for their fami- This Labor Day, enjoy the lake or a hike or a dinner lies and take pride in their work. with the family but also remember the place unions As a teacher at U.S. Grant High School in OKC, I have in our state. A strong labor voice means a strong was a member of the American Federation of Teach- labor force. And as our state moves forward into an ers [AFT]. uncertain future, that strength will become more im- Nothing shows the power and importance of unions portant than ever. more than the walkout that occurred this past year, Mickey Dollens, an Oklahoma City Democrat, repre- and AFT members were crucial to that walkout’s suc- sents District 93 in the Oklahoma House. Workplace Deaths On Rise – Even Before Trump Budget Cuts Kick In

BY BRUCE VAIL

n an alarming development in the world of work- Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health place safety, the latest statistics reveal that the Administration [OSHA] employs only about 1,000 number of accidental deaths on the job in Ameri- inspectors to cover all workplaces in America – and ca is on the rise, reversing the longer-term trend that the number of inspectors has declined 4% since Itoward fewer fatal incidents. President Donald Trump took office. The number of The number of deaths hit a total of 5,190 in 2016, inspectors is far too low to be effective, Seminario up from 4,836 in 2015, according to an April 2018 re- suggests, and OSHA has been “under resourced” for port by the AFL-CIO. That’s about 14 deaths each day years, including during the Obama years. from preventable worker accidents. It’s also the third “Construction is a good example. OSHA has a big year in a row that the number has inched up, and the focus on construction and construction deaths are highest death rate since 2010, the labor federation down. The areas where OSHA has less interest are reported. up,” she says. Workplace safety systems are “definitely in the fail- The figures cited by Seminario and Dooley are tak- ure mode,” says Peter Dooley, a consultant with the en from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, National Council for Occupational Safety and Health published annually by the Bureau of Labor Statis- who was worked closely with labor unions over the tics. The way the figures are compiled is a problem years. “In the last two years it is getting dramatically in itself, Dooley says, because it zealously protects worse. It’s just outrageous.” the anonymity of employers. That diverts attention The precise reasons for the rise are not simply stat- from specific workplace behavior that needs close ex- ed, adds Peg Seminario, AFL-CIO’s long-time director amination and corrective action to reduce accidental of occupational safety and health. Overall patterns deaths over time, he says. such as very high rates of injury in the logging and The National Council’s answer to this problem is construction industries are consistent over time, she to publish its own “Dirty Dozen” list of employers says, and there is no single employment trend that notable for health and safety problems among their accounts for the recent rise. “The numbers are ac- workforces. The group uses a standard of measure- tually down in construction, but they are up almost ment that includes non-fatal injuries and other fac- everywhere else,” she says. tors, but the list stands out in that it names some Inadequate enforcement of existing safety rules is very well-known companies. the most commonly cited explanation for the rise, For example, the online retailer Amazon is on the Seminario tells In These Times. list because it has seen seven of its warehouse work- A Jan. 8 report from NBC News estimates that the ers killed since 2013. And the largest garbage dispos- THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 17 LABOR DAY 2018 al company in the U.S., Waste Management, has had In issuing its report, the AFL-CIO noted: “The Trump an excessive number of OSHA citations and fines. Administration has moved to weaken recently issued Other companies on the list are Tesla Motors and rules on beryllium and mine examinations and has Dine Brands Global, owner of IHOP and Applebee’s delayed or abandoned the development of new protec- restaurants. tions, including regulations on workplace violence, “There is injustice in the Bureau of Labor Statistics infectious diseases, silica in mining and combustible as a totally anonymous database. There is no public dust.” record of who is dying and who the employers are,” “At the same time, Congress is pushing forward Dooley says. with numerous ‘regulatory reform’ bills that would The information actually does exist deep in the La- require review and culling of existing rules, make bor Department files, he adds, but government policy costs the primary consideration in adopting regula- is to keep this information out of public hands, or for tions, and making it virtually impossible to issue new use by safety experts. “This needs to be changed,” he protections.” says. The reference to workplace violence represents one Seminario and Dooley agree that the worker safety of the most troubling statistics buried in the govern- signals coming from the Trump Administration are ment reports. According to a press release from the troubling, even if the statistics are not up-to-date Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Workplace homicides in- enough to make a direct link to increased workplace creased by 83 cases to 500 in 2016, and workplace deaths. suicides increased by 62 to 291. This is the highest Trump’s budget proposal last year called for a 21% homicide figure since 2010 and the most suicides cut in Department of Labor spending, and the initial since the National Census of Fatal Occupational Inju- proposal for this year calls for a 9% cut. ries began reporting data in 1992.” Congress pared back last year’s proposed cut, and “It’s a very complicated problem,” observes Semi- is expected to do so again this year, but it is clear that nario. “You can devise safety regulations to avoid current Labor Department officials have no plans common and predictable accidents. But how do you to take the initiative against the rise in workplace do that with a homicide?” deaths, Dooley charges. © Truthout

18 • SEPTEMBER 2018 LABOR DAY 2018 ‘Grand Theft Paycheck’ How Big Companies Cheat Their Workers BY KENNETH QUINNELL new report, Grand Theft Paycheck: The information technology, and food and beverage prod- Large Corporations Shortchanging Their ucts. Workers’ Wages, reveals that large corpora- 8. The most penalized industries tend to be those tions have paid out billions to resolve wage that employ a large percentage of women, African theftA lawsuits brought by workers. The lawsuits show American and Latino workers. that corporations frequently force employees to work 9. These numbers only include penalties that have off the clock, cheat them out of legally required over- been publicly disclosed. More than 125 confidential time pay and use other methods to steal wages from cases were found involving nearly 90 large compa- workers. nies, including AT&T, Home Depot, Verizon Commu- “Our findings make it clear that wage theft goes far nications Inc., Comcast, Lowe’s and Best Buy. beyond sweatshops, fast-food outlets and retailers. It © AFL-CIO.org is built into the business model of a substantial por- tion of Corporate America,” said Philip Mattera, the lead author of the report and director of research for Good Jobs First, which produced the report in con- Warren’s Goal: junction with the Jobs With Justice Education Fund. Here are nine things you need to know from the Grand Theft Paycheck report: More Worker Say In 1. The top dozen companies from the report, in terms of wage theft settlement payouts, are Walmart, FedEx, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase & Co., State Farm Insurance, AT&T, United Corporate Decisions Parcel Service, ABM Industries, Tenet Healthcare, Zurich Insurance Group and Allstate. With the excep- BY JAKE JOHNSON tion of Tenet Healthcare, each of these companies had profits in 2017 of $3 billion or more. aking aim at the heart of America’s toxic eco- 2. More than 450 big companies have paid out $1 nomic status quo – which has over the past million or more in wage theft settlements. several decades produced soaring corporate 3. Since 2000, there have been more than 1,200 profits and CEO pay while keeping workers’ successful collective actions that have been resolved Twages stagnant – Sen. Elizabeth Warren introduced for a total in penalties of more than $8.8 billion. legislation recently that would “give workers a stron- 4. Only eight states enforced wage theft penalties ger voice” in the decision-making of major business- and provided data for the report. Those eight states es and put an end to corporations’ single-minded combined with the federal totals bring the number of commitment to maximizing shareholder value at the cases to 4,220 and the cumulative penalties reaching expense of employees. $9.2 billion. This includes no data from the remain- “Because the wealthiest 10% of U.S. households ing states. own 84% of American-held shares, the obsession 5. Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500 companies with maximizing shareholder returns effectively account for the bulk of the penalties, with 2,167 cas- means America’s biggest companies have dedicated es and $6.8 billion in penalties. themselves to making the rich even richer,” Warren 6. Seven individual settlements exceeded $100 mil- noted in a Wall Street Journal op-ed outlining her lion. The worst case was a $640 million omnibus set- new measure. tlement with Walmart, covering more than 60 differ- “For the past 30 years we have put the American ent initial lawsuits. stamp of approval on giant corporations, even as they 7. The retail industry is the most frequent violator, have ignored the interests of all but a tiny slice of followed by financial services, freight and logistics, Americans. We should insist on a new deal.” business services, insurance, miscellaneous servic- Tracing what she terms the “shareholder value es, health care services, restaurants and food service, maximization” ideology to the work of influential THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 19 right-wing economist Milton Friedman – who con- record corporate profits but have seen their wages tended corporations have a “social responsibility” hardly budge,” said the Oklahoma-raised Warren. to put profits ahead of all other objectives, includ- “To fix this problem we need to end the harmful ing public health, worker safety, and environmental corporate obsession with maximizing shareholder protection – Warren argues that corporate America’s returns at all costs, which has sucked trillions of unwavering prioritization of shareholder returns has dollars away from workers and necessary long-term produced a system in which “workers aren’t getting investments.” what they’ve earned.” Applauding Warren’s new bill in a tweet, AFL-CIO To address this fundamental inequity and establish president Richard Trumka declared, “It’s time to re- a system in which prosperity is broadly shared rather write the rules so our economy works for working than hoarded at the very top, Warren’s bill – officially people, not just those at the top.” titled the Accountable Capitalism Act – would: Lenore Palladino, senior economist and policy Require American corporations that bring in over counsel at the Roosevelt Institute, said in a state- $1 billion in annual revenue to obtain a federal char- ment that Warren’s bill is a “clear step in the right ter, which would force companies to “consider the direction” that would “ensure that the voice of work- interests of all corporate stakeholders,” including ing people in corporate decision-making reflects the workers, customers, and communities; crucial role they play in their employers’ success.” Give workers the power to elect at least 40% of cor- “Corporations today no longer advance the public porate board members; interest. That’s because they’ve chosen to use their Ban corporations from making political expendi- massive profits to enrich themselves and their share- tures “without the approval of 75% of its directors holders at the expense of workers and long-term, and shareholders”; shared growth,” Palladino added. Allow the federal government to revoke a corpora- “Solutions like the proposed legislation would cre- tion’s charter if it engages in illegal behavior. ate a more prosperous economy and ensure greater “There’s a fundamental problem with our economy. financial security for workers and their families.” For decades, American workers have helped create ©Truthout Runoff CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 CD 5 incumbent Steve Russell is a weak candidate he doesn’t owe his constituents anything because he whose incumbency is increasingly threatened by pays more in taxes than he gets from his handsome changing demographics. The Oklahoma County por- congressional salary. tion of the district is purpling up – once reliably red The Democratic nominee, Tahlequah Mayor Jason areas now tilting blue [think state Rep. Cyndi Mun- Nichols, has strong roots in the northern half of the son’s HD 85]. district and appears positioned to be well-funded. It Timing is everything in politics. Is Democratic nom- was only six years ago that a Democrat, Dan Boren, inee Kendra Horn in the right place at the right time? held the seat. She’s not only well-funded, but also poised to take Can Nichols take advantage of an unmistakable an- advantage of what is shaping up as a strong year for ti-incumbency mood among voters and Mullin’s self- women candidates – for example, both major parties inflicted wounds? nominating three for statewide office. Finally, Tulsa’s CD 1 is in play for three reasons: In eastern Okla- it’s an open seat [former GOP Rep. Jim Bridenstine homa’s CD 2, in- now leads NASA]; Democratic nominee, attorney Tim cumbent Mark- Gilpin, is a rock solid candidate; and the GOP stan- wayne Mullin’s tin dard-bearer Kevin Hern is, like Stitt, a product of the ear or arrogance party’s fringe. – or both – gives If Gilpin is to become the first Democrat since Democrats a shot James R. Jones to hold the seat, he will need to win [see, In Search Of over establishment Republicans who can’t abide The Real Mullin, Hern’s fealty to President Trump and support from page 12]. wingnuts like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s father, Rafael. He broke his And he will need strong support – which he likely promise to only will get – from pro-public education independents serve three terms. who no doubt remember his excellent work on the He’s been em- State Board of Education, including his pushback broiled in ethics against former GOP Superintendent Janet Barresi’s scandals. And he privatization goals. essentially argued Stay tuned. The next two months will be epic.

20 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Starving The Beast

BY JAN NEW

n 2017, more than 58.5 million [18 % out of a at the same time Congress just enacted huge tax cuts U.S. population of 326 million] people were en- for corporations and wealthier individuals. rolled in Medicare, according to the Centers for Further, Krugman points out that publicly bemoan- Medicare and Medicaid Services. Over 16.1 mil- ing deficits and demanding cuts in social programs Ilion additional individuals were enrolled in Medicaid – otherwise known as “starving the beast” – has been and CHIP in April 2018. The combined total brings an economic strategy for more than four decades, go- the percentage to 23% or nearly one-fourth of the U.S. ing back to Republican economists Milton Friedman population. and Alan Greenspan. U.S. health care spending grew 4.3% in 2016, reach- Now, the burgeoning Baby Boomers are the “beast.” ing $3.3 trillion or $10,348 per person. This rate of Along with all levels of education, healthcare [in- growth for spending was more than double the U.S. cluding mental health] appropriations accounted inflation for 2016, and as a share of the nation’s gross for 68% of Oklahoma’s total appropriations in 2017. domestic product [GDP], health spending now ac- Medicaid is the second largest state appropriation. counts for 17.9%. When a state chooses to forgo expansion, it does not In his Aug. 23 New York Times editorial, Nobel receive the additional funding from the federal gov- Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman reminded ernment; Oklahomans’ federal tax dollars will go to- readers that both Rep. Steve Stivers, R-OH, chair of ward the implementation of Medicaid expansion in the National Republican Congressional Committee, other states – not ours. and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-WI, have recently With a state poverty rate more than 2% higher than said that cuts to Social Security and Medicare and the national average, Oklahomans need the help that other core programs for older Americans would be expanded Medicaid will offer. And they will keep on considered to address the federal deficit. This comes needing it until the combined effects of education, THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 21 improved healthcare outcomes, economic diversi- fication, and most importantly, hope and increased expectations and aspirations among young Oklaho- mans reduce the need for public assistance. The current growth of the population ages 65 and older is one of the most significant demographic trends in the history of the United States. Baby boomers – those born between 1946 and 1964 – present both challenge and opportunity to the economy. Over the next 20-40 years this group will require and con- sume health care services at an unprecedented level. “The aging of the Baby Boom generation could fuel a 75% increase in the number of Americans ages 65 and older requiring nursing home care – from 1.3 million in 2010 to about 2.3 million in 2030,” according to a new report published by the Population Refer- ence Bureau. Recently, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JP Morgan Chase announced they would partner to develop a better, more efficient and cost-effective model for U.S. healthcare delivery as we approach the ever- increasing needs of the Baby boomers, now ages 54- 72. Health care, including mental health services, must It’s not surprising that this group has chosen to be both championed and regulated by government as partner with Dr. Atul Gawande, physician and best- a fundamental “public good,” regardless of Oklahoma selling author of Being Mortal – the book and the film. Insurance Commissioner John Doak’s 2017 letter to Some knowledgeable Oklahomans should partici- House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, which pate in this process, particularly some with years of states that there is “now a chance to reject the creep- successful practice in general and geriatric health- ing sentiment that health insurance is an entitlement care, palliative and hospice care, and health insur- rather than an insurance product.” ance – ACA Exchanges, Medicare/Medigap, and Med- Only one gubernatorial candidate, Democrat Drew icaid. Edmondson, has announced that he would expand It will require the knowledge and experience of oth- Medicaid. It matters to Oklahoma and Oklahomans er dedicated people – who love America and Ameri- that you vote. It matters more who you vote for. It cans and who believe affordable, accessible, quality matters most what they do with your vote. healthcare is a cornerstone service, not an optional Jan New is a retired public administrator for munici- commodity that insurance companies can “charge pal, state, and federal programs, private industry, what the traffic will bear” and deliver what services and national trade association program develop- they chose at an unreasonable rate of return. ment. Terrible Consequences For Us All If Immigrants Denied Safety Net Access

BY COURTNEY CULLISON ad luck and hard times can hit any of us, and these crucial programs without risking their ability when that happens there should be some- to stay in the United States. thing to keep us from falling into destitution For more than 100 years, federal immigration law while we work to get back on our feet. That’s has contained a “public charge” provision. Some- Bwhy most Americans agree that it’s important to have one is considered a public charge if they are likely a safety net, and it’s in our best interest to make sure to become “primarily dependent on the government that anyone who needs this help in an emergency can for subsistence.” Anyone seeking a visa to come to access it without fear. the U.S. or anyone already here with a temporary visa But recent proposed changes to immigration poli- who is applying for a Green Card must demonstrate cies could mean that immigrant families and their that they, or someone in the United States sponsor- U.S. citizen relatives will no longer be able to access ing them, can provide for them and their dependents 22 • SEPTEMBER 2018 so they won’t be dependent primarily on public pro- earnings over the long term. grams. This would hurt all Americans, immigrant and na- A recent proposal from the Trump Administration tive-born alike. We are all better off when children would substantially expand the public charge test to can get the care they need to become healthy adults. include benefits from many more programs. If these We all see health benefits from increased access to changes take effect, using programs like Medicaid, immunizations and routine health care. Society and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Sup- the economy improve when everyone who can work plemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP], the is able to find a decent job because they’ve had ac- Earned Income Tax Credit [EITC], and even educa- cess to education and job training. tional benefits like Pell Grants would count against It doesn’t benefit anyone to make immigrant fami- you. lies go hungry or scare families away from seeking Many of these programs are commonly used by out health care when they need it to avoid being la- people with full-time jobs who are paying taxes and beled a public charge. It just makes them, and our contributing to the economy. The Center for Ameri- whole community, worse off. can Progress estimates that if this test were applied American values are about helping people move for- to all Americans, more than 100 million people – ward and up – not back down into sickness, hunger, about one-third of the U.S. population – would fail. and poverty. The changes would apply to anyone seeking an im- It’s important to remember that right now these pro- migration visa or legal permanent residency, all imposed changes are still just a draft. After the admin- migrants who have come to the United States legally istration formally publishes the proposed changes, or are trying to enter legally. and then there will be a period for public comment. The proposed rule would have an especially harsh Advocates will be active during this comment period, impact on pregnant women and new mothers, be- and you can further those efforts by contacting your cause they would become afraid to access the basic federal representative and senators to express your health care needed at this especially vulnerable time. concern with the proposed changes. Children may lose access to benefits that would have Courtney Cullison is a policy analyst with Oklaho- meant better health, educational achievement, and ma Policy Institute; www.okpolicy.org. Who Is The Real Conservative? BY SHARON MARTIN You don’t give tax breaks to the people who al- • Access to health care ready have all the money. • Access to mental health care You don’t collect money from the citizens and give • Rural hospitals it to corporations. • Nursing homes and elder care If you think these are good ideas, you cannot call • Accessible post office hours yourself a conservative. There’s nothing conserva- • Real people on the phone when you need to call tive about blowing money up the chute from the the IRS working poor to corporations and billionaires. Conservatives invest money. True conservative pol- If you work for wages and you vote for candidates iticians invest money in the people they serve. They who promise to cut taxes, you’ve been conned into give a hand up to the poor – education and training, making the rich richer at your expense. health and wellbeing – so they, too, can become con- If you buy into the idea that estates worth more tributors. They don’t give it to folks who buy yachts than $5 million should be exempt from paying an then register them in the Cayman Islands so they estate tax, you’ve been conned into creating, over don’t have to pay property tax on them. generations, a moneyed aristocracy. If you don’t get this, there’s a good chance you’ve Like all good cons, you won’t realize you’ve been been swindled by politicians who only claim to be swindled at first. Take the massive tax cut passed conservatives. So, save the extra in your paycheck by the GOP and signed by President Trump. They from that doubled standard deduction. You’ll need it doubled the standard deduction. A lot of us will ben- when your pre-existing condition is no longer cov- efit from that. But here’s a short list of what we have ered. already lost or are likely to lose when you cut taxes It will be too late when Medicare and Social Secu- on top earners: rity have been privatized. • Services for veterans Sharon Martin lives in Oilton, OK. Her latest book, • Classrooms with a teachable number of students Not A Prodigal, is available through Barnes and • Libraries and librarians in every school Noble. Her recent children’s book, Froggy Bottom • Drinkable water from the tap Blues, can be purchased from Doodle and Peck Pub- • Safe roads and bridges lishing and in paperback from Amazon.

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 23 The Ethics Of Belief In The Age Of Trump BY RANDOLPH M. FEEZELL

striking aspect of living in the Age of Trump cerned with finding out what’s true. He seems un- is the way that talk about politics is trans- concerned with first inquiring, then making claims formed into talk about the moral character based on the relevant evidence. Hence his dishon- of our president. Even those who support est bullshit, a moral flaw, expresses something else: hisA policies are forced to apologize for a man whose an intellectual flaw, that is, an intellectual vice. He’s vices are so apparent; and his critics are constantly flawed, both morally and intellectually, despite his being challenged to come up with inventive ways to protestations: “I’m a very stable genius … like, really describe the man. [A recent New York Times editorial- smart.” ist produced a nice alliteration, referring to Trump’s The distinction between moral and intellectual vir- “nastiness, neediness, and narcissism.”] tue has been with us since philosophers in ancient Questions about his moral character lead in anoth- Greece attempted to describe a flourishing human er interesting philosophical direction because of his life in terms of character traits, virtues and vices, that spurious relation to truth. Many think his dishonesty will enhance or undermine the possibilities of living resides in constantly lying. I think he’s unconcerned well or poorly. with truth. He’s a bullshitter, not a liar. Some kinds of character traits are morally praise- In any case, when he makes claims that aren’t true, worthy. Think of the kind of traits that are often men- he’s not only unconcerned with truth; he is uncon- tioned in a typical obituary [kindness, generosity,

24 • SEPTEMBER 2018 loyalty, caring, courage] or the type of qualities lack- er our beliefs are true, then it must matter whether ing in our esteemed leader [honesty, compassion, re- we develop good habits in our intellectual life – which spectfulness]. leads us to our current state of affairs. On the other hand, there are traits of character that Those who listen to a perpetual bullshitter and be- are praiseworthy in intellectual life, where our goals lieve what he says or are persuaded that the claims are to find knowledge, to acquire true beliefs about grounding his policies are true, are, arguably, com- the world, or to be justified or reasonable in believing plicit in his intellectual failings. Trump’s bullshit is that something is the case. Think of the traits that effective when people believe what he says. are characteristic of a good scientist: self-control, At least one part of critical thinking [as some would proper doubt, appropriate skepticism, impartiality, call it] or reasonableness [as I would call it] is to seek being able to weigh evidence judicially and fairly, be- evidence from reliable sources. If there’s one thing we ing unprejudiced, unbiased, inquiring – being a truth- have learned about Trump’s unfiltered blather, as the lover. falsehoods have piled up, it is that he’s unreliable as Living well requires a considerable storehouse of a source of true beliefs. Given his track record, why true beliefs about an enormous number of things: would any reasonable person believe what he says? health, happiness, economic well-being, other hu- Perhaps people weren’t listening closely enough man beings, our own talents and capabilities, as well as the campaign unfolded, so the lies [bullshit] were as our limitations – the list could be extended in- submerged into whatever legitimate grievances pro- definitely. There are character traits that will tend to pelled him to victory. Deep into the second year of undermine the acquisition of true beliefs: gullibility, Trump World, there are no excuses for informed citi- dogmatism, intellectual laziness, lack of curiosity, zens. His steady approval ratings are evidence of an naivete, lack of respect for reliable sources of knowl- alarming widespread lack of intellectual virtue [criti- edge. According to W. K. Clifford, the “credulous cal thinking, reasonableness] in our culture. man” is characterized by various intellectual vices. According to many, we are living in a spooky time, In ordinary life as well as our political life we are the post-truth era where black is white, up is down, bombarded with claims about what is true and how “truth isn’t truth,” references to “alternative facts” our life might be affected, for good or ill, if we acquire are not recognized as absurdities, and “fake news” certain beliefs and act upon them. If it matters wheth- CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 25 The End Is Coming, Mob-Style

BY JOE CONASON “Lock her up!” wise pled guilty and will do time. concrete supplied by the Mafia Roared at the Republican Na- [He led that nasty chant at the – and gave an apartment there tional Convention and every convention, a moment that will to the girlfriend of a mobbed-up Donald Trump rally up to the be replayed forever as his most Teamster boss. Millions of dol- present day, that ferocious chant memorable act.] And now Michael lars have been poured into Trump now has a distinctly ironic ring. Cohen, Trump’s former personal properties from gangsters around Several presidential henchmen attorney and consigliere, has the world in massive money-laun- who encouraged that ugly smear entered a plea agreement on eight dering operations. of Hillary Clinton – still innocent violations of banking, tax and He has always felt most com- and still free – are on their way to campaign finance laws. fortable with unsavory figures like prison. Nobody who has followed Don- Manafort, who should have been And there is reason to believe ald Trump’s career, dating back indicted and sent to prison for that they will not be the last of many years before he entered blatant influence peddling during the president’s associates, pos- politics, should be surprised by the Housing and Urban Develop- sibly including his kin, to end up these events. Nor should anyone ment scandal back in the Ronald behind bars. be surprised that Trump would Reagan era, and Cohen, who has According to a jury of former express “regret” over the fall of long done business with crooks Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort for his many crimes in the taxi and real estate sectors Manafort’s peers, Manafort is against the United States. in New York City. His infamous guilty on eight felony counts. As Craig Unger explains in his attorney Roy Cohn was a mob law- Former Trump deputy campaign new book, House of Trump, House yer indicted three times, who was manager Rick Gates copped a plea of Putin: The Untold Story of lucky to escape imprisonment for and testified against Manafort, Donald Trump and the Russian tax evasion and many other al- but he’s going to jail, too. Michael Mafia, the developer/casino mag- leged crimes. Flynn, who advised the Trump nate/reality TV star has cultivated The Trump outfit is going down campaign and then served very connections with the underworld in the time-honored style that briefly as national security ad- for decades. He built Trump Tower marked the decline of La Cosa viser in the White House, like- with illegal immigrant labor and Nostra. A tough guy like Michael

26 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Cohen folds up and squeals ex- which there will be more to come. with the U.S. Attorney’s Office actly the same as Sammy the Bull. Meanwhile, the special counsel for the Southern District of New And a smart guy like Manafort, will present evidence concern- York, headed by Trump appointee who has gotten away with ev- ing Trump’s Nixonian attempts to Geoffrey Berman, and the Depart- erything and thought he always obstruct his investigation. ment of Justice, headed by Trump would, is put away exactly the But regardless of what Mueller appointee Jefferson Beauregard same as Al Capone, convicted of eventually reveals about the presi- Sessions. While his aides whisper tax evasion on the testimony of an dent, the Cohen deal has placed to Fox News that “the president accountant. Trump in grave jeopardy. In plead- cannot be indicted,” Americans No doubt Trump and his choir ing guilty to felony violations of will soon realize that the man in will remind us that none of these federal campaign finance stat- the Oval Office is an unindicted charges touch on campaign collu- utes, Cohen has said that he paid co-conspirator – just like Nixon. sion with the Russians, but that off Stormy Daniels and another The question that faces every is a feeble rejoinder. Special coun- woman in a criminal conspiracy member of Congress, and for that sel Robert Mueller has already with Trump. matter, every voter, is what to do filed preliminary indictments on Remember, that plea deal was about it. that aspect of his investigation, of reached not with Mueller but © Creators.com 10 Steps To Finding Common Ground BY ROBERT REICH

onald Trump has intentionally cleaved and friends are treated. America into two warring camps: pro- 7. Ask them about the roles of big corporations Trump or anti-Trump. Most Americans and Wall Street. For example: aren’t passionate conservatives or liber- • Why is it that when corporations and Wall Dals, Republicans or Democrats. But they have be- Street firms violate the law, no executive goes come impassioned for or against Trump. to jail? As a result, people with different political views • Why did Wall Street get bailed out during the have stopped talking with each other. This is a financial crisis but homeowners caught in the huge problem because democracy depends on downdraft didn’t get help? our capacity to deliberate together. • Why do big oil, big agriculture, big Pharma, So what can we do – all of us – to begin talking and Wall Street hedge-fund managers get special across the great divide? Here are 10 suggestions: subsidies and tax loopholes? 1. Don’t avoid political conversations with peo- 8. Get a discussion going about how the system ple who are likely to disagree with you, even in is organized, for whom, and how it’s been chang- your own family. To the contrary, seek them out ing. For example: and have those discussions. • Why is it that only four major airlines fly to- 2. Don’t start by talking about Trump. Start day when a few years ago there were 12? Why instead with “kitchen table” issues like stagnant are there only four internet service providers? wages, shrinking benefits, the escalating costs of • How is this increasing concentration of eco- health care, college, pharmaceuticals, housing. nomic power across the entire economy driving 3. Make it personal. Ask them about their own up prices? experiences and stories. Share yours. Try to find • Why are pharmaceutical companies and common ground. health insurers able to charge more and more? 4. Ask them why they think all this has hap- • Why can corporations and their top execu- pened. Listen carefully and let them know you’ve tives declare bankruptcy and have their debts heard them. forgiven, when bankruptcy isn’t available to peo- 5. If they start blaming immigrants or Afri- ple laden with student debt or to homeowners can-Americans, or elites, or Democrats, or even who can’t meet their payments? Obama – stay cool. Don’t tune out. Ask them • Why are the biggest benefits from the tax cut about why they think these people are respon- going to billionaires? sible. 9. Then get to the core issue: Do they think any 6. Gradually turn the conversation into one of this has to do with big money in politics? about power – who has it, who doesn’t. Ask about • Is the system rigged? And if so, who’s doing their own experiences at work, what’s happened the rigging, and why? to their jobs, how others among their families CONTINUED ON PAGE 47

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 27 Illegal Mexican Immigration?

BY BOB DARCY

here has recently been an upsurge in polem- icans immigrants pushed into tribal lands. Some ne- ics critical of illegal Mexican immigration, gotiated treaties awarding land. The Dutch 1626 pur- criticism often sanctified with references chase of Manhattan Island from the Canarsee people to The Founders and the way America once is an instance. By and large, however, American set- Twas. Let’s look a bit closer. tlers simply pushed the natives out. Occasional wars The Thirteen Colonies stretched from Maine to Flor- had to be fought to chastise native interference with ida. Florida was Spanish, from the Atlantic to the Mis- the illegal, from the native point of view, immigrants. sissippi, including today’s Natchez, MI; Baton Rouge, New England’s King Philip’s War of 1675-78 in is an LA; and Mobile, AL. Spain had a hard time controlling early example. Florida’s borders. Americans swarmed across un- The Continental Congress enacted the Northwest checked. Eventually these illegal immigrants estab- Ordinance in 1787. This unilaterally established lished the Republic of West Florida and three months American sovereignty over land between the Ohio later, in 1810, the United States annexed it. By 1821 and Mississippi rivers and Canada. Later, by the 1804 the United States, this time with Spanish consent, Treaty of St. Louis, the Sauk and Meskwaki belatedly annexed the rest of Florida, also filled with illegal gave up sovereignty to land between the Mississippi American immigrants. and Illinois rivers. It was not clear, however, if the trea- Today we recognize Native American tribes as sov- ty excluded peaceful Sauk, Kickapoo and Meskwakis ereign nations. To the extent of signing treaties, so inhabitants. The United States opened fire on a tribal did the Thirteen Colonies. Nevertheless, illegal Amer- delegation sent to discuss this, launching the Black

28 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Hawk War. Native nations had to work out whatever chaotic and provided no effective government for deals they could with the swarming in American set- what is today California. Before the Mexican-Amer- tlers. There were other wars as the American settlers ican War, 1846-48, American settlers working with moved west. nearby American military help declared the Califor- By 1830 a few Native American nations had negoti- nia Republic. In 1847 an “informal” treaty gave the ated deals by which they gave up vast areas in ex- United States control and in 1848 another treaty change for designated sovereignty on remaining land made California part of the United States. in the south. American settlers encroached. The fed- By the 1880s the Florida, Texas and California sto- eral government decided not to remove the white il- ry was repeated in the Kingdom of Hawaii: American legal aliens. Instead, the tribes were kicked out, mak- settlers, the Republic of Hawaii, United States annex- ing the Trail of Tears. ation, statehood. Mexico abolished slavery in 1829. After all, the then- We know about the Sooners, American settlers il- president, Vicente Guerrero, was himself part Afri- legally pushing across the Kansas border into the can. The boundary agreed between the United States Oklahoma Territory before it was opened. Historically and Spanish Mexico in 1819 was the Sabine River, English-speaking Americans have never been border today’s Texas-Louisiana border. American settlers re- respecters, at least so far as their own movements. fused to recognize the border and entered illegally. For them the rule was manifest destiny; that is, what- Settlers, largely from slave-holding regions, illegally ever they did was their destiny manifesting itself. And brought and kept slaves. When, in 1830, Mexico for- they knew destiny is directly from God. bade further immigration, Americans ignored the law. Today’s sanctimonious rhetoric directed at Mexican By 1845 they established the slavery-friendly Texas and Hispanic immigration into former Spanish and Republic and, later, the slave state of Texas. Mexican territories is ... I am at a loss for words. California was also a sparsely populated part of Bob Darcy is a retired Oklahoma State University Mexico. American settlers swarmed in. Mexico was political science professor. Race Is Only ‘Skin Deep’

BY BOB D. ROUNSAVELL

We humans have a problem with Race. Most of us smart or stupid one’s behavior becomes, because don’t really know what it is and the rest can’t accept many humans think these two traits are related. the truth when they see it. The science of Race is Specifically, an employer with a task of choosing very clear: there is no genetic basis for it. between two job applicants will choose the white Although it is still a large problem for us to deal over the person of color whom he believes less intel- with, most don’t realize it’s largely a made-up label ligent. Again Thomas reminds us that when humans created for the primary purpose to both define and believe something is real, whether it is or not, it can separate us. Something our Presidente is doing become quite real in its consequences. That is, you, quite well. the employer, will choose the light-complexioned We citizens need to stop him from this unpresi- applicant because you think he or she will be more dential act. Be assured he will continue to try sepa- intelligent on account of his skin color. rating us until we do stop him. It is really quite unfortunate that these days many Let me borrow a statement from the April 2018 people suffering from both political and economic issue of National Geographic magazine: “Human be- discrimination are white Americans displaced from ings are wired at birth to distinguish us from them jobs now held by people of color willing to work and thus to favor our own group.” This is the social- for low wages. Lacking adequate education and job ization of the human being. experience, these once solid middle-class folks now Sociologist W.I. Thomas recognized that once the find themselves out of touch with the 21st Century human being decided something was true, it became and its job offerings. very difficult to change his or her mind about the With Donald Trump telling them he will make truth. Simply or more significantly, once people be- America great again, they cling to his statements lieve something is true then it becomes quite real in twittered out in the early morning hours. Upon its consequences to them. closer examination of his official actions, they will A good example of this type of behavior is the realize that America is not returning to the past and myth that the lighter one’s skin the more intelligent that Trump and his Republican Party are making the that person is. Genetically, skin color has nothing wealthy and powerful the beneficiaries of the huge whatsoever to do with any individual’s intelligence. tax cuts. Culturally, however it has much to do with how Guess how these will be replaced or paid for?

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 29 Whoops, there went our Social Security and Medi- care benefits. Check and find that Martin Luther King Jr. often When Twitter spoke of a simple goal: Black and white children, hand in hand, in brother/sisterhood. But current happenings make us forget that he asked for far more; in fact, he demanded “a radical redistribution Determines of political and economic power.” A year before his assassination, MLK stated: “All over the globe men are revolting against old systems of exploitation and oppression, and out of the Who Speaks wounds of a frail world, new systems of justice and equality are being born.” It took a long while, and the election of Donald BY JOHN KIRIAKOU Trump as president and de facto head of the Republi- can Party is showing how much racism is still a part Censorship has become such a normal part of of America. But MLK’s revolt is coming to fruition. daily American life that most people either don’t pay The western world is finally involved in the quest for attention to it or don’t care. But it’s taken on a life of new systems of justice and equality. its own, and it’s beginning to spin out of control. We In the same period, genetic research has uncov- must take back our constitutional right to freedom ered and brought to light two observations or deep of speech and our civil liberties. truths about humans. Many Americans laughed recently when Twitter, First, all of us are closely related. In other words Facebook, and YouTube suspended the accounts of everyone has the same collection of genes; except Alex Jones and InfoWars. Jones is well-known for for identical twins, everyone has slightly different his bombastic, conspiracy-laden, often offensive versions of the same set. Studies of this genetic di- views on just about everything from the Sandy Hook versity have allowed scientists to reconstruct a kind massacre [no children were killed; they were all of family tree of human populations, and that has “crisis actors”] to the United Nations [it’s a hostile revealed the second deep truth: In a very real sense, foreign power that maintains a secret army and will all people alive today are Africans. launch a war to install a one-world government] Yes, it is true – our species, Homo sapiens, evolved to so-called “chemtrails” and space aliens. [In the in Africa, although we are not yet certain of the interest of transparency, I have appeared three times exact time or place. The most recent fossil find from on InfoWars’ The Real News with David Knight. Morocco suggests that anatomically modern human David is a mainstream Libertarian and a great sup- features began appearing far earlier than 100,000 porter of whistleblowers.] years; these actually appeared 300,000 years ago. But the decision to ban Jones was not funny at all. What have we learned so far, according to science? You don’t have to agree with a single thing the man Most important, race has nothing to do with skin says to believe that he has the same fundamental color. We humans are all very closely related geneti- right to freedom of speech that you and I have. When cally. When we try to determine racial differences on news of the ban broke on Aug. 6, I was surprised at the basis of skin color, what we’ve done is create a how few of my friends objected to it. Indeed, many label to separate ourselves from one another. gloated over it. I felt exactly the opposite. I was infu- Not really a very good way to create a sense of riated. And the next day, on Aug. 7, Twitter perma- community, is it? nently banned my friend Peter Van Buren from the One key in dealing with people of different color site. but different ideologies is to realize that we can Van Buren is a renowned State Department whis- overcome such differences, especially when we fo- tleblower and 24-year Foreign Service veteran who cus on one shared mission: to preserve and improve also led a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Iraq. our species. He has written extensively about waste, fraud, and To fulfill that challenge, like the firefighters na- abuse at the State Department, and he published tionwide battling California wildfires, we must first a well-received memoir in 2012 entitled, We Meant get together. Then we save our home Planet Earth Well: How I Helped to Lose the Battle for the Hearts from the ravages of global warming/climate change, and Minds of the Iraqi People. largely caused by us and the myriad ways we’ve cho- As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton tried might- sen to live. ily to fire Van Buren for that memoir, even though Seems like a worthy mission for all of us to pur- the State Department’s publications review staff sue, don’t you think? approved its release. She tried to confiscate his Oologah resident Bob D. Rounsavell is president pension. Only after a lawsuit on his behalf by the of the Carrie Dickerson Foundation. His wife, Paz American Civil Liberties Union and the Government Maria Rounsavell, serves as his editor. Accountability Project was he allowed to retire and

30 • SEPTEMBER 2018 to keep his pension. There’s a very serious issue at play here. Put aside Twitter, however, doesn’t have to answer to any- your feelings about Alex Jones, about crisis ac- body. It’s a private company and it can do what it tors, and about chemtrails. This is an issue of free wants. speech. It’s an issue of corporate censorship. Last month, Van Buren got involved in an acrimo- Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and other tech mega- nious exchange about government lying with main- companies are telling us that they get to decide what stream journalist Jonathan Katz, a freelancer who we see and don’t see. They get to decide what we say writes primarily for The New York Times, Politico, and don’t say. and Slate. Katz apparently reported Van Buren to I won’t live like that. Veteran Intelligence Profes- Twitter, which quickly banned him for life, saying he sionals for Sanity [VIPS], a group of retired intelli- had “harassed, intimidated, or used fear to silence” gence officers, diplomats, military officers, and FBI Katz. agents, is writing a letter to Twitter’s leadership to No such thing ever took place. Because of the per- protest these heavy-handed, anti-democratic ac- manent nature of the ban, every one of Van Buren’s tions. I’m proud to be a member of VIPS and I think tweets from the past seven years has been deleted. that our collective voice will be heard. But VIPS can’t Twitter’s action turns out to not have been limited do it alone. Twitter and the others must be called to to Alex Jones and a buddy of mine. The company account. went on yesterday to suspend the accounts of Scott I, for one, don’t want to live like a North Korean, Horton, a prominent radio host, director of Antiwar. an Iranian, or even an Israeli or a Brit, where my com, and great friend of whistleblowers; and Dan government or a company tells me what to think or McAdams, a highly-respected former congressional to say. I will boycott Twitter and speak out against it staff member and executive director of the Ron Paul everywhere until it remedies these egregious attacks Institute for Peace and Prosperity. I know both of on civil liberties. these men well and I would stake my reputation on John Kiriakou is a former CIA counterterrorism of- their decency, honesty, and integrity. Twitter sus- ficer and a former senior investigator with the Sen- pended them because they came to Van Buren’s aid. ate Foreign Relations Committee. He became the There’s an even worse result from Twitter’s ac- sixth whistleblower indicted by the Obama Admin- tions. InfoWars last month promoted a petition istration under the Espionage Act – a law designed asking President Trump to pardon Julian Assange. to punish spies. He served 23 months in prison as a In just 48 hours, the petition was signed by nearly result of his attempts to oppose the Bush Adminis- 40,000 people. It was all but killed when removed tration’s torture program. from Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. © Reader Supported News THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 31 Jim Hightower

Monopoly Or Democracy?

America’s political history has been written in the they’re virulently anti-American, suppressing our fierce narrative of war – not only our country’s many fundamental values of fairness and opportunity for military clashes with foreign nations, but also our all. That’s why, throughout our history, the people own unending war for democracy in the U.S. have instinctively rebelled at the arrogant asser- Generation after generation of moneyed elites tions of monopoly avarice – the Boston Tea Party, have persisted in trying to take wealth and power the Populist Movement, the rise of unions, Teddy from the workaday majority and concentrate both of Roosevelt’s trust busters, the Progressive Party, the those things in their wealthy hands to establish a de muckrakers, the New Deal, Ralph Nader and on and facto American aristocracy. Every time, the people on. have rebelled in organized mass struggles against Yet, in the stunningly short period of the last the monopolist and financial royalists – literally couple of decades, corporate political money and the battling for a little more economic fairness, social public officials it bought have enshrined monopoly justice, and equal opportunity. And now, the time power as a legitimate form of business in our land, of rebellion is upon us again, for We the People are aggressively protected from public “meddling” by suddenly in the grip of a brutish level of monopolis- lawmakers, regulators and judges. tic power. For example, after our grassroots economy was Corporate concentration of markets, profits, work- crushed in 2007 by the greed of too-big-to-fail Wall place decision-making, political influence and our Street banksters, officials bailed out the villainous nation’s total wealth is surpassing that of the infa- banks at the taxpayer expense and deliberately made mous era of robber barons. them bigger, more powerful and more dangerous Apple, which just became the first U.S. corporation than ever. Today, just five banks control nearly half to reach a stock value of a trillion dollars, is now of all financial assets in the U.S. larger than Bank of America, Boeing, Disney, Ford, You’d think such a massive power grab by bank Volkswagon and 20 other brand-name giants com- monopolists would produce an equally massive, bined. Just five tech superpowers – Apple, Amazon, 24/7 barrage of coverage by the nation’s multitude Facebook, Google and Netflix – have raked in half of of media outlets, which purport to be our defenders this year’s stock price gains by the 500 top corpora- of democracy. And sure, an occasional story pops tions ranked by the S&P index. out here or there about monopoly abuse, but noth- A recent gold rush of corporate mergers has cre- ing comprehensive and cohesive to rally a public ated mega-firms and shriveled competition in most rebellion against what’s become the United States of industries, including airlines, banks, drug compa- Monopoly Rule. nies, food, hospitals, hotels, law firms, media, oil Why? Look at who owns America’s mass media. and more. Three decades ago, 50 large media conglomerates The results of fewer and bigger corporations is controlled 90% of the media. This year, after yet an- that those few attain overwhelming power over the other merger of giants is completed, just five mega- rest of us. They are able to control workers’ pay, media monopolists will control 90% of what we see, crush unions, jack up prices, squeeze our smaller hear and read. It is not in their interest to inform the businesses, dominate elections, weaken environ- public about the threat that monopolies pose to our mental projections ... and become even fewer, bigger democracy. and more powerful. Thus, they are waging all out As a paragon of journalistic integrity, A.S. Li- corporate class war on American people, and on our ebling, warned nearly 40 years ago, “Freedom of the democratic ideals, and they’re winning. press is guaranteed only to those who own one.” These monopolies are not merely un-American, © Creators.com

32 • SEPTEMBER 2018 A Test Of Character Early on Sunday morning, April 1, our Head Fool received a report from his most trusted intelligence source. “Small army of migrants marching toward the United States,” headlined his favorite show, Fox & Friends. The commander-in-chief wasted no time in responding to this im- minent threat, reflexively trumpet- ing to his loyalists that a caravan of some 1,500 marauding Latinx militants was coming to crash our southern gates. “Getting more dangerous,” the chief shrieked in a tweet immediately following the right-wing TV report. “Caravans coming,” he warned. “Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW.” The image of an invading “army” invaders or infesters, but desper- god-awful policy, they’re doing it became the perfect bugaboo to ate families simply seeking refuge in our name, with our money. rally America’s xenophobic right in the U.S. from life-threatening Remember, too, that the mass wing behind the extremist anti- horrors at home. migration he’s squawking about immigrant measures that White Irony sometimes sneaks up on is largely composed of victims of House strategists, Attorney Gen- you, as it did on President Trump. societal breakdowns in Central eral Sessions and other political June 20 was World Refugee Day, America that trace directly back opportunists had been developing commemorated annually with to the civil wars and military for weeks. Demagogic demoniza- events in more than 100 coun- juntas that previous U.S. govern- tion of brown-skinned foreign- tries to raise awareness about the ments help instigate, arm and ers was key to ramming through plight of people forced to flee op- back. Yes, the relative freedoms their nasty scheme: to unilater- pression in their home countries. and opportunities available in the ally decree every asylum seeker a Trump probably didn’t notice, for U.S. do “pull” migrants across the criminal and seize their children June 20 was also another day of Rio Grande, but the most power- as political hostages. heavy lifting in his team’s furious ful force behind today’s influx Trump had long been pound- determination to slam the door from the South is the “push” of ing his nativist, racist theme that on families hoping for refuge. our country’s repressive military Mexicans [and Mexican-Ameri- The irony is that their iron-fisted policies and exploitative economic cans] are rapists and drug dealers. treatment of migrants generated policies. In April he doubled down, insist- much more awareness of refugee Neither political party in Wash- ing that immigrants pour across abuse than all the other global ington is addressing that push our southern border and “infest education efforts combined. – which is the only “comprehen- our country.” More importantly, their vin- sive immigration reform” that will Thus, Trump used a caravan dictive family separation policy actually work. of humble Hondurans, wending sparked a massive grassroots So this is not just a matter of their way north, to generate a fog backlash here and around the Trump’s character, but also of of fear to rationalize his planned world, finally forcing the admin- ours. Our government’s immigra- attack on migrant families. [In istration to back off from some tion policies raise a fundamental finest Trump fashion, he even of the worst of its humanitarian question about our people’s moral monetized the political windfall, abuses. fortitude: Will we as a society quickly sending a fundraising But they are mad dogs and stand up to our own xenophobic, email for his re-election campaign ideologues, so they won’t stop ... demagogic government press- that touted his heroic effort to unless and until we stop them. ing us to abandon – no, to betray “STOP the caravan.”] The Hondu- Remember that while Trump & – America’s historic democratic rans, however, were not animals, Co. are the perpetrators of this values? – Jim Hightower

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 33 Why The Plan To Politicize The Church Isn’t Working BY JAMES L. EVANS ttorney General Jeff Sessions announced where they are found. recently the creation of a task force whose And our imagination falters to understand how Je- primary task will be to save Jesus. sus has been driven to the margins of society when To be fair, that is not how Sessions de- no less than seven outlets on cable television daily scribedA the work of the task force. He said that the broadcast his good news. goal was to defend and promote religious liberty. And let’s not forget the official slogans already ad- The inspiration for this divine task was an execu- opted by our government that favor the Christian re- tive order issued by President Trump directing all de- ligion. “Under God” was added to the pledge of alle- partments of the United States government to protect giance in 1954. “In God We Trust” was added to our religious liberty and political speech. currency in 1956. Those last two words – “political speech” – are im- So, Jeff, where did Jesus fail you? Where and how portant, and we will have reason to revisit them later. was he silenced amid a veritable choir of Christian So, the question hanging before us is: How did influence? Jesus’ followers become so deprived of liberty that Some Christians believe that Jesus was silenced by a Justice Department task force is needed to save a 1963 challenge to teacher-led prayer and Bible read- them? ing in public schools. Am I wrong about there being a Christian church on The Supreme Court ruled these activities violated virtually every corner in America? Is it not true that the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition of government es- 99% of the members of the House and Senate claim tablishing a religion as the official faith of the coun- affiliation with some Christian fellowship? try. Is our country not adorned with several significant Evangelical followers of Jesus took offense at this Christian universities, the gravitas of some that rival decision and thus a six-decade battle with the courts any university in the world? was born. Where did Jesus go silent? That’s why we hear so much today about the signifi- Baptist, Methodist and Catholic hospitals are of- cance of appointing Supreme Court justices who are ten the premier medical centers in the communities willing to overturn these long-established rulings.

34 • SEPTEMBER 2018 By the way, it is not just the overtly religious rul- For a while now, certain followers of Jesus have ings that give followers of Jesus pain. cast themselves as a battered and bleak minority. In 1973, the court ruled that a woman had the con- Not able to promote from their pulpits candidates stitutional right to terminate her pregnancy. Roe v. they believe will help them get what they want, these Wade has been the rallying call to segments of Jesus’ beleaguered followers of Jesus have turned to dema- followers, who have decided that on this one decision gogues who tell them what they want to hear. rests the salvation of the country. All that is needed, they are told, is for the faithful to And in an oblique way, to save Jesus too. donate their money to ordained candidates and vote In the summer of 1954, then-Sen. Lyndon Johnson for so-called conservatives who will champion their was frustrated with the influence of business-con- causes. nected nonprofit organizations using their tax-ex- To which I say, “How is that working out for you?” empt advantage to undermine and threaten his Sen- We keep electing conservatives, and school prayer ate seat. is still illegal, and a woman’s right to choose is still Johnson’s solution was swift and final. He managed legal. to usher through changes to the IRS code that pro- I’m not taking sides, but the plan to politicize the hibited tax-exempt organizations from engaging in church is not working, and it distracts the church partisan politics. from its legitimate mission. It doesn’t appear that he was necessarily focused These ordained candidates are political wolves try- on followers of Jesus, but they got hit by the impact ing to pass themselves off as sheep. of the change in the law. They don’t really care about the deep spiritual con- More debate and court decisions have refined the cerns of people of faith. They only want our money law over time. Where we are now can be summed and our vote. up like this: Nonprofits [churches included] are not And if Sessions and his task force succeed in chang- permitted to engage in partisan politics. They can- ing the law allowing churches to participate fully in not endorse candidates or political parties. They are the political process, the wolves will not only have also restricted in the amount of lobbying they can do the sheep but the farm as well. around specific issues. Alabaman James L. Evans retired after 35 years as a Here’s where Sessions rides into the fray, brandish- minister serving Baptist churches in Alabama, North ing his presidential executive order and filled with a Carolina and Virginia. Editor’s note: A version of this fiery passion to save Jesus. Sorry for the hyperbole, article first appeared on al.com. It was written for but it’s not far from the mark. Alabama Media Group and is used with permission. Turning Over The Tables Of ‘American Christianity’ BY MARK Y.A. DAVIES The reason American Christianity does not stand and hatred and their own desire for security before against the actions of our current president is Jesus’ call to seek justice for all people, to love all because American Christianity is not Christianity of our neighbors, and be not afraid. They have exiled properly understood as the way of Jesus. It puts Jesus from their churches – churches that would a warped view of “American” before Christianity. make Jesus weep that his name is being associated Christians who live in U.S. must reject this. with the very expressions of hatred, fear, and cor- What we are seeing in Christianity in the United rupt power that Jesus gave his life to resist. States is a battle over whether the way of Jesus The news that such Christians and such churches will have any real practical influence in the life of bring to the world is not the good news for the poor churches and in the life of persons who call them- and oppressed that was the clarion call of Jesus’ selves Christian. work in this world. Rather, it is news of exclusion, Christians and Christian churches who do not wel- control, fear, and oppression of the weak and vulner- come the stranger; who do not seek justice for poor able in our midst. It is the news of exploitation of and oppressed; and who do not care for the hungry, the community of all creation rather than its care. the thirsty, the sick, the homeless, the imprisoned, The “religious freedom” that such Christians and and all creation are living in such a way as if the life churches seek is a freedom to discriminate and ex- and teachings of Jesus are wholly irrelevant. clude rather than a responsible freedom that seeks They have put nationalism and, in many cases, love and justice for all. race before the way of Jesus. They have put fear CONTINUED ON PAGE 47 THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 35 Fracking Destroying U.S. Water Supply, New Study Warns

BY JOE ROMM

n alarming new study reveals fracking is does not use significantly more water than other en- quite simply destroying America’s water ergy sources, but those findings were based only on supply. aggregated data from the early years of fracking,” ex- That means we are losing potable water plained co-author Avner Vengosh, a professor of geo- foreverA in many semi-arid regions of the country, chemistry and water quality at Duke. while simultaneously producing more carbon pollu- “After more than a decade of fracking operation, tion that in turn is driving ever-worsening droughts we now have more years of data to draw upon from in those same regions, as fracking expert Anthony multiple verifiable sources,” said Vengosh. The re- Ingraffea, a professor at Cornell University, explained searchers looked at data on water used – and oil, gas, to ThinkProgress. and wastewater produced – for over 12,000 wells from The game-changing study from Duke University 2011 to 2016. found that “from 2011 to 2016, the water use per well Ingraffea, who was not involved in the study, ex- increased up to 770%.” In addition, the toxic waste- plained that while first generation wells used three water produced in the first year of production jumped to five millions gallons of water, current third gen- up to 1,440%. eration wells use 10 to 30 million gallons. Ingraffea “Previous studies suggested hydraulic fracturing – who worked with the fossil fuel industry for three

36 • SEPTEMBER 2018 decades and has been co-editor-in-chief of the journal greenhouse gas – fracked gas isn’t a climate solution. Engineering Fracture Mechanics since 2005 – noted In fact, “natural gas could warm the planet as much that the federal government “forecasts a million more as coal in the short term,” one major 24-author study such wells in the next 20 years.” from June concluded. So those who continue touting That would mean trillions of gallons of water used. fracked gas as a bridge to a low-carbon future are not The Duke study warns that the water footprint of keeping up with the latest science. fracking could jump as much as 50-fold in some ar- And so we have the tragic situation where we are eas by 2030, “raising concerns about its sustainabili- using up one of our most precious non-renewable re- ty, particularly in arid or semi-arid regions in western sources, water, to produce oil and gas, which wors- states, or other areas where groundwater supplies ens the stress on our water system. are stressed.” As Ingraffea put it, “Shale gas/oil is exchanging ab- As their analysis shows, some of the fracking sites surd volumes of water for absurd volumes of fossil that are seeing the biggest jump in water footprint fuels at a time where using the latter is jeopardizing per well – like the Permian and Eagle Ford Basins – the availability of the former.” are also located in highly water-stressed areas [see At the same time, he said, fracking “is exchanging chart below. precious volumes of water usable for drinking and

Therefore, even though other forms of energy have farming for toxic volumes of wastewater most of which a higher intensity of water use, “the permanent loss has to be transported and injected underground,” at of water use for hydraulic fracturing from the hydro- grave risk to underground sources of drinking water. sphere” may still be higher. Finally, “most of what is not transported and inject- The study also points out that the world has seen ed stays underground, an exchange of H2O for CO2.” “rapidly diminishing global water resources due to Therefore, almost all of what arrives at a well is for- population growth and climate change.” ever lost to the water cycle.” Yet countless studies show that because the frack- Fracking is truly a Faustian bargain. ing process leaks so much methane – a highly potent © ThinkProgress

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 37 Wanted: 10 Million More Votes, A Few Billionaires And A Just Congress BY RALPH NADER

About two months separate the people from the 90,000 votes just in Ohio. Donald Trump swung the Nov. 6 congressional elections. Judging by the past key Electoral College votes in Pennsylvania, Michi- midterm turnout, at least 125 million age-eligible gan, and Wisconsin by a mere 107,000 votes. voters will stay home. Too many people say: “Can’t Therefore, let’s ask the question: What’s it worth be bothered;” “politicians don’t care about me;” “all in costs compared to benefits? How do we achieve a politicians lie so why should I be part of that game;” progressive Congress, committed to the needs and “I’m not into politics;” “Nobody I like.” rights of the American people and not beholden to Whoever finds the way to bring 10 million or so of the big corporations? A mere half a billion dollars these non-voters to the polls in swing congressional would achieve that objective – about what the Koch districts will solidly control the Congress. Control Brothers’ network intends to spend this year. of the House of Representatives by the Democratic The benefit of increasing the turnout of informed Party stops most of Trumpism in its tracks, assum- voters is a more enlightened Congress. A new and ing the Democrats use their power and uphold their improved Congress could produce huge savings in sworn duties in domestic and military/foreign mat- dollars, lives, health, safety, and improve the enters under the Constitution. vironment. In addition, a new Congress could end Ten million non-voters becoming voters may not boomeranging illegal wars, enact a long-overdue seem so decisive. Remember, however, that John increased minimum wage, corporate tax reform, Kerry lost to George W. Bush in 2004 by less than CONTINUED ON PAGE 46 38 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Trooth CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 means that serious journalism and Trump’s cheer- Clifford also insists that credulity is against our leaders are taken as equally reliable [or unreliable] self-interest. “Habitual want of care about what I be- sources of truth. lieve leads to habitual want of care in others about Orwell’s prescient dystopian vision creeps into our the truth of what is told to me. Men speak the truth to thoughts in the Age of Trump. A recent book, Post- one another when each reveres the truth in his own Truth, by Lee McIntyre, aptly locates some relevant mind and in the other’s mind … ” epigrams from Orwell: “In times of universal deceit, If we are credulous because we believe without suf- telling the truth will be a revolutionary act.” “Peo- ficient evidence, others will fail to respect us as ratio- ple can forsee the future only when it coincides with nal, autonomous agents. If others fail to respect us, their own wishes, and the most obvious facts can be they will be more likely to attempt to take advantage ignored when they are unwelcome.” of us by deception, lying, fraud – and bullshit. Our In our current situation I think of W. K. Clifford’s intellectual deficiencies spawn the hucksters. “The classic essay, because he directs his critical analysis credulous man is father to the liar and the cheat … ” to the individual whose responsibility is to respond Trump is who he is. But we do not live in a place to the cultural atmosphere of bullshit. He thinks we like Stalin’s Soviet Union or Mao’s China or any place have not only moral duties; we also have intellectual in which the authoritarian can control the dissemina- or cognitive duties. tion of falsehoods and the construction of repressive In The Ethics of Belief [1877], Clifford, mathemati- institutions. Pessimism and discouragement arise cian, scientist, and philosopher, defends one simple because the intellectual failings of our president are principle that ought to guide us in the acquisition of mirrored by those who still support him, despite am- belief. “It is wrong always, everywhere, and for any- ple opportunities to see the man for who he is. one, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.” Yet there’s reason for optimism because of a vigor- Of course, the reference to “sufficient evidence” ous free press and journalists who are willing to re- needs clarification, yet the meaning is clear enough spond to claims that they are “horrible, horrendous to be helpful. people,” “very dangerous and sick,” and the “enemy If we are called upon to decide whether climate of the American people.” They respond by doing their change has occurred and whether it is caused by hu- job. man behavior, where do we look for the evidence if Orwell again: “Journalism is printing what some- we happen not to be a climate scientist doing the ac- one else does not want printed; everything else is tual research? Climate scientist or politician? Who is public relations.” more likely to have cooked the data or to have reject- For me, the most important issue in November is ed conclusions because of motives other than being truth. Other specific policies are secondary to the de- a lover of truth and a seeker of knowledge? Where do fense of our democracy. Morality should momentarily we look for evidence concerning claims about immi- take a back seat to epistemology. Vote for truth. grants and crime? Randolph M. Feezell, PhD, grew up in northwestern Consider Trump’s latest howler: California wild- Oklahoma and is professor emeritus of philosophy fires are caused by water being sent to the Pacific to at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. save fish; the fires having nothing to do with climate change. The experts rejected the bullshit. Whom should the reasonable person believe? Clifford provides a number of different arguments for his agnostic principle. The unifying defense is that widespread credulity, the rejection of reasonableness [interpreted as withholding belief unless the evidence is relatively clear], has damaging consequences, both individually and socially. His florid Victorian prose is both charming and effective. The character of the credulous person, whose “habit of believing for unworthy reasons is fostered and made permanent,” hurts society, as he says. Clifford’s vision is Orwellian. “The danger to society is not merely that it should believe wrong things, though that is great enough; but that it should become credulous and lose the habit of testing things and inquiring into them; for then it must sink back into savagery.”

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 39 Books

Rethinking The Global Economic Empire

THE NEW CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN By John Perkins Berrett-Koehler Publishers 384 pages, $17.95 [paperback]

BY JOHN WOOD

hen I was a college freshman, I remember Russian Siberia, to name just a few known almost reading a quote from Adam Smith: “There exclusively for producing oil. are two ways to conquer and enslave a These countries and many others that Perkins nation. One by the sword. The other by cites are targeted with huge loans, often taken be- debt.”W I didn’t pay it much mind at the time. Not until cause of the dire circumstances in which they find I read this rather enlightening book by John Perkins themselves. However, the money is not really there to 14 years ago, then I came across this update, most help their countrymen, but rather the corporations recently in 2016. themselves through infrastructure projects, such as Perkins’ intriguing book is a sort of autobiography power plants and ports that benefit the very few most and certainly a polemic. His story begins with his well off – not the many. NSA screening in the 1970s for a Boston-based stra- In the end, the country is left with a huge debt they tegic-consulting firm Chas T. Main. He tells us about can’t ever pay. Now, lenders have control. his Mafia-esque misadventures in this role advising And what’s most sinister is that’s the plan! countries. More specifically, he describes his job was When the bills are due, he says, the hitman goes to advise the World Bank, the UN, IMF, Treasury De- back to offer lucrative deals for the leaders, forcing partment, and several Fortune 500 companies. them to sell their oil, water, sewage, what have you. Perkins explains that he was an “Economic hit It would be all privatized under the guise of the magi- man” and it is men like him who created the first cal “free market,” of course, others call them Struc- global economic empire, not by violence – well, not at tural Adjustment Policies [SAP]. If the U.S. and other first and not if the country’s leader was subservient. World Bank allies don’t seek privatization, they alter- Typically, these government and corporate entities natively coerce them into voting with the U.S. on next control through debt. UN vote. That’s not sleazy at all, right? He explains further that his company’s modus ope- At this point, their leaders also put said country randi was to identify countries that corporations cov- in deep debt, forcing them to refinance at a greater et, those with rich resources – often described with interest rate. On top of this, they are forced to priori- the unfortunate name “paradox of plenty” or plagued tize these payments at all costs, compromising their with a “resource curse.” social sector under the name of “austerity.” You would think owning a lot of oil, tar, tin, etc, Who suffers? The people through cuts in schools, would be a good thing, but for not for many places food and water, etc. Perkins points out that the post- already in political havoc internationally. Some of the er child for this is Bolivia, which was forced to priva- most forbidding parts of the world, from a geographic tize its water supply in 1997 through a $20 million point of view, are also some of the most resource rich. World Bank loan, selling it to Bechtel Corporation. For example, the deserts of Saudi Arabia, the moun- The popular uprisings throttled the plan because of tainous jungles of South America, the snowfields of the stark cost of water, quickly rising 200%. 40 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Another example is that of Iran in 1953. Democratically-elected prime minister Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, who was also actually Time’s Man of the Year, attested that oil from Iran should be the people’s. Perkins assumed that the U.S. was afraid to send in the military because of optics. Instead, the CIA sent in Kermit Roosevelt, second son of Teddy. Kermit’s clandestine work inspired uprisings overthrowing Mossadegh. He was replaced by Reza Shah, a theocrat who was friendly to Western oil. This was the turning point! An easy and cheap way to create empire. The only caveat? Kermit was a CIA agent, and his capture would have meant a PR disaster for the U.S. Better to have private companies take the risk from then on. Enter strategic-consulting firms not unlike Chas T. Main. Perkins’ first case was in Ecua- dor in 1981. There, he met Presi- dent Jaime Roldos Agilera. He, too, wanted to help his people. Perkins was sent in to make a deal. “If you play our game, it works for you,” Perkins said, “but he didn’t.” Un- fortunately, Perkins said, the president died in a plane wreck soon thereafter because he was incor- ruptible. Suspiciously, two wit- nesses died in car wrecks within weeks. Perkins outlines specifically how all this works. He cites Iraq as a classic example – twice. Gulf War Part I, in which I participated as a lance corporal in the USMC, WHY WAIT? and then Gulf War Part II, a decade later. Now you can subscribe to The Oklahoma Observer Step 1: The Economic Hit Man is at the Full Circle Books checkout counter first line of defense. He gives huge and receive your free book certificate on the spot! loans to leverage and own these leaders. If he fails, like he did in IMPORTANT RESTRICTIONS To take advantage of this offer, visit Full Circle Books, where you can subscribe to The Oklahoma Observer at the checkout his experiences with Panama and counter and receive your free book certificate immediately. You also may subscribe to The Observer using the coupon on page 3 of this issue 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 Ecuador, the Jackals [CIA] come in free book [$20 limit]. The certificate is not transferable and must be presented in person at Full Circle Books in order to receive your for Step 2: Assassination. Then, as free book. No facsimiles, printouts or photocopies will be accepted as a substitute for the original Full Circle certificate. This book expected, a new government gets offer is for new subscribers only. Not valid with any other offer. in line. Step 3: the military steps in. ing to an analysis by the Financial In Iraq, however, it didn’t work Here, the Poppy Bush orders an Times. A boondoggle! that way, Saddam’s security was invasion, then his son, George W. Perkins says we have created a too good. Not surprising as Sad- I independently discovered that subtle empire. In the past, the Ro- dam was hired in 1968 by the CIA Vice President Dick Cheney’s Hal- mans, British, Germans, etc., built to kill Iraq’s dictator at the time. liburton made $39.5 billion on the empire and we all knew it. Most Saddam knew the game and he Iraq War. And only 10 contractors Americans have no idea about this didn’t want to be played. received 52% of the funds, accord- clandestine empire. Instead, we

THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 41 have a corporatocracy. shield. Confessions vindicated Perkins, as it became With a little digging, it’s not really that hard to fig- a best seller and his truth. In his updated version, he ure out. Seven corporations own a majority of media reports that their strategy has enveloped the globe. outlets and our politicians are controlled through Today, Perkins is the co-founder of the Pachamama PACs and billionaire donations. Presidents are mil- Alliance to preserve the Shaur rainforest. In working lionaires – and one maybe a billionaire – but we can’t with the Shaur, he learned to question the culture of verify that without his tax returns. over-consumption and shift his mindset to a new cul- All this would eat at your conscience, and it did ture that alternatively honors and sustains life. Perkins who quit Main by 1980. I recommend Perkin’s book because he showcases An epiphany washed over Perkins as he crouched a profound shift in mindset that I think we need today among the remnants of an old sugar plantation built more and more. No longer does Perkins represent the upon the bones of slaves. He compared his work to stealthy search to control through slavery or debt, the same thing – a modern day slaver facilitating the but rather the constant pursuit for opportunities to corporatocracy exploitation worldwide. Yet he re- empower others. mained an energy consultant for another 20 years, We certainly need less of the former and more of while becoming increasingly involved in projects to the latter. help embattled natives in the Amazon. John Wood is an associate professor of political sci- Perkins first published his book nearly 15 years ence at the University of Central Oklahoma. The ago – worried that the CIA would take him out – how- views he expresses are his and not necessarily the ever, he realized that the book would became his university’s. Comic Relief As We Wait For Trump To Be Gone

EVERYTHING TRUMP TOUCHES DIES A Republican Strategist Gets Real About The Worst President Ever By Rick Wilson Free Press 336 pages, $27

BY FROMA HARROP ick Wilson was minding his own business as writes, “I can’t name it.” a Republican operative when Donald Trump Other invective against the base is too raw to repeat happened. Though his commercials for GOP here, even with quotation marks. And sadly, some of candidates often pressed thorns in liberal the most hysterically funny takedowns are so bawdy Rflanks, he won broad respect as a principled conser- that my editor would promptly delete them. vative. The Trump camp hates its Republican critics with Trump has made Wilson stark raving mad. The the heat of a thousand suns. “Nothing outrages this charges? Betraying the conservative movement and president or his minions more,” Wilson writes, “than putting the Republican Party at risk. Fortunately for the slightest resistance to his madcap urges and the us at ringside, Wilson is also a bad boy with a wick- stunningly terrible policy ideas that spring from his ed sense of humor. His new best-seller, Everything Fox-addled brain.” Trump Touches Dies, rains sucker punches of mock- Resistant Republicans such as Jeff Flake, Ben ery on all things Trump. Sasse and Dean Heller know the blowback. They “find “If being a Republican means buying into stories their phone lines jammed, their email inboxes filled so obviously, barkingly insane that they sound like with poorly capitalized and grammatically disastrous Roger Stone’s conspiracy rantings after a three-day screeds, their social media accounts flooded with meth bender,” Wilson writes with trademark subtlety, Trump memes,” Wilson writes, “and their ability to “then we don’t have a political party; we have an inpa- communicate suppressed in a tidal wave of hate and tient mental health facility.” death threats.” Wilson does not spare the “little people.” “If there’s “Perhaps it’s time for Microsoft to bring back Clip- a sharper critique of America’s failed education sys- py, the pop-up icon that suggests things like ‘Are you tem than the breathless, mindless Trump voter,” he CONTINUED ON PAGE 47 42 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Observations Better Information, Better Policy Oklahoma Policy Institute provides timely and credible CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 information, analysis and commentary on state policy issues. Center. See our latest issue briefs, fact sheets and blog posts at: Perhaps Jones drew their ire because the audit dared shine a spotlight on the power grab and its negative impact on the agency and the veterans it serves? The plot thickened in late August with news that ODVA outsourced X-ray services at its seven care David Blatt, Director n 918.794.3944 n [email protected] centers to a company owned Sen. Paul Scott, R-Dun- can. Legal? Perhaps. On the up-and-up? We shall see. Smart politics? Not only no, but hell no. Forget all the spin and posturing. What truly matters is how Oklahoma cares for those who risked their lives to defend our nation and state. No doubt the ODVA’s issues are complex. But a change in leadership – beginning with this fall’s election of a new governor – may be required to ensure veterans’ care isn’t forsaken at the altar of political power. Rich Get Richer Lost in the cacophony of noise flooding out of the White House is compelling new evidence that leaves TOM GOODWIN no doubt we’re now mired in a second Gilded Age. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the Cheyenne, OK chief executives of America’s top 350 companies, on average, earned 312 times more last year than their Reader and supporter of The Observer workers. The ratio was only 20-1 in 1965. for over 30 years and counting. What does this mean for America’s workers? As the top 1% amasses greater fortunes, workers get the scraps – salary increases so meager as to make it increasingly difficult to keep a roof overhead and food on the table. As the institute’s Lawrence Mishel explained to the UK Guardian, “As a mathematical matter, had there not been the redistribution upward … the wages of So far, five states – California, Connecticut, Maine, the bottom 90% could have grown twice as fast as it New Jersey and New York – and the District of Colum- actually did.” bia have imposed higher tax brackets on those mak- The widening wealth gap is not simply unhealthy ing $1 million or more. for a democratic republic – it also is dangerous. We’re Red state Arizona threatens to join the politically perched on the precipice of becoming the Land of the blue states via Prop 207 that, if approved in Novem- Aristocrats and Home of the Oligarchs – the very so- ber, would boost teacher pay by hiking taxes to an 8% ciety our ancestors fought to escape in 1776. rate for those earning between $250,000 and $500,00 As we mark Labor Day 2018, it’s sobering to reflect and a 9% rate for those earning $500,000-plus. how public policy, enacted by a Dark Money-backed Not surprising, the proposal has drawn the wrath of elected elite, has fueled the wealth gap, ensuring the Arizona’s Chamber of Commerce. But if it succeeds, rich get richer and the poor poorer. it could spark similar action in other red states – It’s time for more than implementation of a living maybe even Oklahoma? – as it becomes clearer the wage. It’s also time for tax reform that reverses the upper crust isn’t paying its fair share for vital state decades of public policy that shifted the tax burden services. from the fat cats to the working class. Public policy by initiative is not optimum, of course. Given corporate control of Oklahoma’s Legislature, But in a state in which the oil-igarchs often wield perhaps a people’s revolution that includes an initia- what amounts to un-elected veto power over state af- tive petition to put a so-called millionaire’s tax on the fairs, this could be a way to bolster state funding im- ballot is in order. mediately and close the state’s wealth gap long-term. THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 43 Observerscope

11701 N. MacArthur Blvd. Oklahoma City, Ok. 73162

[405] 721-3252 springcreekbc.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 A hopeful sign? The Washington Blade’s Chris Johnson notes all four letters of the LGBT acronym are represented by Democratic gubernatorial nominees this year: Texas’ Lupe Valdez, Lesbian; Colora- do’s Jared Polis, Gay; Oregon’s Kate Brown, Bisexual; and Vermont’s Christian Hallquist, Transgender.

Senate President Pro Tem-designate Greg Treat, R- OKC, was named to the 63-member National Confer- ence of State Legislature’s 2018-19 executive committee. The non-partisan NCSL provides research and training to legislators and staff.

A key difference between the two major parties? Race. An Economist/YouGov survey of 1,500 Ameri- cans finds 73% of Democrats view the N-word as offensive, compared to just 43% of Republicans. Cringe- worthy: 64% of GOPers think a person who uses the N-word in office can still be a good president.

Oklahoma slashed the number of structurally deficient bridges to 185 in 2017, from 1,168 in 2004. County bridges were another matter: 2,819 structurally deficient last year, compared to 7,003 in 2001. – ODOT

Speaking of infrastructure, 24/7 Wall Street lists Oklahoma’s as 17th worst – 7.1% of roads in poor condition, 14% deficient bridges, high-risk dams 8.8% Message Sponsored by Iris Lochner and state highway spending $689 per driver [nation’s 11th highest cost].

Keep an eye on a U.S. Supreme Court case that could give states the upper hand in imposing fuel taxes at gas stations on tribal land. If Washington state prevails in a dispute with the Yakima Nation, it could it shake up current Oklahoma-tribal compacts.

Intriguing: West Virginians serving overseas can cast mid-term federal election ballots using a smart- phone app. Opponents fear hacking, but supporters claim it will make voting easier for troops abroad.

Think Alzheimer’s isn’t a public health emergency? Nearly six million Americans currently live with the Read The Observer On-Line disease and 14 million will be diagnosed by 2050. Cost for Alzheimer’s and dementia care this year: www.okobserver.org $277 billion. – Time 44 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Letters

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 okea.org Considering that more than 70% of Oklahoma’s private schools are parochial, public vouchers or tax credits for private education are likely in contraven- tion to the Oklahoma Constitution. The use of state appropriated public education funds opposes Okla- homa voters’ recent [2016] reaffirmation of the state’s constitutional separation of church and state. The concept of school choice is certainly an option parents and their children may increasingly prefer; in fact approximately 20,000 students are enrolled in Oklahoma private schools. However, parents’ choice to enroll their children in private schools should not come at the expense of funding for public education – representing approximately 700,000 public school students in Oklahoma. Despite a modest gain in teacher pay in 2018, Oklahoma’s public educational funding lags – at all levels. Jan New Oklahoma City

Editor, The Observer: News reports on growth of the economy and jobs since Trump’s inauguration should reference the mass reversals of environmental regulations and protections done to reduce costs to businesses and industries. Reports on expansion of the economy must be balanced with questions about the trade-off between economic growth today versus catastrophic climate changes everyone sees happening already. Are we not stewards of the earth for our progeny and posterity? Nathaniel Batchelder Oklahoma City Batchelder is director of the OKC Peace House

Editor, The Observer: I heard that Eric Prince is trying to talk Dead Beat Donny Boy into hiring his [Prince’s] army, formerly known as Blackwater, to fight the Afganistan war. Imagine that, our beloved supreme leader with his own private army, paid for with our tax money. That would be way too close to be able to take over the government, potentially with a bloody coup. DBDB is getting more dangerous by the hour. Ev- erybody please join in prayer that our spineless senators and representatives stop this yahoo before it is too late. It is imperative that Democrats get out and vote THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 45 in the upcoming mid-term elections and vote for the of sexual abuse scandals in Evangelical churches Democrat candidates, even those of us who live in should be no surprise. After all, Evangelicals contin- states like Oklahoma where there is very little, or no, ue to be the most steadfast supporters of President chance of Democrats at any level being elected. We Trump despite the president’s well-established pat- must at least make our presence known. tern [boastfully recorded] of sexually abusing a sig- Tom Ellis nificant number of women. Okeene So the Catholic church no longer stands alone in and its long standing – and ever-expanding – shameful re- Mary Ann Hawkins cord of the same behavior. Surely, Christ weeps. Salem, OR The time-honored adage “The chickens have come home to roost!” is most appropriate here. Editor, The Observer: Frank Silovsky The news regarding the revelation of the vast extent Oklahoma City Wanted CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 facilitate faster conversion to solar-renewable en- this populist surge – against the rapacity of banks, ergy, and restore our public facilities with good local railroads and their political toadies – elected gover- jobs. Our public transit, national parks, schools, nors, took over state legislatures, installed members highways, bridges, libraries, and community health of Congress and almost won the presidency. clinics all need repairs. Ending massive, taxpayer- What did the farmers have? Their land, open funded corporate welfare and taming the bloated, minds, courage, heart, passion, energy, and the Post skyrocketing military budget that is devouring our Office. public resources are also benefits of rebuilding a What did they lack? Money [other than the $1 responsive Congress. dues from each Texas farmer], telephones, paved The list could go on, but permit a single example. roads, motor vehicles, radio, television, and the Over a decade ago, it was revealed that a single dis- internet. Yet somehow they pulled it off and we’re closure line, put back in the tax forms filed by busi- benefiting this day from their electoral, economic, ness partnerships, would end a loophole that has and pro-farmer-labor reforms. cost Uncle Sam anywhere from $7 billion to $20 bil- At present, every neighborhood, housing project, lion a year in tax revenue. The corporate-indentured and community has what political analysts call “in- Congress refused to approve such a line and fund its fluentials,” long known and trusted people who can implementation. be persuasive in converting non-voters to voters. In the massive accounts receivable for big busi- Two thousand full-time organizers can spark these ness that is our federal budget, you can pick and “influentials” into action – if the organizers have the choose what can be saved were a super-majority of financial resources to pay for necessary expenses, our 535 representatives and senators accountable to arrange potluck suppers, and provide transportation the voters and they definitely can be. to the polls. How would a half-billion dollars for voter educa- Backup support by people skilled in administration and mobilization be spent effectively? Not by tion, law, accounting, recruitment, public relations, using the same old ways of getting out the non-vot- and media would accelerate the pace and minimize ers that have failed again and again. pitfalls. Moving people together in buses to the First, most get-out-the-vote efforts target regis- polls followed by celebratory dinners increases the tered voters. Non-voters are considered, for the most spirit, the elan of what would likely become a widely part, too hard to convert into voters. publicized movement, extending beyond Election The reasons are obvious. You don’t get these con- Day, replete with visuals, posters, special songs, and versions by the usual last-minute phone banks, post even empowering parades. cards and door knocks. You have to have adequate Five billionaires could provide the money with one time and you need engaged neighborhood people- resolute meeting! Our country has more than that to-people resources for at least several weeks to number of concerned philanthropists with records achieve those persuasions through relationships of of enlightenment. They are worried about the down- trust and discussion and you may need transporta- ward direction of our country and what it means to tion facilities. Voter suppression and registration the children and grandchildren, and to our precious barriers also need to be overcome one voter, one environment, to our need for stable peace. They family at a time. want to be good ancestors. They can make a very In the late 1880s, dirt-poor Texas farmers started quick decision and start making it happen. one of the greatest political revolts/reforms in Are any possible benefactors listening? If so, con- American history. Spreading into many other states, tact us at nader.org.

46 • SEPTEMBER 2018 Common Ground CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 • How can average people be heard when you’ll believe they’re people when Texas executes there’s so much big money in politics? Should we a corporation. try to get big money out of politics? Remember, the point isn’t to convince them • And if so, how do we do it? you’re right and they’re wrong. It’s to get us Notice, you’re not using labels. You’re not talk- thinking about what’s really happening to Amer- ing about Democrats or Republicans, left or right, ica. It’s exposing the abuses of power all around capitalism or socialism, government or free mar- us. ket. You’re not even talking about Trump. If we can join together around these funda- You’re starting with the everyday experiences mental issues, we will all win. of most people – with their wages and living ex- Robert B. Reich is Chancellor’s Professor of Public penses and experiences on the job – and from Policy at the University of California at Berkeley there moving to economic and political power. and served as President Clinton’s Secretary of 10. Oh, and don’t forget to use humor. Humor Labor. A founder of American Prospect magazine is the great disinfectant. For example, the Su- and chairman of Common Cause, his latest book preme Court says corporations are people. Well, is Saving Capitalism: For The Man, Not The Few. Tables CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 Jesus would set foot in such churches for only hands of the corrupt power of the empire of his day. one reason: to turn over the tables of injustice and And with so many people in our churches carrying to call us all to repentance – to turn away from fear, guns, a brown man turning over tables and calling hate, and nationalism so that we might turn our out for repentance might not even make it out of lives toward the good news of the Beloved Commu- church alive. nity. Mark Y.A. Davies is the Wimberly Professor of So- The response that such Christians and churches cial and Ecological Ethics and director of the World would make to Jesus’ message would likely be House Institute for Social and Ecological Responsi- similar to the violent rejection Jesus received at the bility at Oklahoma City University. Comic Relief CONTINUED FROM PAGE 42 sure you want to tweet this, moron?’” I feel sorry for Wilson describes Sebastian Gorka, a former Trump Wilson’s keyboard. adviser, as “a ludicrous, Bond-knockoff, straight-to- The “clickservatives” of the media, meanwhile, are cable movie villain, status anxiety screaming out of just cynical, he says, “playing the rubes for clicks every pore.” and ad revenue.” They embrace Trumpism “at the Wilson shows some remorse that the Trump-Ryan low, low price of their integrity.” tax cuts were sold with “the same phony line we [con- Under Steve Bannon, the right-wing site Breitbart servatives] repeated for a generation.” The tax bill, he had to go beyond edgy, Wilson explains. “Edgy wasn’t says, was “a spectacular, budget-busting payday for going to feed the lunatic comments section folks.” Wall Street” that provided only “rounding-error ben- Bannon vowed [and obviously failed] to destroy Wil- efits for Middle America.” son’s career. His site even targeted Wilson’s children. Wilson has a soft spot for first lady Melania. [Don’t Advertisers have fled Breitbart in masses. “Who we all.] “Every moment looks like a hostage video,” wants to be associated with a media outlet tied at the he observes, “her tense, dark eyes looking for a break hip to the Pepe Brigade and the least popular presi- in the security cordon, damn the prenup.” dent in history?” Wilson asks. “No one, that’s who.” As one reviewer said about Wilson’s book, “some- Of Tomi Lahren, the “Alt-Right Barbie” pushing one had to do it.” “flag-wavin’ warnings about the Muslim-Mexican con- Need comic relief? Fire, fury and funny await in Ev- spiracy to bring sharia-compliant illegal immigrants erything Trump Touches Dies. Plus the lewd taunts to America,” he concludes, “She was Ann Coulter that my editor won’t let me share. Turn on the A/C without the pungent smell of cat litter, Marlboro and enjoy. Reds, and despair.” © Creators.com THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 47 Newsmakers Series Join Observer Editor Arnold Hamilton for a lively, one-hour discussion on health care for Oklahoma’s working poor – including possible Medicaid expansion and new Medicaid work requirements – with state Rep. Forrest Bennett, Oklahoma Policy Institute’s Carly Putnam and Oklahoma Health Care Authority’s MaryAnn Martin.

Thursday, September 6, 2018 Full Circle Books 1900 Northwest Expressway Oklahoma City 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Admission is free Light hors d’oeuvres will be served Wine and beer available for purchase