PROFIT CENTERS Koch Network Joins Efforts to Obliterate Traditional Public Ed and Cash in on Its Remake
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
• AnnUAL EDUCATIOn ISSUE • AUGUST 2019 • VOLUME 51 NUMBER 8 • $5.00 PROFIT CENTERS Koch Network Joins Efforts To Obliterate Traditional Public Ed And Cash In On Its Remake Special Report begins on page 12 Observations www.okobserver.org A Big, Beautiful Plan? VOLUME 51, NO. 8 Statehouse leadership is taking one last stab at crafting an alternative PUBLISHER Beverly Hamilton to full Medicaid expansion as proposed under SQ 802. EDITOR Arnold Hamilton House Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat in late July announced formation of a healthcare working group ADVISORY BOARD that includes 18 lawmakers and two members of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s staff. Andrew Hamilton, Matthew Hamilton, “Healthcare is a very complex issue, and there is no cookie-cutter Scott J. Hamilton, Trevor James, Ryan Kiesel, George Krumme, approach that is going to drive down costs, improve care and increase Gayla Machell, MaryAnn Martin, access,” McCall said. “It is going to take a comprehensive, multifaceted Bruce Prescott, Bob Rogers, approach that considers not just what is wrong with the system but Robyn Lemon Sellers, Kyle Williams also what is working, and also what has worked and not worked in other OUR MOTTO states. To Comfort the Afflicted and Afflict the “That means we need to bring everyone together – patients, providers, Comfortable. policy experts, insurance carriers, facilities and state agencies – and find a way forward. That discussion must include everything, not just OUR CREDO So then to all their chance, to all their Medicaid expansion, and it will need to continue until we have a solu- shining golden opportunity. To all the tion that works for our citizens unique needs.” right to love, to live, to work, to be Of course, the Legislature’s Republican supermajority has tap-danced themselves, and to become whatever around healthcare since anti-ObamaCare ideologues stampeded lead- thing their vision and humanity can combine to make them. This seeker, ership and then-Gov. Mary Fallin into rejecting Medicaid expansion is the promise of America. nearly a decade ago. While the cut-off-your-nose-to-spite-your-face cabal - Adapted from Thomas Wolfe reigned supreme, 36 states and the District of Columbia wisely lever- aged their federal tax dollars to extend healthcare to the working poor. FOUNDING PUBLISHER As he assumed the levers of power earlier this year, Gov. Kevin Stitt Helen B. Troy [1932-2007] indicated he was gung-ho to accept the 9-1 return on Oklahoma tax dol- lars already sent to Washington. But he reversed himself just days later, FOUNDING EDITOR knuckling under to hard-right extremists that despise any government Frosty Troy [1933-2017] program that doesn’t benefit the corporate elite [think: Koch Brothers’ yappy dogs at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs]. [ISSN 0030-1795] Despite nearly a decade of inaction, statehouse leadership continues The Oklahoma Observer [USPS 865-720] is published on the first Wednesday of each CONTINUED ON PAGE 43 month by AHB Enterprises LLC, 13912 Plym- outh Crossing, P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113-0275. Periodicals postage paid at Edmond, OK and additional entry of- fice. Phone: 405.478.8700. POSTMASTER Send address changes to The Oklahoma Observer, P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113-0275. SUBSCRIPTIONS 1-Year [12 issues] $50. Send check to The Yes! Please send me a one-year subscription for only $50. Oklahoma Observer, P.O. Box 14275, This special offer includes my certificate for a free book courtesy Oklahoma City, OK 73113-0275. Online: Visit of Full Circle Bookstore [a $20 value]. See page 41 for details. www.okobserver.net to use a credit card. UPDATE ADDRESSES Please notify us at least two weeks before your move to ensure uninterrupted service. E-mail address changes to subscriptions@ okobserver.net or mail to P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113-0275. LETTERS TO EDITOR E-mail to [email protected] or mail to P.O. Box 14275, Oklahoma City, OK 73113- 0275. 2 • AUGUST 2019 Observerscope The Trump-Barr Justice Depart- ment just added to its legacy of shame, reviving federal use of the death penalty at a time public sen- timent turns sharply against it. A cruel reminder that elections have consequences. Laurel: To House Speaker Charles McCall, approving OKC Rep. Mickey Dollens’ requested interim study into epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women. See July’s Observer for more on the invisible crisis. There’s less shakin’, rattlin’ and rollin’ than at the peak of earth- quake swarms in 2017-18, but seismologists think state is ripe for a damaging temblor in near fu- ture based on recent seismicity. Laurel: To our friend, union You won’t want to miss our an- The Observer is pleased to join printer and school board member nual Back-to-School Newsmakers more than 60 media outlets world- Linda James, honored when West- Aug. 8 at Full Circle Books OKC, wide pledging to focus on climate ern Heights School District named featuring Shawnee Sen. Ron Sharp coverage from Sept. 16-23, leading its new employee day care center and Norman Sen. Mary Boren dis- up to UN Secretary General An- for her and teacher Jana Weaver cussing all things public ed. See tonio Guterres’ international Cli- Pennock. back cover for more details. mate Action Summit. Visit okob- server.org for our coverage. Four-term Chickasha Rep. David Laurel: To Rep. Harold Wright, Perryman becomes second House not giving up his fight to make all Laurel: To OKC Mayor David Democrat to opt against a 2020 workplaces smoke-free. Too many Holt, rejecting Trump’s racism and re-election bid – following OKC’s Oklahomans are still exposed bigotry by declaring Oklahoma’s Shane Stone. Perryman is the only to the dangers of second-hand capital “is a diverse community rural Democrat west of I-35. smoke. Hopefully Wright’s interim where 60% of our children are non- study will lead to a legislative fix. white,” “many of our residents are Congratulations to Amanda Ew- immigrants,” and “almost all of us ing, OK Education Association Oklahoma recently lost two gi- are descendants of immigrants.” associate executive director, and ants – longtime DNC member and “We welcome all,” he tweeted. Sean Wallace, OK Department Girls State Director Betty McElder- of Mental Health and Substance ry and former state Rep/Corpora- Follow The Money: Gov. Kevin Abuse Services government rela- tion Commissioner Jim Townsend. Stitt raised $356,130 for re-elec- tions director, on birth of their They worked tirelessly to create a tion during the second quarter, a daughter Adelaide – on Amanda’s better Oklahoma. vivid reminder of how big money birthday! warps the political process. He’s Dart: To OK County District still nearly 3½ years from re-elec- Heartbreaking: Former Norman Judge Cindy Truong, upholding a tion. Sen. Jonathan Nichols’ June 5 2015 state law banning standard death is ruled a suicide. Nichols, second-trimester abortions [di- Dart: To Gov. Kevin Stitt, publicly 53, served a dozen years in the lation and evacuation]. Similar announcing his quest to renegoti- Legislature, beginning in 2000. He crackpot laws were declared un- ate gaming contracts before alert- later became senior policy adviser constitutional in Arkansas and ing the tribes. Yet another rookie to Speaker Charles McCall. Texas. political mistake. CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER • 3 Letters current battle over reproductive freedom. Could it be that bans, and restrictions, on abortion may have less to do with the rights of the un- born child than with the threat to the social order represented by al- lowing women to be in control of their reproductive lives. I’m not aware that there have been in any legislative body, fed- eral or state, studies conducted to determine the economic, so- cial, mental or physical impact of these restrictive laws on women, their families or society in gener- al. Why? Why would governments propose laws and restrictions that have known negative affects [in- cluding loss of life, health and lib- erty] on their citizens without first pursuing the facts associated with such actions? I know what you are thinking: “How naive can this woman be?” It’s of course done in Editor, The Observer: no clear evidence of conspiracy – this manner to strengthen a pa- We are less than a year away but it was not for want of trying. triarchal structure and to weaken from the 2020 election cycle. In- Operatives from both Russia and those most affected by such coer- stead of raging at the other side Trumpworld were running around cion. on immigration, impeachment, in- like chickens with their heads I can acknowledge that beliefs vestigations and a hundred other cut off trying to set up meetings about when life begins can vary. divisive issues, could we not all between Mr. Trump and assorted I support and would fight for any insist that Trump and Congress high-power Russians. The fact that women’s right to decide to have a focus full-bore on stopping Putin they never managed to pull it off child and not to have an abortion. and the damn Russians from med- was the result of total ineptitude I wouldn’t impose that choice on dling in our elections? rather than intent. They reminded anyone. No one should have the We need a well-funded cyber de- me of the Keystone Kops. right to impose such a personal fense against this nonsense. We Part two of the report provides decision on another woman. need to cure this cancer before it clear evidence of multiple attempts Because the Irish author Sally spreads. There needs to be a seri- to obstruct justice.