The newly elected Republican super majority in Oklahoma is horrid.
We have either proposed, or moved forward to:
1) Take money away from schools to use for jails.
2) Money from schools to go to Oklahoma City's pet project (Indian museum)
3) Ban AP classes because they want to teach American history (news flash! We aren't and haven't always been perfect. GASP!)
4) Forbid multilingual schools.
5) Reduced taxes on the wealthiest Oklahomans, telling citizens there was plenty of money, only to recant a few weeks later and admit we face a $600,000,000.00 hole.
6) Propose arming college students in class (remember, we can't trust half of them to drink... but GUNS FOR EVERYONE!)
7) Exempt Oklahoma laws from the US Constitution (seriously, numerous laws propose this)
Forbid Oklahoma Judges from enforcing the US Constitution under threat of firing and revocation of pernsion
9) Numerous bills making sure "them gays" know we hate and fear them due to our religious beliefs
10) Numerous bills to teach baptist Christianity in the classroom (please don't be confused, we don't need no Papist type teachin') or otherwise fund Medrassas (or whatever you call the fundamentalist christian equivalent)
11) Ban the Oklahoma Bar Association
12) Exempt Oklahoma laws from challenges under the Oklahoma Constitution
13) Get rid of OSCN (public access to Court information)
Continuous lip service to responsible government.
We have roads that are rated a D. Our bridges have an overall grade of "deficient." Our levies and dams are considered "priority status" by the Corps of Engineers. Our educational system compares unfavorably with Arkansas and New Mexico while we are damn glad Mississippi exists. Our public health is consistently among the worst in the Union (which isn't among the best in the world). Our standard of living is falling. Oklahoma is in the bottom 10 for average wages earned. Are are disproportionately disabled. We have a higher poverty rate than most states. We have more women in prison than anywhere else. We struggle to attract, retain, or train an educated work force.
We have REAL PROBLEMS. Courts. Infrastructure. Public health. Education. Public safety. And setting up the correct conditions for prosperity is what the government is supposed to do. Instead we are focused on fighting against public education, taking funding away from infrastructure, blindly funding more prisons, not caring at all about health, and making damn sure gay people know we don't like them. ("HEY GAY PEOPLE, OKLAHOMA DOESN'T LIKE YOU! Even though you are disproportionately educated, wealthy, and statistically unlikely to commit crimes... we don't want you here." I hear that's what the new Welcome to Oklahoma sign is going to say)
Again,we have actual issues.
My proposed to laws:
A) If a legislator cannot pass the final exam of an AP history AND civics course, they are not eligible for office
B) We already fought the "gay" fight, move on
C) Education is essential for business and leads to prosperity, fund it
D) Infrastructure is essential for business and leads to prosperity, fund it
E) Taxes are bad, but we need tax revenue to fund things. Get over it
F) Quality of life counts: art, parks, recreation, festivals, celebrations, public works... these things are not a waste
G) Not all social problems can be solved by building more prisons
F) Other people have solved our problems, find what works and do that
Annnnnnnnnd GO!