government GRIP on education
John Michener
1. Michener on Changing of the Guard
2. OCPAC Program: Steve Fair
3. Marijuana a Consuming Legislative Issue
4. Kevin Stitt at OCPAC
5. Government Grip on Education
6. Baked-In Education Corruption
7. But Wait, There’s More!
8. Super Superintendent Salaries
9. OCPAC Voter Guide
10. OCPAC Membership
1. Michener on Changing of the Guard. By the time OCPAC founder Charlie Meadows retired, he had likely posted well over a thousand newsletters on Oklahoma politics written from a Christian worldview. On March 29, 2015, I fired off my first OCPAC update. My goal at the time was to keep OCPAC going until we could raise up a new president to take over. Now, after more than 193 newsletters, I am happy to hand the job over to the next man up.
Just like Charlie Meadows before me, I never took any financial compensation, choosing instead to make sure our funds were used to help “Charlie’s Overall Conservatives,” such as Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Jason Murphey, and exemplary candidates like Dan Fisher. While I was never paid, I always felt much appreciated when I heard from you, our readers, on a weekly basis. Your friendly critiques, notes of catharsis, encouragement, and thanks for a job well done were a rich reward. As I traveled the state from Guymon to Broken Bow, from Altus to Grove, and all points in between, I was constantly approached by those who recognized me, even if I did not know them, to greet me warmly with praise for our work on the Conservative Index, the Voter Guides, and our weekly updates.
I have no idea what influence, if any, I might have had on Oklahoma politics or the electorate during my run at OCPAC, but there are two points I want to leave as my parting words of wisdom. The first is that we need righteous men to seek office. A wise man once said, “When the righteous rule, the people rejoice.” If we do not elect righteous leaders who will base civil laws on God’s Law, then we will get leaders who base our laws on the tyrannical will of the majority, the pragmatic belief that the end justifies the means, and political expediency, all of which lead to the loss of our property, our liberty, and even our lives.
Secondly, we, the people, need to do a better job of selecting righteous leaders by cross-examining them when they are candidates. For too long, we have given candidates a pass if they simply spout the right slogans, such as “Pro-Life!” or “Pro-Second-Amendment!” If I have established anything during my tenure with OCPAC, I hope it is that we must ask specific, penetrating questions about what actions our politicians propose to take. It was Jesus who said, “By their fruit you will recognize them,” and it was his brother James who insisted, “Faith without works is dead.” So, we need to stop being bamboozled by those who talk about how their faith drives them, and instead ask them specifically where they are being driven. For example, when it comes to abortion, asking, “Are you pro-life?” is not helpful in the least. We need to ask potential legislators, “Will you author legislation to criminalize all murder by abortion?” Likewise, we need to ask potential executives, “Will you act upon your oath before God to uphold our constitutions by abolishing abortion, regardless of any court opinions?” On the subject of education, asking, “Do you support our schools?” is worthless. We all want to see children educated, but the question is whether our candidates will also uphold individual rights in the process. Do they support parental choice in education, or only the continued imprisonment of our children in failed socialist government schools?
Things are changing at OCPAC. Long-time Vice President Bob Donohoo has stepped down, and with this last newsletter, I am stepping away from the weekly update to devote more time to my ministry and my family. At the state capitol, power struggles shift as political sides realign. But the more things change, the more they stay the same.
You can follow my continuing work at OklahomansUnitedForLife.org and on Facebook. As a final word of encouragement, I hope you will all talk more about religion and politics in your everyday lives. After all, these are the really important matters. And as a last reminder, the views expressed in my analyses over the years have been the personal opinion of John Michener and do not necessarily reflect the views of OCPAC or anyone else…although they should.
2. OCPAC Program. This Wednesday, August 22, at noon at The Range Café, our guest speaker will be Steve Fair. Steve publishes the blog spot, Fair and Biased, providing insightful analysis of local, state, and national politics. What drove a record setting turnout for the marijuana vote in Oklahoma’s May primary continues to be a pot well stirred. Come hear Steve wax eloquent on current machinations between “Green the Vote” and our legislators. He will lift the lid off the boiling pot surrounding the State Board of Health and accusations regarding bribes and fake emails, and learn just how close the signature count is getting to recreational marijuana being on our next state-wide ballot.
3. Marijuana a Consuming Legislative Issue, by Bob Linn. The 500,000 “yes” voters for State Question 788, (“medical marijuana”) set a new primary voter participation record. The next morning, Oklahoma’s first medical marijuana clinic opened in Tulsa. The vote also inspired 275 pages of legislative jargon which closes by indicating it is all subject to court review. Pending are more than lawsuits and legislative wrangling. The bill was favored by virtually every demographic in Oklahoma and most assuredly, continuing cultural decay looms before us.
4. Kevin Stitt at OCPAC, by Bob Linn. Kevin Stitt made a second appearance to our Wednesday OCPAC meeting to a packed house on August 15 and received many rounds of applause. Newly elected OCPAC President Bob Linn and OCPAC founder and President Emeritus, Charlie Meadows, have both given Kevin Stitt their strong endorsements and wish to express their desire to see all 36,000 Dan Fisher voters come cast their vote in the August 28 runoff for Kevin Stitt.
5. Government Grip on Education. Two weeks ago at OCPAC, Brandon Dutcher from OCPA presented the case for parental choice in education. State government has a strangle hold on education, but they have no right to imprison kids against the will of their parents. Only parental choice can cure our educational woes. Check out the thirty-five minute video.
6. Baked-In Education Corruption, by Byron Schlomach. School board elections in Oklahoma occur in February, an obscure election date when very few voters are paying any attention or bother to show up at the ballot box. One study showed that teachers turn out to vote in school district elections at rates more than double and even triple the rates of general voters—the taxpayers who foot the bill. One reason for this is obvious. Teachers have a strong financial interest in the decisions the school board makes. It is likely that the voting differential is made all the more dramatic when that financial interest, which boosts teacher turnout, is combined with obscure election dates, which suppress the turnout of taxpayers.
Because of the outsized role that insiders have in the election of school board members, school boards at times appear to be more interested in serving the interest of the insiders rather than the interests of parents and taxpayers. Witness the recent situation in Oklahoma where some school boards cancelled two weeks of school at great inconvenience and cost to parents, and educational detriment to students, so that their teachers and administrators could go to the Capitol in an attempt to make a large pay raise even larger (and get paid by the district for doing it). [Read the full analysis at the 1889 Institute.]
7. But Wait, There’s More! When is comes to improving government education, we are already up against lack of choice and baked-in corruption as noted above, but starting this fall, we can add to that the organization and mobilization of the education establishment to influence elections. Those in the education industry have long been a reliable and unified voter block on election day, but now they intend to take time off from school to round up even more voters to protect and grow their socialist monopoly. Among others, the state’s two largest government school districts, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, have scheduled November 6 as a day off. This could have a significant impact on the general elections scheduled for that day.
8. Super Superintendent Salaries. Why so much hard work to protect and grow an education system that is not educating well? Perhaps the charge is being led by those with super salaries. Are you familiar with the compensation that goes to government school Superintendents? The following list of 2015-2016 pay scales (Base Pay/Actual Pay) was compiled from Oklahoma Watch:
TOP TEN BASE PAY (2015-2016)
Oklahoma City - Robert Neu $240,000 / $275,000
Norman - Joseph Siano $189,802 / $261,565
Ponca City - David Pennington $184,518 / $205,025
Tulsa - Deborah Gist $175,346 / $217,806
Broken Arrow - Jarod Mendenhall $172,487 / $214,288
Putnam City - Fred Rhodes $169,060 / $188,012
Jenks - Stacey Butterfield $161,585 / $223,056
Yukon - William Simeroth $160,000 / $177,548
Mustang - Douglas McDaniel $158,000 / $192,625
Union - Kirtis Hartzler $157,157 / $238,728
MCCLAIN COUNTY (2015-2016)
Blanchard - James Beckham $120,400 / $157,763
Dibble - Jon Clanton $79,000 / $92,139
Newcastle - Patrick O'Brien $112,500 / $153,454
Purcell - Steve Merlin $101,232 / $101,232
Washington - Alois Brewer $90,529 / $103,195
Wayne - David Powell $117,931 / $140,182
GRADY COUNTY (2015-2016)
Alex - Jason James $90,132 / $119,659
Amber-Pocasset - David Hance $83,353 / $103,678
Bridge Creek - David Morrow $101,635 - $119,302
Chickasha - David Cash $149,811 / $173,224
Friend - Alton Rawlins $49,808 / $97,448
Middleberg - Randy Hughes $57,360 / $103,257
Minco - Kevin Sims $85,310 / $118,299
Ninnekah - Michael Bunch $94,242 / $109,217
Pioneer - Tyler Locke $44,856 / $85,808
Rush Springs - Michael Zurline $88,910 / $102,274
Tuttle - Bobby Waitman $110,000 / $110,108
Verden - David Davidson $75,000 / $103,921
9. Voter Guide Updated. The OCPAC Voter Guide page on our website has been updated for the runoff elections on August 28. The government education establishment, led by “educrats,” is targeting many candidates and sitting legislators who understand that parental choice and transparency are critical to improving government schools. Please do not forget to vote on Tuesday, August 28. These conservatives need your support:
Rep. Sean Roberts in House District 36
Amber Roberts in Senate District 10
Dan Hicks in House District 79
John Symcox in Senate District 30
Rep. Travis Dunlap in House District 10
Dave Spaulding in House District 27
Brian Hobbs in House District 38
Rep. Mike Ritze in House District 80
Rep. Bobby Cleveland in House District 20
Rep. George Faught in House District 14
Nicole Nixon in House District 68
10. We Need Your OCPAC Membership! Your membership funds candidates who have stepped up to join us in the battle for honest and Godly government. Come see us Wednesday to get your front row seat on Oklahoma’s boiling pot of politics, marijuana, and pending lawsuits, and submit your $50 membership fee while there. -Bob Linn
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee. Authorized and paid for by Oklahoma Conservative PAC, PO Box 2021, Edmond, OK 73083.