Dear Oklahoma Lawmakers: Get Your Act Together

I love Oklahoma. I love the people, the businesses, the redbuds and Bradford pears in the springtime. I have lived in this state ten days short of my whole life, and I love it.

Most of the time.

But a certain group of people are trying to make life difficult for a whole lot of people. And it doesn't have to be that way.
I am talking about our lawmakers. The folks we voted into office to represent us.

Now, representing a group of people means letting their opinions be heard. And I am letting mine be heard.

I understand that tax receipts are down. When there is an oil bust, that tends to happen. People lose jobs, stop spending money. That's understandable.

But we need to realize that some things need to be funded, and some things can wait. If I am low on money, I don't go spend what I have on new clothes and DVDs. I make sure my rent is paid, utilities stay on, and I have food.

Same with our government. A reflecting poll at the Capitol can wait. Making sure our public schools can keep the lights on cannot. If a shiny new Capitol is more important to constituents than making sure schools get supplies, and our most vulnerable folks are able to get healthcare, then what does that say about our priorities?

I think we all know the answer to that.

I go on Facebook several times a day. I can name at least four different people on my page alone that have kids with special needs. Folks who, without funding for services, would have to pay more than they earn per month on therapies and doctor visits.

And yes, each and every one of these folks had at least one parent who works full time. Sometimes the other parent works part-time, or has a side hustle (like Arbonne or something like that).

These families deserve better. Oklahoma deserves better.

And our schools? I know of several districts that are going to four-day weeks. At at least one school, each and every teacher is taking a voluntary pay cut so no one loses their job. Teachers are buying basic supplies for their classroom out of their already paltry paycheck. Kids and teachers are having to clean up their own classrooms because schools can no longer afford custodial staff. Kids are eating lunch in darkened cafeterias to save money on electricity.

This is my home state, folks. And it deserves better than this.

If you live here, and you care about this stuff, LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD. Google your representatives and email them. When election time comes around, do your homework. Look up voting records of incumbents, and what bills they have authored. Go to the poll and vote. Hold our leaders accountable.