FOURTH DISTRICT DEMOCRAT

RAINBOLT TO SPEAK AT CORNBREAD AND BEANS

The Norman Transcript - Rainbolt to speak at Cornbread and Beans.

Longtime Oklahoma banker and civic leader Gene Rainbolt will speak at the Cleveland County Democratic Party's Tyner Cornbread and Beans luncheon Friday at the Holiday Inn, Interstate 35 and Robinson Street. Rainbolt holds both an undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of Oklahoma. He will present his views regarding the current financial crisis. Rainbolt acquired his first bank in 1961, the first American Bank in Purcell and in 1965 he took over the Federal Nation Bank in Shawnee. In l967 he and a group of investors commenced acquiring banks in Oklahoma which led to the formation of United Community Corporation, the state's first multi-bank holding company. In l989 he founded BancFirst which is now the largest state-chartered bank in Oklahoma with offices in 46 communities. Recently a national bank rating group listed BancFirst as one of the top 10 banks in the USA. Considered a strong advocate of the Oklahoma economy, Rainbolt has worked to improve health education, provide better access to capital and develop Oklahoma's infrastructure system. He has served in numerous civic, economic development, chamber of commerce, youth, medical, zoological, arts and banking organizations. One of his current projects is enhancing the entrepreneurial classes and entrepreneurial activities at universities in Oklahoma.

TELL CONGRESS TO SAY NO TO DRUG COMPANIES

 

Getting prescription drug costs under control is a critical part of health reform.
Some "biologic" drugs, often used to treat cancers, cost up to $10,000 a month!
...and the big drug companies are fighting tooth and nail to keep it that way.

Tell Congress that health reform must include a path to cheaper biologic drugs.

Imagine your prescription drugs cost $10,000... every month.

Some drugs called biologics, often used to treat serious illnesses like multiple sclerosis, diabetes and cancer, do – and the drug companies have fought for years to keep cheaper, generic versions of these powerful drugs off the market!

If we're going to get serious about reducing health care costs nationwide, we've got to have more sensible policies when it comes to bringing down drug prices.

But Congress is hearing from drug companies and their lobbyists every day because they don't want prices to decrease. It's up to us to make sure these special interests don’t win this crucial fight!

Tell Congress that health reform must fix the high cost of biologic prescription drugs.

These drug companies and their allies say that they deserve to make a big profit because they developed the drugs. Don't get me wrong: No one wants to deny them the ability to receive a fair profit. But they want exclusive control of these drugs for over a decade.

It's just not fair to deny financial relief for the millions of patients who rely on these drugs for survival, but are forced to pay outrageous prices month after month.

Congress needs to start listening to the people who are paying the high prices instead of the companies charging them.

Ask Congress to fight for reform that will lower prescription drug costs.

It's the right thing to do and the right time to do it. Thank you for doing all you can to help us achieve health reform.

Sincerely,
Barry Jackson
AARP Online Advocacy Manager
 

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep Joe Dorman

  I  hope everyone had a safe Independence Day this past weekend.  I had the opportunity to ride in the Marlow parade, then attend the community events in Cyril and Apache (just as the rain hit), and also attended a cookout.  I then went to the airport to pick up my nephew, Jaycee Guffey, as he started his two weeks leave from the Army.  His twin brother, Justin, will be in on leave also in the next two weeks.  It will be nice to have both these guys home for a visit before being shipped to their next assignments.

I had the chance to ride in the Marlow parade with Stacy Funk, the 65th Annual Rush Springs Watermelon Queen.  Stacy won this award two weeks ago and will travel around Oklahoma and Texas promoting the Watermelon Festival on August 8th.  Chickasha also selected their rodeo queen at their 70th Annual Rodeo.  Congratulations are to be extended to Alexa Brook Hoffman for winning and serving as the Rodeo Queen.

I especially want to extend congratulations to Jean Warner, a community activist who received the Embrace Award from the Oklahoma YWCA program.  This award recognized her as someone actively working to make Central Oklahoma a better place for women and families and for being a leader on issues affecting women and/or minorities in Oklahoma.  Jean is a wonderful woman, a civic leader and well-deserving of this recognition.  I am working with leaders at the YWCA to draft a bill next session to allow persons to donate a portion of their tax returns to the YWCA Domestic Abuse and Transitional Housing program for battered victims.  If you would like to make a donation or volunteer, contact the YWCA at webmaster@ywcaokc.org or by phone at 405-948-1770.

I am working with leaders from southwest Oklahoma in efforts to tackle various concerns for our area. Last week, various citizens participated in the  Southwest Oklahoma Community Partnership Council meeting at Fort Sill, which is assembling citizens from various backgrounds to plan out the future of our region.  If you have interest in this effort, please drop me an email and I will forward it on to the chairpersons.

Please keep several families in your prayers as I have had four people pass away in my life.  My cousin, Reba Howell of Duncan, passed away after a fight with cancer on Monday.  Jim Leon, a friend from high school, died in a car crash this past weekend.  Justin Mitchell, a friend of mine from politics, passed away from health complications.  HG Dulaney, Director Emeritus of the Sam Rayburn Library and an accomplished author, also passed away on July 4th.  Mr. Dulaney visited with me on occasions when I could tour the library to learn more about my political role model.

It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. My e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082 and my website is www.joedorman.com on the Internet.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to seeing you soon.

A SMALL IMPERFECT RIGHT STEP by Mickey Hepner

The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed landmark environmental legislation that for the first time will put a price on carbon emissions. The measure, which passed on a mostly party-line vote, now faces an uncertain fate in the Senate. But to many mainstream economists, the problem with this legislation is not that it goes too far, but that it does not go far enough.

The measure promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — the same pollution that most climate scientists believe contributes to climate change — 17 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2020. To accomplish this, the bill would set a cap on emissions and distribute pollution credits to polluting firms. In order to exceed the pollution limits placed on their firms, the polluters would need to purchase pollution credits from firms that found ways to reduce their emissions. Thus, for the first time firms would have a financial incentive to reduce their carbon emissions.

To economists, though, the ideal way to accomplish this would be to auction off the pollution permits. Only the polluting firms would be willing to pay for them — essentially forcing the polluting firms to pay for their pollution. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this would raise nearly $1 trillion during the next 10 years.

If you are thinking that this amounts to a tax then you are absolutely correct. Generally, the economists’ pollution solution is to make the polluters pay a tax. Unfortunately, the climate bill being pushed through Congress does not auction off the pollution permits, but instead gives 85 percent of them away, providing an immense windfall to polluters at the expense of taxpayers.

DORMAN TO HOLD INTERIM STUDY ON RURAL FIREFIGHTER TRAINING

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 26, 2009) – State Rep. Joe Dorman announced today that he will be conducting an interim study on the efficiency, effectiveness and cost of training rural firefighters. The study was approved this week and assigned to the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Natural Resources.    

 “There has been a push to increase the amount of training required of volunteer firefighters,” Dorman, D-Rush Springs, said. “I would like to look at these potential requirements officially and get the firefighters’ perspective.”    

Pinpointing the amount of training necessary would be the goal of the study, Dorman said.    

 “If the increased trainings are necessary to do the job or if the trainings need to be altered to benefit the needs of the departments, then the Legislature needs to go in that direction,” Dorman said. “We need to maintain the balance for necessary skills and knowledge, but not demand so much that it will reduce recruitment and endanger the number of volunteer departments in our state.”    

Maintaining effective rural fire departments is the key to necessary fire prevention and protection, along with establishing lower insurance rates and preserving property values. Providing adequately trained volunteer firefighters for departments is a necessity for preserving and developing each local volunteer department in Oklahoma .    

 “It is critical we maintain effective departments and provide every avenue of funding and affordable training for our firefighters,” Dorman said. “I was proud to author House Bill 1520 in 2007 at the request of the various fire protection entities and will fight every effort to water down that language, which provides affordable, accessible training to volunteer firefighters.”  

House Speaker Chris Benge announced approval of legislative interim studies today, which will be conducted this summer and fall.  

 

AMERICAN JOBS DATA ARE WORSE THAT WE THINK

PIMCO - El Erian FT 7-2 US Jobs Data.

What if the U.S. unemployment rate rises above 10 percent and stays there for an extended period? This is a question that is not being asked enough, even though it entails yet another historical anomaly that will further complicate policy formulation and open it up to greater political interference.

The unemployment rate is traditionally characterized as a lagging indicator and, as such, is viewed as having limited forward-looking information. After all, unemployment is a reflection of decisions taken earlier in the cycle so the rate always lags behind the realities on the ground – or so says conventional wisdom.

This conventional wisdom is valid most, but not all of the time. There are rare occasions, such as today, when we should think of the unemployment rate as much more than a lagging indicator; it has the potential to influence future economic behaviors and outlooks.

Today’s broader interpretation is warranted by two factors: the speed and extent of the recent rise in the unemployment rate; and, the likelihood that it will persist at high levels for a prolonged period of time. As a result, the unemployment rate will increasingly disrupt an economy that, hitherto, has been influenced mainly by large-scale dislocations in the financial system

OPEN DOOR POLICY by Rep Joe Dorman

  I was in Oklahoma City over most of the weekend visiting friends in the hospital.  I won't mention their names, but please keep those from our area who are sick or injured in your prayers.  It is amazing what the will of people and the spirit can do to heal when there are friends who believe in you.  I'm sorry I had to miss a couple of events at home, but I felt that I needed to be at the hospital to be with friends and help those families in need.

Best wishes are to be extended to one of my colleagues who will be leaving the Oklahoma House of Representatives.  Ryan McMullen, who shares a portion of Caddo County with me, as well as other parts of the state to the west and north, will be leaving the legislature to take a position in the Presidential administration running the USDA Rural Development Programs. This area is key to providing assistance through grants and loans to rural Oklahoma.  Ryan will do an excellent job in this job.

Congratulations are also extended to Keith Parker, a former resident of Elgin, who was selected to be the Vice-President of the Bricktown Rotary Club.  This is a great group of people who do quite a bit of civic work.  Keith is an outstanding leader and will do a lot of good in this capacity.

Interim studies were approved by the Speaker of the House this past Friday.  Three of my ten studies were approved, so I will be busy preparing for those.  The studies were:
1)  Updates on Tax Increment Financing Districts;
2)  Rural Firefighter Training Programs; and
3)  Prison Reintegration Programs, which was combined with a study to be held by Rep. Kris Steele.

    Of the 167 interim studies, 120 of them were approved.  I'm disappointed the Speaker did not see the need to study some of my subjects like school drop-out rates and the need to fully-fund disaster reimbursement, but that will not deter me.  I will be holding meetings on each of my seven studies and I will invited the members to attend and learn more about the subjects.  I hope I will see legislators and members of the public present to analyze these issues and I will certainly keep you informed through this column.

It is an honor to represent your views at the State Capitol. If you wish to contact me and discuss one of these or another issue, I can be reached at my office in Oklahoma City toll-free at 1-800-522-8502, or directly at 1-405-557-7305. My e-mail address is joedorman@okhouse.gov at work.  My mailing address is PO Box 559, Rush Springs, OK  73082 and my website is www.joedorman.com on the Internet.  Thank you for taking time to read this column and I look forward to seeing you soon.

 

CHANGE OKLAHOMA CALL TO ACTION SUPER EVENT

JOIN CHANGE OKLAHOMA! & the OKLAHOMA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY - "CALL TO ACTION" SUPER EVENT!

BE THE CHANGE!

Sign-Up Link: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpcjwt

CALL TO ACTION a SUPER EVENT! hosted by CHANGE OKLAHOMA/OKLAHOMA COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY - to be held at the Edmond Community Center 28 W. Main Street, Edmond, Oklahoma beginning at 6:30pm Thursday, July 9th.

SPEAKER- Dr. Katherine Scheirman “Health Care in Oklahoma and America” fresh from a health reform rally in Washington, D.C., which will include a town hall for doctors and nurses with key legislators.

FOLLOWED by a Training-ROUND ROBIN.
1) Phone Bank Training and Script;
2) Neighbor-to-Neighbor Canvass Training with Literature and Walk List;
3) Written Media Training: Letters to the Editor (Word Weavers);
4) Using Social Media 101 Twittering/FaceBook/MySpace;
5) Advocacy Training: Working with Leaders and Legislators -"Mondays at the Capitol";
6) Community Service Opportunities/Development/Sign-up

DEMOCRATIC OFFICIALS TAKE PART IN HEALTH CARE DAY OF SERVICE

Oklahoma City, OK (June 30, 2009) – Citing hunger as one of Oklahoma's biggest health crises, the Oklahoma Democratic Party's Central Committee completed a week-long donation drive for local charity Infant Crisis Services with a tour of the ICS facility on Saturday.

"The mission of the Democratic Party is rooted in helping those less fortunate and binding our communities together.  Infant Crisis Services carries that out every day by making sure that children in our state have access to life's basic necessities," said ODP Chairman Todd Goodman.

Joined by several members of the party's Central Committee, Goodman dropped off several dozen items for ICS, including cans of formula, diapers, baby food and clothing.  He also presented the charity with about $1,000 raised from Democratic supporters.

Goodman noted that the Democratic Party held the donation drive during the current nationwide discussion on the need for health care reform.

"A big part of discussing reform is finding out what the real problems are, with real people in our state," he added.  "Infant Crisis Services told us that though they are helping about 1,000 babies every month, it's only a fraction of those who could use their services.

"In Oklahoma, more than one in four children under the age of five is in danger of going to bed hungry.  That's a serious health crisis for our state, and we all need to do what we can to support organizations such as ICS who are working to turn that problem around."

The ODP Central Committee held the donation drive as a part of Saturday's National Health Care Day of Service, a project created by Organizing for America to raise awareness of the urgent need for health care reform and to improve vital health care services on a local level.

Several other Democratic groups held service events around the state, including blood drives in both Enid and Oklahoma City and a health care awareness canvassing in Payne County.

"We are so grateful to Infant Crisis Services for taking us through their incredible new facility," said Goodman.  "They do wonderful work for our community, and I look forward to continuing to support their mission."

Members of the Oklahoma Democratic Party Central Committee drop off donations at Infant Crisis Services on Saturday.  From l-r: Carl Downing (OKC), Jim Kiper (OKC), Nicole Kirkpatrick (Norman), Tim Mauldin (Norman), Rae Weese (Tulsa), Betty Simmons (Lawton), ODP Chair Todd Goodman, ODP Secretary James Baggett, Infant Crisis Services Coordinator Caitlin Buchner, and ODP Vice-Chair Lauren Guhl. [Click here for larger picture]

 

Oklahoma Democratic Party
4100 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105

AMERICANS SEE DEMORATIC PARTY AS TOO LIBERAL

Gmail - From Gallup.Com: More Americans See Democratic Party as “Too Liberal” - geezeweb@gmail.com.

Currently, 46% of Americans say the Democratic Party is “too liberal,” up from 39% last year and slightly more than the 43% who say the Republican Party is “too conservative.” Still, more Americans say the Democrats’ views are “about right” (42%) than say this about the Republicans (34%).
Read more at GALLUP.com.