FOURTH DISTRICT DEMOCRAT

HOUSE PANEL APPROVES HEALTHCARE BILL

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Friday night approved the Democrats’ healthcare reform bill, setting up a floor vote this fall.

MEDICAL FACTS THAT AFFECT YOU

The overall quality of care in Oklahoma is rated as "Weak."

Can you accepte this level of medical care?

MEDICAL FACTS THAT AFFECT YOU

The percent of Oklahomans with employer coverage is declining: 54 percent were covered in 2007.

Can we allow people without employer coverage go without medical care?

SCARING GRANDMA

Gmail - Politics: Scaring Grandma - geezeweb@gmail.com.

It has been a busy week as I have been traveling quite a bit around the district and to the office for meetings.  I have also been preparing to host a group of political leaders from El Salvador through the American Council of Young Political Leaders.  They will visit Oklahoma August 2 - 6 and I will be their state host and escort.  I will be taking them on Tuesday, August 4 to the Chickasha School Foundation lunch fundraiser and then for a tour of the wind farm by Apache and also over to Elgin Public Schools for a discussion on public school funding in Oklahoma.  I will also take them for various visits to Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman and Stillwater for briefings on education, public safety and fire protection.

I had the pleasure of touring Silver Line Plastics in Lawton.  I viewed how they produce much of their irrigation pipe and the amazing amount that is shipped all over the world.  I also had the opportunity to visit Built Better Enterprises in Fletcher and see how they are manufacturing HosWel truck beds, a product used by farmers and fire departments to meet their needs.  Jerry and Jogay Renshaw of Elgin have been developing this company and have a great future ahead with this new business in our area.  I also attended the Sterling Rodeo this past weekend and am looking forward to the Cyril Rodeo this upcoming weekend, as well as the 4-H Centennial Honor Night Assembly in Stillwater.

I had the opportunity to attend the OK Economic Summit on Early Childhood Investment on Monday.  I appreciate Jane Mitchell from Success by 6 in Lawton for inviting me to participate.  It was a great discussion on the successes and failures we have seen in children's policy and opportunities to build upon the programs which have worked.  I expect a great public-private partnership to build from this program and Pat Potts, a community leader in Oklahoma City, had much to do with this effort.

I also visited with DJ Wolfe, the standout OU football player and graduate from Lawton Eisenhower.  He is working with a company to install energy efficient equipment in buildings and vehicles.  He has been a great assistance to me in understanding a segment of this industry and I will be filing legislation this next session to apply the efficiency credits to home builders that are currently given to home owners.  This should increase the amount of efficiency included in new homes and save the purchaser the hassle of additional equipment after the completion.  It will also allow them to factor this cost into the paperwork during the purchase and save the homeowner the hassle of applying for the credit.

Finally, I want to extend congratulations to Deacon Vice of Apache for being accepted into the OSU Medical Program and also I want to wish my niece, Samantha Sessums, a happy 23rd birthday.  I'm proud of both of you. 

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.

DR STRANGELOVE EXPLAINS HIS SOTOMAYOR VOTE

Sotomayor Confirmed By Senate Judiciary Committee.

"I can't vote for her because she wouldn't defend what she said, and stand up and say, 'I really believe this, but I can still be a great judge anyway, because I will never let that interfere with my judging,' " said Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.

MEDICAL FACTS THAT AFFECT YOU

19 percent of people in Oklahoma are uninsured, and 70 percent of them are in families with at least one full time worker.

Can you allow your family and friends to be without medical care being provided for?

MEDICAL FACTS THAT AFFECT YOU

High costs block access to care: 17 percent of people in Oklahoma report not visiting a doctor due to high costs.

Can you afford to continue not going to the doctor?

SEND A CENTRIST DEMOCRAT TO CONGRESS

EDITOR: HOW ABOUT AN ASSOCIATE ECONOMICS PROFESSOR?

Mickey Hepner
The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — With U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin leaving Congress to run for governor, voters in Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District will be electing a new representative in 2010. Using history as a guide, this new member of Congress will likely be a very conservative Republican following in the footsteps of Ernest Istook and Mary Fallin. However, if voters wanted to elect someone to have the greatest influence, they would choose a centrist Democrat.

Not surprisingly, centrist Democrats (like centrist Republicans) are right in the middle of the ideological extremes. On one end of the spectrum there are the progressives — those who tend to see government as the solution to many of our problems. To these people, the solution to the problem of 50 million uninsured Americans is a government-run insurance plan. To them, the solution to a General Motors bankruptcy is a government takeover of the auto industry. To them, the solution to a collapsing economy is a government stimulus package laden with big government projects.

On the other end of the ideological spectrum are the conservatives — those who tend to see government as more of a problem than a solution. To these people, expanding government spending is wrong even if it is to provide health insurance coverage to additional poor children. To these people taxes and regulation are harmful, even if they are designed to reduce pollution. To these people, anytime is the right time to cut taxes.

But in between these two extremes are the centrists — those who recognize that while government cannot do everything, it must do some things. It is the centrists who know that government must make health insurance more portable, more affordable and more flexible, but that a government-run plan is not the answer. It is the centrists who understand that free markets will continue to be a powerful force to lift people out of poverty, but that people also need government to help them effectively compete in those markets. It is the centrists who know that both spending increases and tax cuts have their place, but they must be paid for so that we do not pile more debt onto future generations.

And it is this position between the progressive Democrats and the conservative Republicans that gives the centrists their influence. With Democrats likely controlling both Houses of Congress and the White House through at least 2012, the Democrats have near-complete control over the legislative agenda. Therefore, beyond sniping at the Democrats’ proposals, conservative Republicans have little influence in the legislative process — they simply do not have sufficient numbers to demand concessions on key provisions. Consequently, their views simply will be ignored.

However, progressive Democrats do not have the luxury of ignoring the centrist members of their party (as much as they might want to). After all, it is the inclusion of all those new moderate Democrats that propelled Nancy Pelosi into the Speaker’s chair. In other words, the Democratic majority needs the centrist wing of the party in order to remain a majority. Consequently, the views of centrist Democrats cannot be ignored.

Oklahoma’s newest member of Congress will, like all freshman members, have limited influence. At least electing a centrist Democrat, though, will allow Oklahomans to have some power in the next Congress — meaning that even a freshman centrist Democrat will wield more influence than their more senior Oklahoma Republican colleagues.

Oklahoma Congressman (and centrist Democrat) Dan Boren is currently the most influential member of the Oklahoma Congressional delegation. He does not always agree with his party leaders, but because he is needed he is powerful. While Tom Cole, Fallin, Frank Lucas and John Sullivan are mostly ignored Boren is making a difference. In 2010, we should send another Boren-like centrist Democrat to Congress.



MICKEY HEPNER is an associate professor of economics at the University of Central Oklahoma.

HOUSE DISTRICT 55 ELECTION SCHEDULED

Gov. Brad Henry has scheduled special election dates to fill a vacant state House post in western Oklahoma.

Rep. Ryan McMullen resigned his House District 55 seat this month to become state director of rural development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Under Henry's proclamation the filing period for the post will be Aug. 3-5. The primary election will be Sept. 8 and the general election will be Oct. 13.

The district comprises all of Washita County and parts of Kiowa, Caddo and Canadian Counties.