Can they win?

Can they win?

I know that I promised you a discussion of the state questions and that will be coming before long.  But, quite honestly, I have to do a little research on two or three of those just to make sure that I fully understand and can give you the best read I can.  I know some of you couldn’t give a flood nickel to what I think and there are others out there who do value my views from inside the process.  So we will talk more about those soon.

For now, I have to tell you a little experience I had Tuesday morning right before I wrote this article.  I’m voting for Romney...period… end of story.  I’ve been a Republican for a long time and I think most of the basic philosophy suits my moderately conservative nature or closely.  I’m not convinced that the Romney/ Ryan Team can win this election.  It’s been somewhat of a joke around Oklahoma at local coffee shops when Obama comes up somebody will almost always say, “I can’t find anyone who voted for him.” 

I put a simple post on Facebook Tuesday morning that was the headline from the Boston Globe that said “U.S. Gas Prices at Highest Ever for Labor Day Weekend” and showed a gas pump handle and asked the question “Are you better off?”  It’s a Mitt Romney ad and was interesting to see the comments come rolling in.  A bunch of my “friends” on Facebook really got fired up.  Of course, the ones that agreed were staunched and firm in their position that Obama had to go.  I was probably more surprised by the people who stepped out publically in that forum and supported him. 

I think the public reality is that President Obama is incumbent.  I know from being involved in politics for the last 10 years that an incumbent is very hard to unseat.  I think that people are afraid of anything new to use a school analogy. It’s like when a bunch of junior high kids have an ole’ battle ax for a teacher and they sit around the lunch table and say, “I wish miss ole’ so and so would retire.”  Almost every time they will say, “Yeah, but her replacement might be worse.”  I think the poll numbers show that the country is somewhat dissatisfied with President Obama, but I’m here to tell ya’ unseating an  incumbent will be an uphill battle, especially given that we had so much voter apathy.  I saw it in my recent primary and I’ve seen it hundreds of times across the country.  People want to gripe but they don’t want to vote.   I don’t hate Barack Obama.  I don’t think he has been a good president and I don’t think he or his cronies are who we need in charge of this country.  I think if he has his way Oklahoma will lose a ton of military jobs.   I think if the Republican Party has a major flaw, it may be we hate too much.  I don’t think you have to hate a person to disagree.   I think this country is extremely polarized and it will become much worse before the November election.  My hope and prayer is that Romney wins, but I won’t be shocked if he doesn’t… just disappointed

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call -800-522-8502 or email me at donarmes@okhouse.gov

 

And here’s something to think about as you go down the road:

“Politics is too serious of a matter to be left to the politicians.” – Charles de Gaulle

 

Let's Talk Miracles

Let’s Talk Miracles… Several months ago, I wrote in a few of my columns about my mother’s battle with brain cancer. It was sobering news as many families know who have faced similar circumstances. It was some what of a shock to a family who didn’t seem to have any cancer history to speak of. My grandmother on mom’s side died at the ripe old age of 93. She had a few normal health issues. She had mild diabetes which she totally controlled with her diet. She had a small bladder cancer very late in her life, but nothing seemed life threatening. There was very little cancer on my dad’s side, at least that we knew of, that wasn’t self induced from 60 plus years of smoking. So, I have always thought that I had a fair shot at not having to deal with the dreaded “C” word. Since the first of last year, we noticed my mom wasn’t “connecting the dots.” Mom has always been a tough patient because she was a registered nurse for over 25 years. There wasn’t much need in talking to her about health issues because with her medical background she was the expert…end of story. She knew best and wasn’t really interested in outside opinions, especially from us and sometimes from the doctor. We started noticing drastic changes and it was time for an intervention, so I made a trip down to Burleson, Texas, and met my sister. We showed up together, sat her down, and assumed the role of the parent, and said, “Mom you are going to the doctor if I have to drag you.” It wasn’t pretty but she agreed and the appointment was set. In a couple of short weeks, we heard the dreaded news that families hear around the world. It was brain cancer. The tumor was in-operable, deep inside her brain. The only hope was chemo and possibly radiation. Treatments were scheduled and the journey began. The doctor was very frank and told us very honestly that we may have one to three months. As many of you know, it’s a lot like being hit by a truck. It throws families into tail spin. It also engages a lot of prayer chains. I’m here to tell ya’ - it worked! The first scan, after the first heavy dose of chemo, indicated that chemo was a direct hit. It melted the tumor, and no one could explain it. The doctor was puzzled as well as everyone else, but in my mind, there is only one answer. Prayer works. Mom just recently finished up her last chemo treatment and has now started on radiation, and to use the doctors words, “This final series of treatment should slam the door on this cancer.” Now, mom isn’t exactly the same as she was, but I think it’s safe to say that she is at 90% and she is alive. Instead of checking out at 79, she actually has a shot at being around a good while longer and enjoying her grandkids, even some great grand kids. I guess you can now call her a cancer survivor. I haven’t said a lot about it. It’s been somewhat a private battle with a very unknown outcome. There is always risk of a cancer coming back, but for now, we have a reprieve. I want to say thank you to all of those prayer warriors out there who helped us win this battle because it could have easily been a different outcome, but it wasn’t. Mom will even get to see the redbud trees bloom and few more times and it’s a miracle. If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call 1-800-522-8502 or email me at donarmes@okhouse.gov And here’s something to think about as you go down the road: “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” – Abraham Lincoln

Mr. Chick-fil-a

David Pope Nov. 6, 1936 - May 24, 2012 It’s interesting how some people move into a community and weave themselves into the very fabric. David Pope was that kind of guy. After a career in the military where he received the rank of Lt. Colonel, Mr. Pope opened a Chick- fil- a in the Central Mall in Lawton over 30 years ago. I know this because my then future wife Dede was an employee there. Dede and I will be married 28 years this June. I’m sure that I made many unnecessary trips to the mall and not because of the Chick-fil-a. I’m sure it was Crutchers Western Wear which was right across the way but I sure was intrigued by the dark eyed girl behind the counter. Little did I know that that dark eyed girl in the red apron would be my future wife. She, like many other young people growing up in a working family had to have a job and David Pope provided that. Working for Mr. Pope was a very structured environment given his military background and he instilled company pride and a good work ethic in countless young people who worked for him at Chick-fil-a. Chic-fil-a was started in Georgia by man named Truett Cathey who was very staunch in his values. Mr. Cathey believed Sunday was family time and believed no one should work on the Sabbath. David Pope was no different and even to this day Chick-fil-a is closed on Sunday. It would’ve been interesting at the funeral to see former employees stand up because I’m sure many in the huge crowd that attended his service had been former employees. Mr. Pope later opened another franchise and the Pope family still runs both restaurants. My hope is that Chick-fil-a corporate suits will see the value of continuing this family operation and will allow Doug Pope to continue in his father’s footsteps. That remains to be seen. He was very active in the community and was always a great supporter of the Comanche County Jr. Livestock show. He purchased many animals over the years at the premium sale and invested in young people wherever he could. Mr. Pope was also elected County Commissioner for a time and took that job very seriously also. I know from personal experience that David Pope was solid. He always claimed to be a democrat even though he was one of the most conservative men you would ever meet I remember many spirited political discussions through the years but to him family was a top priority. He watched with great pride as his own kids grew up and raised families but he also treated former employees as part of his extended family and was always interested in their children and the progress of their careers. In today’s climate of large corporations many of which have decisions made in some corporate headquarters in some other state, it’s refreshing to see a family business like David Pope started, continue to thrive. Many people from my era learned to work and survive not only from family values instilled at home but that lesson continued in the work place from guys just like David Pope. He didn’t have much patience for laziness and instilled that high expectation in the kids that worked for him and he had a hand in raising a bunch of them here in this area and he will be missed. My assessment of Mr. Pope was he was hard headed but he was a good egg. He was always good to my family and he will always be appreciated. If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, feel free to call 1-800-522-8502 or email donarmes@okhouse.gov And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road: If there’s time for leanin’ there’s time for cleaning~ David Pope

Rubber Baby

I always thought that my first grandkid would be dark headed because both of my girls entered this world with loads of black hair. Little did I know, my first grandchild would be bald headed and made out of plastic. I’ve e been around vocational education for close to 35 years and have always been a proponent of life skills and as an old Ag. teacher I’ve seen lots of young ladies carrying around those little faux babies. You know the kind, they send them home from school and their grade is dependent on how well they respond to the little rubber babies needs. Kelsey, my youngest, who will graduate in just a couple of short weeks, brought one home over the weekend. She’s very grade conscious and so each time the baby made any kind of noise, she reached for the set of keys you stick in it’s back to make it stop crying or whatever the malfunction of the moment seemed to be. I was on the road last weekend for some auction business and I was headed home Sunday morning thinking I’d be home in time for church but when I text “grandma” she said “ no, we’re not going to church, Kelsey has the baby”. What a difference a generation makes. I responded back “I remember taking babies to church, what about their spiritual health” I guess there’s not a church key that comes with that little rascal. Anyway, it was quite comical to watch Kelsey be tied down and uber responsible where this little fake baby was concerned. I know exactly her motivation, it was for a grade but I think the little rubber baby assignment is valuable because I believe if a student takes it serious it does make them think about the responsibility of a child. I can’t remember whether free spirited Katy, our older child ever brought one of these home or not. I would think that big sister probably just threw the little tike in her locker and said here’s a bag of M&M’s and a Dr. Pepper we’ll see ya’ Monday junior. I think that what this little assignment reminded me of was that our vocational programs still focus on real life skills whether its agriculture or home economics or a host of other options, these programs still have a very important function and try to provide opportunities for kids to learn. I started down this road telling this story somewhat tongue and cheek but I have to tell ya’, I was extremely proud last week at the state FFA convention to watch Kelsey, the second of the Armes’ girls, walk across the stage at the Cox Center and receive her state FFA degree. As a product of an FFA program and then having spent 13 years as an Ag. teacher I have helped numerous kids fill out State FFA degree applications, taught them how to keep records and numerous other real life skills. I know the value of the program and even though my oldest daughter Katy is not directly related to agriculture in her profession, I know that she is doing well and that a great deal of her success is because she has a work ethic that I hope I had some hand in instilling in her but I also have to give credit to the FFA program and all the great things it taught. To all those vocational teachers out there whether you taught my kids or someone else’s kids, thanks for being in the trench where the rubber meets the road and trying to provide real life examples for kids across this state so they can get out and have a decent shot at making a living and hopefully become more productive citizens. So, until the real grandkids come along our family will always laugh about the weekend that the rubber baby came to stay with Kelsey. If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, please feel free to call 1-800-522-8502 or email donarmes@okhouse.gov And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road: Life is not a final, it’s daily pop quizzes~~ Author Unknown.

Rubber Baby

I always thought that my first grandkid would be dark headed because both of my girls entered this world with loads of black hair. Little did I know, my first grandchild would be bald headed and made out of plastic. I’ve e been around vocational education for close to 35 years and have always been a proponent of life skills and as an old Ag. teacher I’ve seen lots of young ladies carrying around those little faux babies. You know the kind, they send them home from school and their grade is dependent on how well they respond to the little rubber babies needs. Kelsey, my youngest, who will graduate in just a couple of short weeks, brought one home over the weekend. She’s very grade conscious and so each time the baby made any kind of noise, she reached for the set of keys you stick in it’s back to make it stop crying or whatever the malfunction of the moment seemed to be. I was on the road last weekend for some auction business and I was headed home Sunday morning thinking I’d be home in time for church but when I text “grandma” she said “ no, we’re not going to church, Kelsey has the baby”. What a difference a generation makes. I responded back “I remember taking babies to church, what about their spiritual health” I guess there’s not a church key that comes with that little rascal. Anyway, it was quite comical to watch Kelsey be tied down and uber responsible where this little fake baby was concerned. I know exactly her motivation, it was for a grade but I think the little rubber baby assignment is valuable because I believe if a student takes it serious it does make them think about the responsibility of a child. I can’t remember whether free spirited Katy, our older child ever brought one of these home or not. I would think that big sister probably just threw the little tike in her locker and said here’s a bag of M&M’s and a Dr. Pepper we’ll see ya’ Monday junior. I think that what this little assignment reminded me of was that our vocational programs still focus on real life skills whether its agriculture or home economics or a host of other options, these programs still have a very important function and try to provide opportunities for kids to learn. I started down this road telling this story somewhat tongue and cheek but I have to tell ya’, I was extremely proud last week at the state FFA convention to watch Kelsey, the second of the Armes’ girls, walk across the stage at the Cox Center and receive her state FFA degree. As a product of an FFA program and then having spent 13 years as an Ag. teacher I have helped numerous kids fill out State FFA degree applications, taught them how to keep records and numerous other real life skills. I know the value of the program and even though my oldest daughter Katy is not directly related to agriculture in her profession, I know that she is doing well and that a great deal of her success is because she has a work ethic that I hope I had some hand in instilling in her but I also have to give credit to the FFA program and all the great things it taught. To all those vocational teachers out there whether you taught my kids or someone else’s kids, thanks for being in the trench where the rubber meets the road and trying to provide real life examples for kids across this state so they can get out and have a decent shot at making a living and hopefully become more productive citizens. So, until the real grandkids come along our family will always laugh about the weekend that the rubber baby came to stay with Kelsey. If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, please feel free to call 1-800-522-8502 or email donarmes@okhouse.gov And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road: Life is not a final, it’s daily pop quizzes~~ Author Unknown.

Kids on Farms

Every now and then an idea surfaces that is so ridiculous that it borders on the insane. Most recently it was a proposed rule by the US Department of Labor. Now remember, we are talking National level here, this idea wouldn’t even be murmured, even under ones breath, in the Oklahoma State Capitol. The Department of Labor proposed a rule that would prevent children from working on family farms. This seemingly nonsensical rule drew the ire of Federal legislators from both sides of the political aisle. It’s almost as if they totally removed their brain and just pulled this one out of their hat. I am neck deep in issues here at our State Capitol but that crazy idea from Washington had all of us stirred up as well as many across the nation. Imagine if you will , little Jonnie or little Susie coming home from school, dad out in the field planting cotton or cutting wheat or checking cattle and the kids could not participate. I guess the brainiacs in the Department of Labor decided that it was just too dangerous for little Jonnie or little Susie to do anything except go home and get on the computer or mindlessly watch afternoon cartoons rather than engage in the family farming operation. If you think about it, it can even reach into 4-H and FFA projects because, heaven forbid, some kid go out and feed an animal, halter break a steer or exercise a lamb like we’ve been doing in rural America for generations or even to go relieve dad on the tractor so dad could be freed up to go take care of some other endless duties that a family farm or ranch requires. We hear over and over the term “these kids today” but you seldom hear anything negative about farm kids or even those fringe dwellers that live on the edge of town but have livestock projects in 4-H or FFA. I know that at our house it was always an expectation that my daughters have some kind of livestock project and I can tell you that my oldest daughter who graduated from OSU and is working now in the wine industry is excelling in that field because she had a work ethic instilled in her at a young age. I’m proud of that and I know it will serve her well the rest of her life. Her younger sister is no different and their whole life they knew that when they got home there were chores. It might be anything from pulling a hay trailer where dad could load it and not have to jump from the tractor to the pickup or it might be as simple as come help me sort these calves off these cows. Sure, farm kids are prone to injury but we already have enough disconnect from American agriculture as it is without doing away with the training that these kids receive growing up on or around a farming operation. I am so thankful for the training I received on the back of a hay wagon for three summers back in the late 70’s and early 80’s when as soon as we were old enough to drive we started hauling mass quantities of square baled hay. I have filled more barns in Comanche County and Cotton County than I care to try to remember but thanks to families like the Mitchell family, whom I’ve spoken of before, I learned the value of hard work and that sometimes even when you don’t feel like going you gotta’ dig deep and get er’ done. Work is a value in our State and I still believe that whatever the field, hard work is rewarded. It’s about survival. Many times I’ve seen people not know what to do when they lose a job because they picture themselves in some sort of a category where they shouldn’t have to work and I’m here to tell ya’ that farm kids will be survivors because they are industrious, they know how to roll up their sleeves and many times they learned it at home or somewhere not far from home. They didn’t learn it on a computer or from television. They learned it from growing up and working and until we remember how important that is and remind people, like the folks at the U.S. Department of Labor, that in the words of Hank Williams Jr. “a country boy (or girl) can survive.” If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, feel free to call 1-800-522-8502 or email me at donarme@okhouse.gov And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road: No one has ever drowned in his own sweat. ~~ Lou Holtz

Home Stretch

As we near the final month of session the intensity continues to build as it usually does this time of year. We are close to a decent budget; we are still waiting for the income tax number. We don’t know what percent reduction we will see and that will have a great deal to do with the final budget numbers. We are probably a week or so out from being able to talk with any accuracy on that subject but here are some highlights of some bills that have been approved by the House in the last week or so. Lawmakers Target Drug Crime Legislation approved by the House this week would allow a larger group of law enforcement officials to participate in anti-drug efforts. Senate Bill 1544 exempts state officers who are also reserve special agents for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control from the prohibition against dual office holding. As a result, the legislation would allow a county officer to be dual commissioned his employer and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, giving local authorities greater ability to be involved in anti-drug efforts. Senate Bill 1544 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 65-22 vote today and now goes to the Governor’s desk to sign. House Approves Improved Data Gathering Legislation that would help lawmakers with appropriation and policy decisions was approved unanimously this week by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Titled the Oklahoma Program Performance Budgeting and Accountability Act, Senate Bill 1451 would require state agency strategic plans to include an analysis of the appropriated level needed to achieve certain listed measures for each of the five fiscal years of the plan. The legislation will now return to the Senate. If House amendments are approved, it will continue onto the governor’s desk. House Approves Bill to Increase Career Tech Opportunities Legislation that would help increase trade-specific industry certifications was approved unanimously by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Senate Bill 1056 would allow technology center school districts to establish pilot programs to increase the number of students obtaining trade-specific industry certifications. The districts would be able to spend general funds to cover the costs of trade-specific industry certification examinations and licenses related to the program of study. The legislation now proceeds to the governor’s desk. Severe weather liability policy in development House lawmakers are developing a comprehensive liability protection policy for Oklahomans who offer shelter to others during severe weather. House Bill 2296, which would offer liability protection to mobile home park owners who allow residents to seek shelter in their offices during severe weather, was recently vetoed by Gov. Mary Fallin, who cited concerns about possible unintended consequences. To address the governor’s concerns, House lawmakers are working on a more comprehensive liability protection policy that will be included in an amended version of House Bill 2419. The amended version of HB 2419 will offer liability protection to any individual who offers shelter to another during severe weather rather than offering protection only to mobile home park owners. The proposed compromise measure will offer more protection to more people. If you would like to contact me at the Capitol please feel free to call 1-800-522-8502 or email me at donarmes@okhouse.gov And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road: One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it.~ Sidney Howard.