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.

What’s Your Major?

Former Senator Owen Laughlin from Northwest Oklahoma had a favorite saying that I have borrowed on numerous occasions. He would always say “Being in the Legislature is like going to college and majoring in EVERYTHING.” I’ve thought about that many times in my tenure as a State Representative. To be an effective Statesman you have to be willing to learn about a lot of different subjects, some of which may not interest you in the least, but all kinds of different issues are important to someone. I started my career with special interests in agriculture, Ag. youth programs like FFA and 4-H, rural issues in general and while many of those issues have kept me grounded, I’ve also had to learn a great deal about education, even though I was a teacher, healthcare, transportation infrastructure, public safety, and a whole host of assorted issues that spin off from each of those areas. It requires a great deal of time and energy to become somewhat knowledgeable in a host of various areas and I think to truly represent an area like District 63 which can be as cosmopolitan and culturally diverse as we are around Lawton/Ft. Sill and can transition into one of the State’s leading agriculture regions as you head Southwest to Tillman County you must be pretty open minded as you learn the multitude of issues that can affect an area with tremendously diverse interest. It’s an area with three hospitals, an Army post, a Federal wildlife refuge, a tremendous amount of large and small schools, 1500 square miles of interstate highways as well as County roads. A single issue Legislator won’t survive long in a district like this one. I believe that to truly serve an area with as much diversity as this one, the learning curve is steep and you must be prepared to listen to a wide variety of constituents with a huge variation of issues. Being in close proximity to Ft. Sill there are also a great many Veterans who retire in our area and have issues facing them that are very important. There again you must be open minded and as well versed as you can be to care for a constituency as diverse as this one. This Ag. guy has had to major in everything. I’ve had to study and learn and that process never sleeps. The issues vary as much as the terrain from the mountains to the flat lands all the way to the river bed. I don’t think you can be an effective legislator and have a one track mind. I brought no agenda to the table when I started this job other than to stand up for the voters in my district. I think you can tell from this brief conversation that they certainly don’t all look the same or have the same needs. I think that to serve this district well, one needs to be as comfortable in a business suit as you are in a pair of jeans. This job requires walking into a lot of circles with a variety of hats and the willingness to learn and more importantly a willingness to serve. Open mindedness is paramount and this is way bigger than any single issue. I’ve spent ten years of my life doing my dead level best to be a Statesman and I intend to finish the job.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, please feel free to call me at 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:

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. ~Abraham Lincoln

Cancer Doesn’t Care

The last several days I’ve lost two friends who both made a huge difference in the world around them to one of our society’s most dreaded diseases, cancer. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that cancer doesn’t care who you are, how much money you make, your social status, or anything else. Cancer comes to people from all walks of life; it does not discriminate and is absolutely ruthless. One of my friends was a local business man and racing quarter horse breeder Terry Bell. Terry was a stand up guy! Several years ago when I approached Terry, who lived near Cache on his horse ranch, to ask if he would be my campaign chairman, he didn’t bat an eye. He said “absolutely, you’ve stood with us in the horse industry and I’ll stand with you.” Terry Bell was well respected locally as well as the State and National horse racing scene. He was a second generation businessman and entrepreneur. His father Cyrus ran Bell Transfer and Storage for many years after growing up in the moving and storage business Terry later established Affiliated Van Lines in 1973. He was a very good business man, knew how to make money and had the deepest respect of everyone he dealt with. I remember a story that was told to me by a mutual friend and I hesitate to tell it but for the fact that it tells a story about who Terry really was. I vaguely remember Cy Bell, he was very flamboyant and the best remaining example of that is his old parade saddle that for many years Terry displayed in his office. I’m not sure if I’ll get this totally right or not but apparently, in his later years, he had run up some local debt. It could’ve been his declining health, I’m not really sure how that went down but according to the local legend his dad owed some people around town and after his passing Terry went around to the different businesses and squared every account. That may not seem like much but it is just one of the little things that made Terry Bell who he was and the fact that he made everyone whole spoke volumes about his impeccable character. The best way to describe Terry was that he was solid. If he shook your hand, you could take it to the bank.

Terry Bell was also a very accomplished horse breeder. We shot numerous Billingsly Ford TV spots at his ranch over the years and he was known throughout the country as a premier breeder of racing quarter horses. He knew how to breed a good one and how to make sure that animal had a chance at greatness. He was a good friend and he will be missed. Terry was 77 when he lost his battle with cancer.

Ironically enough the next friend I’ll speak of was a lady that I served with in the House of Representatives for ten years, Representative Sue Tibbs, also 77, from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Sue was a true Statesman. They don’t make people with a moral character any higher than that of Sue Tibbs. Sue was a devout Christian and took it upon herself for many of the years that she served at the State Capitol to hold a weekly devotional luncheon at the Capitol, always brining in a new and different preacher and making sure that the Capitol flock was spiritually fed. Her dedication to her district and the State of Oklahoma was second to none. Sue had a wonderful heart and as deeply as she loved people, she’d fight to the death on an issue she believed in. I’ve seen Sue take many shots from those who disagreed with her, always standing her ground and never wavering, for as big as her heart she had even more toughness than just about anybody I’ve ever met. Right was right to Sue, there was no gray. I’m not sure that she couldn’t have whipped a tornado when she got her dander up but the one battle Sue couldn’t win was her battle with cancer. Cancer claimed Sue last Friday night. There will be an empty spot in the Capitol Chamber for the rest of the session and for many years to come and Sue will be missed

So it’s true, cancer doesn’t care and that what makes this dreaded disease such a terrible plague on the world. It doesn’t just thin out the weak, but also the strong. As our family heads into my mother’s own battle I know that it’s uphill and we continue to pray for a good outcome. As my girls and I traveled home from our Easter visit with my mother over the weekend, my daughter Kelsey was jokingly talking about one of her daredevil friends and she said “yolo” which means you only live once. We don’t know how long we have on this earth so we all need to get right with God and by all means live. Don’t put off the things on your bucket list. Spend that time with your family even when it may seem inconvenient because none of us know. Rest in peace Terry and Sue and thank you for all you did to make all of our lives better. We are all better people for having known you.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, 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: Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. ~ Flavia Weedn

Half Way Home

A lot of you have followed my musings and ramblings about life in office and have heard me describe the legislative process sometimes as a series of gates. I also use the analogy of a series of filters. Not every idea that hits the Capitol is a good one, sometimes the ideas are good and with more than one pair of eyes can be made better, sometimes the ideas are just plain bad and the filters need to catch the idea. We have now reached the half way point which means that the first major deadline of this year’s legislative session has passed. All the bills that came through the House have either made it through that series of filters or were stopped and did not become reality. The next step is for us to send our House bills over to the Senate for further scrutiny and we have now started the process of running the Senate’s ideas through our filters. This process seems very cumbersome to some and in some ways it is, but as frustrating as it can be for myself and my colleagues and as unorganized as it looks to the casual observer, I really am a believer in the process as a whole. It’s still one of the best methods in the world and as an old buddy of mine used to say “you can sure get a snoot full of it.” But I still think that it’s good that 149 people basically have to look at an idea and consider its merits and shortcomings and passes through the final gates where the Governor has the power of the pen to either sign it into law or veto it.

This past Monday a very important bill passed through the last gate and is headed to the Governor for a signature and that was SB447. This bill addressed several concerns raised by the murder of Diane Dye. Our Comanche County treasurer Barbara Burk and her husband Larry were on hand to see that Senate bill passed in the House. The bill was actually a Senate bill from last session and in my mind it did some very positive things that may help curb domestic violence by shortening the days before a hearing when a protective order is issued and several other tweaks to the law that may well prevent the tragedy like the one we saw in Elgin Oklahoma and hopefully can prevent more of the same. Senator Barrington started the process last year and it has taken two sessions to get this bill passed and headed to the Governor. The vote was unanimous in the House and we don’t anticipate any trouble when it gets to Governor Fallin’s desk. I was proud to do my part in carrying the water and as I said on the House floor Monday afternoon, it’s too late for Diane Dye but her mother Barbara Burk took up the torch, pushed through her grief and helped change a law that hopefully will prevent another family from having the same kind of tragedy.

We are now back in the committee process and have just started to get our first look at the Senate bills. It’ll be interesting to see how many House bills survive the Senate and vice versa.

Probably the weightiest issue still facing us is the discussion on the elimination of the State income tax. I’ve talked about this issue many times and we know that we must proceed with extreme caution. I can’t speak for any other member but I can tell you my position and that is we can’t do income tax reduction on the backs of our seniors or our veterans and probably my favorite way to state it is that we must have enough fuel to run the train. I represent one of the largest agriculture regions in the state and I can tell you from the calls that I’ve received that land owner’s are leery of anything that might increase property taxes and I think it is wise to continue to discuss this very important issue and I truly believe we must proceed with extreme caution. We’ll keep you posted on developments that relate to one of the biggest issues we’ve seen in many years.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, 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:
Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. –Henry Ford.

Half Way Home

A lot of you have followed my musings and ramblings about life in office and have heard me describe the legislative process sometimes as a series of gates. I also use the analogy of a series of filters. Not every idea that hits the Capitol is a good one, sometimes the ideas are good and with more than one pair of eyes can be made better, sometimes the ideas are just plain bad and the filters need to catch the idea. We have now reached the half way point which means that the first major deadline of this year’s legislative session has passed. All the bills that came through the House have either made it through that series of filters or were stopped and did not become reality. The next step is for us to send our House bills over to the Senate for further scrutiny and we have now started the process of running the Senate’s ideas through our filters. This process seems very cumbersome to some and in some ways it is, but as frustrating as it can be for myself and my colleagues and as unorganized as it looks to the casual observer, I really am a believer in the process as a whole. It’s still one of the best methods in the world and as an old buddy of mine used to say “you can sure get a snoot full of it.” But I still think that it’s good that 149 people basically have to look at an idea and consider its merits and shortcomings and passes through the final gates where the Governor has the power of the pen to either sign it into law or veto it.

This past Monday a very important bill passed through the last gate and is headed to the Governor for a signature and that was SB447. This bill addressed several concerns raised by the murder of Diane Dye. Our Comanche County treasurer Barbara Burk and her husband Larry were on hand to see that Senate bill passed in the House. The bill was actually a Senate bill from last session and in my mind it did some very positive things that may help curb domestic violence by shortening the days before a hearing when a protective order is issued and several other tweaks to the law that may well prevent the tragedy like the one we saw in Elgin Oklahoma and hopefully can prevent more of the same. Senator Barrington started the process last year and it has taken two sessions to get this bill passed and headed to the Governor. The vote was unanimous in the House and we don’t anticipate any trouble when it gets to Governor Fallin’s desk. I was proud to do my part in carrying the water and as I said on the House floor Monday afternoon, it’s too late for Diane Dye but her mother Barbara Burk took up the torch, pushed through her grief and helped change a law that hopefully will prevent another family from having the same kind of tragedy.

We are now back in the committee process and have just started to get our first look at the Senate bills. It’ll be interesting to see how many House bills survive the Senate and vice versa.

Probably the weightiest issue still facing us is the discussion on the elimination of the State income tax. I’ve talked about this issue many times and we know that we must proceed with extreme caution. I can’t speak for any other member but I can tell you my position and that is we can’t do income tax reduction on the backs of our seniors or our veterans and probably my favorite way to state it is that we must have enough fuel to run the train. I represent one of the largest agriculture regions in the state and I can tell you from the calls that I’ve received that land owner’s are leery of anything that might increase property taxes and I think it is wise to continue to discuss this very important issue and I truly believe we must proceed with extreme caution. We’ll keep you posted on developments that relate to one of the biggest issues we’ve seen in many years.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, 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:
Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. –Henry Ford.

Big Week in Oklahoma City

Last week was full of activity not only at the State Capitol where it was deadline week but also at the State Fair Grounds where the Oklahoma Youth Expo was taking place. Young people from across Oklahoma, moms, dads, grandparents and other family members in tow came to participate in what has become the World’s largest junior livestock show. It was a week full of kids showcasing their agricultural skills as they paraded through the various arenas.

One of the big events that tied the two together was what has become known as the Legislative show. The legislative show was the brain child of my good friend, the late Justin Whitefield who most of us who knew him well simply called him “Whitey”. As many of you may know he was killed in a plane crash several years ago but the best way to describe the situation was that Whitey “got it.” He got the connection that needed to be made between Senators and Representatives and other high ranking Government officials and the ag youth of our state. The legislative show was created to actually put the legislator on the halter or leading or driving an actual animal from a young 4-H or FFA member from their respective districts but it serves many purposes. One of the most important being that, that connection makes it much easier for urban and semi-rural legislators to understand the power of the program that we all already know creates some of the best young people in the state. Everyone that participates always has great things to say about that brief interaction with a young showman and their animal. They get the ever important connection of how these animal projects take the educational process off the school grounds and on to the fair grounds and the many life lessons that are learned like how to win humbly and how to lose graciously all while instilling a work ethic that the normal educational process struggles with. Among the Senators and Representatives that actually showed animals, additional showmen were Mr. Bob Funk, CEO of one of the largest worldwide temporary service companies in the nation, Express Personnel, State Superintended Janet Barresi, Mr. Terry Detrick, President of American Farmer’s and Rancher’s, Mr. Mike Spradling President of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and numerous other dignitaries that actually led or drove animals in that legislative show. It’s an awesome opportunity to sell the program and to showcase some of the hardest working young people in our state. My roll in that process evolved at the passing of my friend, and Oklahoma icon Clem McSpadden where I was handed the microphone to take over where Clem left off and to continue the tradition of introducing agriculture youth to state leaders who really need to know them. It’s a huge honor for me to continue that tradition. As I write this article from my office at the Capitol I am looking at a picture of myself and the late Clem McSpadden as we worked together on this event in his later years. The week was packed full of shows and various sales and capped off with a huge premium auction last Monday night which is the grand finale for that great event.

It was a tough week for a rural legislator such as myself to try to wear two hats and get the work done that we had in our deadline week as well as trying to be at the livestock show as much as possible . It was bitter sweet for the Armes’ family as my youngest daughter Kelsey showed for her last time as a high school student marking the end of an era for two girls who were raised with livestock projects and hopefully benefited from the lessons those teach. Kelsey will head to OSU next year to begin her college studies in the area of agriculture communications.

As for activity at the Capitol the issue of income tax reduction continues to be discussed and is probably one of the weightiest issues we’ve dealt with in a long time. All the various bills pertaining to elimination of income tax seem to be simmering in one big pot. I don’t know as of yet what the final outcome will be, I’m hoping that the end product will be responsible and that we won’t do away with income tax on the backs of our Veterans or senior citizens or at the expense of core Government function. There is much work to do and the work continues and my hope is that at the end of the day we come up with a good solution that really works. Until next time.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, 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:
Without labor nothing prospers---Sophocles

A Classic Example

Monday on the House Floor we spent the entire morning debating HB 2388 by Rep. Guy Liebman. The measure is a classic example of an idea that went viral. What started out as one of those funny emails that said “why should I have to take a drug test to earn money at my job and people don’t have to take a drug test to get welfare?” That simple statement was emailed and facebooked across the nation and it has kind of grown it’s own legs because now it’s a good possibility that it may become law. The democrat amendment to the bill was also a classic “gotcha” move which said that all candidates for state and local office would have to take a drug test, which nobody seemed to mind. It was an interesting discussion. The bill passed 82-6 and is now on its way to the Senate. Some other issues that have been discussed in the House of Representatives this week include:

House Votes to Fund Bridge Repair, Increase Safety.
State lawmakers have voted to dramatically reduce the backlog of bridges needing repair or replacement in Oklahoma.
House Bill 2248 would increase road funding in the coming fiscal year. Current law calls for an annual increase of $37.5 million in road funding. House Bill 2248 would hike that amount to $56.7 million, directing an additional $19.2 million to the Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety Fund.
The bill directs that the fund continue receiving an additional $56.7 million each year until the total increase equals $550 million.
House Bill 2249 would direct 16 percent of vehicle licensing fees and penalties to the County Improvements for Roads and Bridges Fund, and increases that amount to 20 percent by 2013.
The CIRB program is currently funded with 15 percent of the motor vehicle taxes and fees. House Bill 2249 would increase the estimated annual funding for the CIRB program from approximately $80 million to more than $105 million.
Currently, 706 of nearly 6,800 bridges on the state highway system are identified as structurally deficient. Of the 706 bridges, 413 are currently scheduled to be replaced in the next seven years, but 293 remain unfunded. Many of those bridges will be replaced if House Bill 2249 becomes law.
The two bills are part of Gov. Mary Fallin’s announced transportation agenda for the 2012 session.
House Bill 2248 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on an 86-2 vote.
House Bill 2249 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on an 89-1 vote.
Both bills now proceed to the state Senate.

House Approves Law Enforcement Pension Reforms.
Lawmakers have voted to put the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System on a path to long-term stability.

House Bill 2952 increases both the state and employee contributions to the OLERS plan by 1 percentage point apiece. The combined impact of those changes will provide an extra $1.42 million to the system annually.
OLERS employee contributions, as well as the employer contributions, have not been increased since the early 1980s.
The legislation also eliminates “half-based pay” for new employees. That practice allows a retiring member to use a higher base salary when calculating the final retirement benefits. Moreover, pay raises authorized for active members automatically produce a COLA of half the amount for retirees. As a result, “half-based pay” produces a special benefit unique and more generous than what occurs in all other systems.
Under House Bill 2952, benefits for all new members of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System will be calculated using the same formula as members of other state pension plans: years of service, actual pay and the pre-determined multiplier.
As recently as 2001, the OLERS system was more than 100-percent funded. However, since that time its financial status has continually deteriorated.
Currently, the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System is 75-percent funded, and its financial standing is expected to continue to decline if no changes are made. Under House Bill 2952, the system will be 96-percent funded within 30 years.
House Bill 2952 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on an 84-3 vote. It now proceeds to the state Senate.

Open Carry Bill Gains House Approval.
Oklahomans may soon have the right to openly carry a firearm under legislation approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
House Bill 2522 would allow any individual who obtains a license to carry a firearm under the Oklahoma Self Defense Act to carry the weapon either openly or concealed.
Under the bill, the lawful open carrying of a handgun pursuant to the Oklahoma Self Defense Act could not be designated by any municipality or other political subdivision as disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace or a similar offense against public order.
House Bill 2522 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on an 85-9 vote and now proceeds to the state Senate.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, 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:
If you don’t like how things are done, change it. You’re not a tree.-Jim Rohn

Smart on Crime, Not Soft on Crime

It’s no secret that keeping bad people off our streets is expensive. For generations there was a fear by legislators that anything other than status quo would be perceived as soft on crime. Finally a plan was devised that would arm law enforcement with real tools that help them do their job and hopefully at the same time reduce costs of incarcerations.

Oklahoma’s statewide public safety plan to step up crime fighting activities by local police and require post-release supervision of all felons has received widespread support from state leaders and top local law enforcement officials.

Police chiefs, sheriffs, correctional officers and other stakeholders from across Oklahoma offered their support for House Bill 3052 at a Capitol event this week.

The state District Attorneys Association on Monday formally endorsed the legislation, writing in a letter to legislators that “HB 3052 offers a net benefit to our state, and this Association supports its passage.”

House Bill 3052 establishes a grant program to fund crime reduction initiatives by local law enforcement agencies, requires strict post-release supervision of all felons, and initiates a series of other strategic reforms designed to control prison growth in order to implement strategies proven to increase public safety.

The legislation is based on the recommendations of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI), which found that Oklahoma has experienced a 30-percent increase in prison spending over the past decade but essentially no decrease in statewide violent crime. During that same time, the number of per capita police officers declined while the number of felons released from prison unsupervised increased.

House Bill 3052’s grant program seeks to reduce violent crime statewide by 10 percent in five years by allowing local law enforcement agencies to apply for funds for crime fighting initiatives in high-crime areas. The recommended grant program would send $40 million to local law enforcement agencies over the next ten years.

House Bill 3052 also requires at least nine months of post-release supervision for any felon who leaves prison. Oklahoma has no such requirement currently and as a result, 51 percent of felons who leave prison do so without any supervision. A majority of felons who offend again do so within their first year of release from prison.

House Bill 3052 would also impose faster, stricter sanctions on felons who commit technical violations of their probation programs. Technical violations are violations of the terms and conditions of probation, such as curfew violations, positive drug tests, failure to attend treatment or other issues. Upon a first-time technical violation, an offender would immediately be sent to an intermediate revocation facility where they would undergo extensive treatment programs for six months in order to address substance abuse and behavioral issues. Offenders who have shown a propensity for violence would go to prison rather than an intermediate revocation facility.

House Bill 3052 also has provisions that would help correctional officers by reducing unruly inmate behavior in prisons. In addition to requiring at least nine months of post-release supervision of all felons, the bill would allow credits earned for good behavior to be applied only after certain offenders serve 85 percent of their sentence. The bill does not change 85 percent crime sentences.

Gov. Mary Fallin requested more funding for mental health beds in her executive budget, which mirrors a recommendation in the JRI report to increase mental health services as a way to support law enforcement. A current shortage of mental health beds is forcing police officers to drive mental health patients to available beds hundreds of miles away.

During this year’s appropriations process, legislative leaders plan to pursue funding for additional mental health beds and startup dollars for the law enforcement grant program, as well as other components of House Bill 3052.

House Bill 3052 gained approval in the House Appropriations and Budget Committee this week and now goes to the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, 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:

No man suffers injustice without learning, vaguely but surely, what justice is. ~Isaac Rosenfeld

Circle of Life

As our kids grew up, we watched a lot of videos or maybe as MY kids grew up we watched videos, maybe as your kids are growing up you watch DVD’s but one of my girls’ favorites was The Lion King. In The Lion King they referred to the circle of life. I’ve had some sobering moments in the past year or two. One was when my dad passed, the other was turning 50 and realizing that we’re all only dealt a few short years to live on this earth and the most recent was just last Thursday when I decided, after several nudges from friends and family that I needed to be at my mother’s bedside in Ft. Worth, Texas when they did a biopsy to see what the tumor in her brain consisted of.

I missed a few votes on the House Floor and I always struggle with not letting things in my personal life get in the way off me getting my job done, but I went, and I was where I needed to be and I’m very glad because for the first time in my life I saw my mom scared. We knew there had been some issues and that she was having trouble processing information and that her speech had changed, her writing had gone down hill and several of those tell-tell signs indicating that something is not right in the computer and after doing a brain scan, the tumor was found. What we were yet to find out was what the tumor consisted of. Was it an abscess, or a benign tumor of some kind or the dreaded “C” word? We found out after the needle biopsy was performed that it was indeed cancer. We don’t know exactly at this point what the prognosis will be but we did find from the initial pathology reports that it was lymphoma which probably means there is cancer in other places. We also are encouraged that this is the most treatable form, from what we are hearing. Mom will be 79 in April and she’s not in too bad of shape otherwise and wants to take treatments. The doctor was pretty realistic with us and we don’t know what the future will hold but we are hopeful that she will respond well and that the tumor can be shrunk and that her brain function can come back to some degree and that we can manage this disease. My mom is a fighter, always has been and I’m just hoping that that fighting spirit is in there somewhere because she’s going to need it. Of course she will need lots of prayer and it’ll take a lot of determination to win this battle.

There’s nothing that realigns your priorities like having a ton of bricks dropped on you from a second story window which is kinda’ what this feels like. My challenge in the next 3-4 months will be to stay focused on what’s really important and to try to be supportive of my family as we deal with what will be a long, bumpy road. I know that we are not the only ones to have to face this there are many, many families that are dealing with or have dealt with a loved one that is being treated for various types of cancer. I always hung my hat on the fact that there was not a lot of cancer in my family, until now. This changes the game and it makes you reevaluate and probably the good news is that it helps you focus on what’s really important. Hopefully, by the time you are reading this we will have a lot more information and a treatment plan in place and a little more clarity on where we are and what we can expect, but I do see more trips to Ft. Worth in my future and it really doesn’t matter what gas prices are or what else is going on in my life that under any other circumstances would seem really important. I’ve gotta’ try to be there as much as I can for the lady who brought me into this world. So I’ll do everything I can do to support and encourage her as she begins this journey and will pray for a good outcome. We’ll keep you posted as things progress and as always, prayers are appreciated.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, 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:
“From the bitterness of disease man learns the sweetness of health.”-Catalan Proverb

Week Three

I’d like to kick off this weeks visit with the particulars on a bill that I am authoring that will hopefully give schools some predictability as far as school land money goes. I have been working with officials from the school land commission and we hope it will at least smooth up a little of the budgeting process.
Two years ago Oklahoma public schools and colleges asked the Commissioners of the Land Office to find a way to help stabilize the amount of money that is sent to our schools from the money it receives on oil and gas exploration and land leases. When the oil and gas industry is booming in Oklahoma, revenue to the Land Commission goes up and in turn more money goes to the schools, when the drilling slows the money slows. Working with the Land Office, I have created legislation that allows the Land Office to create a five year rolling average on the money. This will allow the schools to begin to budget money coming from the Land Office and to have a bit of predictability. The legislation will also allow the Land Commission to be able to spend some of the money coming in to the agency for conservation on the land it controls in our area. The projects will include everything from water wells to red cedar and juniper eradication. We all know how important it is to insure that the land will be there for the schools and how important the funding is currently for the schools. To give you some examples, since July Grandfield as received over 20 thousand dollars, Frederick over 103 thousand dollars and Tipton over 45 thousand dollars and those numbers will all increase before the end of June. Right now we don’t know where the conservation project will begin but I will keep you posted as work on those moves forward.
Other highlights of the session include
House Passes Bill to Protect Living Center Residents’ Right to Choose Pharmacy
Legislation approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives would allow assisted living center residents to continue doing business with local pharmacies without fear of penalty.
House Bill 2566 would ban assisted living centers from penalizing residents for using their choice of providers for medical services and supplies.
The legislation was approved by a vote of 88-6 and now proceeds to the Senate.


Committee Approves Safeguards for Places of Worship
A state House committee has approved legislation giving officials clear legal authority to use deadly force against dangerous individuals at a place of worship.
House Bill 2988 declares that “the citizens of the State of Oklahoma have a right to expect absolute safety within their own homes, places of business, or places of worship” and that officials at any place of worship are allowed to use defensive force in cases where there is “a reasonable fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily harm.”
There have been several cases where acts of violence have occurred or threats have been issued at places of worship in Oklahoma.
In 2009, Pastor Carol Daniels was killed at the Christ Holy Sanctified Church in Anadarko
In Edmond, the Fairview Baptist Church received a bomb threat after its pastor spoke out against a city policy regarding homosexuals.
House Bill 2988 has passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and now goes to the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, feel free to call me at 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:
An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied—Arnold H. Glasgow

It’s Broke, Should we fix it?

One of the jobs ahead of us this session will be trying to decide how to address the ever worsening problem of our crumbling State Capitol. Oklahoma has many icons that color our history. Many of those icons are people, like Will Rogers. They live on in our history books and in tales told to children and adults alike. The list of famous Oklahomans is long and colorful. On the other hand, some of the icons that help tell our story are buildings. These buildings are still in use every day and no less important to our state and our history. One such building is the State Capitol.

Ground was broken for our Capitol on July 20th 1914 on land donated by William F. Harn and John T. Culbertson at what is now the intersection of 23rd and Lincoln. The building was completed on June 30th 1917. Of course it was not really complete and would not be until the year 2002 when the crown jewel was dedicated, which of course, was the dome. House Bill 2827 was passed in 1998 The Oklahoma Centennial Act which formed the Oklahoma Centennial Commemoration Commission. This commission was charged with the dome project. I will never forget my first official function as a newly elected member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives; it was November 16th 2002 on a very cold night. The Dome Dedication was an unbelievable celebration marking the completion of the final chapter in our Capitols construction. I have to tell you it’s hard not to be in awe of this magnificent lady every time I pull into the parking lot. The dome is adorned on the very top with a 22’ foot tall bronze statue created by then Senator Enoch Kelly Haney. The Guardian stands ever vigilant and is breath taking sight to view from I-235 as you head north in the sunrise. It is a grand building and absolutely one of the most important symbols of Oklahoma. It is chocked full of art work and if those walls could talk? She is ours, as Oklahomans and she is having issues. If you visit the Capitol and park south you will see yellow barricades that prevent you from entering through what was once the Grand entry way. The problem I’m told is that some of the concrete is crumbling and is not safe. It is a shame to see her suffer, but what to do?

The issue at hand is this. “Is it important enough to make repairs’? “What will it cost”? And of course the really hard question, “How will we pay for it”? Many folks say we should use bonds. It amounts to making a loan to do the needed repairs. There are some in our legislature who think borrowing is not a good idea. Some think it is no big deal. I have to think it’s a lot like your house. If the roof is bad, at what point do you start to do irreparable harm to the main structure if you don’t do the work? I’m sure not an architect or an engineer. I’m probably not the one to ask that question, but I do know that we better get it on our minds because it seems to not be getting any better. I have tried to listen to some folks who seem to be good business men. One is Rep. Guy Liebmann. Guy is a very savvy gentleman when it comes to money. He was in the Ice business in OKC for many years and almost every ice machine you saw out side stores in the metro area bore his name. Guy says that you must do maintenance when it is needed and right now, money is cheap. Meaning that, interest rates are at all time lows. In his opinion, there is now time like the present to get this repair work started. I tend to think he is right. I don’t know all the numbers, but I do think that we need to start addressing the problem soon. I don’t know if we are past the point of no return. I’m facing the same kind of things at my house. And the ever present question of “If we don’t fix it now, how much will it cost later”? I sure don’t profess to know all the answers, but it is our question, all of ours. After all, it is not just my Capitol; it belongs to all of us. As always, I’m interested in what you think. In the meantime, watch out for falling concrete.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, 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:

Never act until you have clearly answered the question, “What happens if I do nothing”? Robert Brault.

Bolt Your Doors & Lock Your Windows

For the past several years people have asked “are you all in session.” My standard tongue and cheek reply has always been “no, you’re safe.” We can’t hurt you if we’re not running in a pack. Well, all that is fixin’ to change because Monday February 6th will mark the opening gavel of the second session o the 53rd legislature. Of course I joke pretty regularly about the danger of us being in that building in a group and it’s about half true. It seems like a lot of what we do is try to block things that can cause harm or be ever mindful of a great idea that can turn south at a moment’s notice. There’s always someone who has a notion to save the world or to make streets safer or right some wrong and I guess that even with all its faults it’s still probably the best system in the world.

I truly believe that most who take on this job do so with mostly good intentions and really have no intent to harm anyone or cost anybody any excess money. I also know that one of my favorite analogies is of a common household dog, that might be just like the pet you have at your house, under normal circumstances they wouldn’t bite a hot biscuit but if you put that dog in a pack and kick em’ out in the country they’ll take down a cow. While I don’t consider myself an expert on politics, I do understand group dynamics and I know we have to guard against that pack mentality. Quite frankly, I think we are much more dangerous in a group than any of us ever would be individually. Sometimes I wanna’ stand on top of my desk and scream at the top of my lungs “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” There are a whole lot of things in our State that work just fine and if we could figure out exactly what those things are and learn how to leave them alone we’d be miles ahead of the game. It’s kinda’ like Larry the cable guy walking up to a space shuttle and saying to the crew of rocket scientists “hey, I can work on these” and when they look at him astonished, then of course his next line is “I can’t fix em’ but I can work on em’.” It seems that we always have to work on something. Sometimes I wish we could just leave it alone but then again it’s hard for a young politician to go back to his district and when asked “what did you accomplish?” he can’t very well say “I just stood guard.” It’s not the answer his constituents wish to hear. We have to work on something or what good are we? So, I guess it’s just the nature of the beast. We’ve gotta’ work on stuff even if it’s not broken. We’ll try not to tear anything up.

On a much more positive note, we’ve had several applications for the Southwest Oklahoma Honor Flight that we talked about last week in the column. I can’t stress enough how important it is to seek out our Southwest Oklahoma WWII vets and make sure that they get this opportunity to view the memorial in DC. They may be a little ol’ neighbor of yours that may not be able to access a computer or a widower that lives down the road from ya’ that served his country and deserves this honor, you never know. I know that sometimes we tend not to want to bother people but I’m asking you to get outside your comfort zone and if you know of one of these fellas’, let us know. Time is of the essence. We need to move quickly to get these men and women applied. Again, the website is www.oklahomahonorflights.org and the phone number is 405-259-9000. One important point is, and I can’t stress this enough, when you look at the website you are gonna’ see a large waiting list. Remember, Southwest Oklahoma WWII vets will be moved to the front because of the angel donor and if this flight is not filled with Southwest Oklahoma veterans they will go to the back of the waiting list and I hate to waste such a great opportunity. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the special send off ceremonies at the fair grounds in Lawton the evening of May 3rd. Please reach out and help us find these vets so we can say thanks.

If you would like to contact me at the Capitol, 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:
''Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.''
—Will Rogers

WWII Vets Front & Center Please

I really feel a little hesitant to bark orders at our greatest generation but I honestly don’t have time to lolly-gag. We have a fabulous window of opportunity to honor our WWII Veterans and like many windows I don’t want any of you, who are able, to miss it.

There is a program called Honor Flights which provides an all expense paid trip to take WWII veterans to see the memorial that was built in their honor. Just the fact that this program exists is tremendous and there have been numerous veterans that have made the trip to Washington DC whether they could afford it or not and our window of opportunity for our veterans in Southwest Oklahoma was made possible by a gentleman from Jackson County who stepped up and paid for an entire flight. His only stipulation was that he wanted WWII veterans from Southwest Oklahoma to have first shot at this particular opportunity. Prior to this, the flights have always gone out from Oklahoma City or Tulsa. This special flight will leave from Lawton on May 4, 2012. We want to fill that plane. We’ve had several inquiries as we have posted on facebook, made calls, met with civic clubs etc. and the first step is to go to the website which is www.oklahomahonorflights.org or call this phone number, 405-259-9000. Be sure to indicate when you call or access the website that you, or your loved one, are a Southwest Oklahoma veteran and you are applying for the special Lawton flight. It’s important to remember that the veteran will make this flight at no charge and each veteran will be accompanied by a guardian. We also need guardians. The guardians will pay their own way. The fee for being a guardian is $500. The charge for the guardians helps defray the cost to the veterans. There will also be medical personal on the flight. There will be wheelchairs available even for those who can walk so that they can expedite their movement once they get to DC. This trip will not be an overnight trip. This trip leaves around 5 a.m. and the veterans will be back home late the same night. It’s a strenuous day but it allows the cost to be kept low so that more of our heroes can make the trip to see their memorial. We not only need veterans to sign up as well as guardians willing to make the trip but we also need HS bands, student groups, letter writers, and just plain warm bodies to make the send off ceremony one that we can be proud of.

The send off will occur the evening of May 3rd at the Great Plains Coliseum where we will honor this greatest generation of heroes and pay respect as they prepare to make what for many of them will be the trip of a lifetime. We know that many of you will be hesitant to send dad or granddad on this type of journey. We want to assure you that they will be very well attended as well as cared for. I also want to stress again that we have an awesome window of opportunity to honor these veterans from our corner of the state who may not be able to make a trip to Oklahoma City or Tulsa. We feel that all of our WWII vets deserve this honor regardless of their financial where with all. I know we have a large number of heroes out there and we need your help in identifying those folks. There may be some who need help with various parts of the application and so on and I know that all of us, especially in our corner of the state, with its rich military history will want to help make this trip a reality for these people who greatly deserve it. So, once again the website is www.oklahomahonorflights.org and the phone number is 405-259-9000. If you need further information feel free to contact my office and we will help with the flow of information so we can make sure as many of our friends and neighbors can experience this great trip.

When you view the website you will see a waiting list of 450 veterans. It is very important to note that Southwest Oklahoma veterans will have priority on the Lawton flight due to the generosity of our donor. At the time of this writing there were about 50 Southwest Oklahoma vets who have signed up. We have room for approximately 50 more. Let’s fill this flight!

To contact me at the Capitol, you can 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:
We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. ~Cynthia Ozick

You Gotta’ Be In the Room

Many of you who have known me very long and have followed my political career over the last ten years know that I generally tell it like it is at least to the best of my ability. I have made a conscious decision that may make some of you a little nervous. That decision was to become one of the principal authors of HB 3038 that starts the discussion of whether or not to phase out the State income tax. Now let me start this discussion with a statement that I want you to etch in your brain. You cannot raise property taxes in the state of Oklahoma without a vote of the people. You’re not gonna’ vote for that and neither am I. That being said, I feel like this discussion is going to occur whether we like it or not and I also know that if I’m gonna’ have any input on how this bill looks I have got to be in the room when it is discussed. You have my full assurance that if I smell a rat or if I see a booger or anything that would spook any of us I’m gonna’ be very vocal and furthermore, if I don’t like the direction that this discussion goes I will pull my name and vote against a bill that I think could be bad. I know that as this bill progresses there will be numerous changes and adjustments and I’d like to be present as those are made. I feel very strongly about this issue and I’m gonna’ quote some of my old friends, one of them said “a deal is only a good deal if it’s good for both sides.” Another one said “if you’re not in the room you can’t make a difference.” I think that it’s imperative that someone be in the room that’s not afraid to ask the hard questions. Now, my concerns are the same as many of yours. I know that to run this state it takes a certain amount of dollars and I know full well that we have to generate those dollars from somewhere. My favorite analogy is it takes a certain amount of diesel to run this train and the only way to run the train any cheaper is to make the train more efficient whether that’s a tune up or making the load lighter or whatever.

The school of thought behind the elimination or phase out of the state income tax is that more people and businesses will gravitate toward the state that’s more tax friendly and I know what you’re gonna’ say next. Texas doesn’t have an income tax but their ad valorem tax is through the roof and I think the same thing which brings us back to my initial statement. You cannot raise property taxes in the state of Oklahoma without a vote of the people. I know that you and I feel the same way about those property taxes. We have enough heartburn as it is with a county assessor’s ability to raise them up to 5% a year. That’s the reason that the 5% cap was put in place several years ago to keep rogue assessors from going crazy and jacking your taxes up. Many times that law was misconstrued as a requirement to increase property taxes but it’s intent was always to be a cap. My thoughts on the elimination of the income tax are that we will have to replace that revenue and my fear is that for that growth to occur that some economists believe will happen there will be some dips or bumps in the road along the way. Because if a major employer decided Monday morning that they were gonna’ move to Oklahoma and employ 500 people, a lot of time could pass between the time that decision was made and that major company actually came online and started producing whatever it is they produce and hired those employees. If you think that me adding my name as an author means that I’m totally sold on the concept or that I have in some way “drank the kool-aid” please don’t jump to any conclusions. I fully believe that this issue needs discussed and thoroughly vetted and again it will occur whether you are for or against and my goal is to be in the room to hopefully apply some common sense to a very controversial issue and in the end if I don’t like what’s coming or if enough of you don’t like what’s coming I will be totally out of it at that point.

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 a little something to think about as you go down the road:
A person doesn't know how much he has to be thankful for until he has to pay taxes on it. ~Author Unknown

The Chicken or the Egg?

As I was organizing my thoughts for this week’s article I was made aware of a situation on the Eastern end of my district that has caused a great deal of consternation for both sides who are involved in the issue. First, let me diagram the situation for you. On one side we have a three generation family farm who has been farming land Southeast of Lawton for many years. One farm that’s currently in wheat is right across the road from a neighborhood. The issue is that on this particular wheat farm the geese have moved in, as they do this time of year, and have begun the process of stripping the lush, green wheat pasture down to where it resembles a parking lot. Now, any of you who grow wheat in Southwest Oklahoma understand the goose problem all too well. It seems like a goose can eat more wheat than a 500 pound steer ever thought about. As a matter of fact, just by virtue of the way their beaks are set up they actually destroy the plant, unlike cattle that just bite off the green tops leaving the root system in tact so the plant can later produce a grain crop as well as providing forage through the winter. The bottom line is, as pretty as they are, geese cause a tremendous amount of economic damage to the area wheat crop. So far you’re probably reading this thinking what’s the big deal? Well, the big deal is the method this three generation farm family has found to save thousands of dollars worth of wheat and no, it’s not a scarecrow. It’s a goose cannon and I’ll bet some of you are already caught up and you know where we’re going next. The three generation farm family sets the propane cannon to go off every twenty minutes and viola, no more geese, cheap enough. A little ol’ five gallon tank of propane every week or so and problem solved, right? No, wrong. Everything’s good until the neighbors start complaining, and complain they do. So in a nut shell there’s the issue. Who was there first and does the landowner have the right to protect their crop from the destructive geese? I think we can all agree that if they were way out in the country it probably wouldn’t be an issue but where neighbors come into play it gets ugly fast. The classic battle lines are drawn and off we go. Someone in the neighborhood calls the police department and threatens to press charges if the cannon doesn’t stop.

Was the farm there before the neighborhood, probably? Who’s right, well I don’t know. It’s a pretty hard call but it’s not a new dilemma. Many times as municipal areas encroach on the farming areas somebody will sell a quarter or an eighty to a developer who will lay out streets and water lines and start building houses. Next thing ya’ know, people start moving to those developments to get away from traffic or crowded neighborhoods or a host of other things that people want to escape and move out to the peaceful country side where they can see something besides their neighbors fence. Never giving a thought to the fact that the reason they can see is because their next door neighbor is a farm. Many times that farmer may run a tractor well into the night and not only is there noise from that tractor as he makes his way around that field but there’s also dust and down here in this dry corner of the State there can be a lot of it. That’s usually the first complaint we get from new developments out in the country is, “what Mr. Farmer are you gonna’ do about the dust?” There in lies the rub. Who was there first? The farmer or the neighborhood and who’s right? I’m not sure if I’m smart enough to tell ya’ but I know it’s a problem. Dust and noise and some of those things that we know are just part of the process don’t bother me in the least. In fact, my wife Dede dreads weaning time because when we pin calves to wean them off their mothers I guarantee you calves will bawl for at least three nights. In fact she calls it “the bawling of the calves.” I can tell ya’ within a two or three mile radius of our place when somebody has weaned a set of calves. It kinda’ reminds me of the old saying about feed lots if you’ve ever been to the panhandle of Texas or Oklahoma the standard line if a city slicker asks “what’s that smell?” Some old timer will invariably say “it smells like money.” So I don’t know who wins this game of blink but I know it can manifest itself in many different forms and I know it’s a fight we’ll referee for many years to come.

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:
Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place. ~Frederic Bastiat

In the Cold Gray Light of Dawn

Now some people are gonna’ ask “where in the world is he going this week?” However, if you follow any bluegrass music you’ll know that’s a line from one if not several bluegrass songs. It fits kinda’ where we’re at in the old seasonal flow charts. We’ve really been extremely lucky the past few weeks to have some unseasonably warm weather instead of those old cold bitter gray days that we all know are coming. As in any weather discussion in this great state the wind is always part of the equation and of course on those dreary bitter cold days the wind can have a real bite. As an old cowboy friend of mine used to say on those cold days when they had to doctor wheat pasture cattle he’d say “it’d sure be a son of a gun a’ horseback today.” As you might imagine, and some of ya’ actually know some of my cowboy friends, I did clean that up to get it a little more G-rated. Unless things change drastically this winter has treated us pretty well up to this point, no major ice storms, yet, no snow, just a generally mild first little bit of winter. I t kinda’ makes me want to skip the whole works and go right into spring but just as I talked about back in August we knew it wouldn’t be hot forever and we know we got some old blue northers coming. It’s just kinda’ always that way and for the last nine years, in my life at least, that cold gray light of dawn has been the bell weather that leads us to the Capitol.

It seems that its always bitter cold when session kicks off, and each session develops its own personality kind of along in that February stretch, but as we get through that first thirty days or so there’s a faint light way down at the end of that tunnel that indicates spring is coming. Stock show season gets in high gear, political rhetoric heats up (I’m not sure that’s not the REAL cause of global warming) and you kinda’ know spring is on the way. As I’ve said many times there is a definite rhythm to the Earth, to the seasons, and to just about everything including legislative session. I’d like to think its getting a little easier to fan that bronc because we’ve been ridin’ em’ going on ten years but as with any living, breathing creature with a mind of its own it’ll have a jump or a pitch or a twist that you haven’t seen yet. There are parts of it that are as predictable as the sun coming up in the East and then there’s those unexpected ducks and dives that make you think “how in the world am I gonna’ stay on this sun fishin’ son of a gun?” We know what some of the tricks this year’s session is gonna’ try but we don’t know everything and that’s kind of what keeps it interesting. My prayer is that as I have gotten older and more experienced the bumps and bruises won’t be quite as bad and the Flim Flam Man won’t have quite as easy a time tricking me.

There’s a whole bunch of those young bucks standing by the chutes ready to saddle up in their brand new suits and spit shined shoes and they all think they can ride a tornado and for some of them that’s what its gonna’ seem like. But they’ll learn just like the rest of us learned, some faster than others, and they’ll gain that valuable experience. Some of them will score and some of them won’t and spring will come just like it always does and hopefully in the next four months or so, we can do some good things for the State, we’ll have a wetter spring and the world will keep turning. For now we’re staring out at the cold gray light of dawn and looking forward to spring and of course, session.

Now, for you older folks like me you’ll understand most of this imagery and for you youngsters out there there’s always Google when you read this and wonder “what the heck is that old timer ramblin’ about?” Hope everyone had a wonderful start to this New Year, hope the wood rack is full and the old diesel is plugged in. We’ll see ya’ next week.

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 a little something to think about as you go down the road:
Nothing beats experience for sweatin’ fat off the brain.~Author Unknown

REAP

We had a little get together out at the Meers fire department last week to take a look at the brand new brush truck that the they just received, made possible in part by one of those programs that I feel may be one of the single most important funds in the state. You’ve heard me speak of it before and if you live in one of the small communities in my district or any other small town in Oklahoma, your community has probably benefitted at some point from REAP funding. REAP stands for Rural Economic Action Plan and many of my urban counterparts sometimes express their displeasure at state money going to help a small community with a water tower or an upgraded sewer line or any of a host of other worthy projects funded by REAP dollars.

REAP dollars come to small communities in the form of these small grants and one of the things I hear urban legislators whine about is they have the misguided perception that somehow tax dollars generated in large metro areas are, in some twisted way, subsidizing life in rural Oklahoma. I actually heard one metro Representative say “why should we do that, why should our money go to subsidize a way of life that does not benefit us?” Now, after I took a chill pill and decided not to pick up a chair and pull a championship wrestling move on him, I regained my composure and explained to the smog breathing pavement pounder that many of our people in small communities in the state of Oklahoma spend un-told dollars in urban areas. I’m not sure, unless we had everyone turn in their zip code every time they spent a dollar, that you could ever really track how much money goes through the registers in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton, Norman or you name it. Granted there are a lot more people in a concentrated area in those large urban settings but there’s an uncounted very large group of consumers across the state that travel to those metro areas to shop, eat out, buy large appliances, cars, pickups, fuel, and the list goes on. Many times in very small communities there may be only a small healthcare facility and more times than not there may be nothing of the kind so you can add Dr. visits to that list, all of which add to the sales tax in those large metro areas.

Probably the best two examples that come to my mind are major state livestock shows and state basketball playoffs. Having spent thirteen years as an Ag teacher I can tell you first hand that when we load the trailers with animals and tack we also loaded kids and more often than not, mom and dad and sometimes two sets of grandparents joined the caravan to go to Oklahoma City or Tulsa for state wide livestock shows and fairs. Generally they spend several nights in motel rooms, eat at least three meals a day in restaurants and you know without me telling you what happens when ladies get near a mall or sometimes just a Target. Checkbooks fly open; credit cards are dug out of purses and somebody’s fixin’ to shop because they just don’t have a lot of that available in the small communities that they live in. Those items are willingly purchased and they pay the sales tax and their little home communities get zero benefit. REAP funds are one of the only mechanisms for any of the sales tax generated to ever make it back to those communities. So, in reality, the urban argument that they are subsidizing life in rural Oklahoma is actually pretty weak. The other thing that kind of sticks in my crawl when the argument surfaces and it almost always does is that somehow we don’t need rural Oklahoma. Nothing could be further from the truth. You can’t grow a whole lot of wheat in a back yard and you can’t run very many cattle in a city park but you sure can in these wide open spaces surrounding these small Oklahoma communities that receive the crumbs in the form of REAP money. We live where we live because somebody has to feed ya’ and we’re glad you like bread and beef and cotton for your clothes and those fancy tasseled loafers are usually made of leather. So, will I fight to keep REAP funding in tact? You bet your Lexus I will because I know where you got the money to put in that grant. You got it from me and my neighbors when we came to town.

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 a little something to think about as you go down the road:
We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men. ~Herman Melville