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