Sometimes it seems like many state legislators are in a bubble that the realities of life in Oklahoma cannot penetrate. This has been a hard year, but one positive takeaway is that I am seeing more of those bubbles burst. Thanks to your advocacy efforts, more legislators are hearing your stories. BUT so far that hasn’t turned into the budget policy actions and political courage that we so desperately need.
Leave them NO EXCUSES!
Please don’t give them a chance to forget who elected them and what is happening all around us! Like I always say, visits are best so keep going up there, but calls, hand-written letters, tweets, and emails should all be flowing their way too. Find your own two legislators here and when you reach out, ask them for a response so you can be sure they have heard your position on the impact of continued cuts.
I want to remind you that David Blatt and the OK Policy team are updating this Special Session FAQ with the latest information about what is going on. OK Policy also published a new article yesterday explaining what the Legislature is trying to do now that efforts to pass a bipartisan deal have fallen apart. There are also important stories and links in In The Know every morning. You can read these, share them around, and help Oklahomans know the truth!
I know you may be tired of this. I am too. But our elders and loved ones with disabilities need the SoonerCare supports that help them stay in their homes instead of going to a nursing facility. Our state workers need a raise for the first time in 11 years. Our teachers and young families need investments in education so they don’t have to leave the state. The key to all of this is persuading our legislators to empathize, be brave, and do right. Here is a short and useful video about how to build that empathy. We can do this! I believe in us!
