Let's Pod This

We accidentally took last week off and getting back into the swing of things amidst a pandemic means we wax poetic about where we're been and where we're headed next. Everything is terrible; please keep going.

Oklahoma schools started their year without the ability to mandate masks, and as Covid predictably spreads through staff and students, some districts are finding ways around the law so that they can mitigate the pandemic's spread. Also, Sara Jane Rose and Alyssa Fisher from Sally's List join the pod to discuss how they're preparing progressive female candidates for the 2022 election cycle.

Despite mounting pressure from voters, especially parents, Governor Stitt continues to refuse to issue a "state of emergency" declaration, a decision that has negative consequences for Oklahoma's ability to respond to the pandemic far beyond mask mandates in school. We're joined by state Senator Julia Kirt (D-SD30) to discuss that and more.Newly appointed attorney General John O’Connor has filed a formal petition with SCOTUS asking them to overturn their McGirt ruling. Good luck with that, General. Cherokee Nation chief Chuck Hoskin Jr issued a statement, saying “With today’s ruling in Bosse v Oklahoma, they have made it clear that this was never about protecting victims or stopping crime, but simply advancing an anti-indian political agenda.”OKGOP chairman John Bennett issues a truly terrible statement equating vaccination records with the Star of David patches the Nazis forced the Jews to wear during the Holocaust...and then he doubled down on it the next day, AND THEN HE tripled-down. At the same time, the head of OK2A, the second amendment association, issued a statement equating vaccine mandates to rape. Covid updateSooner Survey Interview with Julia Kirt Democrat’s letter to Governor Stitt requesting special session to allow mask mandatesBelated session recapInterim studies - plenty to talk about there in terms of value, process and all the potential we leave on the table for robust public participation.“The Fault Lines of America” report

As we prepare to enter the third school year affected by Covid, we're joined by OEA's Amanda Ewing to discuss what's on the mind of teachers and how the government could (or should) respond.

This week: A bogus witch hunt in public education. The Governor ended his McGirt panel due to protesters. Power struggle in Western Heights school district. A former Cherokee chief will be featured on the quarter.Episode outline:The State Board of Education adopted rules following passage of HB1775. Western Heights school district fired superintendent, appointed a new one, then SBE said no and appointed their own, THEN this week Western Heights said no to the state and again appointed their own.We mentioned in our last episode that Governor Stitt was going to hold a “community impact panel” this week about the McGirt ruling. Well, he did...but it did not go well for him.On a related note, the FBI anticipates 7500 new cases in federal court next year as a result of the McGirt ruling The board of Epic Charter Schools shared information about why they distanced themselves from the founders, and it’s kind of fascinating. Let’s end on a good note: the US Mint announced the designs for the new quarters featuring Cherokee Nation Chief Wilma Mankiller that will be released next year.

Update on the prison closure, Congressional redistricting, and the one year anniversary of the McGirt ruling. Full description with links: Last week we discussed the closure of the prison in Ft. Supply, and this week Senator Casey Murdock has asked Governor Stitt to delay closing the prison. Senator Murdock has raised concerns that closing the prison would cost the state money...which seems to be at odds with what DOC has indicated, since keeping open a half-empty prison is not exactly without cost.On Thursday this week the legislature held their first town hall meeting about congressional redistricting, it went about like you’d expect. Twenty-ish people, roughly 10 or 12 of whom gave public comment or asked questions. Video is available on the Senate website so you could go watch it, but also People Not Politicians was there and live-tweeted it, you can go back and read Today is the one-year anniversary of the famous McGirt ruling, so naturally, yesterday a court overturned a murder conviction due to the ruling. Despite the fear-mongering headlines, the guy isn’t getting out of prison, as he was also convicted of arson, desecrating a corpse and possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony, all of which are not affected by the McGirt ruling. ALSO the murder will be re-tried in federal court and a grand jury was already empaneled for that reason back in March. Also, next week the Governor is holding a “community impact forum” in Tulsa about the McGirt ruling and its implications. His guests will be the Tulsa County sheriff, several district attorneys (districts attorney?), and...none of the tribes. Tribal leaders say they weren’t invited; Tulsa County DA says they were. Three tribal AGs acknowledged they got an email about it that said “you and your chiefs” are invited and that a “formal invitation will follow,” but that was never received. The tribes, of course, feel this forum is political theater.

The Oklahoma Dept of Corrections is closing a prison in Ft. Supply and, well, it's a complicated matter. We break down how it may affect the town and the state. Plus, Effie Rorke joins Scott and Andy to discuss her experience of variations in voting from state to state. A few notes:Prison being closed in NW Oklahoma has several implications...but it’s a mixed bag.Fewer incarcerated people saves the state money and, presumably, more people in the workforce. (~5000 fewer than 2 years ago) Except…The closure means fewer job opportunities for prison employees, and they generally live  in an area of the state that has limited opportunities as it is. (142 jobs; population of the town where it’s located is only 350)DOC board is now advisory in nature, but DOC still falls under the Executive branch, and we all know how much Governor Stitt wants to run this state like a business. Well, DOC is a loss leader for the state to an exceptional degree, so if nothing else, closure of this facility makes good business sense. However, the legislative branch isn’t thrilled with it, especially those from that part of the state, like Senator Casey Murdock from Felt. So, this  week  lawmakers had a meeting about it. Discussion between Sen. Casey Murdock (R-Felt) and DOC Director Scott Crow:Murdock asked, “The day that you made this decision, when you went home that night. How much sleep did you lose?”“Sir, I lose sleep on nearly a daily basis because of the problems in the correctional system around the state of Oklahoma,” he said. “It’s not limited to one facility or community.”Also has negative impact on local hospital, which isn’t great Also discussed the historical value of the prison, which seems...weird, right?

Covid is up, tuition is up, TSET effectiveness is in question, Canoo incentives are secret, and we still don't have an Attorney General. Let's talk about it. COVID cases are increasing in Oklahoma and around the country. OK has roughly doubled the number of new diagnoses since the beginning of June. Likely due to Delta variant (as there is an outbreak in Missouri), but we can’t know for sure because Oklahoma is dead last for genomic sequencing, with just 0.19% of total cases sequenced. So, they’re working on that. Good news is, vaccinated folks are not contracting the virus. OK only at 37% vaccinated, though, so there’s a lot of people out there who are “eligible to get the virus”OU increases tuition (NonDoc) (avg of $248 per year for in-state, $671 per year out-of-state)Timing is just coincidental, but also not great given last week’s news about NonDoc suing OU to release two reports from Jones Day law firm, one of which has to do with misreporting or fabricating of fundraising data...which impacts the university budget, even if just a little.LOFT report questions the effectiveness of TSET and says some of its impact cannot be measured.OK is Top 10 for tobacco cessation spending...but despite that, we’re also still Top 10 for number of adults and youth who use tobaccoBut is part of the blame on lawmakers? They could increase the tax on tobacco products and e-cigarettes—in fact, TSET asked them to do it—but they haven’t.But remember, last year the legislature sent a state question to the ballot (SQ814) asking voters to give them [the legislature] more access to TSET funds. Voters rejected the measure...and now the legislature is coming after TSET again. If nothing else, this seems suspicious.Oklahoma chosen as site for new Canoo electric vehicle production facilityIncentives still secret, at least for now. Apparently agreements haven’t yet been signed, which means there’s still time for talks to break down?Tulsa World reports that former US Senator Don Nickles tipped off Oklahoma to the possibility of the deal Governor still mulling candidates for Attorney General. Names supposedly on the short list:Ryan Leonard, currently Stitt’s special counsel for Native American affairs, Tim Downing, Stitt’s counsel for Sec of State until Trump bumped him up to US Attorney, but he resigned once Biden took office (weird)Tricia Everest, formerly Stitt’s Sec of Public Safety, then chair of OK County jail trustGreg Mashburn & AJ Ferate, both attorneys with strong ties to OK GOP and big oiland of course there’s Gentner Drummond (ran in 2018, narrowly lost in primary to Hunter who was the incumbent)Legislature’s Congressional redistricting  town halls start July 8th. 6 p.m. July 8 in Oklahoma City at the state Capitol, Room 5356 p.m. July 13 Virtual6 p.m. July 20 in Enid at the Autry Technology Center6 p.m. July 22 in Tulsa at the Tulsa Technology Center6 p.m. July 27 in McAlester at the Kiamichi Technology Center6 p.m. July 29 at Lawton City Hall6 p.m. August 3 Virtual

Relatively slow week in Oklahoma political news, which leaves Scott and Andy to ponder the questions "What would ALEC do?" and "Do Oklahoma Republicans have any notable policy agenda items remaining?"

It seemed like a quiet week for Oklahoma government, and yet, lawsuits were filed, transparency was reduced, and two pieces of legislation still hang in the balance.

Budget analysts Paul Shinn & Emma Morris from OK Policy join the show to help us understand what actually went down with the state budget this session. Also, a bit of good news! More than 50,000 Oklahomans have enrolled in Medicaid since the expansion opened up on June 1st.

We're taking a break for this week, but here are some important headlines we don't want you to miss and we'll be back next week to discuss them in more detail!

It's the second-to-last week fo session AND our first in-person recording in over a year. Needless to say, we're excited about those things. About those things, at least, but we are much less excited about the tax cuts, special interest credits, and other bad bills that were passed into law this week.

The Oklahoma Association of Realtors share some insight into the real estate market and why building costs have skyrocketed so much, and also, it appears the legislature has agreed on a budget! Well, at least some members have agreed.

How will the legacy of Covid-19 impact the 2022 election cycle in Oklahoma? We discuss that plus the legislature's involvement in emergency relief funds and a record number of unconstitutional bills .Articles mentioned:Oklahoma's Legislature has a history of passing unconstitutional lawsNew law gives Oklahoma's Legislature a role in federal stimulus spending

Joshua Harris-Till joins the show to discuss his veto referendum on HB1674, an anti-protest bill that was recently signed into law. We also discuss HB1775, which would outlaw the teaching of critical race theory. Here is the Facebook page for the veto referendum: https://www.facebook.com/NoOn816 And you can sign up to help here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZrg110hBBc9-Rwz8QrOJRozzj68K1vCN69Sp1ZWLP00K1rw/viewform

As budget negotiations begin, Bailey & Andy play "Good News, Bad News" with what happened this week. Here's the list if you're impatient: Good newsIda’s Law (SB172) signed into lawSB44 signed into law - stops punishing people for missing court dates due to being incarceratedNeedle exchange bill signed into lawGuilty verdict in Derek Chauvin caseBad news Governor signed HB1674 (but there may be a veto referendum!)SB1643 - Anti doxxing bill that is way too vagueLegislature released their redistricting maps (but not the data)Senator Dahm sends out the Worst Press Release Ever (and then makes it worse in an interview about it)

Contentious, anti-protest and anti-trans bills dominated the headlines this week; we discuss the social & economic implications they could have for the future of Oklahoma.Links mentioned: Senator Jake Merrick, SD22, was sworn in on WednesdayHB1674 heads to the Governor's officeSB2 - dealing with womens' sportsClass-action lawsuit filed over state's medical marijuana tracking programState finance entities that don't have websitesJohn Bennett elected GOP chair

Deadline week means some dead bills found new life, nearly all of which would make life harder for many Oklahomans. Throw in a handful of insensitive comments and a House vs. Senate tax cut kerfuffle, and it's almost like a typical legislative session. Links are below!Has Oklahoma reached a plateau in COVID vaccination?Edmond elects first black mayorPaula Lewis re-elected; female candidates sweep OKCPS boardTrans women sports ban bill McEntire bill to do in-state managed careNo corporate income tax cut

Between the State Board of Education's contentious (and possibly unconstitutional) settlement with charter schools and a hostage situation at the OK County Jail that resulted in yet another death, this week felt like Oklahoma is reaching a breaking point. Something's gotta give. We're joined by OEA president Alicia Priest and OK County Commissioner Carrie Blumert to discuss these situations and how you can be involved in helping the state navigate through. Oklahoma County YouTube channelOklahoma State Board of Education

It's #MeatAllWeek in Oklahoma and so we're talking about education instead. Rep. Cyndi Munsons joins the show to discuss #EverythingEd—from the OSDE's settlement with the charter schools to the Governor's staff attacked Tulsa Public Schools to attempts to break the "Oklahoma's Promise" program.If you'd like to reach out to members of the OK House Higher Ed & Career Tech Committee, here you go: https://www.okhouse.gov/Committees/CommitteeMembers.aspx?CommID=431&SubCommID=0

We're joined by policy analyst Paul Shinn from the Oklahoma Policy Institute to discuss expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and the legislature's proposal to give a tax cut to...Californians?

It's been a hell of a week in Oklahoma politics. Andy, Scott, & Bailey discuss two very public reminders that racism still runs rampant in our state. Also, another legislative deadline has passed, and with it so did a surprising number of downright terrible bills, which now move to the opposite chamber for consideration. Vaccines are up, Covid cases are down, so Governor Stitt thinks it's a good time to go ahead and lift the few meager restrictions he put in place. Articles referenced or discussed:Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to lift coronavirus restrictions, despite CDC warningsAnnouncer who used racial slur against Norman basketball team 'cannot explain' comments, blames medical condition for outburstOklahoma House passes $500 million income tax reduction

Andy, Bailey, & Scott discuss OESC's $4.4 billion of unemployment payments, Governor Stitt's op-ed to conservatives (in which he said he trusts Oklahomans but not the government), Broken Arrow's very belated (and mostly useless) mask statement, and the American Rescue Plan.

The first deadline week of the 2021 legislative session did not disappoint! Andy & Bailey discuss bills that would do things like: allow the Governor to appoint US Senators, eliminate the state's corporate income tax, and authorize the state legislature to deem a Presidential executive order as unconstitutional. (For the record, that's not things work in America.)

Andy, Scott, and Bailey defrost from this week's deep freeze And catch up on what the legislature managed to get done despite the weather. Also, a reminder: if you are an elected official and your state is experiencing a crisis, don't go to on vacation.

In addition to the usual weekly round-up, Andy, Scott, & Bailey are joined by Elly Page, Senior Legal Advisor with the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) in Washington, DC, and founder of ICNL’s US Protest Law Tracker, to discuss the more than 10 bills proposed by Oklahoma lawmakers this session that aim to intimidate, criminalize, and/or punish Oklahomans who exercise their First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. Corresponding blog post: Two is Company; Three’s a Riot: Oklahoma Lawmakers Unleash a Barrage of Anti-Free Speech Bills in the 2021 Session.Our 2021 legislation tracker

Andy, Scott, & Bailey discuss Governor Stitt's "State of the State" address that was delivered this week and try to answer questions like Was it really a state of the state...or was it a pre-campaign stump speech? What did he mean by "The People's Agenda" (and who are these "people?") What constitutes being a "Top Ten State?" Full text of the speech (Governor's Office) Full text w/ annotations and fact checking (Oklahoma Watch)

We're joined by state Senator Julia Kirt to hear her [very well-rounded] take on what to expect this session from the legislature, the Governor, the budget, and everything else. We guarantee you'll learn something in this one!

More than 3,000 bills have been filed for the upcoming legislative session - a new record for Oklahoma. We discuss the good, the bad, and the unconstitutional and what impact these bills may have on how things go at the Capitol this spring.Links mentioned:Our blog post: "How to Track Legislation"OK Legislature websiteLegiScan website

Governor Stitt wants all students back to in-person schooling...but on what authority (and science) is he basing that decision? Will the Senate actually hold a trial of President Trump? What should we expect from the upcoming legislative session? All that and more!

We discuss the siege on the US Capitol and the potential implications and paths forward for America.

Vaccinations for COVID-19 have begun in Oklahoma (including one of our hosts!), a cabinet secretary gets indicted for bribery, two GOP candidates get each other kicked off the ballot, and we manage to find a few diamonds in this otherwise giant turd of a year.

Session doesn't start until February but some members of the legislature are already plotting a course toward restricting voters' ability pass laws directly. Also, is "qualified" simply in the eyes of the beholder? Let's discuss.

This episode is...hard. Bailey lost her grandfather to Covid and Andy's mom is in the ICU on a ventilator. We stew on that and the glaring absence of political will by many elected officials to take the steps necessary to slow the spread and prevent *even more* Oklahomans from dying.

The newly-elected Oklahoma legislature has been busy - filing bills, scheduling meetings, and sending letters to other states telling them how to handle their elections. And, of course, there's the continued rampant community spread of Covid-19, which has finally made it's way into our homes.Links mentioned in this episode:Map of the legislature's redistricting town hall meetingsOklahoma using $15 million in CARES Act funds to update state websitesOklahoma County CARES Act grants (non-OKC)

We're joined by Rep. Cyndi Munson to discuss OG&E's response to the recent ice storm and how Oklahomans can be more effective advocates for change regarding utilities oversight. We also give an update on Oklahoma County shenanigans (including Hooten's horn) and Scott leaves us with a very strange "Moment of Zen."(Spoiler: the Oklahoma Corporation Commission oversees utilities.)To file a complaint with them, go here.To find their next meeting, go here.Please wear a mask whenever you are outside your home and do not go to work OR ANYWHERE ELSE if you have symptoms of Covid. Get a test and wait for the results.

In this special episode, we're sharing the "civic sermon" from our first virtual Civic Saturday event, which was held on October 17th, just a few weeks before Election Day. A video of the event and the full text of the sermon and "civic scriptures" can be found in this blog post. We'll be back next week with a full recap of the election.

No full episode this week since everyone is dealing with fallout from the ice storm. BUT! two reminders: (1) Don't forget to vote and (2) we're doing a liveblog on election night beginning at 6pm. Join us at letsfixthisok.org/blog.

The past year has brought numerous challenges for government at all levels, and that includes the county level. Oklahoma County, in particular, has repeatedly made headlines for decisions regarding the county jail, what they're doing (or not doing) with federal CARES funds, and their relationship with the Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. It's a complicated mess, and so we're joined by County Commissioner Carrie Blumert to walk through who all the players are and a timeline of events.Board of County Commissioners MembersCommissioner Carrie BlumertCommissioner Brian MaughnCommissioner Kevin CalveyJail Trust MembersTricia Everest (chair)Sue Ann Arnall, attorney & philanthropistFrancie Ekwerekwu, assistant public defender & law professorBen Brown, former state senatorCommissioner Kevin CalveySheriff P.D. TaylorTodd Lamb, former Lt. GovernorJim Couch, former OKC City Manager M.T. Berry, former OKC Police ChiefBudget Board MembersCommissioner Kevin Calvey (chair)Commissioner Carrie BlumertCommissioner Brian MaughnCounty Treasure Butch FreemanCounty Clerk David HootenCounty Court Clerk Rick WarrenCounty Assessor Larry SteinSheriff PD TaylorISSUES AT HANDICE holds - the jail notifies ICE before inmates are released and will continue to hold individuals for up to 48 hours  if ICE wants to take them into custody. The Jail also provides office space for ICE agents inside the jail. (Or they used to; we’ll talk about that)CARES funds - federal funding designed for various covid-19 relief programs TIMELINE OF EVENTS 5/2019 Jail Trust created to oversee the management and financial activity of the jail. Prior to the Trust, the County Sheriff was responsible for managing the county jail. 8/31/19 Sheriff submitted his resignation from Jail Trust & CJAC (Criminal Justice Advisory Council). However, the Sheriff can’t actually resign from the Trust, so the effect of this was more along the lines of “I disagree with this whole deal so I’m not going to attend meetings any longer, and in my place our general counsel will be attending as my proxy.”11/??/19 Trust hired jail administrator hired1/29/20 BOCC votes to contract with Jail Trust for management of the jail 7/1/20 Date that the Trust officially assumed mgmt of jail8/13/20 Budget Board voted 5-3 to move $36M of CARES dollars to the Jail Trust. County Treasure Butch Freeman questioned if this was a legal use of CARES funds. 8/19/20 BOCC voted to move $34M in CARES dollars to Jail Trust. The issues  was listed as item #22 on the agenda but it was moved up and the vote was called for before Commissioner Blumert was even seated.8/31/20 Jail Trust voted to accept $37M in federal CARES dollars - $3M for airflow at the jail and another $34M for yet-undetermined expenditures. Members of the public were there, gave comment, and were not happy with the vote.9/21/20 Jail Trust voted 4-2 to not honor ICE detainers, however, the Jail Trust’s  bylaws require 5 affirmative votes, so the vote was not actually valid and thus the decision was vacated. There was consternation about how this all went down. There were a number of very vocal protestors at the meeting, so tensions were running high. Trust chairwoman Tricia Everest was participating virtually and just before the vote was called, she disconnected from the meeting. It is unclear why. In her absence, Co-Chair Jim Couch called for the vote. Calvey & Lamb voted ‘no,’ Couch, Berry, Brown, & Ekwerekwu voted ‘yes,’ Everest was now absent, and because of that, Danny Honeycut, counsel for the Sheriff’s office who was sitting in for Sheriff Taylor, abstained from voting because he wasn’t sure it was a valid vote. So that made the vote 4-2-1. The counsel for the Trust, John Williams, was present in the meeting but did not say anything about it not being a valid vote until hours later Also at this meeting (Sept 21), the Trust passed a resolution to accept $34 million of federal CARES money from the BOCC, however, the Trust did not have a plan for how it was going to spend it. They had a long list of needs at the jail, but weren’t sure which ones to do. So, the Trust authorized the CEO to hire a Program Assistant to help winnow the list, which they would present at the next meeting. 9/30/20 In an emergency meeting, the Trust authorizes $3 million in CARES money to be used for a no-bid repair contract with an out-of-state contractor. They also canceled the Trust meeting scheduled for Oct 5th and carried those agenda items over to Oct 19th.  This was interesting because the Oct 5th meeting was supposed to be when the Trust would re-vote on the involvement of ICE at the jail. 10/5/20 BOCC approved full cooperation with ICE in a 2-1 vote. Before the vote, Commissioner Blumert raised the question why this matter had not gone through the board’s Policy & Governance Committee. Calvey claimed it didn’t need to. (Then what’s the committee for?) Com

Monday was a barn-burner of a news cycle when it comes to Oklahoma politics, with important developments about everything from pandemics to Medicaid managed care, from new cabinet & agency heads to Epic Charter School investigative audits, and a ribbon of Governor vs Legislature running through most issues. Links are below:Rep. Ryan Martinez (R-Edmond) announced plans to file legislation aimed at blocking Governor Stitt’s plan to move the public health lab to StillwaterNumerous legislators have voiced opposition to the Governor’s plan to privatize Medicaid (notably Rep. McEntire, Sen. McCourtney, and Sen. Standridge)Governor Stitt appointed former Senate Pro Temp Brian Bingman as new Secretary of State & Governor’s Finance Secretary Mike Mazzei resignedGovernor formally appointed three state agency directors - Rachel Holt (OJA), Lt Col Lance Frye (OSDH), Carrie Sutton-Hodges (ODMHSAS)AG Mike Hunter assigned special counsel to investigate Epic Charter SchoolsState Board of Education giving Epic 60 days to pay back $11 million Statewide Virtual Charter School Board moves to begin process of ending contract with Epic

Criminal justice reform has been widely supported by most Oklahomans, but there seems to be a lot of division and uncertainty surrounding the latest CJR measure on the ballot. In this episode we speak with supporters Kris Steele and Jacqueline Blocker from Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform as well as opponent Pat McFerron to hear their perspectives on the issue.Read more:Supporters: YesOn805.orgOpponents: No805.orgAlso, near the end of the episode Bailey mentions a link to a resource about the judges up for retention on the ballot. Here's that resource: https://courtfacts.org/retentionballot/

Of the two state questions on the ballot this year, SQ814 has received less attention from the media. In this episode we’ll chat with supporters & opponents of the measure to help you be a more informed voter.

On the ballot this year are several changes to Oklahoma City's governing document - the city charter. We're joined by City Councilors JoBeth Hamon and James Cooper, municipal attorney Laura McDevitt, and Generation Citizen's Elizabeth Sidler to discuss the nine proposed changes.

News9 just released the results of their most recent poll, and some of the results are downright surprising. We discuss them as well as the latest ad from Senator Jim Inhofe, which was also surprising (but for different reasons).

Happy Labor Day, listeners! We break from the usual format to pause & reflect on the origins of this holiday and share a "civic sermon" by Whitney Kimball Coe, which she delivered during our Civics Con event in May 2020.

We discuss some of the most notable results from this week's primary run-off election, including: (1) Bice squeaks out a win over Neese for CD5 nomination (and what happens to Bice's campaign now as she turns to face Congresswoman Horn in November), (2) Tommie Johnson bests incumbent PD Taylor for OK County Sheriff, thereby guaranteeing OK County will have its first black sheriff, and (3) three #okleg incumbents lost their seats, all for very different reasons. Only 10 weeks until the general election!

The DNC goes virtual, Oklahoma County commissioners go rogue, and contrary to what the Governor has said, apparently the White House does have a whole bunch recommendations for how Oklahoma should be responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Universities struggle to articulate what it is they offer to students and Oklahoma County has a budget board meeting go in an unexpected (and potentially unwise) direction.

While the usual partisan gridlock in Washington is holding up additional stimulus money for the entire country, we discuss whether or not Oklahoma really needs more money and some ideas on how to disrupt that two-party, partisan gridlock. Also: zombie insects.Links: Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop by Lee DrutmanZombie cicadasZombie bees