On July 6, there appeared in the daily newspaper a story, on Page A-9, carrying the headline: “Stitt bars state agencies from hiring lobbyists.” Credit was given to Keaton Ross of The Oklahoman.  As an explanation for the location, the Tulsa World now, they reported, is doing the printing for the Oklahoma City paper and they often carry stories by the reporters for the other paper.  The sub-head read: “Executive order – He calls the practice ‘inappropriate use of state funds.’”

How about that?  It has been going on for decades, against the will of those of us believing in propriety in the use of state tax funds.

Imagine that, a top state elected official who is trying to fulfill his campaign promises and has some sympathy and consideration for his overtaxed constituents – the whole state population!  While some may claim that he may be emulating the example of PRESDT-45, it appears to me that he is really sincere in his efforts to ease the burden and lower the tax load in the state.  The result of a successful carrying out of such a program could very well bring about a substantial boom in the economy of the State of Oklahoma.

Unfortunately, it appears that there is a rather substantial “deep state” determined to maintain it’s power and existence in Oklahoma City, just as there is one trying to block Trump in Washington.  In the last few decades, there have been passed efforts toward that end in the form of state term limits for the elected officials to emulate the long-time four-(now eight)year  term limit on the governors.  Unfortunately, term limits have no effect on the bureaucrats that enjoy the protection of the state Civil Service statutes which make it more difficult to replace those in those offices to enhance their own power and benefits.

The story states that Gov. Stitt filed an executive order on July 5 “barring state agencies from hiring outside lobbyists as long as he remains in office.” It would seem that it would be unlawful for one governor to attempt to prevent, by order, any action by a succeeding governor.  Further it stated that he had filed another executive order in January requiring all state agencies to file a list of every lobbyist each had hired and the terms of their contract.  It also prohibited these agencies from renewing or entering into a lobbyist contract through the current fiscal year.  The story stated that there had been $1.48 million of such contracts running until the end of the fiscal year.  As a late U.S. senator from Illinois, Republican Everett Dirkson, once stated several decades ago: “a billion here, a billion there and pretty soon you are talking about real money…”

Frankly, it is pleasing to me to learn the governor is taking these steps to, hopefully, reduce some of the gross waste in spending that seems to be endemic in government at all levels.  In my memory, Oklahoma budgets in the 1940-1960 era were in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, and now they are in the billions.  Also the number of buildings at the Capital has grown from one or two to more than I have been down there enough to count.  Of course, as the staff of any organization is increased so is the need for space for those added employees to work.

Only three agencies were mentioned by name.  Two, the Lottery Commission and the Turnpike Authority, seem to me to be self-funded and perhaps not spending tax dollars and so it might be said that their contracting with lobbyists would be different.  However, in my mind the state employees should not be spending money from either source for outside representatives to the Legislature in attempting to sway legislation that could very well be counter to what is best for the population.  It is rather obvious that whatever the staff members want is for their benefit and not necessarily of any benefit to those of us who are the ultimate “stockholders.”

All in all, it is hopeful to have both a president and governor who act as if they really do care for the citizens who elected them.  If we can just find a way to get more like them to be in leadership in the Congress and the Legislature, it will really become a better life.  Also, if somehow the nasty, mean-mouth and totally lacking in truth screaming and violence coming from the opposition could be stifled, things would become more like it used to be, before many running around today were born.