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from MuskogeePolitico newsletter Archive Feed
Saturday, August 31, 2019
[MuskogeePolitico.com] FreedomWorks endorses Neese; GOP Rep spoke at rally with anti-Constitutional Carry petition signing
from MuskogeePolitico newsletter Archive Feed
Samaritan Ministries: Celebrating 25 years of 'different' next month
Celebrating 25 years of 'different' next month
About the same time Samaritan Ministries was starting up 25 years ago, Arby’s ran an ad campaign with this tagline: “Arby’s is different. Different is good.” The idea was that you could go a lot of places to get a hamburger, but if you are looking for something different, come to Arby’s for some roast beef.
When you tell your friends about Samaritan Ministries we hope you’ll convey that sentiment: “Samaritan is different. Different is good.”
We don’t want to be just another health care “hamburger joint.” We want to offer innovative, Christ-honoring service that leads the way in establishing health care sharing best practices and impacts our health care system for the glory of God.
Ten years ago we had just such an opportunity in working to ensure health care sharing was recognized in the Affordable Care Act, and, by God’s grace, we are committed to continuing to honor Jesus Christ, remain faithful to the Scriptures, and advance God’s kingdom in all aspects of ministry. That goes for every interaction with members, staff, partners, and providers, and also the way we tell the world about Samaritan.
This commitment means that at times we will intentionally choose a different approach from other health care sharing organizations when they demonstrate practices that we believe undermine Christian values. It also means that we’re different from health insurance, as we have different operating philosophies based on different worldviews. We recognize that God uses insurance to care for His people and we are grateful for that. However, we believe that as Christians our shared faith in Jesus Christ should be woven throughout every aspect of our lives, including our participation in Christian community within health care. That’s what Samaritan Ministries is all about.
Here are some of the key philosophical and practical differences:
An Expression of Shared Faith: Samaritan’s membership agreement makes it clear that we are a community of Christians helping other Christians. The ministry doesn’t pay for anything, but members commit to faithfully share with one another based on their religious convictions and according to the ministry Guidelines. Insurance does not reflect or rely upon shared values, but is based on detailed contractual obligations to pay for certain treatments at certain facilities, and is open to everyone willing to send the company a check. And since shared faith includes God providing for needs through his people, Samaritan never forces members to apply for government welfare programs rather than share a Need.
Direct Sharing from One Christian to Another: As a community of Christians, Samaritan members send Shares directly to one another and pay their own medical bills rather than send shares to an organization to administer. A small part of the Shares comes to the organization for administrative costs. Insurance companies pool and manage funds that are used to pay health care providers.
Nonprofit Charity, Member-Led: Samaritan is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) religious charity administering a sharing ministry subject to state and federal laws that govern charities. The federal Affordable Care Act recognizes health care sharing, and on the state level 30 state safe harbor provisions recognize in insurance codes that health care sharing is not insurance. Samaritan is overseen by a member-led Board of Directors, a majority of which is elected by members. We have an annual independent audit and annual report that are available to members (see Member Connect in your Dash Account, under the Board section). Most health insurance companies are for-profit, and all their operations are regulated by extensive state and federal law.
These realities will cause some people to choose insurance, but others, based on the same information, will conclude that the health care sharing model is something that resonates with them and is consistent with their Christian convictions. Different is good!
Recognizing these key differences is also important in light of recent negative headlines about a growing number of health care sharing organizations that operate differently from Samaritan Ministries. You may have noticed stories reporting on how one organization has come under fire in several states, facing a lawsuit from multiple members, fines from a Department of Insurance, and cease and desist orders. Scripture tells us not to jump to conclusions about a developing situation (Proverbs 18:13,17), but these episodes should remind us to remain committed to Biblical principles that have guided us through 25 years of ministry.
The organizations in question have been accused of disingenuously marketing themselves as insurance with a facade of religiosity, and a few people have complained of being given a false impression of what they were agreeing to. Whether the accusation is true or not, we want to guard against this possibility at Samaritan Ministries. We won’t use misleading lead-generation tactics that bait and switch, and we won’t use insurance agents to promote Samaritan Ministries. We continue to believe that the best advertising is a good reputation that spreads by word of mouth, and we encourage you to refer your friends and receive a $100 credit on your Share for those who join.
As we celebrate our 25th year in ministry, we should continue to place our trust in God and depend on Him in prayer. We can ask Him that this recent controversy be resolved for the good of all and in a way that preserves a good reputation for health care sharing. We can ask him to grow Samaritan Ministries by inspiring fellow believers to apply a Christian worldview to health care. We can ask Him to help us faithfully and boldly share a vision for health care that is different.
If you'd like to learn more about Samaritan Ministries, visit this page with our review and personal experience over the last seven years as members. You can also visit SamaritanMinistries.org.
from MuskogeePolitico.com
Rep. Hern meets with manufacturing industry leaders, promotes workforce development
Rep. Hern works with manufacturing industry leaders to promote workforce development
TULSA, OK – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) met with industry leaders at Tulsa Tech’s Lemley Campus in Tulsa to discuss the vocational training programs offered by Tulsa Tech and other technical colleges in the area.
“In this booming job market, many employers are having trouble finding qualified candidates to fill their open positions and growing companies,” said Rep. Hern. “The problem isn’t that there aren’t enough workers – it’s that these skilled jobs need specific training. I’ve spent a lot of time this year with our local technical colleges and with manufacturers. I’ve said it all along: my top priority is to put our people back to work. There are incredible opportunities here, we just need to connect the dots between the graduates of vocational programs and employers who need skilled labor.”
Representative Hern has met with industry leaders across the First District over the last several months to learn more about the issues employers are facing when hiring for skilled jobs. Many local employers are not utilizing local talent from schools like Tulsa Tech.
With skyrocketing tuition at traditional colleges, many students are incurring more debt than they will earn from their chosen field. Vocational programs allow for a higher return on investment with a shorter and less expensive education.
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| Rep. Kevin Hern (left) and Dr. Steve Tiger, Superintendent and CEO of Tulsa Tech (Right), at the Lemley Campus of Tulsa Tech |
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| Rep. Kevin Hern and manufacturing industry leaders at the Lemley Campus of Tulsa Tech |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Student Debt
- There are more than 44 million borrowers who collectively owe $1.5 trillion in student loan debt in the U.S.
- In Oklahoma, nearly 50 percent of graduates have debt, and the average borrower owes around $26,000.
- Studies show that about 3 out of 10 high school grads who go to four-year public universities haven't earned degrees within six years.
- 1 out of 5 haven't earned degrees within six years at four-year private colleges.
- According to the office of Federal Student Aid, students who don't complete college are 3 times more likely to have loans default than those who earn degrees.
Need for Workers
- Employers in the construction fields are desperately needing workers. According to a recent study by the Association for General Contractors,
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- 70% of construction companies are having trouble finding qualified workers nationwide.
- In Oklahoma, 75% of companies report having a hard time filling some hourly craft positions. 55% of companies rate the adequacy of the local pipeline for supplying well-trained craft personnel as POOR.
- The Manufacturing Institute studies indicate that 89 percent of U.S. manufacturing sector executives agree there is a talent shortage in the US manufacturing sector
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- The same study indicates that the skills gap could leave 2.4 million jobs unfilled of the next 10 years, putting nearly $500 billion of manufacturing GDP at risk and $2.5 trillion of economic output over the next 10 years.
- According to the US. Dept. of Education, there will be 68 percent more job openings in infrastructure-related fields in the next five years than there are people training to fill them.
- Parental involvement in the problem: According to the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute, only 30 percent of American parents indicate that they would consider guiding their child toward a career in the manufacturing field.
- According to the same AGC study cited earlier, only 31% of Oklahoma companies report outreaching to local colleges, universities, or vocational schools as a method that their firm uses to recruit workers.
- Congress has witnessed the reality of these statistics firsthand as Rep. Hern has visited businesses and spoken with employers across the district.
from MuskogeePolitico.com
Friday, August 30, 2019
Small: No profit in schools?
No profit in schools?
By Jonathan Small
I’ve seen some defenders of Oklahoma’s educational status-quo insist that one benefit of the current system is it is untainted by profit motive. That’s a view that can be perpetuated only if one stays in a constant state of willful blindness, because here’s the truth: People are making billions off Oklahoma public schools every year. Every day someone—whether it’s a school employee or private contractor—is making money off public schools.
In 2017, more than $1.5 billion was spent by Oklahoma’s public schools on supplies and purchased services. In most cases, that money went to private vendors selling goods and services for a profit.
The school buses weren’t built by local school officials. The law firms hired by district are not normally donating their services for free. Textbooks are a big, national business, as are the standardized tests used in the classroom. When district voters approve a bond for new buildings, the materials are purchased from private companies and the buildings are erected by private entities.
Profit motive is apparent even among those who advocate for public schools at the Capitol. During the 2018-2019 school year, four school districts—Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Bixby, and Jenks—spent nearly $200,000 combined in taxpayer funding on contract lobbyists.
Certainly, those who work for those private companies may care about local schools. But they also care about their bottom line.
At the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, we have long argued parents should be able to send their children to the school of their choice with taxpayer funds, and we’ve supported privatization in other areas of government. Opponents object that this would mean private schools could make a profit off school-choice. But, as noted above, people are making a profit off schools every day. And if the end result is a better education for a child, who cares that a school is financially rewarded for improved performance?
School choice policies that empower parents are not an important reform because they introduce profit motive into education. They’re an important reform because they use market forces (and the associated profit motive of vendors) to increase the power of parents. The current system uses profit motive only to boost the power of administrators dealing without outside vendors.
Schools have good reason to use outside vendors for a wide range of goods and services. But the free-market forces that give schools greater value when contracting for those services will work equally well if we give that same power to parents.
I’m glad schools use free-market forces to get a fleet of buses at the lowest possible price. But it would be even better if we used those market forces to also generate well-educated students across Oklahoma.
Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.
from MuskogeePolitico.com
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Former Shawnee mayor Mills endorses Neese for Congress
FORMER SHAWNEE CITY MAYOR CHUCK MILLS ENDORSES TERRY NEESE FOR OKLAHOMA’S 5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT SEAT
“Terry understands the challenges that come with running a business, managing payroll, and creating jobs – and there is no candidate in the race who is better suited to fight for the Oklahoma working families and business owners,” said Chuck Mills. “It is time for our District to once again have a strong and trusted conservative voice in the Halls of Congress. After a 31-year career creating and finding tens of thousands of jobs, I know Terry is ready to take on Kendra Horn and other radicals in Congress who are pushing massive tax hikes, job-killing regulations, and an agenda that will devastate small businesses in Oklahoma and across the nation.”
“Chuck Mills was a tremendous Mayor for Shawnee taxpayers and I am proud to have such a respected public servant and accomplished business owner endorse my campaign,” said Terry Neese. “In Congress, I will not stand by and allow Kendra Horn’s Democratic Party to undo the progress that has been made under President Trump’s Administration. I will fight tirelessly for lower taxes, regulatory relief, and policies that will provide economic security for 5th District workers and business owners.”
Former Shawnee City Mayor Chuck Mills is the latest to join the list of current and former conservative legislators, public officials, leaders, and organizations who have endorsed Terry Neese for U.S. Congress. Since launching her campaign in April, Neese has earned the support of Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5), former Republican 2016 Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, Shawnee Mayor Richard Finley, RightNOW Women PAC, Eagle Forum PAC, and Freedomworks For America.
from MuskogeePolitico.com
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Gov. Stitt helps State kick off 2020 Census Complete Count
GOVERNOR STITT HELPS STATE KICK OFF 2020 CENSUS COMPLETE COUNT
OKLAHOMA CITY (August 27, 2019)— Governor Kevin Stitt kicked off the 2020 Census Symposium on Monday, August 26, at MetroTech Conference Center with the announcement of Executive Order 2019-32, which establishes the Oklahoma Census 2020 Complete Count Committee.
“A complete and accurate count of Oklahoma’s population is vital to the success of our state,” said Gov. Stitt. “With this Executive Order, I am directing state government to collaborate with leaders across Oklahoma to encourage participation and ensure that every Oklahoman is counted in the 2020 Census. With everyone’s participation, I believe our state’s population will exceed 4 million people.”
The Oklahoma Census 2020 Complete Count Committee will consist of up to 20 individuals appointed by the Governor who will work to provide recommendations on how Oklahoma can receive the most complete and accurate census count.
In addition to the state committee, the Department of Commerce is working to encourage formation of local Complete Count Committees across Oklahoma.
“The Oklahoma Department of Commerce is coordinating with leaders in all 77 counties to form local Complete Count Committees,” said Brent Kisling, Executive Director, Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “These trusted partners have the relationships in their local communities to encourage participation in the hard-to-count geographies and populations. Improving upon the participation rates from the 2010 Census is a large undertaking and will ensure that Oklahoma is not undercounted.”
Census Day will be April 1, 2020, but Oklahoma residents can self-respond to the 2020 Census beginning in early March 2020, via the internet, by phone, by traditional paper census questionnaire, or in-person with a U.S Census Bureau enumerator.
The U.S. Constitution mandates a full count of the population in Article 1, Section 2. The Census Bureau has counted every resident in the U.S. every ten years since 1790.
The Census Bureau does not appropriate funds to the states. However, decennial census counts are used when determining how to allocate federal funds. Because of this, it is extremely important that all Oklahomans respond to the Census.
“Beyond the Constitutional mandate requiring the decennial Census for reapportionment, the 2020 Census will be used over the following ten years as a baseline to distribute federal funding from approximately 300 federal programs,” said Jon Chiappe, Director of Research & Economic Analysis, Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “These programs impact the state, tribal nations and our local communities in many aspects of our lives including education, healthcare, housing, and transportation among others. If we are not accurately counted, it will place a burden on our state, tribal and local governments as they provide services to larger populations with fewer federal resources.”
The Executive Order regarding the 2020 Census can be viewed here.
About the Oklahoma State Data Center
The Oklahoma Department of Commerce operates the State Data Center for the state of Oklahoma. A partner of the U.S. Census Bureau, the State Data Center ensures Oklahoma’s citizens, communities, and businesses have access to critical Census data.
from MuskogeePolitico.com
Stillwater GOP Rep spoke at rally with anti-Constitutional Carry petition signing
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| State Reps. John Talley (R-Stillwater) and Trish Ranson (D-Stillwater) |
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| Veto-referendum petition signing at the Stillwater event |
Stillwater's Republican State Senator Tom Dugger missed the vote on HB2597, the Constitutional Carry bill. Of 9 votes that the Senate took that day, that was the only measure Sen. Dugger missed. In all likelihood, he "walked the vote". Both Talley and Stillwater's other State House representative, Trish Ranson (D), voted against the measure when it came to the House floor. Ranson also attended and spoke at the August 18th rally with Talley.
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| State Rep. John Talley and one of the rally speakers |
from MuskogeePolitico.com
WSJ: An Oklahoma Opioid Stickup
The Wall Street Journal opined yesterday on the recent news out of Cleveland County, where a district judge gave Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter a favorable ruling that ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $572M to the State over its role in the opioid crisis.
Here are some excerpts from the opinion piece:
An Oklahoma Opioid StickupThe $572 million ruling greatly expands product liability tort law.
[Wall Street Journal Editorial Board] The ruling Monday by an Oklahoma judge that Johnson & Johnson must pay $572 million for selling opioids will be cheered by everyone who wants a scapegoat for the scourge of addiction. But the ruling could have far larger, and more dangerous, consequences by opening a vast new arena for product-liability suits.
[...]
Mr. Hunter has since focused on his $17 billion claim that Johnson & Johnson “abate” the alleged public nuisance caused by opioid addiction. Public-nuisance torts usually involve damage to property, and the remedy is enjoin or correct nuisances. But state AGs and the trial bar have been stretching public-nuisance law beyond its intended purpose. New York City and Oakland, California, have tried to use public-nuisance law to sue oil companies for damages they claim they will incur in the future from climate change.
Oklahoma’s opioid shakedown is equally dubious. J&J’s opioids, which include a fentanyl patch and crush-resistant pill, constitute less than 1% of Oklahoma’s prescription opioid market. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drugs and their black-box warnings, and they’re still legal. Patients may only obtain the drugs with prescriptions through government-licensed pharmacies.
[...]
Judge Balkman also stretches the traditional public-nuisance limitation with respect to property damage by claiming that J&J is liable because its sales reps were trained in their Oklahoma homes, used company cars and sent messages to homes of thousands of Oklahomans via computers. By this standard, cell manufacturers could be liable for damages caused by distracted drivers.
The state’s $572 million “abatement” claim is brimming with pork to fund government agencies, new opioid treatment centers and licensure boards such as the Board of Dentistry and Veterinary Board. Patients won’t receive much benefit, but the plaintiff attorneys who helped Mr. Hunter will be winners, having already raked in $60 million from the Purdue settlement. [...]
You can read the full editorial here, but it is behind a paywall.
Here are some other perspectives on the ruling. From the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform:
“An Oklahoma Opioid Stickup”: The Wall Street Journal editorial board took aim at yesterday’s ruling by an Oklahoma judge that Johnson & Johnson must pay $572 million for what Judge Balkman called “misleading marketing” of opioids in the state, even though the company’s sales make up less than one percent of Oklahoma’s prescription opioid market. Little of that money will go directly to plaintiffs, but their lawyers will take home $90 million.
As the editorial board points out, the ruling relied on a distorted application of public nuisance law, which does not require a direct causal link between a defendant’s action and harm to a plaintiff. With this bench verdict, Judge Balkman has added fuel to many of the over 2,000 cases in the federal opioid litigation in Ohio which rely on public nuisance. He has also effectively confirmed that public nuisance laws can be used to skirt the more stringent requirements of product liability law, validating recent efforts by the trial bar and state AGs to use this legal theory as a basis for suing energy companies over climate change. As ILR President Lisa Rickard said in response to the ruling, under public nuisance “almost any industry could be the target of large-scale litigation.”
From the Independent Women's Forum:
STATEMENT OF INDEPENDENT WOMEN’S FORUM IN RESPONSE TO JUDGE’S RULING IN OKLAHOMA OPIOID CASEToday’s verdict distorts public nuisance law beyond recognition and puts manufacturers of all lawful products at risk.
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today’s verdict by Judge Thad Balkman that Johnson & Johnson must pay $572 million to the Oklahoma state government as penance for the opioid crisis puts manufacturers of all lawful, but politically unpopular, products at risk.
The lawsuit brought by Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter sought billions in damages from the producers of federally regulated prescription opioids. Purdue Pharma and Teva Pharmaceuticals settled with the state without admitting wrongdoing prior to trial.
The epidemic of opioid abuse is a serious public health issue that requires complex and interdisciplinary public policy solutions. Unfortunately, Judge Balkman’s decision punishes the makers of valuable prescription medicines and does little to solve this complex public health problem.
Judges should not be allowed to regulate the distribution of federally-controlled medicines outside of the normal regulatory process or to redistribute wealth from the private sector to the public sector for the purpose of funding government spending. That is, quite simply, an abuse of the system of the American justice.
Jennifer C. Braceras, the director of Independent Women's Forum’s Center for Law & Liberty, issued the following statement in response to the verdict:
“Sadly, most people today know of someone who has grappled with opioid addiction. But lawsuits brought by publicity-seeking politicians won’t solve the problem. The verdict is a victory for taxation by litigation, but it is consumers who will pay the price in the form of higher prices and reduced access to pain medications for patients who need them.”
Read the IWF Legal Brief on public nuisance lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies HERE.
from MuskogeePolitico.com
FreedomWorks super PAC endorses Terry Neese for Congress
FREEDOMWORKS FOR AMERICA ENDORSES TERRY NEESE FOR CONGRESS
“Oklahoman conservatives have a principled champion of small government and economic freedom in Terry Neese,” said Noah Wall, FreedomWorks for America Executive Director. “Not only does Terry Neese know what it takes to operate a successful small business, she has impressive distinction of having worked tirelessly to pass legislation, which upon being signed into law by President Ronald Reagan allowed women business owners to obtain small business loans and credit cards without a male signature. FreedomWorks for America is proud to stand by Neese as she challenges out-of-touch incumbent Kendra Horn in 2020.”
“Like me, FreedomWorks for America is committed to holding our government accountable and fighting for policies that protect free-market principles and our personal freedoms,” said Terry Neese. “As the Congresswoman for the 5th District, I will help President Trump fight the radical Left’s assault on our free-market principles and protect our Constitution at all costs.”
FreedomWorks for America is the latest to join the list of current and former conservative legislators, public officials, leaders, and organizations who have endorsed Terry Neese for U.S. Congress. Since launching her campaign in April, Neese has earned the support of Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5), former Republican 2016 Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, Shawnee Mayor Richard Finley, RightNOW Women PAC, and Eagle Forum PAC.
For more information on Terry or her campaign, you can visit NeeseForCongress.com.
from MuskogeePolitico.com
[MuskogeePolitico.com] OKC Council rejects resolution supporting anti-Constitutional Carry petition
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