Monthly Archives: January 2014

Throwing it back to 1974!

Because it’s “Throwback Thursday” and because this is one of my all-time favorite photos with one of my all-time favorite people…

A remnant of the first political campaign I ever worked on, this was taken when I was seven. I rode a bicycle. I put campaign signs in every yard on our street, whether my neighbors had asked for one or not.

I carried a broom with a Boren sign attached and swept the capitol steps of corruption.

He called me his tricycle campaigner….nevermind I had shed the training wheels by then! I just enjoyed biking and brooming for a candidate I believed in.

I even brought my 4th grade class to the State Capitol and we took a photo with him in the Blue Room. My mother remembers my teacher, Mrs. Nelson, was shocked I volunteered this as an option when the field trip to the local fire department was cancelled at the last minute. Pays to have friends in high places!

As for the photo…it was taken while he was moving into the Governor’s office at the State Capitol. I am pretty sure that desk has never been as clean…or, the walls of his office that empty…or, that Oklahoma has ever had a public official leave such a positive and lasting impact on our state…or, that I will ever, ever wear a snoopy outfit again… ever!

House of Cards

I have always said good people hardly ever run for public office, and why would they, considering all of the scrutiny, partisan politics and personal attacks that are endured by a candidate or office holder on a daily basis? Well, unless you are Barack Obama and immune to any form of criticism!

That said, even though politics is a blood sport, when an elected official resigns from office prematurely, it unleashes another type of beast! A recent example is currently unfolding in my state with the resignation of one of our US Senators…

We were so fortunate to have a citizen legislator, well a medical doctor, representing us in Washington for the past ten years. (Pictured above, third from the left.) If you have no idea who he is, just google Dr. No! You might however, be familiar with his annual book of waste called the Wastebook! It contains pages and pages explaining some of the really stupid stuff your tax dollars are funding! I am going to miss this and hope he continues to publish it from the sidelines. Such an honorable man whose service to our state and nation will be terribly missed!

But, that was not really my point. My point being, that a really good guy, a citizen legislator, is leaving his elected position early and the deck is shuffling for the Oklahoma delegation. The politicos are either lining up to run for the vacated seat or calculating who will run for it, and the one which would open up as a result of that one, and the next one and so on. Just crazy! Meanwhile, the campaign consultants are working 24/7 trying to solidify their next client(s) and the lobbyists are surveying the playing field. House of Cards, Season Three…so not kidding!

Maybe someone new will surface and really shuffle the deck…. a teacher, a preacher, another doctor, or better yet, a small businessman…sure would shake it up and keep it interesting!

We’ll see. Jury’s still out on that one, but it sure is fun to watch from the sidelines!

And, they’re off!

Starting to get crazy around here again as session is looming!

Last week, my Senator had some colleagues over to our house for an event. They stayed until 11:00 pm talking in my kitchen, which makes for one tired momma!