The big oil companies in Oklahoma are making money ‘hand over fist.’ Former Attorney General, Scott Pruitt,’ and present head of the Environmental Protection Agency, fought to protect unlimited fracking wells across the state.

Mary Fallin is Oklahoma’s governor; she is a Republican. Ms. Fallin is on the list of ’10 worst governors in America.’ Only 41 percent of those who voted for her in 2014 approve of her today.

Oklahoma is considered a ‘failing state.’ At least one teacher has resorted to ‘panhandling’ to buy supplies for her students. The school week has been cut to just four days because of budget shortfalls. 25 percent of Oklahoma’s children go to bed hungry. Earthquakes constantly shake structures; a result of increased fracking.

In one instance a paralyzed and mentally ill veteran was left on the floor of a jail after he was arrested for ‘obstruction of justice. Guards watched for four days until he died.

Oklahoma leads the country in cuts to education, it’s also number one in rates of female incarceration, places second in male incarceration, and also leads in school expulsion rates. One in 12 Oklahomans have a felony conviction.

Oklahoma’s governor and her state legislature have so little interest in funding education that entry level employees at convenience stores make more money than teachers who average about $1,000 per month after taxes.

Republican governors generally favor austerity programs and deny the need to raise taxes; especially for their wealthiest residents. Fallin and Sam Brownback of neighboring Kansas are a among many GOP politicians whose failed fiscal policies have lessened the quality of life for most of their state’s residents.

The facts are there; our nation and the citizens of our states fare better under Democratic leaders.

The truth is that taxes are too low in America. We have 4.4 percent of the world’s population. The United States has 585 billionaires, including your illegitimate president. (China is number two with 266). We have 10.7 million millionaires. But we also have 45 million Americans living in poverty, and that number is growing. Add this number with low-income Americans, and that number composes 50 percent of our population. 10 percent of our nation’s people control 90 percent of our entire wealth.

Oklahoma is not alone, and it’s time for people to come first; corporations and the one-percent will take care of themselves.

Please re-post; thank you.

Op-ed by James Turnage

SOURCE

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