Weekly Opinion Editorial
KEEP OUR RIGHT TO VOTE!
by Steve Fair
In an editorial Sunday, The Oklahoman wrote they supported
allowing Oklahoma
voters to decide as to whether to continue to elect the statewide offices of
Labor Commissioner, Insurance Commissioner and State Superintendent of Public
Instruction or make the three offices appointed positions.
State Senator Greg Treat, (R-Oklahoma City) is the author of
SB #598 that passed the Senate General Government committee last Monday which
now heads to the Senate floor. “Our lengthy state Constitution has been set
up to divide executive power in a way that invites bureaucratic growth and
diminishes accountability,” Treat said.
“Making these offices gubernatorial appointments will truly bring them under
the executive branch, and allow the executive to be held accountable for the
performance of the agencies. This reform is in line with what the voters
approved for the Department of Human Services this year, and in my opinion, it
is long overdue.” If the bill passes
both chambers, then it will be on the ballot in the next general election-
November 2014.
One of the current statewide office holders supports Treat’s
proposal. Mark Costello,
the current Oklahoma Labor Commissioner serving his first term, said that
although he supports the bill, it doesn't go far enough.
Costello, a Republican, says government has gotten too big. He said the governor should have the authority to hire directors of state agencies and convert their boards and commissions to advisory roles. "This bill, as worthy as it is, offers too little in structural reform," Costello said.
A couple of thoughts:
Costello, a Republican, says government has gotten too big. He said the governor should have the authority to hire directors of state agencies and convert their boards and commissions to advisory roles. "This bill, as worthy as it is, offers too little in structural reform," Costello said.
A couple of thoughts:
First, I am certainly for allowing Oklahoma voters the right to vote on whether
they want to continue to directly elect the three secondary statewide offices. But Oklahoma
voters have already voted on this issue three times in the last forty
years. Here is the history:
In 1974, SQ #494, which would have made the Labor
Commissioner an appointment by the Governor, was on the general election
ballot. It failed miserably 63% to
37%. Just a year later, in 1975, SQ # 512,
which made the office of Labor Commissioner appointive, BUT added the
requirement of Senate confirmation passed in a primary election by the same
margin. One of the Senate authors was
then State Senator Jim Inhofe.
After being an appointed position for thirteen years, in
1988, voters said they wanted to restore their right to vote on Labor
Commissioner by passing SQ #613, by a 70% to 30% margin.
Second, While Oklahoma does directly elect more statewide
officials than other states, is that necessarily a bad thing? Oklahoma currently elects eleven statewide officials, Texas nine, New Mexico
seven, and Arkansas, Kansas
and Missouri
elect only six.
The primary reason we directly elect more statewide
officials is because the writers of the Oklahoma State Constitution wanted to
make the office of Governor more like a Territorial Governor. Oklahoma
was previously two territories and the office of Governor was designed with
many restrictions, and limits of the Territorial Governor. While the office of Governor in Oklahoma is powerful, it
is not as powerful as Governors in our bordering states, some believe because we
directly elect so many of the state agency heads.
Should Oklahomans vote to give up the right to directly
elect officials in three key positions in government? I say no.
Directly electing secondary office holders doesn’t grow government. Appointing someone instead of electing them to
the position will not eliminate payroll or expenses. Appointing them will create more bureaucrats,
not less. Taking away the vote from the people will
create an oligarchy, where power effectively rests with a small number of
people. This proposal consolidates power
and creates the potential of a Governor making appointments of political
cronies, donors, and the unqualified to key positions.
In the editorial, The Oklahoman pointed out through the
years these three offices have been won by some questionable characters. There is no doubt we’ve had more than our
share of knot heads (from both Parties) who have held statewide office in
Oklahoma, but making an office an appointed position doesn’t eliminate that
possibility. Rest assured, there are
more squirrels in appointed positions in government than elected ones
The voters in Oklahoma
get it right the vast majority of the time. Just twenty five years ago, voters expressed
their opinion on this issue and overwhelmingly voted to restore their right to
vote and directly elect the Labor Commissioner.
If this makes it to the ballot, voters should AGAIN say they want to
keep their right to vote.
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