WE NEED LACQUER LEADERSHIP!
by Steve Fair
Oklahoma has a new Speaker of the House. He is State Representative Chris Benge- R-Tulsa. Benge is forty-five years old, married and has two sons. He graduated from Daniel Webster High School in Tulsa and Oklahoma State University. Benge was a Sales Representative for Cintas Corp., a uniform company, for two years before he ran for the State House. For sixteen years prior to that, he worked in his families paint business. In his 2006 re-election, Benge racked up seventy-eight percent of the vote in the district. After that win, Benge was quoted in the Tulsa World as saying, “I’m very honored that people have put their faith in me to continue representing them at the Capitol.” Gracious and quiet, Benge has served for the past three years as Chairman of the powerful House Appropriations and Budget Committee. He has said he will name someone else to chair that committee. He was elected to the post of speaker on Monday by acclamation after Minority Leader Danny Morgan, D-Prague withdrew his name.
“Today is a new day in the House of Representatives,” Benge said. “We have much to do, and today marks a return to policy debates and discussions here at the Capitol.” “Instead of throwing stones and pointing fingers, we must move past the partisan bickering that often takes hold here at the Capitol, especially in election years.” Benge concluded.
Benge ascended to the speakers post after former speaker Lance Cargill resigned last week. He was initially not one of those who sought the top spot, but after Representative Gus Blackwell- R, Blackwell, withdrew his name, he agreed to run. Blackwell allegedly has paid his property tax chronically late. Cargill resigned after it was reported he had not filed his state income tax return for two years and also paid his property tax late.
Always ready to make a tempest in a teapot, the Democrats have turned this irresponsibility issue into one of integrity. “The rank and file public out there are mad as hornets, and they should be,” said Danny Morgan, the minority leader of the house. The rank and file should be "disappointed" in the Republicans but they should be “mad” about the conduct of the Democrats. Morgan has been strangely quite on the Jeff McMahon/Mike Mass/Gene Stipe indictments. Instead of partisan grenade throwing, Morgan should be policing his own ranks where it appears some ethical lapses of Democrat House members are looming. Some Little Dixie Democrats are allegedly using volunteer fire departments to sponsor fundraisers for their reelection campaigns, which is a clear violation of ethics rules. Misbehavior by an elected official must never be excused no matter what party affiliation, but when the Democrats in Oklahoma jump up and preach ethics, they should look in their own pews first. Now back to the new speaker. There are several attributes of Benge that Oklahomans should appreciate.
First, he didn’t actively seek the speakership as soon as the post became available. The others in the race made no secret of their ambition. They wanted the job and were actively campaigning for it behind the scenes even before it became apparent Cargill was going to step down. Ambition in and of itself is not a bad thing, but competence and ability are more effective leadership attributes than ambition. Anyone can aspire to a position, but being effective once in the position is the key to true leadership. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said of ambition, “Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambitions.” Edmund Burke said, “Ambition can creep as well as soar.” Many times ambition can impede progress, not facilitate it.
Second, Benge is a businessman. His father operates a painting company in Tulsa. The new Speaker will identify with small business in the state. When you consider there are over 24.5 million small businesses in America and that seventy three percent of the goods/services provided in this country are with small businesses, small business is an important contributor to our state and nation. Over one half million new small businesses are started up in America each year and Oklahoma needs small business to prosper. Benge is not an attorney- his roots are in business. Oklahoma needs a speaker who understands how business operates and how to foster a more business friendly environment.
Third, Benge will be termed out in 2010. That means he doesn’t have a lot of time. He will need to establish his vision for Oklahoma, form a strategy to communicate that vision and work to implement it. Benge will be familar with a coating known as lacquer painters use in their work. It’s a clear coating that dries by evaporation and it produces a hard durable finish. Hopefully Benge will provide the lacquer Oklahoma needs- leadership that is durable and transparent.
“Today is a new day in the House of Representatives,” Benge said. “We have much to do, and today marks a return to policy debates and discussions here at the Capitol.” “Instead of throwing stones and pointing fingers, we must move past the partisan bickering that often takes hold here at the Capitol, especially in election years.” Benge concluded.
Benge ascended to the speakers post after former speaker Lance Cargill resigned last week. He was initially not one of those who sought the top spot, but after Representative Gus Blackwell- R, Blackwell, withdrew his name, he agreed to run. Blackwell allegedly has paid his property tax chronically late. Cargill resigned after it was reported he had not filed his state income tax return for two years and also paid his property tax late.
Always ready to make a tempest in a teapot, the Democrats have turned this irresponsibility issue into one of integrity. “The rank and file public out there are mad as hornets, and they should be,” said Danny Morgan, the minority leader of the house. The rank and file should be "disappointed" in the Republicans but they should be “mad” about the conduct of the Democrats. Morgan has been strangely quite on the Jeff McMahon/Mike Mass/Gene Stipe indictments. Instead of partisan grenade throwing, Morgan should be policing his own ranks where it appears some ethical lapses of Democrat House members are looming. Some Little Dixie Democrats are allegedly using volunteer fire departments to sponsor fundraisers for their reelection campaigns, which is a clear violation of ethics rules. Misbehavior by an elected official must never be excused no matter what party affiliation, but when the Democrats in Oklahoma jump up and preach ethics, they should look in their own pews first. Now back to the new speaker. There are several attributes of Benge that Oklahomans should appreciate.
First, he didn’t actively seek the speakership as soon as the post became available. The others in the race made no secret of their ambition. They wanted the job and were actively campaigning for it behind the scenes even before it became apparent Cargill was going to step down. Ambition in and of itself is not a bad thing, but competence and ability are more effective leadership attributes than ambition. Anyone can aspire to a position, but being effective once in the position is the key to true leadership. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said of ambition, “Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambitions.” Edmund Burke said, “Ambition can creep as well as soar.” Many times ambition can impede progress, not facilitate it.
Second, Benge is a businessman. His father operates a painting company in Tulsa. The new Speaker will identify with small business in the state. When you consider there are over 24.5 million small businesses in America and that seventy three percent of the goods/services provided in this country are with small businesses, small business is an important contributor to our state and nation. Over one half million new small businesses are started up in America each year and Oklahoma needs small business to prosper. Benge is not an attorney- his roots are in business. Oklahoma needs a speaker who understands how business operates and how to foster a more business friendly environment.
Third, Benge will be termed out in 2010. That means he doesn’t have a lot of time. He will need to establish his vision for Oklahoma, form a strategy to communicate that vision and work to implement it. Benge will be familar with a coating known as lacquer painters use in their work. It’s a clear coating that dries by evaporation and it produces a hard durable finish. Hopefully Benge will provide the lacquer Oklahoma needs- leadership that is durable and transparent.
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