Articles
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Good Government
Stitt orders fraud review of welfare programs
Gov. Kevin Stitt has ordered a sweeping review of Oklahoma’s welfare programs. His executive order requires agencies to audit fraud safeguards, eligibility rules, and error rates across SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, WIC, and related programs.Ray Carter | January 27, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Good Government
Minnesota’s fraud crisis should prompt Oklahoma lawmakers to act
Massive welfare fraud scandals in Minnesota have drawn national outrage—and Oklahoma shouldn’t kid itself that similar problems aren’t happening here.Jonathan Small | January 21, 2026
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Law & Principles, Good Government
Accused criminal’s reelection highlights Oklahoma election-date problem
A Warr Acres city councilman was reelected without a single vote cast—then arrested days later on charges of first-degree rape and multiple counts of lewd acts with children—highlighting what critics call a structural flaw in Oklahoma’s low-profile, off-cycle elections.Ray Carter | January 20, 2026
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Education, Good Government
Experts urge Oklahoma to reinstate third-grade reading law
Oklahoma’s fourth-grade reading scores have collapsed to near the bottom nationally. In a recent legislative study, literacy leaders urged state lawmakers to reinstate Oklahoma’s once-successful third-grade reading law, which required early intervention and retention when necessary.Ray Carter | October 22, 2025
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Budget & Tax, Good Government
Oklahoma Democrats decry government shutdown caused by D.C. Democrats
Three weeks into the federal government shutdown, Oklahoma Democrats are blaming Republicans for the looming loss of food-stamp benefits—even as Democratic leaders in Washington continue to block multiple GOP efforts to reopen the government.Ray Carter | October 21, 2025
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Health Care, Culture & the Family, Good Government
Work requirements could help 125,000 Oklahomans move from welfare to work
Work requirements recently enacted by Congress could help more than 125,000 able-bodied Oklahomans transition from welfare to work, lawmakers were told during a recent study.Ray Carter | October 21, 2025
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Good Government
Brecheen: ‘Open primary’ designed to help left-wing politicians
U.S. Rep. Josh Brecheen is warning Oklahomans that a proposed “open primary” system—modeled after California’s “top two” elections—would tilt Oklahoma politics sharply to the left.Ray Carter | October 21, 2025
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Education, Good Government
Stitt calls for making state superintendent an appointee
Gov. Kevin Stitt has appointed longtime CareerTech educator Lindel Fields as Oklahoma’s new state superintendent, following Ryan Walters’ resignation. Stitt also called on lawmakers to let voters decide whether future superintendents should be governor-appointed rather than elected.Ray Carter | October 2, 2025
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Good Government
For accountability, make state superintendent appointed
To bring greater accountability to the state school system and reduce dysfunction in state government, Oklahoma should make the position of state superintendent a gubernatorial appointee.Staff | October 2, 2025
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Good Government
Terry Thompson honored with OCPA’s inaugural Patriot Award
The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) has presented its first-ever Patriot Award to Terry Thompson of Tonkawa, recognizing his extraordinary work educating and mobilizing Oklahomans on key policy issues.Staff | September 12, 2025