Pubdate: Wed, 30 Oct 2002
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2002 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.oklahoman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Currie Ballard

LARGENT WILL TACKLE 'MISERY INDEX'

At a time when state government is under siege by financial conditions, 
Oklahoma has an opportunity to bring forth a man with a new vision of 
governing the state. I am impressed with Steve Largent because he is a 
uniter, not a divider. Largent is no know-it-all to the problems of state 
government, but is open-minded enough to consider a statewide suggestion 
program to employees and citizens to improve state government. He feels 
that the true experts perform the jobs every day, and a good manager will 
tap into that reservoir of experience.

As a member of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, it alarms me to see 
23,000 people in the system. The cost to the taxpayers is enormous, as is 
the hidden cost of families on welfare. Largent wants to truly implement 
community sentencing that has never been put in place in our state for 
non-violent offenders. If a person is hooked on drugs and willing to seek 
treatment by being supervised in the community, he will not go to prison. 
This will save Oklahoma millions of dollars -- $30,000 per inmate per year 
- -- and more importantly keep families together.

He believes that Oklahoma should leave no child behind by giving the power 
to local school districts and boards to administer with local communities, 
and stop giving state mandates without funding programs. He believes that 
we need to get back to basics with implementation of the "Three R's," teach 
citizenship and eliminate social promotions.

His main objective is to get Oklahoma out of the No. 1 position on the 
"misery index," especially concerning women incarcerated per capita, 
methamphetamine lab production, a high-school dropout rate of 25 percent 
and a high divorce rate.

These problems did not occur overnight, but they are on his radar screen.

Confucius said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step," and 
Largent wants to march toward the light.

Ballard, an occasional contributor to these pages, is historian in 
residence at Langston University.
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