By Rep. Scott Fetgatter
The House was hit with a hard blow last week when Rep. David Brumbaugh passed away after suffering from a heart attack. Rep. Brumbaugh was our House Republican Caucus chairman, and a good conservative leader in the Statehouse. If anything, his death has served as a reminder that the moments we have on Earth should be cherished, and the important things in life are friends, family and faith. I didn’t know David extremely well, but I do know that his presence will be sorely missed.
If you have ever watched an ocean documentary on National Geographic or the movie Finding Nemo, you have probably seen some fish swimming together in a big ball. The practice is called shoaling, and they do this to make it harder for predator fish to eat them. On the surface, it would seem like having all of the fish together in one place would make it easier for the predator fish. However, in practice, it is much harder for the predator to single out one fish to attack.
This is kind of how the Capitol is right now. When a budget is finally passed and we figure out a way to reverse 30 years of bad fiscal policy, it more than likely won’t be a single-source solution. Instead, it will be many ideas pieced together in a compromise between the many different groups involved in the process. Like shoaling fish, it is often hard to single out the pieces of good legislation amidst the bad, but the Republican Caucus has met regularly to look at and scrutinize each idea we have heard.
At this point of the session, I feel confident that due to the steps the Republican Caucus has taken to turn over every rock, we will put together a solid budget that pushes Oklahoma forward in a positive manner. I am confident because I have seen the work that my caucus has put in to this process, and I know that their hearts are focused on improving our state. As the process continues, I will do my absolute best to keep you all informed on the progress being made. Until then, we will all have to “just keep swimming.”
As always, I consider it a great joy in life to serve you in the Oklahoma Legislature. If you have questions, concerns or feedback, please reach out to my office at (405)557-7373.