Please. Truth be told, just about everything that goes on at the Capitol is a stunt of one sort or another. Posturing has been elevated to an art form by many legislators. Corn, D-Poteau, and fellow Democratic Sen. Tom Ivester of Elk City, who joined in the campout, are just the latest examples.
They did it (surprise!) to score points with constituents, particularly older Oklahomans. The lawmakers were protesting the Department of Human Services’ decision to cut $7.4 million from senior nutrition programs, a move made by DHS after its budget was trimmed due to falling state revenue.
Sen. Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher, rightly noted that Republicans and Democrats approved the DHS budget, and that Democrats knew cutting the senior nutrition programs is an executive agency decision. Johnson also wondered where Democrats were six years ago when tough budget times resulted in cuts to DHS.
"I didn’t see any of them pitching a tent and rolling out sleeping bags to show their concern for the elderly” at that time, he said. Why? Because Democrats held the majority then. It’s much easier to throw stones — or in this case, camp out — when you’re not the party in charge.
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