A4. THE PERKINS JOURNAL, Thursday, December 6, 2012
Opinions
il ¸
This past month, I announced Oklahoma would not implement
two key components of President Obama's health Care law: the
creation of a health insurance exchange and the expamion of Med-
icaid. I'm writing this month to let you know why that decision i s
in the best interests of Oklahoma taxpayers and families.
For several months, my staff and I have worked with other
lawrnakcrs, Oklahoma stakeholders and health care experts across
the country to determine the best course of action for Oklahoma
in regards to both a possible health insurance exchange and the
potential expansion of Medicaid.
As I have stated many times before, it is my firm belief that the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) fails to
further these goals, and will in fact decrease the quality of health
care across the United States while contributing to the nation's
growing deficit crisis.
Despite my ongoing opposition to the federal health care law,
however, the state of Oklahoma found itself legally obligated to
either build an exchange that is PPA CA compliant and approved
by the Obama Admires" tmtion, or to default to an exchange nan
by the federal govemment. This choice was forced on the people
of Oklahoma by the Obama Administration in spite of the fact ........
that voters have overwhelmingly expressed their opposition to
the federal health care law time and time again.
After careful consideration, I decided last month that Okla-
homa would not pursue the creation of its own health imurance
exchange. As I said at the time, any exchange that is PPACA
compliant will necessarily be'state-rim' in name only and would
require Oklahoma resources, staff and tax dollars to implement. It
does not benefit Oklahoma taxpayers to actively support and fund
a new govemment program that would ultimately be under the
control of the federal government and that is opposed by a dear
majority of Oklahornans. Furthermore, the creation of such an
exchange would further the implementation of a law that threatens
to erode both the quality of American health care and the fiscal
stability of the nation.
:iWith regards to Medicaid, I also announced that Oklahoma
Would not be participating in the Obama Administtation's pro-
posed expansion. Such an expansion would have been unafford-
able, costing the state of Oklahoma $475 million between now
and 2020, with escalating annual expenses in subsequent years. It
would also have furthered Oklahoma' s reliance on federal money
that may or may not have been available in the future given the dire
fiscal problems facing the federal govemment. On a state level,
massive new costs associated with Medicaid expansion would
also have required cuts to important govemment priorities such
as education and public safety. Finally, the proposed Medicaid
expansion offers no meaningful reform to a massive entitlement
program already contributing to the out-of-control spending of
the federal govemment.
Moving forward, itis important for'the state of Oklahoma to
pursue two actions simultaneously. The first will be to continue
support for Oklahoma Attorney General S,co, Pmitt's ongoing
legal challenge of Peeml Pruitt S..,baw.qt raises dif-
ferent Constitlonal,questiom than previous leg, at challenge,
and both hganUd I 'c flaat Oklaornas chaffen
can succeed.
Our second and equally important task will be to pursue state-
based solutions that improve health outcomes and contain costs
for Oklahoma families. Serious reform, for instance, should be
pursued in the area of Medicaid and public health, where effec-
tive chronic disease Preventi0n and management programs could
address the trend of skymcketin" g medical bills linked to avoidable
hospital and emergency room visits. I look forward to working
with legislative leaders and lawmakers in both parties to pursue
Oklahoma health care solutions for Oklahoma families.
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I attended the Excellence in Action National Summit on
Education Reform this week in Washington, D.C. It was
fabulous. I heard empowering speeches from reformers such
as Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida and Chairman of the
Foundation for Excellence in Education. His message of truly
maximizing every student's potential while preparing him or
her for the work world of the 21st Century is something every
educator needs to hear.
I also heard a very sobering report from Dr. Condoleezza Rice,
former U.S. Secretary of State; Joel Klein, former chancellor
of New York City's public schools; with Dr. Richard Haass,
President of the Council on Foreign Relations.
The trio discussed a recent Council on Foreign Relations
task force report. This independent, nonpartisan group reports
that our failure to educate students in the United States leaves
them unprepared to compete with global peers and threatens
our country's ability to thrive in the global marketplace and
maintain our role as a world leader.
The report notes that while the United States invests morn in
K-12 public education than many other developed countries,
its students are still coming in far behind global counterparts in
subjects such as reading, mathematics and science. According
The President of the United States, POTUS, teed off the first
Sunday morning in May, 2011. The East Course of Andrews
air base was the site of Barack Obama's 66th round of golf
as president.
The media and the public weren't invited, as usual. As at
nearly all of Obama's previous outings, the only witnesses
were a trio of staff members and a platoon of Secret Service
members.
Obama's favorite game is basketball, a love affair that began
at age 10, when the father he barely knew gave him a ball. But
by his third year in office, golf has been his most cherished
escape.
The press corps is forbidden from following or even taking
pictures on the course. For the man who "misses being
anonymous," the golf course has become the one place he
can disappear.
On this moming, Obama called it quits after nine holes, a
curious turn for a golfer who typically insists on 18 holes during
rounds that last as long six hours.
Golf has been ranked as the favorite pastime of American
presidents for more than a century. Fifteen of the past 18 execu-
fives have played the game. Eisenhower, Ford, and Clinton
most avidly; Coolidge, LBJ, and Nixon most grudgingly, and
nearly all dangerously risking hooking a drive into a gallery.
The presidential tradition began ignominiously when Wil-
liam Howard Taft, all 3 20 pounds of him, ignored the counsel
of his political mentor, Teddy Roosevelt (he hated being called
'Teddy") who had once declared"Golfis fatal" to any politi-
cal man.
Despite that and his buffoonish swing, Taft kept on playing
the gilded game, all but admitting he preferred the game to
governing.
After his presidency, President Warren Harding appointed
Taft chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1921. He served
until shortly before his death in 1930. Taft said, "it was the
greatest achievement of my life. In fact, I don't remember that
I was ever president."
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. was Dean of the Harvard Medi-
cal School for 10 years, but he is remembered more for his
writings, Autocrat of the Breakfast Club, the One-Hess Shay,
etc. His son, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., a Lt. in the Civil
"Get down •"
War, was the one who shouted, oo , you IOOi, when
Abraham Lincoln was trying to see part of a battle.
Historians say that if Lincoln had lived, and memories of
the Civil War waned, he too, would have been remembered
more for his writings.
But in the century since Taft, no president has been morn
vilified for his love for golf than Obama. And not surprisingly,
no president has done more to keep his game a secret.
During the 104 rounds Obama has played as president,
photographers have been permitted only five times, and then
they've been forced to use long lenses from 40-50 yards, only
for a few moments. Reporters accompanying Obama are usu-
ally banned from the first tee. JFK was the last president to
ban photographers.
to the results of the 2009 Program for International Student
Assessment, U.S. 15-year-olds ranked 14th in reading, 25th
in math, and 17th in science compared to students in other
industrial countries.
The report also points to low graduation rates and ACT scores
that show many of our students are not prepared for the rigors
of college. This, of course, means these young people in many
cases also are not employable or fit for military duty.
The good news is many of our education reforms in Oklahoma
fit with the task force's recommendations, which they believe
will put the nation back on track to becoming an educational,
economic and mih'tary leader.
The task force makes three recommendations:
• Implement educational expectations and assessments in
subjects vital to protecting national security. This includes the
recommendation to expand to the new rigorous Oklahoma C3
Standards.
• Make structural changes to provide students with good
choices. Choice and competition, in an environment of equi-
table resource allocation, 11 fuel the innovation necessary to
transform results.
• Conduct a national security audit with published results to
ensure students are gaining the skills and knowledge necessary
to safeguard America's future security and prosperity.
I know Oklahoma educators are working hard every day to
ensure our students are prepared for whatever their futures hold,
whether that be college, career orthe military. With your effort
and our continued implementation of needed education reforms,
we are doing our part to safeguard our nation's heritage.
Many presidents, in the half century since, have held
impromptu news conferences on the first tee. George W.
Bush infamously told reporters in 2002, "I call aU nations to
do everything they can to stop these terrorist killers. Thank
you. Now watch this drive."
Few details are given the press corps about Obama's game.
Press secretary Jay Carney jokes when asked about POTUS's
handicap, "that's classified."
The president usually prefers hitting the links in advance;
reporters become aware only when the presidential motorcade
leaves for the first tee. His pals won't even reveal his favorite
golf ball brand.
The first rule of a golf club: don't talk about the golf club.
White house and senior campaign officials declined to discuss
Obama's golf in the homestretch of am-election year. Obama
has rejected requests by senior Democratic party officials to
golf with wealthy contributors to raise money, as did Bill
Clinton.
Only once since bexa)ming president has Obama played with
a journalist, Thomas Friedman, a New York Times columnist.
Their round, predictably, was off the record.
When the president-elect was on an Hawaiian vacation in
2008, video was shot of a few holes. A crowd of about 100
witnessed a rare treat; an Obama wedge shot flying low and
straight for 75 yards before settling on the edge of the green.
"Hey, guys, pretty good, huh?" Everyone laughed. Someone
said, "Better than your bowling." This mfermd to a #tifu137
Obama bowled during the 2008 campaign.
The re-elected president inherited an economic fme-fall
nation; the administration was aware of the "ap g dis-
engaged" pitfalls.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch O'Connell's quip: "For fo
years, Bamck Obama has been running from the nation's
problems. He hasn't been working to earn re,election. He's
been working to earn a spot on the PGA tour. ,
Even Mitt Romney joined the act. "I jUst think it!s time to
have apresident whose idea of hands-on doesn't mean getting :°
a better grip on a golf club." Romney himself is an oddity - a;
wealthy capitalist who doesn't play golf.
It's often said that golf exposes a man's character, and it's
equally tree for presidents. Lyndon B. Johnson agreed to play
only after being told the links could be useful to twist arms of
recalcitrant senators. '
What's most revealing about Obama'S game is the simple
fact that there still is one, even in the face of all the carping.
Steve Rushin, who writes about presidential golf in the "Golf
Digest," says, "In a weird way, you must give Obama crlit
for continuing to play. It speaks to the fact that he genuinely
loves the the game."
Obama, a lefty, has shaved off a few strokes of his handicap
of 18. But he is far from the most prolific presidential golfer.
Woodrow Wilson played a handful of holes every morning.
Dwight Eisenhower played nearly 800 rounds across two
terms.
Andres W. Lopez, an attorney who's known the president
since their Harvard days, says,"Golf for Obama has become
a Sanctuary of sorts."
Still, them might be one morn reason Obama has stuck to his
beloved game. Since the 1980 presidential election, a curious
trend has emerged: Jimmy Carter, Walter Mondale, Michael
Dukakis, Bob Dole, A1 Gem, John Kerry, and John McCain:
none have played golf. All tasted defeat. All Lost to Golfers !
