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But yes, in rural areas of Oklahoma, they are struggling.
The schools in Oklahoma are funded almost-entirely by local property taxes. But in rural areas, property values are incredibly low, which means property taxes either have to be really high, or there is no funding for the schools.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
Oklahoma is ranked 48th in quality of life factors.
I don't generally trust anything that purports to measure quality-of-life. The criteria and the weighting of factors tends to be biased. It will rank places with the highest rates of antidepressant use, as having high quality-of-life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
Oklahoma ranks 1st for chronic lower respiratory disease, and is in a tie for 1st place for diabetes.
Ranks 2nd for heart disease.
To be fair, Native-Americans have a very high risk for diabetes. About twice as high as for whites.
To paraphrase: a Republican controlled legislature that gave out deep tax cut is wrecking the state. Oaklahoma can't afford to pay teachers, state workers were told to only work four days a week, schools also are only open four days a week, Highway patrol were told to not fill up their gas tanks, some bureaucracies are completely shut down like those who revoke drunk driving licenses. Teachers are fleeing the state, and schools would give teaching licenses to anyone with a passing knowledge just so classes can stay open. One principal had to emergency certify his secretary to teach a class.
Healthcare cost in Oaklahoma is through the roof. Some state workers actually have higher insurance cost than their pay, which means they pay the government to work there.
But, you know. Blue states have high housing cost. So there!
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Home of the Oak Tree!
Our education system has failed one person for sure.
One time it is a typo. 3 times and the need to go back and learn some geography
hey, if you had a tree for a beard you'd be perpetually angry too.
I am not perpetually angry. My post may have been more strident than I would have liked. However, the recent history of the GOP has been to,"starve the beast", I.e. so bankrupt the government there will not be enough to fund government operations.
It all seems so self defeating to me. No purpose but to weaken us. Oklahoma and Kansas are foreshadowing the conservative dark vision for America. Not angry really, just concerned and truly saddened.
Sounds like you either didn't bother to read the article I posted or didn't comprehend what you read.
You do realize you weren't the original poster? And that I didn't even respond to your post with that article in it? And that, I don't necessarily read every article that is posted in a thread, especially when it is posted several pages into a thread.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
"Putnam cites the example of a popular support program for developmental disabilities which gave families of limited means resources to take care of their loved ones. It takes roughly 10 years just to get on a waiting list to be considered for the support waiver to help a disabled person, meaning applications filed in 2006 are just now being considered. Many of the disabled patients have died by the time their files are being considered."
When you say, "10 year wait lists for disability services.", it made it seem like people with disabilities have to wait 10 years to get anything.
In reality, the article you linked is talking about people with "developmental disabilities". And to qualify, you need to have an IQ of 70 or lower.
And the program provides "medical equipment, therapy, job preparation, respite care, and independent living skills".
Basically, the disabled are already able to collect disability, and get other services. This was just a special program which provided a few extras. And there are currently about 7,000 people on the waiting list, for the entire state.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
It's lack of health insurance that is leading to hospital bankruptcies. Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of uninsured in the nation.
What the article actually said was.... "Aging, shrinking rural communities, combined with Oklahoma's decision not to expand Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act and cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates, have created a financial crisis for many of the state's smaller hospitals."
The problem is only happening in rural areas. And specially, only the poorer rural areas with shrinking communities and aging populations.
The same policies were enacted across the state. But everywhere else is doing fine.
Thus, these hospitals were probably already in trouble long before the ACA. The ACA, and the cuts, just made things worse.
Regardless, does the closing of a few hospitals mean that people can't get healthcare? Or does it just mean a few hospitals went bankrupt?
Last edited by Redshadowz; 02-07-2018 at 05:44 AM..
How about any of the other states that are ranked higher than Oklahoma in quality of life?
I want you to give me a state that you think is better than Oklahoma. And tell me why. And don't give me some arbitrary rankings. I want you to explain it to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
States where teachers and business are moving to?
So you think I should move to Texas? Isn't that where everyone is moving? Even Californians?
To paraphrase: a Republican controlled legislature that gave out deep tax cut is wrecking the state. Oaklahoma can't afford to pay teachers, state workers were told to only work four days a week, schools also are only open four days a week, Highway patrol were told to not fill up their gas tanks, some bureaucracies are completely shut down like those who revoke drunk driving licenses. Teachers are fleeing the state, and schools would give teaching licenses to anyone with a passing knowledge just so classes can stay open. One principal had to emergency certify his secretary to teach a class.
Healthcare cost in Oaklahoma is through the roof. Some state workers actually have higher insurance cost than their pay, which means they pay the government to work there.
But, you know. Blue states have high housing cost. So there!
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My state doesn't tax wages. We don't have toll roads or at least none I know of. All of our state parks are free. We're ranked 13th for lowest property taxes. I've been here 11 years and my rent is still not as much as it was in Maryland. The one I have now is twice the size of the MD apartment. The state makes money on sales tax.
How much is Oklahoma shelling out for poor illegals? extra teachers, cops, fire, roads, government assistance? Some may pay income taxes but they don't pay enough taxes to cover their cost. Switch from an income based tax to a sales tax.
To paraphrase: a Republican controlled legislature that gave out deep tax cut is wrecking the state. Oaklahoma can't afford to pay teachers, state workers were told to only work four days a week, schools also are only open four days a week, Highway patrol were told to not fill up their gas tanks, some bureaucracies are completely shut down like those who revoke drunk driving licenses. Teachers are fleeing the state, and schools would give teaching licenses to anyone with a passing knowledge just so classes can stay open. One principal had to emergency certify his secretary to teach a class.
Healthcare cost in Oaklahoma is through the roof. Some state workers actually have higher insurance cost than their pay, which means they pay the government to work there.
But, you know. Blue states have high housing cost. So there!
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" Right-Wing Policies Have Destroyed Oaklahoma "
Left-Wing Policies Have Destroyed NY, CA, MD MASS, NJ, WASH state, etc. did I miss any?
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