Time to rally the vote for the 2022 Oklahoma US Senate Election

Final week Oklahoma!

Early in-person voting is Thursday-Friday

A Progressive Candidate

in

King Arthur's Court.

I've been told to never open with a joke, nor ask for audience participation during a campaign event. So, who wants to hear a joke? I'm running for U.S. Senate office in Oklahoma as an Independent Progressive. The issues are many, not only nationally but locally in Oklahoma. There are some undeniable, unavoidable, scientifically verified and casually denied issues that must be addressed. 
Climate will have a cascading effect on most everything we, as a society, take for granted. I'll address this later. The other issues include the following: the equal rights of all people;prolonging of the status quo & impotence in legislating sound, safe and intelligent immigration policy; violence in America; public education and the assault on public faculty, staff, boards, and librarians; affordable housing; veterans and VA benefits; land use and BLM management; and the rights, legacy agreements and promises to our indigenous citizen brothers and sisters. Let us not forget the other marginalized peoples who are very much our equals in society. Whatever one's perception of LGBTQ+ is, understand that they have existed as long as humans have been on this Earth. Everything mentioned is very important and I will be addressing these during my Senate service.
 Let's dive into Oklahoma. Climate change is real. The fossil fuel industry will be going through  reorganization. These are facts. We need to accelerate this, not hinder it. We need electric vehicles, wind, solar, and battery infrastructure built now. It is estimated there are nine times the employment  opportunities for renewable energies than in fossil fuel energies. The truck drivers, field workers, accountants, HR personnel, management folks working now will have more jobs available when we commit to this reality. 
Oklahoma government currently claims they are too top heavy with public sector employment compared to the private sector to be a successful state. That leads to saying we need to cut government jobs. We need a small government. The reality is “There is no such thing as small government!” If we want roads, bridges, schools, services, and safety we have to admit  that to continuously attack and trim down all things government means to destroy the state itself. If the state falls apart, we all fall apart. Executive Director for the State Chamber Research Foundation, Ben Lepak, said "What's really driving Oklahoma's ranking is we spend a relatively large share of our state GDP, which comes from the government sector. We have a relatively large share of individuals employed by state government versus employees in the private sector." To balance and reverse the public/private ratio Oklahoma has to allow the progressive vision of renewable energies at all levels of society. 
Oklahoma has other issues to deal with. We must move out from under the stagnant leadership of the single party in office. We need honesty, hard work and fairness built into everyday politics. We all have an opportunity to bring in a new era of prosperity. I am calling on Rural through Urban voters to see this future and vote! You can LOVE your party and not vote for it. It is allowed and it is time to commit. 

Michael L. Delaney 
US Senate Candidate 2022 
MichaelLDelaney.com 
@mchdlny

What is the role of government in protecting public health and welfare?

I view Public Health as Medical Healthcare, Consumer and Environmental Protection, Planning for the future(Climate, Housing, Food, Water).

I view Healthcare as a Human Right. I would have it declared and codified into law as an equal right including medical, and bodily autonomy and privacy. Universal healthcare is not only inevitable it can only thrive as a public service. It will be a Federal level responsibility in that States cannot filter benefits, services provided, nor override this codified law.

Public welfare to me is a right to food and food purchase and availability in all neighborhoods as a human right. Healthy food. Green spaces in all urban, suburban as well as rural areas for growing and consumption of local foods-locally. An environmental strategy in order to mend the impact humans have had on the environment. This can only be managed at a governmental level to ensure equity and success in all states, indigenous lands and surrounding countries.

Public utilities need to reappear and, or returned into our society. Water works, education, postal, internet, banking services, etc.. need a public sector options for all populations, especially low income. Privatization of many services has been the downfall for people's prosperity.

Public health, i.e. pandemics, require permanent investment commitment in by the US and the WHO. It needs to be an apolitical organizational effort to prepare and respond to epidemics present and future.

Health and welfare must include consumer protections. Our community cannot sustain itself without broad consumer protections that have a checklist for any product or service. We must pull back on the subscription service rabbit hole that is evolved in the US and elsewhere.

Subscription service by storing financial information needs its own watchdog that the Credit Card industry did/does not have when 0% interest rates or variable rate mortgages leading up to the housing crash were offered.

Financial health is directly connected to mental, physical health and welfare.

What are your views on individuals being able to safely and securely access sensitive medical procedures in privacy and without interference from the state?

I believe we should have immediate access to our medical records and be in control of making our medical history available to doctors.

Besides a universal/single payer system I want to design and implement a Universal Information Portal for the storing and retrieving personal medical information. Many European countries do this now.

The only reason this has not happened is political and blocking by current private industry lobbying.

No individual, organization, state or federal entity may have access to this information without a FISA modeled warrant.

What measures will you take to ensure that every Oklahoman has the chance to participate meaningfully in the democratic process?

Ranked-Choice Voting(RCV) would bring the ultimate fairness in access to candidate selection. If I can get this to the floor I will lobby hard to have it passed.

• A minimum Public financing of elections.
• Reinvigorate “The Fairness Act” and have it codified into law.
• End Citizens United.

At the Federal level I would write, lobby, and vote for a nationwide, codified law, regarding access to the voting process. The approach and the text will directly clarify that voting is to made as available as humanly possible as a rule to poor communities, Native Peoples lands/territories, cities, suburbs, rural areas, overseas public, private, military.

Online voter registration, motor/voter, 18^th Birthday, application for a social security card should invoke a voter registration. It needs a trigger and “all of the above” needs to be implemented.

Native territories as well as very remote areas will need special community drop boxes to be managed by the US Postal Service. Other areas will need to be listed through discovery.

National online voter registration.

How can we make voting more accessible to Oklahoman's?

Voting is a right and not a privilege. There must be no state based rule for disenfranchising any individuals or group. The voting rights act of 1965 must be restored and updated in favor of benefiting voter involvement and ease.

National online voter registration.

100% mail in voting.

Make Election Day a public holiday

Drive through and 24 hour voting. No picture ID laws or mandatory Notary Public rules. End any restrictions on voting by mail. Voting by BIPOC groups increased due to the COVID period allowances during the lock-downs and distancing requirements. The establishment, specifically Republicans, is terrified of this trend and will continue to pass restrictive laws state by state.

Televised Public Service Announcements(PSA) running early and often.

Early mail in with special pickups by the US Postal system beginning weeks prior to counting.

Oklahoma is one of 18 states that has passed 30 laws restricting voter access.

Organizations like “The Heritage Foundation” must be forbidden to inject their efforts and ideas into our election voting system.

Politicians that claim election fraud must be brought to task immediately and forcefully to define and give evidence of this claim.

Pass The John Lewis Voting Rights Protection Act. It is not possible to out organize voter suppression. It needs to be passed through legislation.

The history of voting in America and democracies around the planet a required history lesson throughout high school.

Many Oklahoman's experience discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and other factors; how would you address these problems as an elected leader?

Decriminalizing addiction. Declaring addiction as a health crisis and not a law enforcement issue. This can only be achieved by reorganizing the first response and the responders themselves into a public service instead of law enforcers.

Many states, especially Oklahoma, have legislators/laws that blatantly exacerbate this issue.

We have a “perfect or prison” state. You are either-perfectly peaceful and respectful according to the White, Christian, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Fossil Fuel(cult), “you better make money or else”, and

“regardless of your historical treatment and experiences”-“OR” prison.

It is obvious the BIPOC & LGBTQ+ are the largest population that is victim to abuses

Some solutions I want to implement are:

Minimum wage increase to $15.00/hr

Free Community College (to start)

Free/near free Banking services

Universal Healthcare

Voter access and registration

Food desert eradication

Bail reform

National public education and library systems bill of rights

Federal investment in community Solar, Wind, Storage and developing renewable energy that would decouple from the fossil fuel reliance

Bring back public utilities that focused on services and availability rather than corporate desires.

Addiction services budgets directly out of law enforcement budgets and a codified Mandate of what LOE's job description and duty is.

Addiction safe spaces and needle exchange.

Fair, Ethical and Diverse housing development planning required of all City Councils. There would also need to be litmus test to go with every proposal for new community building to integrate a diverse economic level plan so any people, of any economic level, may take advantage of living somewhere.

I am not naive regarding the state of society in Oklahoma. There is no 100% cure for marginalization and outright discrimination. My approach is to take care of many of the underlying stresses so people can focus on living like we actually have Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

I am also not one to say “enforce the laws on the books.” I hear this often and I don't get it as a valid response to anything. When I hear this response, it is almost always followed by “we need more cops on the street!” This is BS. COPing your way out of dealing with an issue(s) is basically a politician coping out.

Public transportation. Not just local. A planned renewable infrastructure that present and future renewable transportation services could be integrated. Self driving buses, trains, ???. Integrating renewables into all new construction would greatly reduce the costs of utilities for poorer populations.

What measures will you take to ensure that First Amendment rights to freedom of religion, speech, protest, and press are protected from infringement?

Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV).

End Citizens United.

End the Electoral College. One person, one vote.

Campaign finance reform.

Free internet.

Federal level codified law protecting state peoples from being restricted in speech, protest, and press. Refer to the teacher's strike in Oklahoma. After the strike was over, not only were they cheated out of their agreed upon demands, there were anti-protest rights laws enacted by state (Republican) legislators.

Our local news stations reporting is off the chart useless. CBS, ABC, NBC and “the other broadcasting company” give a shallow, zero attempt at depth or repetition of important sociopolitical and scientific facts! These stations and their “ahem”, journalists require some cattle prodding to present what is really happening in Oklahoma government. If they put 15% of what they invest in pointless, endless weather reporting AND advertising of themselves we would have a well informed society. Should they choose to well informed. There are some really sheltered people in this state.

How can our current criminal legal system be reformed to better protect the rights of all persons involved?

Cash bail reform.

Addiction as a healthcare issue.

End the war on drugs era laws.

Repeal the Controlled Substances Act or remove the drugs that have the most impact on marginalized groups. Put that budget into Healthcare/Addiction services instead of “Prisoning” our way out of it.

Enhanced Federal Funding and incentives of and for Public Defenders

Jury selection reform.

Electing/selecting judges.

Eliminating mandatory minimum sentencing.

Reinvent the Appeals Process. Guarantee a public defender for appeals work.

Postpone conviction proceedings until a third party reviews the case proceedings and/or have an Internal Affairs representative attend Proprietorial and Defense meetings-randomly.

Prosecutor misconduct reparations and consequences and DA quality control measures.

All District Attorneys and Judge candidates must have their background and career published and reviewed to the general public at a level.

What steps would you take to adjust or reform our criminal legal system?

Federally funding and running DNA and evidence labs.

Rescind AEDPA Anti terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.

Create and codify a mandate for policing in the constitution. Set the standards of practice in everyday policing.

Codify interrogation practices.

Reinstate Miranda.

Eliminate Capital Punishment.

Record reviews of DA offices and elimination/replacement by review.

Proclaim housing as a human right. (with regard to homelessness actions by LOE)

National database of officer involved shootings and/or high speed pursuits.

Expand SCOTUS to 14+ members.

Forbid police from lying at any time during interaction with other people.

Declare addiction as a health issue.

What is the biggest challenge currently facing our state, and how would you address that issue?

The alleged conservative GOP party that has a stranglehold on this states' education, economy, prison system, law enforcement and its allied donor corporations is the ultimate challenge against Oklahoma success. The party hold on 99% of legislated process has made Oklahoma a laughing stock of the country. Progressive ideas including investing in “Public” education, renewable energy, universal healthcare, affordable college, housing, food, and public transportation will dig this state out of its morass.

Constituents are often encouraged to reach out to their senators by calling and emailing their office. How do you interact with those calls or emails and is that the best way to voice concerns as a constituent?

Open door policy. DC and instate offices to directly connect with me and my Senate team. Public phone, email addresses, webform submission, and in-person, walk-in will be available. Town halls and on-sight meetings available on demand. My plan is to have myself when possible or in-person representatives available to Cities, towns, rural areas and especially on Native lands with full time staff of local representatives from local areas.

From May 2021 to May 2022, consumer prices increased 8.6 percent, the largest 12-month increase since 1981. What do you think is the best way for the state to address inflation? 

50% will be ride it out while the monopolistic industries ease off the price gouging they are responsible for during this time. 5% will be the Executive Branch, 10% will be Legislative, and 35% will be voting progressive in November. The magic bullets would have been learning our lessons from the  market crash of 1929, The Savings and Loan criminal activity in the 80-90s, the Dot Com crash at the turn of the century, the 2008 out of control Credit Default Swap/Sub Prime Lending-Game of Jenga, and electing Trump as president. Our elected staff are either uneducated, lazy or too greedy to hold office. We need to vote progressive! We have seen inflation-recession happen before and now with the Climate Crisis we have to stop repeating history. We need permanent-social-economic infrastructure as part of our entire society. This can only be done with progressive branches of government.

Lack of affordable housing is the leading cause of homelessness. How would you work towards improving access to affordable housing in Oklahoma during the next term?

I will treat Housing as a Human Right! Immediately after the election I will write, lobby, and vote for making this a human right. Once codified into law it is a matter of addressing homelessness at the Federal level. Creating a planned budgetary mission without a sunset clause. Appropriate and fair investment in this as well as education, food and water security. Universal healthcare and housing will build Oklahoma and the rest of the US out of its perpetual homeless situation.

About 14 percent of Oklahoman's are living below the federal poverty line, according to data from the 2020 Census. How do you plan to address poverty in Oklahoma? 

Early childhood development, support disadvantaged youth by building skills and providing a greater safety net and work support. Permanent free meal programs. Programs to reduce unintended pregnancies. Expand summer employment opportunities for low income youth. Fix the academic barriers to higher education. Expand apprenticeship opportunities. Supporting low income workers with refundable child-care credits. Thoughtful minimum wage policy at state and local level. Low income and homeless housing. Rebuild unions.

With conspiracy theories and disinformation campaigns playing a larger role in our politics today, what is your opinion of their influence? How should elected officials deal with this?

I will revisit the “Fairness in Broadcasting Act.” Update it to include the balanced reporting of news. Declare rules that clearly state that reporting is opinion reporting or directly relaying factual news. Ending “Citizens United” is a requirement along with this. If a statement by an information source does not have direct evidence of what is reported, they may not broadcast it. The same goes for all social media outlets.

Oklahoma has historically been a state that supports strengthening Second Amendment rights. However, in light of the recent increase in mass shootings and gun violence, what steps or constraints, if any, do you support to address gun violence?

Let's review the Constitution:

The 2^nd Am. States “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Article 1, Section 8, Clauses 15 “To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;”

Article 1, Section 8, Clauses 16 “To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;”

The National Guard needs to be the Congress-declared “well ordered militia.” "Prescribed by Congress"

It is also clear the individual has no specified right to own or parade around with guns of any kind.

Guns today are not the guns of our forefathers. To point out the obvious. They shoot farther, are far more accurate, higher velocity, capacity and are mass produced at a rate that is unfathomable. They are not manufactured in the name of anything but making a buck. They are advertised and promoted as if they were a necessary staple in every kitchen and absolutely necessary in life. They are targeted to every part of society like candy flavored cigarettes. I am for new gun laws. I am for clarifying the 2nd amendment through the legislative process. I will work for the National Guard to be designated the sole ”well ordered militia” in the United States of America. But this is not all that we're about. This is forced upon all of us because of the over the top violence in America and yes, the expansion of the weapons market by US gun manufactures and their lobbyist. We have a violence issue in this country. We have an anger issue in this country. When you treat populations like they are nothing but money sources to be drained and nothing more they will get fed up with life and act out. People with healthcare are more content. People with availability to medicine, affordable, available and reliable housing experience a greater satisfaction in life. Arts, architecture, entertainment, education and the freedom to learn make life enjoyable.

Do you support a national abortion ban? Why or why not?

NO!

Bodily autonomy, Medical Autonomy and Personal Privacy are Equal Human Rights and will now require being codified into the Constitution.

According to a 2022 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, current plans to address climate change are not enough to prevent catastrophic impacts. In Oklahoma we’ve seen extreme weather conditions like long stretches of triple-digit heat and more extreme winter storms. What measures do you support to reduce the effects of climate change on public health and the environment?

Energy, Oil and Water.

Wean Oklahoma off of the fossil fuel teat as their mythical “only” means of economic survival. Until we do that we cannot make progress. At the Federal level I will work with Indigenous people to build a national service renewable energy utility project across Native Lands. The generating and storing of power is getting more and more available technologically and financially. Included in this build-out on Native lands, owned by Native Peoples, will be transmission technology to provide neighboring cities and states to broker power. I specifically mention Native Peoples due to the fact the general energy monopolies in Oklahoma and the majority Legislators are hard and fast against any renewable energy that would benefit all Oklahoman's. Their primary concern is the making of as much money as possible for as long as possible while slow stepping renewables.

Water resources have to come from renewable sources as well. If we can build a oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico in a few months we can pump desalinated water through national water pipelines. This needed to be done decades ago. Oklahoma is going to be in deep trouble when deeper wells begin to dry up in the coming decade(s).

When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the Supreme Court should reconsider previous rulings that protected contraception, same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage. What do you think about those decisions possibly being overturned?

I think these developments are catastrophic and heinous acts  against Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness!  I will vote to expand SCOTUS. I would also codify that certain rights of the people cannot be subjected to lawsuits or conditional interpretation. A right is a right. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQ+ and Sex must be codified in a human rights law and untouchable.