Citizens in Charge

Along with Oklahomans for Initiative Rights (OIR), Citizens in Charge Foundation sponsored &qot;Reforming the Reform Process: How to Restore Oklahoma’s Initiative,&qot; a public seminar in Oklahoma City on November 15. The seminar brought together state and national experts on I&R, activists, political figures and scholars to discuss ways to make Oklahoma’s I&R process more usable.

The conference featured two panels, a national panel moderated by Brandon Dutcher of the Oklahoma Council for Policy Affairs, and a state panel moderated by Andrew Spiropoulos of Oklahoma City University School of Law.

The national panel included Prof. Frederick Boehmke of the University of Iowa, Ron Calzone of Missouri First, Mark Tapscott of the Washington Examiner, and M. Dane Waters of the Initiative & Referendum Institute. Former Democratic Senator and candidate for president Mike Gravel was invited but could not attend due to illness.

Featured on the state panel were state Sen. Randy Brogdon, City Sentinel Editor Patrick McGuigan, OIR Executive Director Norma Sapp and “65% Solution” initiative proponent Bob Sullivan.

Panelists discussed their experience and knowledge of the I&R process along with the reforms they believe are needed for Oklahoma before taking questions from the audience. Paul Grant, lead plaintiff in the landmark initiative rights case Meyer v Grant, gave the keynote lunch speech highlighting the history of I&R as a tool to control government and preserve citizens’ rights.

Thanks to CICF’s coalition partners and grassroots network the seminar was attended by nearly 80 people, roughly three times what we planned for! Attendees listened to a series of incredibly informational and inspiring presentations, and the crowd appeared to leave educated and ready to take on the powers that be in Oklahoma to fix their initiative process. CICF and OIR, plan to build on this momentum by holding several more smaller meetings around the state as part of a citizen-led task force on I&R reform that will present a report with detailed suggestions to the state legislature.

The Oklahoma conference is the first of many educational I&R events that CICF will be bringing to a city near you in 2009 as part of our Common Sense Initiative. Look for more info at CitizensInCharge.org, or email grassroots@citizensincharge.org directly to get involved.