Mary Fallin, Running on her Record

Mary Fallin was elected governor of Oklahoma four years ago on the platform that she would improve the economy and reduce unemployment.  Four years later, the economy has improved and unemployment is below the national average.  How much of this has been achieved through Fallin's efforts is debatable, however, Fallin is running for re-election based on her record.  As the incumbent candidate, she should.  Her record is what the voters need to look at to decide if she is the best candidate going forward.

Let's look at Fallin's record:

Fallin was presented with a study early on in her term to improve the prison system in Oklahoma.  Our prisons need serious work and this could have been accomplished years ago, however Fallin threw the proposal out.  Now, she is looking into it, not because she believes in the idea but rather because she is running for re-election.

Fallin, like nearly all American governors, supported Common Core.  Her support was one thing she did well.  However, Common Core will only work with proper implementation and when it was revealed that it did not work, rather than take responsibility for her part in the debacle, she immediately distanced herself from the wreckage.  Janet Barresi took the fall and lost her re-election bid.  Fallin is still in the running.

Our state is among the lowest in education, largely because our teachers are among the lowest paid.  You get what you pay for and excellent educators are leaving Oklahoma to teach elsewhere for better wages.  Our teachers' salaries aren't even in line with the teachers in our neighboring states.  Fallin claimed there isn't any money in the budget to raise their salaries, yet she was able to find money to raise the salaries of the heads of several state departments who were already being paid more than the teachers.  Her reasoning was that their salaries should be in line with the national average in spite of the fact that a) Oklahoma's cost of living is below the national average and b) teachers aren't even in line with neighboring states, let alone the national average.

Yes, Mary Fallin should run on her record.  And once her record is evaluated, voters should ensure that she does not get another four years to ruin our state.  We just can't afford her kind of leadership.