As a baby boomer who had so many urban and rural mentors when growing up, I struggle with the reasons why our state has declined in so many ways in the last few years. When I was a young child, Oklahoma was a corrupt oligarchy, but I’ve witnessed so many improvements since then.

For instance, a retired federal judge asked me when we started to become a democracy. Then he smiled and answered, “Jan. 1, 1963.” That was the day when Sen. Robert S. Kerr died, allowing U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy to send in federal law enforcement agents. Within a month, they started the investigation of Oklahoma’s corrupt Supreme Court. Soon afterward, we enacted reforms of the judicial selection process, and our Supreme Court became known for its integrity.

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