Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
Some Oklahoma Republicans and pundits are predicting gains for the GOP in the 2010 statewide elections because of President Barack Obama's unpopularity here. This should raise concerns about the state...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
Why in the world does Oklahoma lead the nation in the number of women incarcerated on a per capita basis? Do state leaders really want that distinction? The numbers tell a truly sad story: There ar...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
Bricktown continues to thrive, especially with the arrival of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, and new housing development in downtown around the Deep Deuce area foreshadows a bright future for the in...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
Any discussion over what to do about Oklahoma's high incarceration rates must begin with the general acknowledgment the so-called "war on drugs" has been a failure here and across the country. Nati...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
There are a couple of lines in W.H. Auden's famous poem "September 1, 1939" that point out the all-consuming nature of hunger: "Hunger allows no choice / To the citizen or the police." What choice...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
Gov. Brad Henry's responsible, bipartisan leadership has checked a sometimes misguided, Republican-controlled Legislature, which has consistently presented him with bills that would do nothing to move...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
The debate over school consolidation continues in Oklahoma, but consolidation is hardly the financial panacea presented by its proponents. School consolidation is often a sign that a small, rural O...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
Women's medical privacy rights could be threatened and the state's growing bioscience industry would have suffered under new pro-life legislation in Oklahoma. House Bill 1595, which has passed the ...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
A GOP-sponsored bill deregulating schools is a dangerous measure that could lower academic standards and increase class sizes in the state's schools. Its stated intent is to empower school district...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
One part of the solution to Oklahoma's budget dilemma is simple: The state government should raise taxes on the state's wealthiest income earners. Obviously, this won't happen for a variety of poli...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
Oklahomans who cared about maintaining science standards in schools paid close attention to a bill introduced by state Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, which would have allowed teachers to discuss with t...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
Now is exactly the time for state government to invest more in higher education, but don't count on a majority of Oklahoma leaders to see it this way. Faced with projections of declining state revenu...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
State Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, has wasted no time pushing her religious agenda since her re-election to the Oklahoma House last month. Kern, along with state Rep. Mike Reynolds, another Okla...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
Earth to disappointed Oklahoma Democrats: It's all good. Put those recriminations away. No one person or event can be blamed for the poor showing of Democratic state candidates in the Nov. 4 election...

Commentary
Kurt Hochenauer
What if the Oklahoma City area becomes even more politically and culturally conservative in the next few years? According to a story in the Tulsa World, population trends show Oklahoma's fastest-grow...