Ideas ...
... really do have consequences. It's true. Certain ideas can shape public opinion and ultimately be enacted into law. To find out more, check out this item in the Oklahoma City University student newspaper:
Law school hosts public policy experts
Speakers to address public policy on the eve of the new legislative session
OCU School of Law's State and Local Government Speakers Series will present public policy experts Brandon Dutcher and David Blatt at 5 p.m. Jan. 25 in Sarkeys Law Center. The presentation is titled "The Role of Public Policy Experts in the Legislative Process."
Dutcher is vice president for policy at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. A native of Bartlesville, Okla., he was founding editor and publisher of the Bartlesville Times and a founding member of the Opinion Board of Contributors of The Oklahoman. He has received awards from the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists and Association of Professional Oklahoma Educators. His articles have appeared in more than 175 publications including Investor's Business Daily, the Sacramento Bee, the Tulsa World and the Cincinnati Enquirer. He is listed in the Heritage Foundation Guide to Public Policy Experts.
Since 2000, Blatt has served as director of public policy for the Tulsa-based Community Action Project that provides information on issues affecting low- and moderate-income Oklahomans. He also chairs a steering committee that is creating the Alliance for Oklahoma's Future, a broad-based coalition geared at promoting responsible and equitable tax policy. He speaks on topics including state budget and tax policy, the legislative process, family economic self-sufficiency, health and child care, food assistance and consumer protection. He was a budget analyst for the Oklahoma State Senate prior to joining the Community Action Project.
"Speaking on the eve of the new legislative session, Dutcher and Blatt, the acknowledged leading conservative and liberal public policy analysts in the state, will discuss how their policy research and advocacy is designed to influence both public opinion and the substance of legislation," said Andrew Spiropoulos, center director and law professor. "They will also reflect on how experiences led them to the vital roles they play in the life of the state."
In its fourth year, the State and Local Government Speakers Series is sponsored by the Center for the Study of State Constitutional Law and Government at OCU School of Law. The series introduces students to the opportunities and challenges of public service. Past speakers include Todd Hiett, former speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives; Drew Edmondson, Oklahoma state attorney general; and Lieutenant Gov. Mary Fallin, now a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The event is free and open to the public.
