By Jay Chilton
MiddleGround News for The McCarville Report
Oklahoma legislators and staff members are in Seattle this week, August 3-6, attending the NCSL (National Conference of State Legislatures) 2015 Legislative Summit. NCSL is a national lobbying organization that also serves as an idea exchange for state legislatures and other organizations to communicate left-leaning ideology and big-government solutions for state governments.
Rep. Jason Dunnington, D-Oklahoma City, tweeted of his excitement to be attending the Summit.
“On my way to @NCSLorg #NCSLSummit. So many great sessions including Voting innovations, Public trans, Corporate Responsibility, and more,” he wrote.
In a subsequent tweet Dunnington said his first stop would be a briefing by the far-left policy advocate, State Innovation Exchange (SiX), affiliated with ALICE (American Legislative and Issue Campaign Exchange). SiX and ALICE promote policy reforms which include increasing mandates and costs for consumers and utility users, small businesses, energy production and health care.
“Made it to Seattle for @NCSLorg #NCSLSummit,” he wrote. “First up @stateinnovation briefing then on to Labor Caucus happy hour. Learning is living.”
Rep. Emily Virgin, D-Norman, made note on Twitter of getting around in Seattle.
Extreme left-wing advocacy organization, nonprofit liberal watchdog and investigative journalism group Center for Media and Democracy has reported that NCSL is primarily funded by state taxpayers. Executive Director Lisa Graves wrote that of NCSL’s $17 million 2010 budget, $10 million was paid by state legislatures. Most of the remainder was paid by governmental entities and donations from left-leaning policy foundations.
“In 2010, NCSL’s general fund was $16.8 million. State legislatures contribute about $10 million a year to NCSL. Most of the remainder comes from grants from federal agencies such as the federal Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Energy, and Transportation, and from private foundations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It also has funds from the sale of NCSL publications,” Graves wrote.
According to available data from 2012, Oklahoma taxpayers are forced to annually contribute more than $140,000 a year in annual dues to the NCSL. Due to this taxpayer subsidy, lawmakers are automatically considered members of this lobbying organization. Since 2005, Oklahoma taxpayers have been forced to contribute more than $1 million to NCSL.
Legislators attending the conference will pay an average of $250 per night for lodging during the summit while spending $415 per day for the four-day affair. Per Diem allowance for legislators in Oklahoma is currently $160 per day and spouses, children or both often accompany the attendees to the summit. Round trip airline tickets from Oklahoma City to Seattle come in at a starting cost of $634 per person on Alaska Airlines.
Assuming four days at the summit, five nights in a hotel, Per Diem and the least expensive non-stop flight available, each person attending will cost Oklahoma taxpayers $4,504 for the lavish event.
Two confirmed attendees at the summit are Rep. Jason Dunnington of House District 88, a Democrat from Oklahoma City, and Samantha Davidson, Senior Policy Advisor to President Pro Tempore Sen. Brian Bingman of District 12, a Republican from Sapulpa.
As of this posting neither the Oklahoma Legislature nor the National Conference of State Legislatures responded to MiddleGround’s request for information concerning the total number of participants or the names of attendees to the summit.
The incoming president of NCSL is Republican Senate President Pro Temp Curt Bramble of Utah. Curt is one of the most conservative people I have ever met. He joins a long list of distinguished conservatives who have chaired NCSL, as NCSL alternates chairmen between Republicans and Democrats each year.
NCSL’s mission is to help build a strong legislative institution. The founding fathers were fearful of a powerful executive branch. Recently, Oklahomans are expressing concern about the power of the judiciary. In our system of checks and balances the Legislature represents the many voices of the people. Limited government is only possible if the Legislature is strong enough to keep it under control. What could be more conservative than strengthening the branch of government intended to most closely represent the people?
NCSL does lobby for states’ rights in Washington. What can be more conservative than lobbying for states’ right?
NCSL is not a conservative organization. It is legitimately a bipartisan organization committed to the development of a strong legislative branch.
The following is an excerpt from an article in The Salt Lake Tribune by Paul Rolly in February of 2013:
Bramble, a strident and somewhat unyielding conservative strong man in the Utah Senate for years, acknowledges his own evolution as a statesmen that includes moderating positions on immigration, antidiscrimination laws that include the equal housing and workplace protections of gays and lesbians, and even some sensible gun laws.
He even has been working with Rhode Island State Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy, a liberal Democrat, on ideas for tax reform they hope can become a policy position from the states.
It is right to say that NCSL is not so left leaning as SiX or Center for Media and Democracy but they are funded by tax revenue via state legislatures.
What could be more conservative? Not using tax revenue.
It is true that NCSL is a bipartisan organization. It is also true that many elected Republicans are just as enamored of big-government solutions as their Democrat counterparts.