Published: November 06, 2009 07:17 pm      

Targeting the ‘Greatest Generation’ leaves them hungry

EDMOND — It seems unfair somehow that by the time we are older and wiser our capacity to physically act upon what we’ve learned is diminished. However, seniors at the state Capitol Wednesday lived up to their “older and wiser” moniker and with dignity and strength blasted policies and policymakers responsible for leaving many of them, literally, out in the cold.

When taxes are cut, programs are eliminated. The party in power knew when they enacted tax breaks for the wealthy that programs of public health would be targeted for reduction or elimination. How can any “family values” platform include eliminating hot meals for seniors? How can anyone look a man or woman in the eye who survived the Great Depression, fought in the Great War and went on to build this great nation and say, “Today, you will go without food,” especially when Oklahoma government waste and fraud includes lining the pockets of this state’s nursing home owners, the entity charged with ensuring support for the final days of our frail senior citizens?

Funds should be secured and replaced for this program immediately! There are several ways by which to achieve this.

There are 600,000 seniors in Oklahoma, many of whom depend on Meal on Wheels and the walk-in nutrition centers. In addition to the Rainy Day Fund, legislators have $600 million in stimulus funds to disperse. Every day we wait is a day that seniors in the program go without food. To be apathetic is absolutely un-American.

I will stay on this issue of adequate nutrition for our seniors and for our children who face nearly 90 percent food insecurity in our largest counties until the fight is won. I don’t have the wisdom of the ages but I still have the strength to learn from our sage elders and I’ll fight the physical fight for them.

I also will be authoring two important senior bills for the coming session.

The rally was organized with the assistance of the Oklahoma Silver Haired Legislators, who were quoted as saying, “We thought we’d have around 30 folks.” The crowd that gathered on the second floor rotunda was estimated at 300-plus attendees.



REP. RICHARD MORRISSETTE, D-Oklahoma City, represents House District 92 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.