Former Executive Director David Blatt joined OK Policy in 2008 and served as its Executive Director from 2010 to 2019. He previously served as Director of Public Policy for Community Action Project of Tulsa County and as a budget analyst for the Oklahoma State Senate. He has a Ph.D. in political science from Cornell University and a B.A. from the University of Alberta. David has been selected as Political Scientist of the Year by the Oklahoma Political Science Association, Local Social Justice Champion by the Dan Allen Center for Social Justice, and Public Citizen of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers.
By: David Blatt
September 26, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
The first event in the Oklahoma Department of Human Service’s fall Practice and Policy lecture series will be held Thursday, October 7th from Noon to 1 pm at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. Dr. Gerald Clancy, President of… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 23, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
This week I am participating, along with over 1,000 other delegates from around the U.S. and a dozen foreign countries, in the biannual Assets Learning Conference hosted by CFED in Washington, DC (Click here to follow our Twitter feed from… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 22, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Last week, the Census Bureau released new data showing that one in seven Americans, including one out of every five children, are now living in poverty. This week, some one thousand advocates, program directors, community organizers, business owners, policy analysts… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 20, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In the spirit of full and vigorous debate on state policy issues, OK Policy is pleased to post this guest blog by Michelle Cantrell challenging our position on State Question 744. Michelle is the mother of three boys in the… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 16, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
The U.S. Census Bureau today released its annual report on income, poverty, and health insurance coverage for 2009 based on its March Current Population Survey. The data reflected the severity of the recession throughout 2009: the national poverty rate rose… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 13, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
For anyone who thinks that balancing the state budget in the midst of an economic downturn and declining revenue collections isn’t a tough enough challenge already, just wait to see what happens if Oklahoma voters approve State Question 744. Because… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 10, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Next week, the U.S. Census Bureau will release its annual report on poverty in the United States. The report will tell us how many Americans had income in 2009 below the federal poverty level, which is $18,310 for a family… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 8, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
An front-page USA Today article last week reported that government anti-poverty programs – including Medicaid health insurance coverage, food stamps, unemployment benefits and welfare cash assistance – are now assisting one in six Americans and are continuing to expand. Anyone… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 6, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma voters have the great good fortune this November to decide the fate of no less than 11 proposed constitutional amendments on matters ranging from education funding and health care reform to judicial nominations and (we kid you not) Sharia… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 5, 2010 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In honor of Labor Day weekend, Scott Simon, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday, offered this touching essay urging us to keep in mind “the millions of Americans who don’t have jobs, but who in many ways work harder than… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
The U.S. Census Bureau today released its annual report on income, poverty, and health insurance coverage for 2009 based on its March Current Population Survey. The data reflected the severity of the recession throughout 2009: the national poverty rate rose… Read more [More...]
For anyone who thinks that balancing the state budget in the midst of an economic downturn and declining revenue collections isn’t a tough enough challenge already, just wait to see what happens if Oklahoma voters approve State Question 744. Because… Read more [More...]
