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Immigrants in an economic downturn

The New York Times has been running a series of front-page Sunday articles examining the impact that the great wave of recent immigration – both legal and illegal – is having on various sectors and institutions. This week’s piece explored… Read more [More...]

Come on in. Let’s talk.

It seems that the level of discussion surrounding the policy decisions facing our nation and our state have degenerated into more political rhetoric and partisan bickering than sincere efforts to come to a consensus that is best for the people.… Read more [More...]

Center on Budget launches redesigned website

Many of you who have followed the work of OK Policy will know that our model for top-quality, credible, and timely research is the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington-based policy organization that works at the federal and… Read more [More...]

Falling, falling

As we showed in the March edition of Numbers You Need, the number of laid-off Oklahomans receiving unemployment benefits is skyrocketing. An average of 4,881 workers filed first-time claims in January, an increase of 149 percent compared to September 2008.… Read more [More...]

Bad banks, great journalism

If you’re anything like me or most anyone I know, chances are you’ve spent a good part of the last year reading and listening to stories about “collateral debt obligations” and “credit default swaps” and “toxic assets” and “zombie banks”… Read more [More...]

Unemployed Poor

The Oklahoman had an editorial today about the increase in the numbers of Oklahomans needing assistance to get by. Food stamp usage has reached an all time high in Oklahoma. It is a sobering editorial, but an issue that needs… Read more [More...]

Hurry up and wait

Both houses of the Legislature this week passed a resolution, SJR 12,  that would allow this year’s session to adjourn sine die on May 22nd, one week earlier than scheduled. The goal, explained President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, is to… Read more [More...]

Transparency envy

As we’ve said, we are very pleased by Governor Henry’s swift action in launching a state website to provide information on the federal stimulus bill (formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA), as it applies to… Read more [More...]

Kill the drill

Sunday’s edition of the New York Times had a front-page report on the steep drop in drilling activity that has followed plunging oil prices in recent months. Since last summer, the number of oil and gas rigs deployed to tap… Read more [More...]

Numbers You Need – March 2009

Numbers You Need is a monthly publication from OK Policy that presents key data on the state's economy, work force, human services and budget in one concise easy-to-read fact sheet. [More...]

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