"Imagine an Oklahoma where the median income exceeds the national average; where all our kids are healthy; where each child learns the skills they need to succeed."

I wonder if you can.

"Imagine a state where the benefits of prosperity are shared equitably across the population and achieving the American dream is a genuine possibility for all children. Imagine an Oklahoma where taxes are fairly collected and distributed; an Oklahoma that can meet its obligations to its retirees and pay for the services its citizens need."

You may say the author of this message is a dreamer; others might say he's delusional.

But Matt Guillory, the executive director of a brand-new, progressive think tank, and the well-known Oklahomans who founded the new organization, hope to do more than dream. Their aim is to provide the raw data, the energy and the advocacy to push Oklahoma on to never-before-realized achievements — to help make Oklahoma a "more prosperous, better educated, healthier, and increasingly equitable state."

Think tanks aren't typically household topics, and this one isn't likely to break that pattern. But it could make some differences at the Capitol and elsewhere across the state. And, even if the Oklahoma Policy Institute doesn't reinvent Oklahoma, it doesn't hurt to try. In fact, we should all agree it's imperative to try; regularly ranking near the bottom in studies of health, education and other measures of well-being ought not be the status quo, yet it is something Oklahomans have come to accept.

Former U.S. Rep. Brad Carson, now chief executive officer of Cherokee Enterprises, is among the eight founders of the new policy institute.

Thanks to his experience in Congress, he is keenly aware of the importance and value of solid, well-founded research to the decision-making process. He feels Oklahoma "desperately needs nonpartisan and high-quality research on the many challenges the state faces in the 21st century."

"The Oklahoma Policy Institute will meet this need. OK Policy has a bipartisan board of directors and a commitment to academically rigorous analysis of the state's fiscal situation," he said.

Other founders are Tulsans P. Vincent LoVoi, managing partner of Mimosa Tree Capital Partners; Don Millican, chief finanical officer for Kaiser Francis Oil Co. and chair of the Oklahoma Christian University board of trustees; Robert Butkin, former state treasurer and former dean of the University of Tulsa College of Law, where he is currently a professor, and Steven Dow, executive director of the Community Action Project of Tulsa County. Other founders include Albert "Kell" Kelly of Bristow, chief executive officer and president of SpiritBank; Nance Diamond of Shawnee, who has been instrumental in the Court Appointed Special Advocate program and other public and political efforts, and Nancy Robertson of Oklahoma City, an executive with Sonic, America's Drive-In.

David Blatt, who for years has conducted policy research through Tulsa's energetic Community Action Project (and provided much-appreciated fodder for countless newspaper columns), now will serve the same role at the policy institute. Another Oklahoman, Keri Beth Cain, will serve as director of advocacy. Guillory's background is in nonprofit, educational and faith-based organizations.

Guillory has sent an introductory packet and letter, quoted above, to many Oklahomans explaining the new think tank's mission and seeking support for its objectives.

It's no secret that the Oklahoma Policy Institute likely will often find itself squaring off on issues with Oklahoma's other think tank, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. The OCPA is a staunchly conservative outfit that regularly pushes tax cuts, limited government, and free-market principles, among other objectives.

The OCPA bills itself as the "flagship of the conservative movement in Oklahoma."

OK Policy, as the new think tank calls itself, on the other hand will focus on reforming the state tax system "to provide fair and adequate funding of essential services," on addressing "the widening inequalities of income" among Oklahoma households; on providing adequate health care for all residents, and on enhancing educational quality and access.

While the conservative group frequently uses material produced by out-of-state sources, who sometimes craft similar submissions for multiple states, OK Policy will rely largely on homegrown researchers and experts for its policy data.

It would be wrong and counterproductive, but not unexpected, for the two groups to be viewed as liberal vs. conservative, as pro-government vs. anti-government, as tax-spenders vs. tax-cutters. Blatt believes the two will find common ground on some issues, such as the growing debate over reviewing and eliminating some tax incentives, and may even work in concert when they're on the same side.

Let's hope Oklahomans have become politically mature enough to begin to move beyond the often pointless and sometimes destructive practice of reducing people and concepts to labels and stereotypes. Maybe having a new think tank around will help in that regard, while also enhancing opportunities for broader, more robust public policy debates. Guillory thinks it will: "The creation of OK Policy means there is another strong voice in the discussion of how to make Oklahoma better for all the people who live here. OK Policy will work on issues that have a broad impact on the lives of Oklahomans and give voice to the concerns of those of low and moderate incomes.

"As the scope of the public discussion expands and creative new ideas are developed, Oklahoma's outcomes will begin to change over time. Our ranking among the states in key areas like education, average household income, rates of incarceration, and health factors will steadily begin to rise."

Imagine that.

Link to the article on the Tulsa World’s website