1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Buck Sexton and you're listening to the 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: Tutor Dixon Podcast, part of the Clay Drivers and Buck 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: Sexton podcast Network. Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. I'm 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: Tutor Dixon, and it is great to have you tuning 5 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: into the podcast. Today. I have a special guest, and 6 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: what I love about this guest is, first of all, 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: I've been to a lot of events with Republican governors, 8 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: and all of them surprise me about how inviting they 9 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: are and how kind they are. And I've always imagined 10 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: those folks like surrounded by security, untouchable, not willing to 11 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: speak with you, but they all do, especially my guest today. 12 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: He's one of the first governors to take time to 13 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: talk with me about my race when I ran in Michigan, 14 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: and every time I see him, he takes time to 15 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: chat and I'm so glad he's joining me today. Governor 16 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: Kevin Stitt, thanks for coming on the podcast. 17 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 2: It's my honor. 18 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 3: Thanks thanks for having me on, Tutor, And we followed 19 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 3: your race real closely and you made us prout. 20 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 1: Thank you. Now you're following another race, though, so I 21 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: want to jump into that. I know we have a 22 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: short amount of time with you. But we have all 23 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: been watching the presidential race and you came out with 24 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: a big endorsement for Governor Ron DeSantis. So tell us 25 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: a little bit about why you did that. 26 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 2: Sure. 27 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, Well, first off, you know, I know Ron, I 28 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,559 Speaker 3: know really all the people running, and I watched him 29 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 3: lead during COVID And you don't know the pressure on 30 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 3: governors during that time period and when we were being 31 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 3: pushed to do mass mandates and me and Ron were 32 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 3: one of the few governors that refused to do a 33 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 3: mass mandate statewide. We kept our states open. And I 34 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 3: just saw what a leader he was, how much pressure 35 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 3: he was under, and how he was kind of the 36 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 3: point of the spear as the national media was attacking him. 37 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 3: He never backed down. And so now I look at 38 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 3: who can beat Joe Biden. We have got to win 39 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 3: the White House back, and I think Ron De Santis 40 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 3: is the right guy. And when we do get back 41 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 3: into the White House, we need someone who can win 42 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 3: and who can be there for the next eight years. 43 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 3: And so for all those reasons, I think we have 44 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 3: a winner in Ron De Santis and certainly support him 45 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 3: for president. 46 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: Well, there's been some folks that have said they thought 47 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: he waited too long, they didn't think his roleout was great. 48 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: There have been some concerns about some of his events 49 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: with his teams and whatnot. So give us a little 50 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: bit of insight into the Rohnda Santis like him as 51 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 1: a person that you know that we don't know about him, 52 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 1: and why you think that he is going to surpass 53 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: everybody else? 54 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, sure, Well, I mean you look at the fundraising. 55 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 3: He's got the resources, he's got the fundraising, and that's 56 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 3: just people being critical. You know, he had millions and 57 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 3: millions of people tuned into his launch and it actually 58 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:44,079 Speaker 3: crashed Twitter, so that's a good thing in my opinion. 59 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 3: But I saw him with his wife. His wife is 60 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 3: wonderful case, he's great. And I saw him with his 61 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 3: three kids, and he's just a dad like all of us. 62 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 3: We've got Father's Day coming up this weekend. And I 63 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 3: saw him with his five year old and teaching him 64 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 3: how to catch the baseball. And his five year old's 65 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 3: got a really good arm. And I know Ron is 66 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 3: a huge baseball fan, and so that's right. It was 67 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 3: so fun watching him out there. And I've got six 68 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 3: children and so we've got day jobs. But also we're 69 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 3: just trying to be good husbands, good fathers to our 70 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,239 Speaker 3: kids and and uh, man just respect the heck out 71 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 3: of him. And but I'm just telling America he is 72 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 3: the right guy. He's a leader, he can beat Joe Biden. 73 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 3: He's never going to back down. And he represents our values, 74 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 3: uh and our conservative values of freedom and faith and 75 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 3: country and uh. 76 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: And you know we've talked about this. 77 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 3: We don't put the Constitution in the attic just because 78 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 3: somebody in Washington d C. Tells us too, because there's 79 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 3: a pandemic. And so that's what I leaved in Oklahoma. 80 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 3: And I know that's the way he led Florida. And 81 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 3: I believe we need we need a governor that's ready 82 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 3: to lead on day one, and that's Ron de Santus. 83 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: Okay, so you talked about being a dad. That is 84 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: where I want to go next, because you signed a 85 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: bill that I find very important as a mom, the 86 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: Save Women's Sports Act, That to me is key. You 87 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: hear just this week, I think it was that the 88 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre was asked about protecting women's 89 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: sports and she said that that was calling transgender kids dangerous. 90 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: Why did you sign it, and how do you think 91 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: that you can convince other folks that it is really 92 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: genuinely loving and caring to support women and protect their sports. 93 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 3: I signed that bill last year and probably my favorite 94 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,559 Speaker 3: bill that I signed all of last year now, because 95 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 3: it's so common sense to us in Oklahoma and I 96 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 3: think for most Americans, and it basically just says that 97 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 3: boys are going to compete against boys, girls are going 98 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 3: to compete against girls because it's a fairness issue. And 99 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 3: you don't know how many college athletes and girls and 100 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 3: women came to me, and little fourteen year old volleyball 101 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 3: players and soccer players and just thanking me. One young 102 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 3: lady that had a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma 103 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 3: on track team, she just said, Governor, thank you. She goes, 104 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 3: I am getting a job as an engineer now. I 105 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 3: would have never been able to go to college without 106 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 3: my scholarship. And the fact that you protected that and 107 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 3: you know that you believe in fairness and fair competition. 108 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 3: She just said that just means the world to me. 109 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 3: And so we forget about we're not against any one person, 110 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 3: but we know right, we know what fairness is. And 111 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 3: I'm not going to let a biological male who is 112 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 3: different than a female compete in sports against them, and 113 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 3: so again total common sense. The Washington Post interviewed me 114 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,279 Speaker 3: and were like they were asking me, like, man, I 115 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 3: cannot believe you signed this controversial bill, and I like, hey, 116 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 3: it's not really controversial in Oklahoma, and they just some 117 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 3: people in the liberal media just don't they don't understand it. 118 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: No, I think that's true. And I think that if 119 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: you go across the country, you would see even in 120 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: polling that it's not really controversial. Most people say, well, 121 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 1: wait a minute, give women a chance. They fought really 122 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: hard to be able to do this. Let them do it. 123 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,119 Speaker 1: But I think what you've said there is so key. 124 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: You had a young woman come to you say I 125 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't be able to go to college without this. These 126 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: are people who they're getting up at five am to 127 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: be in the swimming pool. They're going out and they're 128 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 1: staying on the track late with their friends, with their teammates. 129 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: They are putting in the work, and they're not it's 130 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: not okay that biologically they don't have the same advantages 131 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: as a man. You shouldn't be taking away their future 132 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: because they're putting in the work really not just for 133 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 1: the sport, but four opportunities outside of the sport for careers. 134 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,359 Speaker 3: That's exactly right, you know. And the other really champion 135 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 3: in this issue is Riley Gaines. And if you talk 136 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 3: to her, she came by the Oklahoma Capitol. I got 137 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 3: a chance to hang out with her and just an 138 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 3: amazing story that the male that she competed against in 139 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 3: those swimming events was swam This is something Americans need 140 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 3: to know. For three years he was on the men's 141 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 3: university Penn team, was ranked like four hundred and fiftieth 142 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 3: in the country, flipped to the women's side and was 143 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 3: ranked number one in the country. And so again that's 144 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 3: the discrepancy. He was four hundred and fiftieth on the 145 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 3: men's side, flipped and started swimming as a female, and 146 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 3: as ranked number one in the country. Again, if you 147 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 3: just look at this on its face, it's nonsense, and 148 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 3: I think Americans know it. And again this isn't against anyone. 149 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 3: I mean, we believe in freedoms, but we're not going 150 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 3: to turn over and all of a sudden say that 151 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 3: there's not going to be a fair competition for our 152 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 3: wonderful young ladies that, like you said, get up at 153 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 3: five in the morning and are fighting for that scholarship 154 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 3: and fair competition. It just makes common sense to us 155 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 3: in Oklahoma for sure. 156 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's not against anyone. It's actually for a group 157 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: that has fought before and is now fighting again. Another 158 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: issue that I would say is not against anybody, but 159 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: it's for people is education freedom. So tell us a 160 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: little bit about aspire. 161 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I was. 162 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 3: To My biggest piece of legislation I got passed this 163 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 3: year was, you know, education freedom in Oklahoma. And the 164 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 3: last four years, I've put more money in public education 165 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 3: than the last twenty five years in the state of Oklahoma. 166 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 3: So we I'm the education governor, and we're going to 167 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 3: promote teachers. I gave our wonderful teachers a pay raise 168 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 3: this year. But at the same time, there's some schools 169 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 3: that aren't thriving, and some kids aren't thriving in those schools, 170 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 3: whether they're being bullied or maybe their parents think that 171 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 3: they're getting in with the wrong crowd and they just 172 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 3: need another option. And I tell people that school choice 173 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 3: should not be just for the rich, it should be 174 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 3: for every single citizen. And so we passed a scholarship, 175 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 3: or we call it a refundable tax credit, where now 176 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 3: any parent, regardless of income, has between five thousand to 177 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 3: seventy five hundred dollars to take to go to a 178 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 3: private school, a Christian school, a Catholic school, any school 179 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 3: of their choice, where that parent feels like, maybe that's 180 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 3: a better option for my kid. And what is the 181 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 3: government doing really when you stay up back, why would 182 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 3: the government stand in the way of parents' rights to 183 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 3: choose where they're going to send their kids to school. 184 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 3: We don't believe you should be stuck in a zip 185 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 3: code school in Oklahoma, and we're trying to inject some 186 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 3: competition into our education system. 187 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 1: You've had this big win Iowa, Arkansas, We're seeing this Florida, 188 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: We're seeing this spread across the country. I think that 189 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,319 Speaker 1: COVID really pushed parents to say, wow, I might I 190 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: might need a different option. They saw different things happening 191 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 1: in their schools, their schools were closed down. They needed 192 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: to get their kids back into a school that fit 193 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: their child. And it changed the world in a certain 194 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: way because there have been people fighting for education freedom 195 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 1: for decades and all of a sudden we've seen this 196 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: massive switchover. For those who are critics of education freedom, 197 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: how do you combat their concerns because oftentimes I do 198 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: think it's a lack of fully understanding the opportunity for 199 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 1: all people, not just I mean, like you said, they'll say, oh, 200 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: this is just for the rich, but it's really giving 201 00:09:58,400 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: everybody an option. 202 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 2: That's exactly right. 203 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 3: You know a lot of the rural communities said, hey, 204 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 3: well there are no private schools in our area, then 205 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 3: there's nothing to worry about. But I tell people, if 206 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 3: you're a kidding your kids college ready or career ready, 207 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 3: you've got nothing to worry about. You're going to be attractive. 208 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,559 Speaker 3: But what about that failing school? What are we doing 209 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:20,599 Speaker 3: with that school district that has high dropout rates and 210 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 3: low test scores and a lot of times they're in 211 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 3: a very you know, a poor area of town and 212 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 3: minority area of town that these parents feel like they're stuck. 213 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 3: And I'll give you an example. I had so many 214 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 3: parents call me during COVID, we ninety eight percent of 215 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 3: our school districts were open, but we had one large 216 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 3: school district that was closed for three hundred and fifty 217 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 3: five days in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And those moms called me 218 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 3: and they would say, governor, what am I supposed to do? 219 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 3: My first grader is not learning how to read on 220 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 3: zoom you remember that it would just break your heart. 221 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 3: And my kids were in school the whole time. But 222 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 3: that's the hypocrisy of some There's some blue state governors 223 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 3: that close their public schools down, yet their kids were 224 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 3: in private schools in person when they were saying it 225 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 3: wasn't safe, and so I never want that to happen. 226 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 3: I now we have open transfer, and now that mom, 227 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 3: if a school district decides to close down, God forbid, 228 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 3: they need options to move to a school that is open, 229 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 3: that's going to be And who knows a kid better 230 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 3: than their parent. I believe God gave kids to parents, 231 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 3: not to the government. So let's break up the monopoly 232 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 3: and let parents choose what's right for them. 233 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 1: Well, it's funny to me because one of the arguments 234 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: that I'll hear is, well, some parents won't take their 235 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,959 Speaker 1: kids out of the failing school. And I think that 236 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 1: the same people who are telling me let parents decide 237 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 1: are complaining that some parents won't make that decision. Well, okay, 238 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: so then it does force the school to say if 239 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: we end up with a school that has kids that 240 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: are not meeting the requirement. If you had business and 241 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 1: you were making seventy five percent scrap parts that you 242 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: couldn't use, you wouldn't continue doing the same thing. We 243 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: have to at some point for some of these schools 244 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: that are not graduating students to look at themselves for 245 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: some self reflection and say, we've got to do something 246 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: different to help these kids. 247 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 3: Tutor, I'll tell you We've got a charter school in 248 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 3: Oklahoma City called Santa Fe South. They have four thousand 249 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 3: kids in this charter school, and they have multiple elementary schools, 250 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 3: and there's a thousand on the waiting list just to 251 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 3: get in, and so we want more charter schools. I 252 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 3: just set up an aviation school in Norman where if 253 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 3: you're a junior in high school and you want to 254 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 3: be an airline mechanic or if you want to be 255 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 3: a pilot, you can start going to this special high school. 256 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 3: By the time you graduate, you're an amp mechanic. That's 257 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,320 Speaker 3: we need to rethink our education system to say when 258 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 3: kids graduate from high school, they should be career ready 259 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 3: or they should be college ready. And I think Europe 260 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 3: does that so much better. I've studied what they do 261 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 3: in Germany. They're trade schools. When these kids graduate, they've 262 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 3: already had internships, they already know what company they're going 263 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 3: to go work for, they already have a skill that 264 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 3: they know that they're ready to go become, go work 265 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 3: like for example, in the AMP and become an airline mechanic. 266 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 3: So we need to think through that. Not every kid's 267 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 3: going to go to higher ED. So when I say 268 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 3: more options, I want more schools like that aviation school 269 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 3: that are specific for the big factory or the big 270 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 3: company that are coming in to Oklahoma right now. 271 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: Well, and their kids are overseas. Oftentimes they are studying 272 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: for a specific career, and that's starting when you're fourteen 273 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,959 Speaker 1: or fifteen years old. In fact, even in India, there 274 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 1: are parents who get really involved in math and science 275 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: because they believe that those are the best careers for 276 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: their students. So they have school and then they have 277 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: tutoring outside of school, which I think is kind of 278 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: interesting because it's sort of is parental involvement. And that's 279 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: one of the things that I've had people say, well, 280 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: you can't make parents be involved. Well, in certain situations, 281 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: you can kind of bring parents together in a different 282 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: way that maybe hadn't thought that they needed to be 283 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: as involved. I think even in our school, I see 284 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 1: sometimes the parents are more involved, and sometimes the parents 285 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: step back and then the teachers step in and they say, 286 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: you have to help study, And sadly, I actually learn 287 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: things when I help my kids study. I'm like, how 288 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: did I miss this in school? 289 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 2: Now, no doubt about it. 290 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 3: I mean, listen, that's back to my fatherhood initiative and 291 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 3: the things we're doing in Oklahoma and fatherhood. When we 292 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 3: have moms and dads involved in their kids' lives and 293 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 3: they're working together and they're investing their kids or focused 294 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 3: on what is the best outcome for our children, that's 295 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 3: the best scenario. And so we know that unfortunately not 296 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 3: everybody has that. But the more we can promote moms 297 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 3: and dads being involved in their kids' lives, the better 298 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 3: off we're going to be. Our teachers have a tough job, 299 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 3: and that's why we want. We gave our teachers up 300 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 3: between a three to six thousand dollars pay raise this 301 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 3: year because we want to promote that profession they give 302 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 3: back to that next generation. 303 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 2: That's so so important. But yeah, the more we. 304 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 3: Can encourage parents, moms and dads to be involved in 305 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 3: their kids' education, I think the better off we're going 306 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 3: to be. 307 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 308 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon podcast. I want to switch now to 309 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: business because I think one of the coolest things is 310 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 1: that we have a lot of governors who came from 311 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: the business world, who became very successful in the business 312 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: world and then decided to leave that and serve. And 313 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: that can be a hard thing. I think it's really 314 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: hard for us to get people to serve in their 315 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: forties and fifties because it's that prime time in their career. 316 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: But you are one of those people that came from 317 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: the business world so successful, and you've brought that expertise 318 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: to Oklahoma, and you're bringing businesses to Oklahoma. And right 319 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 1: now we're in this place where we're seeing people across 320 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: the country that are concerned about bringing other countries businesses, 321 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: especially China, into the United States. You've been successful finding 322 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: Allied countries and bringing businesses into Oklahoma, but also recruiting 323 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: local American businesses as well. Tell us why, what is 324 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: the secret? How do you do that? And why is 325 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: that so important? 326 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 3: Thanks for saying that. You know, when I took over 327 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 3: as governor, we were having billion dollar budget deficits, we 328 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 3: had no money in savings, and we just finished my 329 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 3: fifth session. We have a six point two billion dollar 330 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 3: savings account now, which is amazing. I cut taxes for 331 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 3: Oklahoma's We've gotten rid of about twenty five percent of 332 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 3: our regulations. We want to be the most business friendly 333 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 3: state in the entire country, and so it's working. And 334 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 3: also you can see the picture behind me everybody, Thanks 335 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 3: of Oklahoma is huge oil and gas. 336 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 2: We're so proud of that. 337 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 3: We're like number five in the country and oil production 338 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 3: and number three in natural gas. But we also are 339 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 3: leaning into renewables. We are number two in wind energy production. 340 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 3: Now we've got hydrogen in Oklahoma. So that's all led 341 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 3: to the most affordable, reliable energy grid in the entire country. So, 342 00:17:08,600 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 3: in other words, eleven out of the last fifteen quarters, 343 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 3: it was the most affordable cost to the consumer. So 344 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 3: if you add all that up, a reliable grid, an 345 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 3: affordable grid, affordable electricity, and then you think about our 346 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 3: pro business environment, our workforce, and the arbitrage we have, 347 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 3: meaning our cost of living is four hundred percent less 348 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,400 Speaker 3: than California and on the coast. Then companies are flooding 349 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 3: to states like Oklahoma, and so that's what we're excited about. 350 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:40,920 Speaker 3: We just landed our biggest, biggest company ever in eastern Oklahoma. 351 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:43,919 Speaker 3: We've got another bigger one than that that we're on 352 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 3: the one yard line with. So Oklahoma is becoming the 353 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,959 Speaker 3: place to be. We're top ten and migration people moving 354 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:54,880 Speaker 3: to our state because they saw what happened in California, 355 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 3: is they were shutting things down, and they saw what 356 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 3: happened in other states, and so now people are loving 357 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 3: our pro business, pro freedom policy. So I think a 358 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 3: lot of it is just getting out of the way 359 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 3: and making sure we're clear with the rules, but we 360 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 3: never play got you with businesses and let businesses go compete. 361 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 3: That's all businesses want, is they just don't want the 362 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 3: government picking winners and losers or picking their competition over them. 363 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:20,919 Speaker 2: Have a little playing field and let the businesses go compete. 364 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 3: And that's what they find in Oklahoma and Texas and 365 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:25,880 Speaker 3: Florida and Tennessee and some of our states. 366 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,880 Speaker 1: You've done great things. You're getting a lot of press recently. 367 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: I mean, as these bills have been signed, people are 368 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 1: starting to say, what's happening in Oklahoma before I let 369 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 1: you go? What is the future for governors to. 370 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 3: Well, I am, I'm just an honor to serve as 371 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 3: the governor of the state. And uh so I've got 372 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,400 Speaker 3: three more years and then and then we'll see, We'll 373 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 3: see what happens. But man, I'm just cheering on right 374 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 3: now the Republican Party and and and. 375 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 2: Trying to promote our values. 376 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 3: I sent one hundred troops of the border with Governor 377 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 3: Abbot in Texas because I mean, we could talk about 378 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 3: that for the next thirty minutes. The advocation of duty 379 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 3: from the federal government and the Biden administration open borders. 380 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 3: I mean, when did open borders and secure in our 381 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 3: country become a political issue? When did energy independence become 382 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 3: a political issue? Every president of the United States since 383 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 3: nineteen seventy eight had an energy independence policy, like, hey, 384 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 3: let's meet the needs of our own citizens with our 385 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 3: own resources. And now Biden tries to cancel the oil 386 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:34,640 Speaker 3: and gas industry and tries to have to buy from 387 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:35,360 Speaker 3: our enemies. 388 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 2: It's just nonsense. 389 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 3: And so we need common sense in Washington, DC and 390 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 3: We're excited to take our country back, and we need 391 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 3: ladies like you stepping up in Michigan and we need 392 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 3: to turn Michigan red again. 393 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: Well that's the plan, and I know that you will 394 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 1: help us any way you can. I'm so glad you 395 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: came on today because I really want people to get 396 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: to know you. I just I hear the passion of 397 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 1: your voice. I don't think that three years is enough, 398 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,119 Speaker 1: so we're going to recruit you for something else. But 399 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: I appreciate having you here today. Governor Kevin Stitt, thank 400 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,199 Speaker 1: you for joining me. Thank you, thanks so much to 401 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: do and thank you all for joining us on the 402 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 1: Tutor Dixon Podcast. For this episode and others, go to 403 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 1: tutordisonpodcast dot com. You can subscribe right there, or check 404 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: out iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, 405 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,239 Speaker 1: and make sure you join us next time. Have an 406 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 1: awesome day.