Dispatches From Drought-Stricken America 2: My Meeting With Okla. Gov. Mary Fallin

Editor's Note: This is part two of a series of stories from TheBlaze on drought-stricken America. Oklahoma has been hit as hard as any place in the county, with 48 percent of the state now rated as in an "exceptional drought," the worst classification from the U.S. Drought Monitor. The passage and images below are from Mark Mabry, who spoke with Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, as well as viewed the drought-stricken state that has fallen victim to ravenous grassfires. 

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I decided to stop for a bite at a Subway inside a truck stop on my way to meet Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. I settle into a booth with my daughter, Ava, who came along for the ride. While thinking out loud about what I should ask the governor, some farmers in the adjacent booths chimed in. After some light banter, one farmer suggested I ask Fallin "when Oklahoma’s first day of prayer and fasting is going to be.”

“Done.”

That was the one question on my mind for the interview that was scheduled for twelve hours later at the capitol. I put fuel on the fire.

The next day when I sat down with Governor Fallin I delivered the farmer’s question. She quickly and kindly shot back that the day of prayer was already done last year, and is an ongoing practice that will continue. From what I gathered in our meeting, the governor seemed to share the farmers’ faith and resolve to find an answer through hard work and science while waiting on God.

Following our discussion on prayer, the governor pointed out that the state has experienced amazing growth in spite of the drought, a $500 million rainy day fund, a 4.7% unemployment rate, steady home values, newly-lowered income tax rates, increasing tax revenue, and a growing population.

After about an hour, our meeting had finished and I left the capitol building. Once outside, my daughter Ava had who accompanied me on this trip commented that "the governor’s grass is really brown.”

At least she finally noticed the drought, which I've been documenting in pictures for this photo essay.