TEDxPennsylvaniaAvenue
G.T. Bynum: A Republican mayor's plan to replace partisanship with policy
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Conventional wisdom says that to win an election, you need to play to your constituencies' basest, most divisive instincts. But as a candidate for mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, G.T. Bynum decided to skip the smear campaigns, tell voters what he wanted to accomplish and give them ways to measure his success -- and it led him to win the election. In a hopeful, funny talk, Bynum shares how he's tackling his city's most pressing issues and says that we need to set aside philosophical disagreements and focus on the aspirations that unite us.
G.T. Bynum - Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma
G.T. Bynum is using data-driven outcomes and trackable goals to break down historic lines of division. Full bio
G.T. Bynum is using data-driven outcomes and trackable goals to break down historic lines of division. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
So last year, I ran for mayor
of my hometown, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
of my hometown, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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And I was the underdog.
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I was running against
a two-term incumbent,
a two-term incumbent,
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and my opponent ran
the classic partisan playbook.
the classic partisan playbook.
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He publicized his endorsement
of Donald Trump.
of Donald Trump.
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He publicized a letter
that he sent to President Obama
that he sent to President Obama
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protesting Syrian refugees,
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even though none of them
were coming to Tulsa.
were coming to Tulsa.
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(Laughter)
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He ran ads on TV that my kids thought
made me look like Voldemort,
made me look like Voldemort,
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and sent out little gems
in the mail, like this.
in the mail, like this.
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[America's most liberal
labor union has endorsed]
labor union has endorsed]
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Never mind that "America's
most liberal labor union,"
most liberal labor union,"
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as defined by this ad, was actually
the Tulsa Firefighters Union,
the Tulsa Firefighters Union,
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hardly a famed bastion of liberalism.
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(Laughter)
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Never mind that while she was
running for president
running for president
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and he was serving
in his final year in that office,
in his final year in that office,
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Hillary, Barack and I could just
never find the time to get together
never find the time to get together
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and yuck it up about
the Tulsa mayor's race.
the Tulsa mayor's race.
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(Laughter)
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Never mind that I, like my opponent,
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am a Republican.
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(Laughter)
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And so when something like this
hits you in a campaign,
hits you in a campaign,
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you have to decide
how you're going to respond,
how you're going to respond,
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and we had a novel idea.
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What if, instead of responding
with partisanship,
with partisanship,
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we responded with a focus on results?
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What if we ran a campaign
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that was not about running
against someone,
against someone,
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but was about bringing people together
behind a common vision?
behind a common vision?
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And so we decided
to respond not with a negative ad
to respond not with a negative ad
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but with something people
find even sexier --
find even sexier --
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data points.
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(Laughter)
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And so we emphasized things like
increasing per capita income in our city,
increasing per capita income in our city,
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increasing our city's population,
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and we stuck to those relentlessly,
throughout the campaign,
throughout the campaign,
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always bringing it back to those things
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by which our voters could measure,
in a very transparent way,
in a very transparent way,
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how we were doing,
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and hold me accountable if I got elected.
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And a funny thing happened
when we did that.
when we did that.
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Tulsa is home to one of the most vibrant
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young professional
populations in the country,
populations in the country,
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and they took notice of this approach.
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We have in our culture in our city,
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an ethos where our business leaders
don't just run companies,
don't just run companies,
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they run philanthropic
institutions and nonprofits,
institutions and nonprofits,
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and those folks took notice.
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We have parents who are willing
to sacrifice today
to sacrifice today
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so that their kids
can have a better future,
can have a better future,
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and those people took notice, too.
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And so on election day,
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I, G.T. Bynum,
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a guy whose name reminds people
of a circus promoter ...
of a circus promoter ...
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(Laughter)
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a guy with the raw animal magnetism
of a young Orville Redenbacher ...
of a young Orville Redenbacher ...
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(Laughter)
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I won the election by 17 points.
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(Applause)
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And we did it with the support
of Republicans and Democrats.
of Republicans and Democrats.
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Now, why is that story
and that approach so novel?
and that approach so novel?
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Why do we always allow ourselves
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to fall back on
philosophical disagreements
philosophical disagreements
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that ultimately lead to division?
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I believe it is because politicians
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find it easier to throw
the red meat out to the base
the red meat out to the base
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than to innovate.
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The conventional wisdom
is that to win an election,
is that to win an election,
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you have to dumb it down
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and play to your constituencies'
basest, divisive instincts.
basest, divisive instincts.
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And when somebody
wins an election like that,
wins an election like that,
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they win, that's true,
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but the rest of us lose.
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And so what we need to do is think
about how can we change that dynamic.
about how can we change that dynamic.
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How can we move in a direction
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where partisanship
is replaced with policy?
is replaced with policy?
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And fortunately, there's a growing
bipartisan movement across this country
bipartisan movement across this country
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that is doing just that.
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One of its heroes
is a guy named Mitch Daniels.
is a guy named Mitch Daniels.
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Mitch Daniels served
as George W. Bush's budget director,
as George W. Bush's budget director,
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and during that time,
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he created what was called the PART tool.
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The PART tool allowed people to evaluate
a broad range of federal programs
a broad range of federal programs
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and apply numerical scoring for them
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on things like program management
and project results.
and project results.
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And using this, they evaluated
over a thousand federal programs.
over a thousand federal programs.
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Over 150 programs
had their funding reduced
had their funding reduced
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because they could not
demonstrate success.
demonstrate success.
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But unfortunately, there wasn't ever
a well-publicized increase in funding
a well-publicized increase in funding
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for those programs
that did demonstrate success,
that did demonstrate success,
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and because of this, the program
was never really popular with Congress,
was never really popular with Congress,
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and was eventually shuttered.
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But the spirit of that program lived on.
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Mitch Daniels went home to Indiana,
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ran for governor, got elected,
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and applied the same premise
to state programs,
to state programs,
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reducing funding for those programs
that could not demonstrate success,
that could not demonstrate success,
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but this time, he very publicly
increased funding for those programs
increased funding for those programs
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that could demonstrate success,
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things like increasing
the number of state troopers
the number of state troopers
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that they needed to have,
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reducing wait times at the DMV --
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and today, Mitch Daniels
is the president of Purdue University,
is the president of Purdue University,
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applying yet again the same principles,
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this time at the higher ed level,
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and he's done that in order to keep
tuition levels for students there flat
tuition levels for students there flat
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for half a decade.
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Now, while Mitch Daniels
applied this at the federal level,
applied this at the federal level,
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the state level, and in higher ed,
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the guy that really cracked
the code for cities
the code for cities
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is a Democrat, Martin O'Malley,
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during his time as Mayor of Baltimore.
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Now, when Mayor O'Malley took office,
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he was a big fan of what they'd been
able to do in New York City
able to do in New York City
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when it came to fighting crime.
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When Rudy Giuliani first became
Mayor of New York,
Mayor of New York,
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crime statistics were collected
on a monthly, even an annual basis,
on a monthly, even an annual basis,
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and then police resources would be
allocated based on those statistics.
allocated based on those statistics.
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Giuliani shrunk that time frame,
so that crime statistics
so that crime statistics
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would be collected on a daily,
even hourly basis,
even hourly basis,
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and then police resources
would be allocated
would be allocated
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to those areas quickly where crimes
were occurring today
were occurring today
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rather than where
they were occurring last quarter.
they were occurring last quarter.
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Well, O'Malley loved that approach,
and he applied it in Baltimore.
and he applied it in Baltimore.
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And he applied it to the two areas
that were most problematic for Baltimore
that were most problematic for Baltimore
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from a crime-fighting standpoint.
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We call these the kidneys of death.
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[Baltimore homicides and shootings, 1999]
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So there they are, the kidneys.
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Now watch this.
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Watch what happens
when you apply data in real time
when you apply data in real time
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and deploy resources quickly.
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In a decade, they reduced
violent crime in Baltimore
violent crime in Baltimore
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by almost 50 percent, using this approach,
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but the genius of what O'Malley did
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was not that he just did
what some other city was doing.
what some other city was doing.
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Lots of us mayors do that.
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(Laughter)
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He realized that the same approach
could be used to all of the problems
could be used to all of the problems
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that his city faced.
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And so they applied it
to issue after issue in Baltimore,
to issue after issue in Baltimore,
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and today, it's being used
by mayors across the country
by mayors across the country
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to deal with some
of our greatest challenges.
of our greatest challenges.
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And the overall approach
is a very simple one --
is a very simple one --
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identify the goal
that you want to achieve;
that you want to achieve;
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identify a measurement
by which you can track progress
by which you can track progress
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toward that goal;
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identify a way of testing that measurement
cheaply and quickly;
cheaply and quickly;
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and then deploy whatever strategies
you think would work,
you think would work,
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test them,
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reduce funding for the strategies
that don't work,
that don't work,
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and put your money
into those strategies that do.
into those strategies that do.
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Today, Atlanta is using this
to address housing issues
to address housing issues
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for their homeless population.
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Philadelphia has used this
to reduce their crime rates
to reduce their crime rates
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to levels not enjoyed since the 1960s.
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Louisville has used this
not just for their city
not just for their city
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but in a community-wide effort
bringing resources together
bringing resources together
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to address vacant
and abandoned properties.
and abandoned properties.
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And I am using this approach in Tulsa.
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I want Tulsa to be a world-class city,
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and we cannot do that
if we aren't clear in what our goals are
if we aren't clear in what our goals are
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and we don't use evidence
and evaluation to accomplish them.
and evaluation to accomplish them.
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Now, what's interesting,
and we've found in implementing this,
and we've found in implementing this,
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a lot of people, when you talk about data,
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people think of that
as a contrast to creativity.
as a contrast to creativity.
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What we've found
is actually quite the opposite.
is actually quite the opposite.
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We've found it to be an engine
for creative problem-solving,
for creative problem-solving,
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because when you're focused on a goal,
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and you can test
different strategies quickly,
different strategies quickly,
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the sky's the limit on the different
things that you can test out.
things that you can test out.
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You can come up with any strategy
that you can come up with
that you can come up with
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and utilize and try and test it
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until you find something that works,
and then you double down on that.
and then you double down on that.
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The other area that we've found
that it lends itself to creativity
that it lends itself to creativity
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is that it breaks down
those old silos of ownership
those old silos of ownership
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that we run into so often in government.
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It allows you to draw
all the stakeholders in your community
all the stakeholders in your community
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that care about homelessness
or crime-fighting or education
or crime-fighting or education
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or vacant and abandoned properties,
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and bring those people to the table
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so you can work together
to address your common goal.
to address your common goal.
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Now, in Tulsa, we're applying this
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to things that are
common city initiatives,
common city initiatives,
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things like, as you've heard
now repeatedly,
now repeatedly,
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public safety -- that's an obvious one;
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improving our employee
morale at the city --
morale at the city --
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we don't think you could do good things
unless you've got happy employees;
unless you've got happy employees;
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improving the overall street quality
throughout our community.
throughout our community.
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But we're also applying it
to things that are not so traditional
to things that are not so traditional
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when you think about
what cities are responsible for,
what cities are responsible for,
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things like increasing per capita income,
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increasing our population,
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improving our high school
graduation rates,
graduation rates,
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and perhaps the greatest challenge
that we face as a city.
that we face as a city.
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At the dawn of the 1920s,
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Tulsa was home to the most vibrant
African American community in the country.
African American community in the country.
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The Greenwood section of our city
was known as Black Wall Street.
was known as Black Wall Street.
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In 1921, in one night,
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Tulsa experienced the worst race riot
in American history.
in American history.
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Black Wall Street
was burned to the ground,
was burned to the ground,
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and today, a child that is born
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in the most predominantly
African American part of our city
African American part of our city
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is expected to live 11 years less
than a kid that's born elsewhere in Tulsa.
than a kid that's born elsewhere in Tulsa.
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Now, for us, this is a unifying issue.
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Four years from now, we will recognize
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the 100th commemoration
of that awful event,
of that awful event,
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and in Tulsa, we are bringing
every tool that we can
every tool that we can
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to address that life-expectancy disparity,
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and we're not checking
party registration cards
party registration cards
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at the door to the meetings.
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We don't care who
you voted for for president
you voted for for president
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if you want to help restore
the decade of life
the decade of life
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that's being stolen
from these kids right now.
from these kids right now.
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And so we've got white folks
and black folks,
and black folks,
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Hispanic folks and Native American folks,
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we've got members of Congress,
members of the city council,
members of the city council,
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business leaders, religious leaders,
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Trump people and Hillary people,
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all joined by one common belief,
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and that is that a kid should have
an equal shot at a good life in our city,
an equal shot at a good life in our city,
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regardless of what part of town
they happen to be born in.
they happen to be born in.
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Now, how do we go forward with that?
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Is that easy to accomplish?
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Of course not!
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If it were easy to accomplish,
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somebody would have already
done it before us.
done it before us.
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But what I love about city government
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is that the citizens can create
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whatever kind of city
they're willing to build,
they're willing to build,
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and in Tulsa, we have decided
to build a city
to build a city
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where Republicans and Democrats
use evidence, data and evaluation
use evidence, data and evaluation
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to solve our greatest challenges together.
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And if we can do this,
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if we can set partisanship aside
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in the only state in the whole country
where Barack Obama never carried
where Barack Obama never carried
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a single county,
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then you can do it in your town, too.
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(Laughter)
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Your cities can be saved or squandered
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in one generation.
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So let's agree to set aside
our philosophical disagreements
our philosophical disagreements
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and focus on those aspirations
that unite us.
that unite us.
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Let's grasp the opportunity
that is presented by innovation
that is presented by innovation
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to build better communities
for our neighbors.
for our neighbors.
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Let's replace a focus on partisan division
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with a focus on results.
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That is the path
to a better future for us all.
to a better future for us all.
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Thank you for your time.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
G.T. Bynum - Mayor of Tulsa, OklahomaG.T. Bynum is using data-driven outcomes and trackable goals to break down historic lines of division.
Why you should listen
G.T. Bynum the 40th Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Prior to his election as Mayor, Bynum served for eight years on the Tulsa City Council. During that time, he was elected as the youngest City Council Chairman in Tulsa history.
Throughout his time in Tulsa city government, Bynum has focused on fiscal restraint, public safety and infrastructure. He led the successful effort to enact the largest streets improvement package in the city's history, authored the first city sales tax cut in Tulsa history, doubled the number of police academies to increase manpower, authored legislation creating the first municipal rainy day fund in Oklahoma and coordinated efforts to establish the first municipal veterans treatment court in the United States.
In 2011, Bynum was selected as an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow, a program which seeks to bring together 24 of the nation's most promising young elected leaders on a bipartisan basis, explore the responsibilities of public leadership and assist them in achieving their fullest potential in public service.
In 2014, Bynum was selected as the only city councilor in the nation to participate in the Moneyball for Government Fellowship Program, which aims to assist local governments in achieving better results with limited budgets through increasing the use of data, evidence and evaluation when spending taxpayer money.
Bynum is a proud graduate of two institutions operated by the Augustinian Order of the Catholic Church: Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa and Villanova University, where he served as Student Body President. He previously worked as the managing partner of Capitol Ventures, and before that in the United States Senate for Senators Don Nickles and Tom Coburn.
Mayor Bynum comes from a family dedicated to public service and he and his wife, Susan, are the proud parents of Robert and Annabel --the sixth generation of Bynums to call Tulsa home.
G.T. Bynum | Speaker | TED.com