FAIR AND BIASED

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Weekly Opinion/Editorial

PRIMARY ELECTION IS PRIMARY!
by Steve Fair

The primary election is next Tuesday and for once, Republicans will have more races on the ballot than Democrats. In Stephens County Republicans will be voting on twelve races and choosing from the twenty-six candidates in the races. Here are the races and the candidates:
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Senator Tom Coburn is up for re-election to his second (and final) six-year term. Dr. Tom has two primary opponents, Kelly Springs and Evelyn Rogers. 4th district Congressman Tom Cole (R-Moore) is running for his fourth term. R.J. Harris from Norman is his opponent in the primary. The winner will be elected for the two-year term since no Democrat filed for the seat.
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The Governor’s race has four Republicans on the ballot. Congresswoman and former Lt. Governor Mary Fallin, State Senator Randy Brogdon (R-Owasso), and two OKC area businessmen Robert Hubbard and Roger Jackson are vying for the nomination. The winner will face the winner of the Askins/Edmondson primary on the Democrat side.
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Five Republicans are on the ballot for Lt. Governor. State Senator Todd Lamb (R-Edmond), State Representative John Wright (R-Broken Arrow), Paul Nosak, Bill Crozier, and Bernie Adler are running for the open seat. It’s an open seat because current Lt. Governor Jari Askins is running for Governor. The winner will face State Senator Kenneth Corn (D-McAlester) in November.
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The State Auditor and Inspectors race has two Republicans- former State GOP Chairman Gary Jones and David Hanigar. The winner will face Steve Burrage in November.
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Ryan Leonard and former State Senator Scott Pruitt are running for Attorney General. The winner will face Democrat Jim Priest in November. In the State Treasurer’s race, voters will choose between former State Senator Owen Laughlin (R-Woodward), and State Representative Ken Miller (R-Edmond). The winner will face Democrat Stephen Covert in the general election. Both of these races are open seats.
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In the Superintendent of Public Instruction GOP primary, Janet Barresi and Brian Kelly are running and the winner will face a Democrat and an Independent in November.
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Mark Costello and Jason Reese are running for Labor Commissioner. The winner will face incumbent Democrat Lloyd Fields who was unchallenged for the Democrat nomination.
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Three Republicans are running for Insurance Commissioner, John Doak, Mark Croucher and John Crawford. The winner will face incumbent Democrat Kim Holland who did not draw a primary opponent.
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Todd Yeager is challenging Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy in the primary. Murphy is running for a full six-year term after being elected to complete the unexpired term of Denise Bode. No Democrat filed, so the winner of the primary will be elected to the office.
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Senator Anthony Sykes (R-Moore) is being challenged by Linda Molsbee of Newcastle in the State Senate District #24 race. The two Democrats who filed for the seat withdrew after filing and an Independent candidate who filed did not live in the district, so the winner between Sykes and Molsbee will be elected to a four-year term.
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Oklahoma has a closed primary system. Only voters who are registered members of a recognized political party may vote for the party's candidates in primary and runoff primary elections. That means only registered Republicans can vote in the GOP primary and only registered Democrats can vote in the Democrat primary. Some states have ‘open’ primaries. An open primary does not require a voter to be affiliated with a political party to vote for partisan candidates. They can select one party’s ballot and vote for that party’s nomination- even if they are not registered in that party. Twenty states have ‘open’ primaries, including Texas. It’s a system wroth with ‘strategy’ and ‘playing with your vote’ and should be eliminated. Thankfully neither major Party in Oklahoma wants an ‘open’ primary.
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Webster defines primary as, “First or highest in rank, quality, or importance; principal.” But unfortunately primary elections are not placed ‘highest in rank’ by most voters. In most primaries, a voter turnout of 40% is considered good. With the great slate of Republican candidates we have on the ballot, the Oklahoma GOP should have record turnout this year for the primary.
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In person absentee balloting has made it more convenient for citizens to vote. You can vote at the County Courthouse on Friday, Saturday and Monday before Tuesday’s election. Polls are open their normal hours on Tuesday from 7am until 7pm.
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Fellow Republican- study the issues and the candidates that will be on the ballot. Vote for the person who you believe best aligns with your values and will do the best job. But first and foremost vote! After all, it’s “primary!”

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Why FAIR & BIASED?

FAIR- because that's my name and BIASED because the truth is we are all biased- either for something or against it. What's important is that our bias(opinions) are based on right- on absolute truth and not on changing values. What's right cannot change based on a change in circumstances. That is the basis for situational ethics.

Situation Ethics is a theory that is concerned with the outcome or consequences of an action; the end, as opposed to an action being intrinsically wrong. In the case of situation ethics, the end can justify the means. There are no absolutes. Your actions are guided only by your conscience.

A person's view of right can be subjective. But there is a way mankind can definitely know what's right and that is revealed in God's Word- the Bible. As His creatures, we should be biased toward things our Creator is for and biased against those things He is against. May God grant us the grace and understanding to know the difference.

PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

How important is political party affiliation? Some people mistakenly believe only politicians need political affiliation, which they use for support to get elected. They contend the electorate or voters, do not need to be aligned with any Party. These same people often state they “support the man, not the Party.” But whether they recognize it or not, they are supporting a party when they “support the man.”
Most of the Founding Fathers had a negative view of political parties. In his farewell address to the nation, George Washington warned about political parties saying, “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” In spite of Washington's warning, political parties were formed anyway.
From 1796 to 1828 the first political parties were formed. Starting with the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, two opposing factions arose. Each was concerned with how the new government was to be organized. The Federalists believed in a strong central government. Their philosophy and beliefs would closely mirror the Democrat Party today. The Anti-Federalists strongly supported the rights of the states. They would more closely align with Republicans today.
Since the mid 1800s, the Ds and Rs have been the two major political parties in our country. Political parties flourished in our government mainly for legislative organization and expediencies sake. Why is Party affiliation important for the average voter? Party affiliation is important for three very simples reasons.
First, party affiliation is the first vote a citizen casts. When a citizen registers as a Democrat, then they are aligning philosophically with the values, beliefs, tenets, and positions of the Democrats on the issues. Party affiliation “defines” you are and what you stand for. It should be taken as seriously as a vote for a specific candidate. Research what each Party stands for, their positions on issues, and then align with the Party that is closest to your values. Copies of both major Party platforms are available on-line or at the local library.
Second, legislatures organize themselves and conduct business using party affiliation. The legislative branch of government is the most powerful arm of the three branches of government. Legislative bodies hold closed meeting of party members, called a caucus to decide on questions of policy or leadership. The Republicans hold a caucus meeting and the Democrats hold a caucus meeting-both at the state and federal level. Unfortunately, conservative, moderate and liberal philosophies do not hold caucus meetings or control the legislative agendas- parties do. When someone says they vote for “the man,” not the party, they fail to understand the power and function of a caucus system in a legislative body. The Party in the majority controls appointments, Chairmanships, the agenda and countless other things through the caucus.
Third, party affiliation should be a matter of conviction, not convenience. Often, people align with a party so they can vote in primary elections or based on family tradition or geographies. Even candidates will align, file and run affiliated with a Party they have little philosophical agreement with. That decision is made out of convenience, not conviction. While no political party is perfect or has all the answers, there is a distinct difference between the two major parties and honest citizens should align with the Party that reflects their convictions.
The Democrat Party is more liberal than the Republican Party. Liberals believe in more government control of business, the environment and speech, using large bureaucratic programs to address real or perceived social ills and constant reinterpretation of the Constitution. Liberals are more inclined to trust government than the people themselves. They see the role of government as a great provider of goods and services and have little faith in the individual to solve his own problems.
Republicans are more conservative than Democrats. Conservatives believe in less government control of the environment and business. They want fewer and less comprehensive government programs to address real or perceived social ills. They believe in personal responsibility and trust individuals to make decisions for themselves. Republicans believe in a strict literal interpretation of the Constitution. A person should find out which of these philosophies best fits their view if they wish to actively participate in the political process.
Party affiliation is important. Washington’s prophecy has come to past, and political parties have been used to empower “unprincipled men,” on both sides of the aisle, but like it or not, political parties are a reality in our system of government. Each concerned citizen should evaluate the philosophy, values, beliefs and tenets of each Party and align their party affiliation accordingly.

FAIR AND BIASED

Sunday, July 18, 2010

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PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

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