Most Americans are not informed patriots, but ignorant passives.

Weekly Opinion Editorial

 

INFORMED PATRIOTS

by Steve Fair

 

     “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it,” Mark Twain said.

     The original 16^th century European meaning of the term patriot applied to anyone who was a fellow countryman, regardless of socio-economic status.  The term patriot has evolved today into meaning the feeling of love, devotion, and a sense of attachment to a country or state. 

     George Orwell distinguished patriotism from nationalism saying patriotism is by nature defensive, both militarily and culturally.  Nationalism is concerned primarily with a desire for power and prestige.  Anarchists (no government) oppose patriotism.  Because they don’t recognize government authority or geographic boundaries, anarchists declare patriotism arrogant and egotist.  Three observations:

     First, there are patriots of every political stripe.  Americans of all races, ethnicities, and political affiliation can be patriots.  They can love America.  There are times to agree to disagree, not fight to the death with those who differ.   When the bullets are flying in combat, there is no time to check a fellow soldier’s voter ID card for Party affiliation.  All are patriots in the foxhole or in Arlington National cemetery.  Republicans and Democrats don’t have a monopoly on patriotism.  Recognizing Americans- both liberal and conservative- can be patriots is a good first step to healing the divide in this country.

     Second, the term patriot is misused today.  It’s used as a ‘code word’ in certain groups.  The neo-patriots are the pure, others the unclean.  The term patriot is tossed around like a beach ball at a rock concert to identify those who jump higher and run faster than establishment types.  Patriot has become a term to divide, not unite, spilt, not fuse.   Often used by those who claim the name of Christ, it brings us to the third point:   

     Third, Christians should be patriots of heaven.  This world is not their home- they are just a passing through.  Believers should be focused on the eternal, not the temporal.  They should be good citizens and patriotic.  They should exercise civic responsibility.  But they should recognize the temporal nature of politics.  Their allegiance and focus should be on loving God with all their heart, soul and mind and their neighbor as themselves.  When Christians use worldly tactics just to win a temporal election, they put into question their spiritual citizenship.  

     In his farewell address to the nation in 1989, President Ronald Reagan said America needed an ‘informed patriotism.’  “We need to do a good job teaching our children what American is and what she represents,” the Gipper said.  In the 34 years since he said that, Americans are not informed patriots, but ignorant passives.

     Memorial Day was Monday.  It was established in 1868 to honor soldiers who died during the Civil War and is always celebrated on the last Monday of May.    Most Americans look at it as a day to get together with family, have cookouts and start the Summer.  If they were ‘informed, they would recognize the liberty they enjoy cost the lives of real patriots.  American freedom doesn’t exist because a political pharisee shouted louder and was more been more bombastic than a political rival.  Liberty is alive because of the sacrifice of unselfish heroes, who loved country more than life.  May we never lose sight of that!    

Americans have an opportunity to remember the past!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

THE MUGWUMPS!

by Steve Fair

     President Stephen Grover Cleveland served as the 22^nd and 24^th president of the United States (POTUS).  He is the only president in American history to serve non-consecutive presidential terms.  A former mayor of Buffalo and governor of New York, Cleveland was the first Democrat to win the presidency after the Civil War.  A preacher’s kid, Cleveland was described as being honest, self-reliant and being firmly committed to his principles.  He won his first term in 1884 against Republican nominee, James Blaine, the former House Speaker.  Blaine had been involved in several shady deals in his political career and Cleveland promised to ‘drain the swamp.’  Aided by the Mugwumps, Republican activists who rejected Blaine’s history of corruption, Cleveland won all four swing states, including New York by less than 1,200 votes and won the presidency by a razor thin electoral college margin. 

     Cleveland’s first term included his getting married to a 21-year-old.  He was 47.  He also created the Interstate Commerce Commission.  He removed import tariffs.  One of the most volatile issues during his term was if U.S. currency should be backed by both gold and silver.   Views on the silver issue were geographic- Northeasters in both Parties- favored holding firm on the gold standard, while Western and Southern representatives called for the free coinage of silver.  Cleveland favored holding to the gold standard.

     In 1888, the GOP nominated Senator Benjamin Harrison from Indiana.  He campaigned heavily on the tariff issue, which had negatively affected the industrial states in the North.  Cleveland won the popular vote, but Harrison easily won the Electoral College vote.  In his four years, Harrison imposed tariffs and approved the free coinage of silver, both controversial issues. 

    In 1892, Cleveland won the Democratic nomination on the first ballot and Harrison was nominated by the Republicans.  Unlike their former matchup, the election of ’92 has been described as the cleanest, quietest, and most creditable campaign since the end of the Civil War.  Harrison’s wife was dying and he didn’t campaign at all.  She died two weeks before the November election and Cleveland stopped campaigning to show his respect.  No doubt that wouldn’t happen today.

     Aided by a strong third-Party candidate who hurt Harrison among GOP voters, Cleveland easily defeated Harrison and returned to the White House for his second term.  Three observations:

     First, 2024 is very similar to 1892.  Two presidents are running against one another.  Both have clear track records.  Both have occupied the Oval Office.  Both have measurable results in economics, foreign policy, immigration policy and governing style.  This gives voters a unique opportunity for a side-by-side comparison of results.  The political spinning normally associated with campaigns is hard to do when a candidate has a clear track record.

     Second, Mugwumps could be the difference in 2024.  In 1884, the Mugwumps put principle over Party.  They crossed Party lines because they couldn’t bear to support their nominee.   Those in their own Party called them sanctimonious and ‘holier than thou’ because they wouldn’t compromise.  The Mugwumps wanted the swamp drained more than they wanted a Party victory.  140 years ago, the Mugwumps were Republicans.  Could they be Democrats this year?

     Third, history doesn’t repeat itself.  That is a common misconception.  History is linear, not cyclical.  Mark Twain said, “history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”  That means details, circumstances, settings and names may be similar, but history isn’t recycled.  Philosopher George Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  Americans have an opportunity to remember the past when casting their vote in November.

SQ#832 WOULD HURT THE VERY PEOPLE IT CLAIMS IT WOULD HELP!

Weekly Opinion Editorial

DON’T SIGN #832!

by Steve Fair

     Oklahoma is one of twenty-four states with an initiative petition process.  The process allows citizens to circulate a petition among voters for the purpose of getting an issue on the ballot.  To get a State Question on the ballot as a statute, eight (8) percent of the voters who voted in the last governor’s race must sign the petition.  To make it a Constitutional amendment, fifteen (15) percent of voters must sign.  Two examples of how the initiative petition has worked in Oklahoma:

      SQ#640 was the result of a 1991-92 grassroots initiative petition movement of less than a dozen people in the Sooner state.  Those dedicated, hardworking Okies were sick and tired of getting a tax increase every year from the legislature, so they rolled up their sleeves and did something about it.  They collected the necessary signatures to get the issue on the ballot, educated the electorate about excessive taxation and government spending.  The result was a Constitutional amendment being approved by a 56-44 margin requiring the legislature to approve tax increases by a 3/4^th majority vote of the legislature or a direct vote of the people.  Up until two years ago, the Oklahoma legislature had not passed a tax hike in Oklahoma.  SQ#640 has saved Oklahoma taxpayers billions of dollars and is an example of a positive use of the initiative petition process.  Many of those who spearheaded SQ#640 have passed to their eternal reward and those left are now labeled RINOs by the modern grassroots, but that dirty dozen knew true grassroots politics, how to move the needle and make a positive change.

     But not all initiative petitions are good.  An example of a bad petition is SQ 780/781.  Oklahomans passed SQ#780/781 in 2016 under the pretense (lies) of criminal justice reform.   The consequences of 780/781 has resulted in de-criminalizing and reclassifying former felonies and a marked increase in crime across the state.  The point is Oklahoma’s initiative petition process can be used for good and bad, but through it all, the process has worked equally for all citizens.

     Raise the Wage Oklahoma (RTWO) is out collecting signatures to get proposed State Question #832 on the November ballot right now.  RTWO has until July 14^th to get 92,263 valid voter signatures.  SQ#832, if approved by voters, would raise the minimum wage in the Sooner state to $9 hourly in 2025 and gradually increase to $15 hourly in 2029.  Oklahoma’s current minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, the same as the federal.  Expect to soon encounter paid solicitors seeking your autograph.  Three observations about SQ#832:

     First, businesses don’t pay wages- their customers do.  Businesses pass their cost (including labor) onto their customers in the form of a price increase.  Raising the minimum wage is a foolish idea that will feed inflation.  Businesses are not sponges.  They don’t ‘absorb’ costs.  It is naïve to believe raising the minimum wage will not result in increases in the price of goods/services to the consumer.

     Second, the vast majority of those receiving minimum wage are young people.  They are often working their first job.  If a business is told they have to pay a higher wage, they will reduce the number of employees so they stay within their necessary labor factor percentage.  According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), President Biden’s plan to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 would result in 1.4 million Americans losing their jobs.  That is why Democratic leadership has backed off the proposal.

     Third, government should not be telling business what to pay their employees.  Let a free market determine what wage a person is worth.  If a business is not being fair to their employees, they will have high employee turnover, and will lose their best and brightest.  A good businessperson recognizes their employee’s worth, pays them accordingly and usually prospers.  Penny pinching, cheapskate, money grubbers rarely succeed in business. 

     Don’t sign the SQ#832 petition! If it does get on the ballot, don’t vote for an increased minimum wage.  It will hurt the very people it claims it would help.

REAGAN'S 11TH COMMANDMENT IS HERESY IN TODAY'S GOP!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

 A CIRCULAR FIRING SQUAD!

by Steve Fair

     A circular firing squad is defined as when a group experiences considerable disarray because members engage in intense internal disputes and mutual recrimination.  The disputes can be issue or personality driven, real or perceived, large or small, but the goal is to humiliate, discredit, shame and embarrass the opponent.  Accomplishment and performance take a back seat to group think.  Individual thought is discouraged.   Adherence to purity tests is a requirement for membership.  Disagreeing in a civil manner is considered a weak and compromising attribute.  Tolerance for differing ideas is not tolerated.  Bickering reigns in a circular firing squad group.  Until one side gains the upper hand and forces the ‘impure’ to give up and leave the group, chaos reigns.  Nothing gets accomplished until that happens. Three observations about a circular firing squad:

     First, the measure of success of ideas is at the polls. It is not in the triumph of a political convention or rally.  It’s when the general public embraces an ideology or buys into the ideas of a group that success can be celebrated.  

     Both major political Parties are experiencing unprecedented internal conflict.  Ideology separations divide them, making unification next to impossible.  The fruit of these round discharge gangs is gridlock, bottlenecks, and logjams.  The American people are the real losers when groups form circular firing squads and kill their own.

     Second, Ronald Reagan is a false teacher in today’s GOP.  While running for governor of California in 1966, Ronald Reagan said: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.”  Reagan coined the phrase the 11^th commandment. Reagan used the 11^th commandment philosophy to unite Republicans.  Today that is heresy. 

     Reagan also said a person who agrees with you 80% of the time is a friend and ally, not a 20% traitor.  Reagan used that philosophy to attract conservative Democrats to vote for him in 1980 and 1984.  In today’s GOP, both statements are blasphemy and ignored just like the Decalogue (10 commandments) is ignored in personal interactions.  Political pharisees abound and are thankful they are not as other men are- especially those in their own Party who disagree with them. 

     Third, anger alone rarely produces positive change.  Anger can ignite a cause or fuel a movement.  It can awaken an apathic electorate and provide energy, but at some point, anger must transform to clarity and action.  If anger doesn’t mutate, it will fail.  Anger is prevalent in society. 

     In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said conflict was to be settled quickly with an opponent, but those who love conflict don’t want to settle disagreements.  To the contentious, working out conflict is considered compromise and accommodation.  Discord and squabbles propel their existence and without it, they are unfulfilled.  The fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control are not present in their life. 

     Politics is a temporal activity that incites strong emotions in people.  Often that passion spawns circular firing squads.  Recognizing no political philosophy, idea or single politician can save America is the first step to saving America.  Only God can move on men’s hearts and draw them to Him.  Pray He does before the circular firing squads destroy the United States.

IS OKLAHOMA BECOMING A 'NO BID' STATE?

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

DISMANTLE OMES!

by Steve Fair

     Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector (SA&I) Cindy Byrd released the annual audit results from the Federal Single Audit this week.  The audit covered 2022 expenditures.  The annual audit is mandated by the feds to make sure COVID 19 Relief grant money is spent in accordance with federal regulations. This is the second year the SA&I has found questionable practices by the state in using the federal funds.  In this year’s audit, Byrd found the following: 

     Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) did not follow the state law requiring competitive bidding for vendors.  Using COVID as an excuse, the bureaucratic heavy agency waived the law and conducted what they termed, ‘rolling solicitations,’ with established vendors.  Byrd says this was in clear violation of the provisions set forth in the federal grant program.    

     Byrd claims OMES also did a poor job verifying the work of a consulting firm hired to oversee the CARES grant process.  The consultant was paid over $1 million dollars and Bryd says it’s not clear all the work the consultant claimed to have done was done.  The consultant counters they did a stellar job.

     Byrd alleges the State Tourism Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt husband’s software firm benefited from more than $8 million of computer work at the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.  Zumwalt denied wrongdoing and welcomes an investigation.  Three observations about the audit:  

     First, circumventing the competitive bid process is problematic.  State law is clear! Oklahoma law requires competitive bidding.  OMES was created in 2012 for the purpose of overseeing the state’s accounting, budgeting, capital assets management, information technology, HR, and making sure agencies follow procurement standards (competitive bidding).  OMES is controlled solely by the governor.  The director is appointed by the governor.   OMES was created to give the governor more power.  OMES has evolved into what critics of its initial creation thought it would become- an arrogant, self-important bureaucracy and an unnecessarily created extra layer of government.

     What exactly is ‘rolling solicitations?’  Apparently, it is a program that favors the incumbent vendor and blocks other vendors from getting the opportunity to bid?  What mental giant came up with that strategy?  It clearly violates state law and the people responsible should be held accountable. Not having a competitive bid process will result in corruption and good ole boy network.

     Second, state officials can’t do business with the state.  Zumwalt isn’t the first (and will not be the last) elected official/appointee to see nothing wrong with doing commerce with the state, but it is clearly a conflict of interest.  It doesn’t matter if the state got a fair deal in the transaction, it shouldn’t happen.  If a person has to make a buck off taxpayers, don’t work for the state.  It’s that simple!    

     Third, government is not a private business.  Government should be businesslike, but rules that apply to government aren’t always applicable to business.  A private business can award contracts to a vendor without doing competitive bidding.  They can do business with their friends and willingly pay a higher price for goods and services.  They are accountable only to ownership.  Government is accountable to voters/citizens.  That requires transparency, a deliberate, intentional and often tedious process.  A competitive bid process can be viewed as inefficient, cumbersome and time consuming.  That is when geniuses come up with programs like, ‘rolling solicitation,’ to bypass state law.  If an elected official or appointed bureaucrat can’t follow those pesky, annoying state laws, then they shouldn’t run for office or accept an appointment to work in government.  It’s too restrictive and cumbersome for their superior intellect.  They should stick to the private sector. 

     The elected official serving as SA&I is Oklahoma’s watchdog.  They are directly elected by the people.  In the past 15 years, the state legislature has done everything possible to diminish the authority and bypass the office instead of partnering with the SA&I.  It’s time for that to change and while they are at it to dismantle OMES. 

There should be consequences for untruthful/deceitful speech!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

DO NO HARM!

by Steve Fair

     Oklahoma Senate Bill 1737 (SB#1737), authored by Sen. Todd Gollihare, (R-Tulsa) and Rep. Jeff Boatman, (R-Tulsa) has passed both chambers and awaits Governor Stitt’s signature.  According to the summary of the bill, SB#1737 would allow victims of stalking or electronic harassment to file a cause of action against the perpetrator for actual and punitive damages and injunctive relief when the victim has suffered business interruption or has incurred expenses to remediate the underlying online stalking.  It sailed through the House by a vote of 80-1, with 20 House members ‘excused’ from voting (20%- big number!) and through the Senate 44-2. 

     Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) President Jonathan Small wrote a column saying SB#1737 is a windfall for trial lawyers and will make it easier to harass political opponents by promoting civil action against those practicing free speech in the political arena.  Small urges Oklahomans to contact the governor and ask him to veto SB#1737.  Three observations:

     First, there should be consequences for untruthful/deceitful speech.  Genuinely honest differing views between political opponents should never digress to lying, deceptive double-dealing falsehoods. Libeling or defaming the character of an opponent is over the line.  Most politicos agree, but forget that principle when the campaign starts.  Defamation of an opponent’s character and caricaturing positions is commonplace.

     To prove defamation of character, a plaintiff must prove four things: (1) A lie was purported to be fact, (2) A lie was published or communicated to a third party, (3) A lie was the result of negligence (intentional), (4) A lie caused harm or damage.  Courts have been disinclined to intervene in political defamation disputes because free speech is constitutionally protected.  Because of the court’s reluctance, and the lack of ethics in politics, truth in the public arena is threatened. 

     Second, is SB#1737 targeted legislation?  Small believes the legislation is a result of OCPA’s dispute with Paycom.  OCPA, a conservative think tank, was sued by Paycom a couple of years ago after it mentioned the Paycom CEO in a column regarding COVID restrictions.  The lawsuit was dismissed.  The bill’s authors claim the ‘electronic’ component is what is missing in the state’s statutes and their motivation is to protect a citizen’s right to protect their reputation.   If SB#1737 is aimed at or a reaction to a specific incident, it is inappropriate legislation.  Lawmakers all too often, run bills to benefit an industry, special interest, or friend, with little regard to the consequences for the general public.

     Third, businesses should probably stick to business.  Unless they are a lobbying firm, they should focus on the primary reason they are in business.  When a business makes the conscious decision to deviate from selling their goods or service and enter the political arena, they should expect consequences.  They risk boycotts, repercussions, and value judgments from customers.  Competitors will take advantage and volume and profitability can suffer.  SB#1737 provides activist business leaders a safety net, but is that necessary?

     Free speech is a fundamental right in America.  The harm principle is defined as ‘your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins.’  People should be free to act as they wish as long as their actions do not cause harm to others.

     Everyone is entitled to their opinion and they are entitled to express it online.  There are going to be opinions you don’t agree with.  Some of the people expressing those opinions will do it in a not so nice way.  If your response is to not be nice, or to actually threaten or harass them, you must be willing to pay the price.

            

Israel factors into the end of time!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

END TIMES?

by Steve Fair

     On Saturday evening, Iran launched 300 attack drones and missiles into Israel.  A seven-year-old girl was seriously injured by shrapnel from a missile.  Most of the drones and cruise missiles were downed before they reached the Israeli border.  Some did penetrate Israel’s Iron Dome and struck an airbase in southern Israel, causing minimal damage. American military stationed in Syria got involved by shooting down drones headed toward Israel.  Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon shut down their airspace for several hours.

     Israeli officials pledged an unprecedented response to the attack in ‘their time.’  Iran claims the killing of seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IGC) soldiers, including two generals, in an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Syria April 1^st justified the attack.  Iran has vowed to respond to a counterattack on a much larger scale, including retaliating against United States military bases.  The White House released a statement saying President[S1]  Biden spent 25 minutes on a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reaffirmed, “America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”  Three observations:

     First, Biden doesn’t support an Israeli counterattack.  He allegedly told Netanyahu the U.S. would not join offensive operations against Iran if Israel launched a retaliatory attack.  He told Bibi to ‘take the win,’ referring to the minimum damage Iran’s drones and missiles caused.   Biden met with the G7 leaders to coordinate a ‘diplomatic’ response to the attack.  Iran has been under strict economic sanctions from most of the world because of human rights violations, but it doesn’t appear to have accomplished much.  The Israeli leadership have never been those who ‘take the win.’  They are more like the ‘never back down from a fight,’ crowd. Israel actually means ‘fighter’ in Hebrew.

     Second, the nations of the world are choosing up sides.  Russia has sent warships to the area, while cautioning both countries to exercise restraint, but Iran is a strong Russia ally.  Iran provides Moscow with drones, ballistic missiles and fighter jets for their war with Ukraine.  Russia doesn’t want their supply chain of military hardware disrupted.

     Chinese leaders said they were deeply concerned by the attacks, but over the past few decades, China and Iran have become strategic strong trade partners.  Iran’s abundant energy resources supply China a significant percentage of oil.

     Great Britian, France, Canada, and most of the western world have lined up behind Israel.  Some are calling this the start of WWIII.  Nostradamus, the renowned 16^th century French astrologer known for his prophetic writings, predicted a naval war in 2024 by a ‘Red adversary,’ so there’s that.

     Third, in scripture, Israel factors into the end of time.  What happens to Israel has been a topic of interest and debate among Christian believers for centuries.  Several Old Testament prophets wrote about the restoration of Israel in the end times.  Some prophecies suggest the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem before the return of Jesus Christ.  The promise of God to Abraham and his descendants regarding the land of Canaan (now Israel) is seen as an enduring covenant.  In the New Testament, there are references to the return of Christ that is linked to the restoration and salvation of Israel.  Some believe Israel will embrace Jesus as the Messiah before the end of time.  While there is much conjecture, supposition, and hypotheses about end times, it is clear Israel is an element.

     Since the state of Israel was established in 1948, no nation has been a bigger supporter than the United States.  Through the years, most Americans supported that policy.  As less and less people understand the significance of Israel plays in the plan of God, support has waned.  Israel is not infallible, but they win in the end.  Is this the end?  God only knows.