Lately, in Oklahoma, the Republican GOP stands for Glowering
Offensive Party. It has been a rough
several weeks for the state Republican Party.
Although my writing may be satirical in nature, the topics I’m writing about couldn’t be more serious. The Republican Party in Oklahoma is out of
control. The conservative political
machine fears nothing except an attack from the farther right. The moderates are being shut out and the
party is becoming prideful. How else can
you explain the last several weeks’ worth
of actions? Don’t know what I’m talking about? Let me explain with three examples of how
people in leadership positions within the Republican Party put personal or
political will above the laws of general decency and above the laws of the
land.
The Oklahoma GOP started with hiring an Executive Director who
had plead guilty to not one, but 2 misdemeanor counts of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse is one of those “in-tolerable” acts one
has trouble recovering. I don’t want to talk about the Executive
Director. I want to talk about the
person who hired him. What was he
thinking? Was he thinking? In Oklahoma, we still teach the chivary code
of holding women in the highest of regard.
We still stand when women enter the room, open the door for little old
ladies then help them across the street.
How could hiring someone convicted of abuse toward women not be showing
contempt for Oklahoman values? But it is
not just hiring him; it’s galling by thumbing his nose at those who questioned
the cronyism. Randy Brogdon, the person
responsible for this debacle, has a habit of talking down to those who question
him. Brogdon repeatedly stood by this hiring
even in the face of criticism from other Republicans. If you think this is just one bad decision by
Brogdon….. think again. It took less
than 3 weeks for Brogdon’s
questionable decision-making to fail him again.
This time with an offensive Facebook post. It was either comparing poor people to
animals or saying poor people aren’t
worth supporting, but either way it was damaging. When asked about the post, Brogdon’s first reaction was to defend the
post by saying those who were offended must have “misinterpreted” the post’s meaning. So, from Brogdon’s point of view, it’s not just about poor people and animals, it is the
rest of us are too stupid to comprehend what he
meant! If this isn’t prideful arrogance, I don’t know what is.
Brogdon’s
actions are simply irresponsible and reprehensible. Even the Daily Oklahoman Editorial board
called for his removal. (I know, once in
a blue moon they get something right.
Shocked me too.) If Brogdon’s actions were the only failings
of the week I’d have just
railed about the failed leadership of one man.
However, the coup de grace comes from Governor Fallin. Governor Fallin couldn’t let Brogdon stand alone in the Failure
of Leadership Department. After two
years of litigation the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that the Blaine
Amendment of the Oklahoma Constitution was violated by the 10 Commandments
Monument and ordered its removal from the Capitol. Agree or disagree with their decision, but
they are the highest court in Oklahoma.
The legislative branch wrote the law, the judiciary branch ruled it is
unconstitutional, but our executive branch won’t enforce the ruling? That
is not how our government works. As an
educator this could have been a real teachable moment about how governments in
America work. Instead, it is a lesson on
failed leadership; it is a lesson in one person in government who gets to
disagree with the law and then do what they want. Not good for Oklahoma. Not good for the Republican Party.
Governor Fallin’s disappointment with the Supreme
Court is understandable. I’ve long thought both the US Supreme Court
and the Oklahoma Supreme Court get more things wrong than right. However, my personal feelings do not change
the fact that the court has spoken. You
don’t like what they say,
change the law. However, you can’t ignore their ruling and do what
you want. No one is above the law. We established a country to ensure no one was
above the law. Gov. Fallin refusing to
comply is not what leadership is about; leadership is about working hard to
preserve the rule of law and the function of government, not to ignore the
actions of our Republic when we don’t
get our way. Fallin’s leadership failed her party and the
State of Oklahoma through her words (3 forms of government: the legislative branch, the judicial
branch, and the vote of the people?) (Yes, you read correctly) and
by her decision to not uphold the constitution. Brogdon’s leadership just failed the human decency
of people. Both chose political gains
over doing what was right. Both sit in
their perspective leadership positions comforted in the fact that Oklahoma is
the reddest of red states for the Republican Party. Pride goes before the fall.
