OkieBrent's Soapbox

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Conventional wisdom says that Democrats are not going to have a good Election Day this coming November.  This should be a warning to those who care about our future – whether we go forwards or backwards – to get engaged and work like never before to elect our Democratic candidates.

.

It could be especially bad in Oklahoma.  In the Primary Election this past Tuesday, Oklahoma Republicans set a voter turnout record for a gubernatorial primary with just over 30% of registered Republicans turning out to vote.  Only 26% of Democrats bothered to vote on Tuesday.

.

There is an enthusiasm gap between the parties and Tuesday’s primary proved that in Oklahoma.  We need to change that before November 2^nd arrives.

.

On the national scene, the climate seems to be improving for Democrats.  According to Gallup, Democrats have maintained a four point lead (48% to 44%) in the generic congressional match up for the last two weeks.  However, Republicans enthusiasm continues to be higher than that of Democrats by an 18-point lead (that has dropped from a 23-point lead a week ago).

.

A very good thing that could help Democrats in Oklahoma is the way our two Democrats running for Governor conducted their campaigns.  Both Jari Askins and Drew Edmondson ran positive, issue-based campaigns.  At every event that I attended where both appeared prior to the Primary, the two hugged each other and treated each other with respect.  On election night after the results were known, Drew immediately endorsed Jari and said he would work to make sure she is our next Governor.

.

On the Republican side, State Senator Randy Brogdon has still not endorsed their nominee Congresswoman Mary Fallin.

.

I hope Oklahoma Democrats will follow the lead of Drew Edmondson and rally behind Jari Askins to be our next Governor.  We must unite now for the future of our state.

.

UPDATE

I attended the Oklahoma Democrats Homecoming Rally at the Oklahoma City Zoo tonight (July 31).  Drew Edmondson wholeheartedly endorsed Jari Askins (again) for Governor.

.

Jari Askins and Drew Edmondson - July 31, 2010

Congressman Tom Cole, Republican from Moore, OK, has called on Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele to resign.  Very few other national  Republicans have gone that far.

.

Steele, well known for making really stupid comments, made another one of his infamous gaffes last week when he was speaking at a fundraiser in Connecticut.   Talking about the war in Afghanistan, Steele said, “Keep in mind again… this was a war of Obama’s choosing. This was not something the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in.”  He also said it was a war we could not win.

.

Whether we can win or not – I don’t know.  And from the coverage of Congressman Cole’s comments, that is the part that caused him to call for Steele to resign.  I do know the war in Afghanistan has now lasted longer than the Vietnam War.  We invaded Afghanistan before Barack Obama was even elected to the United States Senate.

.

Below are links to a couple of the stories about Cole calling on Steele to resign.

The Hill

Politico

The Oklahoma Academy has hosted three Gubernatorial Issues Forums to date – on April 7th, May 6th and June 16th.  So far, the candidate that has already been crowned the winner by “experts” – Republican Mary Fallin – has failed to show up for any of the forums.

.

I was told that she won’t appear at forums if there is an opportunity for questions to come from the audience – which when time allows, is something the Academy forums have allowed.

.

So, the leading Republican won’t take questions from regular Oklahomans and requires all questions in advance for her to participate in discussions and debates on issues that the next Governor will most certainly have to deal with.  Does this mean she is too dumb to answer questions off the cuff?  If she is elected, will she make the same requirement before she speaks to any in the media?  Is that the type of leader Oklahoma needs?  Hardly.

.

As for Mary Fallin already being crowned as Oklahoma’s next Governor – how soon our memories fail us.  Back in 2002 we were guaranteed Steve Largent would be Oklahoma’s next Governor.  Thankfully, the “experts” and the polls were wrong back then.  Let’s hope that 2010 will prove them wrong again.

.

The most recent Oklahoma Academy Issues Forum which occurred Wednesday, June 16th will air in its entirety tomorrow – Sunday, June 20th – at 11:00 a.m. on KGOU/KROU.  This Forum also included all the candidates for State Superintendent of Public Instruction and focused mostly on education issues.

.

UPDATE: Wednesday, June 30th

.

The Oklahoma Academy hosted its fourth forum today for the candidates running to be our next Governor.  Once again, Mary Fallin was a no-show.  This is from the Associated Press:

.

Attorney General Drew Edmondson and Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, the Democratic candidates, and Republican candidates Roger Jackson and Robert Hubbard were on hand for the event at Cameron University.

.

Forum organizers say Republican hopeful, state Sen. Randy Brogdon, was scheduled to appear but didn’t. U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin didn’t plan to attend.

.

You can read more in the Tulsa World or The Oklahoman.

I guess I should have made that headline to say something like – April 13th was Right-wing Oklahoma Day on MSNBC…

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Read the ThinkProgress blog posting on it here.

And I encourage everyone to watch a special Rachel Maddow Show – April 19, 2010

The McVeigh Tapes – here is a preview

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And it continued on Countdown with Keith Olbermann

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And again on The Rachel Maddow Show

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Some news worth reading or watching:

.

Two Party System At Risk

- by Major General Paul D. Eaton, Huffingtonpost.com

In her diatribe last night, Ms. Cheney accused the President of being an apologist for America, for abandoning our allies and for appeasing our enemies. She truly accepts the notion that if all you have is a hammer, the whole world looks to be a nail.

.

Hate-crimes exclusion bill killed

- by Barbara Hoberock, Tulsa World

A controversial hate-crimes bill did not get a hearing Monday in a House committee.

Rep. Mike Shelton, D-Oklahoma City, became the House author of Senate Bill 1965, by Sen. Steven Russell, R-Oklahoma City. Shelton said he took control of the bill to kill it and asked that the bill not get heard in the House Judiciary Committee.

.

Rachel Maddow on Senator Tom Coburn

- MSNBC

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

In today’s Oklahoman (11/25/2009) Michael McNutt reports that Republican State Representative Dennis Johnson of Duncan says that one of the first bills to be considered in the next legislative session will be one to increase penalties for gang-related activities.  Senate Bill 826 will make recruiting gang members a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Gangs are bad, but is this really what we need to focus on right now?  The State of Oklahoma is laying off teachers, starving seniors, furloughing employees, reducing the number of law enforcement officials – all because of a lack of MONEY.  Representative Johnson wants the state to spend more money we don’t have.

Keep in mind these numbers are from 2005, but according to the Department of Corrections Oklahoma spends more than $20,000 per year per prisoner.   Sixty percent of those prisoners are non-violent.

Oklahoma spends less than half that amount – only $7,615 – on each student per year.  I guess Oklahomans value prisoners more than they do educating our children.

Maybe if Oklahoma prioritized education and students above prisons and inmates, there would be fewer youth even considering joining a gang, fewer drop-outs, and less crime.

What is a better incentive to attract new businesses and jobs – lots of prisoners or a well educated population?  Of course for most businesses and industries a well educated work force is much more attractive, but maybe legislators like Rep. Johnson are only trying to attract more private prisons.

Countdown 11/12/09

Monday night while interviewing United States Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jon Stewart threw out a dig at Oklahoma’s senior Senator James Inhofe. It comes right about 1:00 minute into the video.