I see red people

Come election time, Oklahoma’s always right

Oklahoma’s elected officials, both in OKC and Washington, are the Brick Red, Radical Red, Razzmatazz, Red Salsa, and Big Dip O’ Ruby in the nation’s GOP Crayola box--a rich, velvety hue of garish self-satisfaction, lapel-pin patriotism and bullying faith.

I’m not judging, you understand.

They won. Let ‘em enjoy.

State Democrats, meanwhile, are looking for the gas pipe.

We’ll get back to them.

So, how is it we, in Oklahoma, have allowed ourselves to be represented by those who hate the very act of a functioning government? For the love of short-term memory loss—and for example—Jim Bridenstine, Markwayne Mullin, and James Lankford not only voted to shut down the government in 2013, but voted to keep it shut down (1), even after an agreement was reached to reopen it (a shutdown which cost the economy 24-billion and slowed the recovery)—and all because they were still pouting about the affordable care act.

Forget sending them to Washington, they should have been sent to their rooms without dessert.

Mid-term scorecard

Human influence on the climate system (2) is clear and growing, with impacts observed on all continents. If left unchecked, climate change will increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.—U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Yeah, but those are scientists with facts. Jim Inhofe knows scripture (3).

Well, actually, the Genesis 8:22 that I use in there is that ‘as long as the earth remains there will be seed time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night.’ My point is, God’s still up there. The arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to change what He is doing in the climate is, to me, outrageous.—Sen. James Inhofe

Inhofe will now chair the Senate Environmental Committee—which is like putting State Rep. Mike Ritze in charge of handing out safe sex pamphlets at Planned Parenthood.

Inhofe beat Matt Silverstein 68 percent to 28.5 percent

“Just because the Supreme Court rules on something doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s constitutional.” After accusing Democrats of “stacking the courts in their favor” (five of the current nine justices were appointed by Republican presidents) Bridenstine dismissed the idea that Congress must write laws within the boundaries set by the Supreme Court. “That’s not the case.”

That’s noted legal scholar and U.S. Supreme Court aficionado Jim Bridenstine, 1^st District Congressman—who, astonishingly, didn’t get any of that above paragraph right (4). It was Bridenstine, you may remember, a veteran, a patriot, who also decided the best response to a woman who called for the execution of President Obama, the commander in chief, was to tell her,  “Look, everyone knows the lawlessness of this President.”

Way to defuse, Jimbo.

Bridenstine was re-elected and nobody ran against him.

“If we want to put prayer back in our schools, our communities have to stand up; the churches have to stand up; the parents have to stand up. They have got to say, ‘No, we want it in our schools.’ We’re going to do what we want to do because it’s our schools. It’s our public schools.”

That’s 2nd District Congressman/Plumber/Fire-and-Brimstone Coach Markwayne Mullin, who’s clearly fed up with all the non-Jesusing going on in our public schools(5).

Mullin was re-elected—beating Earl Everett, a dead guy, 70 percent to 24.6 percent

“I think it’s a choice issue. Are there tendencies and such? Yes. But I think it’s a choice issue.”

That’s James Lankford, former bible school director and Oklahoma’s new U.S. senator, reminding us that, yeah, there might be some biological, neurological pangs that determine one’s homosexuality (6), but nobody forces them to love show tunes.

Congressman Lankford beat Connie Johnson, 67.9 percent to 29 percent

And closer to home …

More than 690,000 Oklahomans— 21.9 percent—were uninsured in 2010, and Oklahoma’s rate was worse than four of six neighboring states.(7)

But Mary Fallin, the twice-married governor who defends traditional marriage, turned down free money from the federal government that would have made it possible for many of those uninsured to get coverage.

Fallin beat Joe Dorman 55.8 percent to 41 percent

All of which brings us, ahem, to Oklahoma Democrats.

I weep. 

Let’s first get a diagnosis from the invaluable Bruno Gianelli from “The West Wing”:

“We all need some therapy, because somebody came along and said 'Liberal' means soft on crime, soft on drugs, soft on Communism, soft on defense—and we're gonna tax you back to the Stone Age because people shouldn't have to go to work if they don't want to! And instead of saying, "Well, excuse me, you right-wing, reactionary, xenophobic, homophobic, anti-education, anti-choice, pro-gun, ‘Leave It To Beaver’ trip back to the ’50s,” we cowered in the corner, and said, “Please. Don't. Hurt. Me.”

And we also showed our guns, sucked up to the crazies, and tried to find ourselves.

Joe Dorman mentioned being beloved by the NRA; Matt Silverstein promised to reach across the aisle; and Connie Johnson, well, I still can’t figure out what was going on there.

Moreover, this past year, Lankford campaigned with Michele Bachmann, T.W. Shannon with Sarah Palin, and Mary Fallin with Chris Christie, but Democratic candidates wouldn’t embrace the leader of their own party?

Under Obama, the deficit has been cut in half, unemployment is under 6 percent, Bin Laden sleeps with the fishes, more illegals have been deported than ever before, people can now defend this nation without regard to sexual orientation, banks no longer run student financial aid programs, the U.S. auto industry has been saved, and we no longer invade the wrong countries.  And Democratic candidates were afraid to say his name?

Maybe they deserved to lose.

A party in search of itself doesn’t get elected.

(1) News9.com: Government Shutdown, Debt Deal: How Oklahoma's Delegation Voted

(2) Un.org: Climate change threatens irreversible and dangerous impacts, but options exist to limit its effects

(3) Rightwingwatch.org: James Inhofe Says the Bible Refutes Climate Change

(4) Thinkprogress.org: GOP Congressman Says Supreme Court Doesn’t Actually Get To Decide Whether Laws Are Constitutional

(5)Tulsaworld.com: Markwayne Mullin calls for school-led prayer, support for Israel during telephone town hall

(6) Thinkprogress.org: GOP Rep. Lankford Explains Why It Should Be Legal To Fire Someone For Being Gay: ‘It’s A Choice Issue’

(7) Stateimpact.npr.org: Interactive Map: Uninsured in Oklahoma