Mason: Dad, why do you hate video games so much?
Me: Mason this isn't about video games and my like or dislike therein. It's about you not doing what you have been told and holding you accountable for what you said to me you WOULD do.
Mason: Got it.
The discussion surrounding Speaker-elect Steele and other statewide elected Republican officials as well as many in the House has shifted and bounced around quite a bit and thanks to the Oklahoman, the terms of discussion have even been changed in a very subtle way. Reading one of my favorite blogs out there, OkiePundit, I saw that they too have taken issue with the Oklahoman quite aggressively and their points are made succinctly and in a way that is entertaining, fun and educational. They also briefly addressed the issue of Steele and some of the issues facing him as Speaker-elect.
Unfortunately, the issues with Steele aren't spurred on by the "extreme religious agenda" but rather the fact that Republican leadership in the last election cycle campaigned hard on things like Arizona-plus immigration reform. They also campaigned on job creation - which according to Fred Morgan and the Chamber crowd, not addressing Arizona-plus immigration reform. They don't want it, they don't care for it and the folks who financially support the chambers of commerce generally don't like it either.
The fight, as far as I am concerned, is really about holding accountable my brothers and sisters in the Republican Party who campaigned on constitutionally conservative issues that can and will positively impact the business environment. Think about it: Oklahoma's fastest growing industry is state government itself. Under Republican leadership in the House, we grew state government by over 18%. Yet, we have done very little to work on one of the most important aspects to job creation in Oklahoma - infrastructure.
The Republican leadership in the House, the Senate and the Governor-elect's office should be able to multi-task, have the ability to handle both what they perceive to be "job creation" legislation as well as the constitutional talking points they campaigned on - such as the 2nd Amendment rights and illegal immigration reform.
This week, I'll be posting a video compilation of ads run by Republicans who campaigned on immigration reform and the 2nd Amendment.
That, my friends, is what this fight is all about.
