What A World

It's been a little while, so I thought I'd better catch up and provide a little color commentary to the already jaded political and social landscape.  It's what you expect from me, so I choose not to disappoint.  Let's get after it, shall we?

POTUS:  What a train wreck.  How in the world we ended up with these two candidates is something that OU Political Science Professor Keith Gaddie will be writing about long into the future, but it befuddles the rest of us.  The Trump Train exists, in my opinion, as a rebellion move against the establishment of the GOP that has been virtually indistinguishable from the mainstream of the Democratic Party over the last decade.  Fortunately, we have three branches of government so two out of three will have to get us through the next four years.  I truly have no pony in this race at all and it looks like I may have to vote for the Libertarian just so I can preserve what is left of my tattered soul. 

Oklahoma County Sheriff:  This has turned into a barn-burner of a race, hasn't it?  The State Auditor released findings that basically showed that incumbent Democrat Sheriff John Whetsel has not been so adept at handling financial issues.  Of course, most of us with any functioning brain cells whatsoever have seen the disaster that is the Oklahoma County Jail; but at least we don't have to deal with Joyce Gilchrist any longer.  But I digress...  Representative Mike Christian is the GOP hopeful for the race and I've known Mike for a long time; we used to hunt and consume adult beverages together "back in the day."  I think I may even have some film from my old TV show with Mike on a hunt with us.  He has survived the turmoil of the Randy Terrill/Debbe Leftwich disaster that sent Terrill to jail.  Now, he is gunning for the Sheriff's badge.  This will be a close nail-biter of a race to watch and it's anyone's guess as to who will win this one.  

Oklahoma County Clerk:  David Hooten surprised everyone and found himself in a runoff with Carolyn Caudill and then he defeated her in the runoff.  Embattled former Speaker of the House, Lance Cargill, helped run the campaign and it is a pretty significant one to win.  There is a lot of taxpayer dollars involved in that office and a whole lot more than one would suspect.  Garnering the endorsements of two previous governor's, David Hooten will be facing the perennial Libertarian candidate, Chris Powell.  Hooten will run away with this race and soundly defeat Powell.  What will be interesting to watch, however, will be who Hooten brings into the County Clerk's office to work with him.  Who will be his Chief Deputy?  That pick will set the stage for either reform, or more of the same.  

As far as the Congressional races go, expect the incumbents to win easily.  The Oklahoma Congressional Delegation will remain in the grasp of the GOP as will House and Senate seats in the Oklahoma Legislature.

What a world in which we live.  God help us.

Of course, these are just my opinions and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

Gorilla 

Carolyn Caudill Makes DUI Laws Look Silly

In Oklahoma, if you get a DUI, you're pretty much screwed for a while.  You're going to pay a hefty fine, you're going to probably spend the night in jail, you're going to fight to keep your license (which is unlikely), and it will be on your criminal record for a very, very long time.

This is, of course, unless you are an elected County official who works in a building just across the alley from where the judge who handles your case will be hanging out.

According to a shocking story on NewsOk.com, Carolyn Caudill's attorney W. Shawn Jefferson (wonder what the "W" stands for and from his Facebook page, you can see something about the running of the bulls) filed a motion to have Caudill's records of her DUI arrest sealed, expunged, cast into the sea of forgetfulness just in time for her to run again for Oklahoma County Clerk.  This election would giver her a sixth term.  A sixth term.  That's right, a sixth term in  office.  Take a look at this little morsel from NewsOk.com and see if it doesn't

make your blood boil:

In a petition to the Oklahoma County District Court "for expungement and sealing of records," attorney W. Shawn Jefferson states she is eligible under state law to ask that the case records be removed from public view and sealed.

Jefferson wrote that the harm to Caudill's "privacy and/or the dangers of unwarranted adverse consequences … outweigh the public interest in retaining the records."

Jefferson is asking that the Oklahoma City Municipal Court and departments including the Oklahoma City police be directed to seal records related to the incident.

In the petition, he also requests an order "mandating that the subject official actions shall be deemed never to have occurred."

You need to check out her lawyer here and here. 

No, it isn't a clipping from a Lost Ogle satire, but it is real and what the attorney is asking.  Caudill could be in danger?  Danger?  The only danger would be her getting busted again and being beaten in the primary by Charlie Phillips.

Adverse consequences?  Wait...should would have to pay like every other citizen?  Heaven forbid.  The real adverse issue I am sure that she's worried about is having her rear-end handed to her in the primary by Charlie Phillips.

The people are once again being boondoggled, bamboozled, blinded, and fooled with the ultimate in trickery bred from the loins of long-term, career politicians.  Caudill should be ashamed of herself and just retire with some sense of dignity left.  If you haven't decided whom you will vote for in this GOP primary, I suggest you vote for a real Republican who understands (and can spell) transparency; Charlie Phillips.  

My support is behind Charlie Phillips and for good reasons; she is a small business owner, she has ten years of experience in the Clerk's office, and she has been nothing but candid with me.  It's refreshing to talk to someone running for office who isn't a narcissistic, egomaniac with the personality of a Barbie or Ken doll.  Charlie is the real deal for Oklahoma County Clerk.  

Of course, this is just my opinion and I could be wrong, but a intensely doubt it.

Gorilla

 

Chronically Skeptic

Close your eyes for a moment and think about the Presidential campaign this year.  Which candidates stand out in your mind and why?  Next, think about the whole "Education Savings Accounts."  There are a lot of people coming out in favor from the conservative right and the conservative right does nothing without a profit motive.  Who makes the money, who stands to win, who stands to lose, and why should we give a damn.  Now, think about the last time you watched the morning news and think about the stories.  How many "bad news" stories permeated the fabric of your being this morning?  

All of these and a whole lot more contributing factors have created a generation of skeptics who are tired of the profit motives of the right, the socialism of the left, and the lack of trustworthiness of electronic media.  Talk radio, for example, is the same as it has always been on a national, syndicated level.  It's all the same and they are all puking out the same tripe day after day.  Local talk radio in this market basically consists of consultants who are probably just using the airwaves to plug their clients. 

No one should have any question as to whether or not we deserve to be skeptic.  We have earned it and frankly, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

It's no wonder that there are so many people who have become chronically skeptical.  Promises are made by politicians who desire to garner our trust and our votes, but once elected, those promises fade away like cotton candy does in the mouth.  I used to keep track of campaign promises and how they were left unfulfilled by the Governor, members of the State House and Senate, as well as the United States Senate but I gave up after realizing that the campaign rhetoric will never match the actual performance of the same.  

Look around you, friends.  Wake up and smell the bullsh*t that has surrounded us for far too long.  It's there, it stinks, and it is staining our shoes.  

How do we rid ourselves of this mess?  First, we become skeptical of things around us that are of human origin.  Matters of politics, economics, campaigns, consultants, and property are all external and guided and ruled by man therefore, they are destined to fail at some point.  The whole natural gas and oil bust has been kind of an example of how unpredictable the world around us can be but conversely, matters of faith and conscience are found in the spiritual realm and there is where we cannot afford to be too skeptical.  

Sure, we are to "study to show ourselves approved," which means that there will always be a sense of skepticism, but feelings themselves are deceptive and we should be skeptical of emotional responses to eternal truths.

I hope that makes sense.

Of course, these are just my opinions and I could be wrong, but I am skeptical that I am.

Gorilla

Government Work, Building Pensions

Term-limits are one thing, but there is a run on ex-legislators who are getting new jobs in Oklahoma government and the Oklahoman has a great commentary about it.  While the Oklahoman is still treading water for intellectual and journalistic credibility in my not-so-humble opinion, there are a handful of reporters and journalists over at the dark down who seem to "get it."  This story may be one of the exceptions to the rule.

In the opinion piece today, the article states:

Forced to leave the Legislature this year, state Rep. John Wright, R-Broken Arrow, has taken a job in the Tulsa County assessor's office, trading up his $38,400 legislative salary for $72,000 in the county job. Earlier this fall, outgoing House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, took a job in the Tulsa mayor's office at a salary of $100,000 a year.

But the most telling comment in the article is as follows:

This political re-careering will get even more intense eight years from now, when a new term-limit law for statewide officials will force incumbents out of office after just two terms.

With some of Oklahoma's wacky pension laws, state employees (read: elected officials) can work quite the deal for their pensions by working in the legislature, then moving over to a county or city job.  For example, some of the individuals listed in the article will have "time served" in the legislature applied to their retirement calculations, making for some hefty retirement income.


This is a must-read for those of you desirous of government accountability.

And congrats to Benge for his $100k/year job in Tulsa.