As I voted today, was asked after showing my driver's license if I was a Republican or Democrat and said "Republican for the last time as I have had it with Republicans" -- you could have heard a pin drop but the lady in the middle was grinning from ear to ear and handed me my 'I voted' sticker before I voted.
There was one main reason I stayed a Republican until after this primary today -- wanted to vote against current State School Superintendent Janet Barrisi who wins the worst State School Superintendence along with most arrogant I have seen in the six states we have lived. Her claim to fame to be State School Superintendent was sitting on the Board of Education of a Charter school plus she is a dentist. She refused almost from day one anyone's suggestion to how on make education better in Oklahoma preferring to blame the Superintendents, Principals and Teachers. Never stood up for teacher pay raises until she was up for reelection this year and then it was only $2,000 a year which still ranks Oklahoma 49th in teacher pay. Oklahoma is #1 on cuts to education since 2008 and adding back money this session only gets us to 2009 funding levels. IMO the Republicans only did that because this is an election year as well. Some consultant was working overtime.
Barrisi's commercials on ESPN with lies have sent me through the roof along with her attacks on another opponent are beyond pale and no one who condones those nasty, unethical attack ads I have been getting in my mail is going to get my vote. All these years I have never seen anything like the Barrisi attack ads and lies out of a candidate for State School Superintendent who I took great pleasure in voting against. I voted for the person she has been attacking, former state Education Board member Joy Hofmeister, who Barrisi has relentlessly being going after. I just want Barrisi off the stage so I never have to see her or look at her again in an ad during a baseball game or any other time.
The ads running on TV from Republicans in Oklahoma are some of the most dishonest I have seen and hit the mute every time. I personally don't like any ads on ESPN but these GOP ads are beyond the norm with lies. If I hear one more Oklahoma elected official talk about repealing Obamacare, I am going to throw something at the TV. Does Lucas and the rest of the Oklahoma delegation think Oklahomans are that stupid to not to understand our State is shortchanging its citizens by millions of dollars by not taking the exchanges or even given a thought how it is hurting mental health and clinics around the state? How about Frank Lucas heads the Agriculture Committee who made the drastic cuts the SNAP Program for food benefits including young airman. Seems like all Republicans today care about is grandstanding and making the hard right GOP base believe they can repeal Obamacare after 50 times. Don't you think the base should get a clue?
Looking back on what started the downhill progressional of the GOP in my eyes has to start with putting Sarah Palin on the ticket with John McCain. I had supported Rudy as part of several groups and went to McCain when he asked but I didn't bargain for Palin who could see Russia from her front porch and only wanted to answer puffball questions. If you want my biggest objection was as a Mother putting her pregnant daughter through being on primetime TV at the GOP Convention. Still haven't recovered from that and it showed me that women in the GOP like Palin will do anything it takes to get noticed and get ahead. Once it started dripping, I began to doubt Republicans but not enough to jettison them in 2010 when they elected some of the worst Governors I have ever seen including right here in Oklahoma. I have a hard time fathoming at times what she is saying but one thing is for sure Governor Fallin and most of the GOP in Legislature are part of ALEC and do their bidding as we saw this last session. Our whole Oklahoma Congressional delegation is part of ALEC BTW.
After Republicans took over Congress and the State Houses/Legislatures in 2010, it has been downhill since and left a lot of us questioning just when this all started on a trek of the GOP to the hard right and are left with the Reagan people who encouraged the religious right to get involved in politics and now they are beginning to run states with money from the Koch Brothers and advice and money from Karl Rove. The 2+2 begins to add up. Have had people tell me recently that they believe the Reagan people took out Gerald Ford when he ran against Carter as he was too moderate and I sat here, thought about it, and it does make sense.
After 2010, I became really irritated with my support of the GOP all these years when I should have taken the blinders off earlier. Since joining Republicans for Obama in 2012 and supporting Democratic candidates instead of Republicans I no get in dust ups on the Internet with fellow Republicans and their stances I vehemently disagree with and have for years. Their version of right to carry goes way past the 2nd amendment IMHO and is on the verge of crazy.
Then we have Governors like Republican Bobby Jindal of LA saying that there touting a hostile takeover of Washington DC with an armed revolution as he whipped the audience into a frenzy.
From Crooks and Liars:
On Saturday night, Governor Bobby Jindal egged on religious militia freaks when he made crazed remarks about a coming revolution to our nation's capitol because of a "silent war" on religion. There's no denying that he consciously tried to whip up more anger and resentment from far right--violent fringe groups when he made these comments at Ralph Reed's faux religious Faith and Freedom Coalition conference.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on Saturday night accused President Barack Obama and other Democrats of waging wars against religious liberty and education and said that a rebellion is brewing in the U.S. with people ready for "a hostile takeover" of the nation's capital.
Jindal spoke at the annual conference hosted by the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a group led by longtime Christian activist Ralph Reed. Organizers said more than 1,000 evangelical leaders attended the three-day gathering. Republican officials across the political spectrum concede that evangelical voters continue to play a critical role in GOP politics.
"I can sense right now a rebellion brewing amongst these United States," Jindal said, "where people are ready for a hostile takeover of Washington, D.C., to preserve the American Dream for our children and grandchildren."
The governor said there was a "silent war" on religious liberty being fought in the U.S. — a country that he said was built on that liberty.
"I am tired of the left. They say they're for tolerance, they say they respect diversity. The reality is this: They respect everybody unless you happen to disagree with them," he said. "The left is trying to silence us and I'm tired of it, I won't take it anymore."This is truly nutty stuff coming out of Louisiana's governor.
Read More at Crooks and Liars
This country was not founded on religion but on religious freedom to worship or not worship how we want. No amount of rewriting history is going to change that fact. The more the hard right GOP pushes theocracy, the more they are going to see blowback coming it at them IMHO. I am sick and tired of the 'my way or no way' trying to tell the rest of us how to live and making laws because that is their religion. Last OK GOP State Convention I attended there was a plank in the platform to demand all public school teachers teach the Bible and I went off on that and other issues and got told if I didn't like it to leave the Republican Party.
To all of you who have said leave, I am going to be glad to oblige and will oppose all of you at every turn from the Democratic side of the House who believe in helping people not donors.
My first endorsement is Democrat Joe Dorman for Oklahoma Governor who will be there for all Oklahomans not just ALEC, oil, and gas and wealthy donors like the current Governor Mary Fallin.
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