Weekly Opinion Editorial

FAITH ALONE!

by Steve Fair

The old social rule is to "never discuss politics or religion in polite company."  That's because talking about those two polarizing topics often invokes intense emotional reactions and relationships are sometimes damaged because of the conflict.

The problem with that rule is politics and religion are directly tied to a person's core values, moral framework and personal identity.  So, keeping the rule means hiding the very essence of who you are to maintain social harmony. 

This week, Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President, Pastor Willy Rice called on SBC pastors across the country to violate the rule.  Rice said pastors should "step up" into the political process.  Rice argues pastors have long played a key role in American politics and it's time once again for them to crawl into the ring.  Three observations:

First, pastors should be involved in the political process.  They should be a faithful voter and an example of a good citizen.  They should render unto Caesar that which is Caesars.  They should be politically knowledgeable and feel the freedom to exercise their right to engage in politics just like the members of their congregation.  They should not avoid politics, but they should recognize politics is temporal.  Like the old hymn said, they should recognize this world is not their home- they are just a passing through. 

Second, the pulpit should be exclusively for preaching the Gospel.  A pastor should make the main thing the main thing and the main thing is the Gospel.  The Gospel will change individual hearts and lives and transform America.  Any pastor who abandons preaching the Gospel to preach patriotism or a social transformation message will reap converts of changed behavior, not regenerated hearts. 

Third, there are political issues that are theological issues. Abortion, same sex marriage, and gender identity top the list.  Those issues are biblical issues.  Pastors have neglected to teach what the Scripture says about those issues.  They have failed to preach the 'whole counsel' of the Word.  Christians should vote based on what God's stance is on an issue.  They should identify and support candidates who align with their convictions and the principles in the Bible.

Liberal politicians have used churches for years.  The left has openly campaigned from pulpits.  They have used churches as a base of campaign operations.  Liberal pastors endorse candidates from the pulpit.  They ignore the Johnson Amendment, which restricts churches from participating or intervening in politics. 

Rice is advocating conservative Christians do the same thing, but the Johnson Amendment, the1954 provision in Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) remains on the books, prohibiting tax-exempt organizations, charities, universities, and houses of worship from endorsing or opposing political candidates.   

Rice should have left the politics to those who believe political activism alters the eternal decree of God.  He should have challenged SBC pastors to preach the coming judgment of God upon a wicked culture.  Considering the dearth of clear Gospel preaching from SBC pulpits today, it would seem that would be a worthy goal.    

Preaching moralism and teaching people they can 'fix themselves,' is the long-time political and theological message of the liberals.  Conservatives should be preaching the Gospel message of faith alone!  That would change lives and the nation. 

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

SNAP THOSE GALLUSES!

by Steve Fair

President Donald Trump is coming to Durant, Oklahoma for a rally on Thursday.  The rally will be held in the heart of the Choctaw reservation at the Choctaw casino's event center.  The Durant location was chosen because of its close proximity to Texas, where Senate candidate Ken Paxton is reportedly in a tight race.  Those who want to attend the rally can request up to four tickets on the OKGOP website.  There is no charge for tickets.

Trump will be their third president to visit the Choctaw nation.  President Theodore Roosevelt visited in 1905 to give a speech preparing Oklahomans for statehood just 2 years later.  President Barack Obama visited in 2015 to discuss economic opportunities with tribal leaders.  Choctaw leaders say the tribe is not endorsing- they are just renting the Rs space.

The Oklahoma Education Television Authority (OETA) gubernatorial debate scheduled for that evening between Republican candidate Mike Mazzei and Democrat Cyndi Munson will be recorded and aired on OETA at 7pm on Thursday. 

The last time President Trump came to the Sooner state was in June 2020.  The Tulsa campaign rally was well-attended and blamed by Tulsa county health officials for an uptick in COVID cases.  Bear in mind, the Tulsa County health department is among the most liberal in the U.S., so take what they say with a grain of salt.   

With a month until the general election, here are three admonitions:

First, voters cast their ballot for Party platforms, not candidates.  People who "snap their galluses," and claim they "vote for the man, not the Party," are sadly mistaken.  Once a legislator is elected, the lawmaker will 'caucus' with a Party.  A Democrat may claim to be independent, moderate, and willing to work across the aisle, but they will join the Democrat 'caucus.'  The 'caucus' calls the shots and sets the agenda.  The same goes for Republican candidates.  Independent thinking is discouraged in the legislature because it gums up the agenda.  Sadly, it's more about numbers than principle.

Second, Democrats are more liberal than Republicans.  Their platform is more liberal.  The reason a candidate runs as a Democrat is because the platform is closer to what they believe than the GOP one.  When voters in a Party refuse to support the primary winner because they believe the victor is either too liberal or too conservative, they unknowingly further the opposition's agenda.  Party identification is a reliable decision-making tool, because generally candidates align with their party's platform.

Third, if Democrats take control of Congress, things will get worse.  Things aren't that great now.  Trump's economic policies have yet to produce what he thought they would. Gas and food prices are up.  His foreign policy hasn't produced the results he promised.  Republican voters have legitimate concerns about Trump's policies and that hesitating/wavering might not be enough to get them to vote for a Democrat, but it could be enough for them to stay home. 

Trump will have to rally those who don't show up in Durant.  Flashy assemblies fire up the attendees who were going to show up at the polls anyway.  It's 'preaching to the choir.'  In the next 30 days, individual campaigns better have a plan to get their vote out rather than relying on Trump to motivate lazy Rs to get to the polls.  That's about as safe a bet as a slot machine at the casino.

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

by Steve Fair

The world is an unstable place.  It often seems things are hanging by a thread. Russia invaded Ukraine four- and one-half years ago.  That conflict has resulted in Russia occupying roughly 20% of the Ukraine, but at a cost.  Over 500,000 Russian soldiers have died in the war, with another 1.5 million missing or wounded.  Ukrainian solider deaths are estimated between 125,000 and 150,000, with another 500,000 missing or wounded. 

Ukraine has become a global leader in military drone technology.  Their drone technology has impressed governments and defense manufacturers around the world.  Ukrainian hit Moscow on Sunday with over 1,000 of those domestically produced drones that hit an oil refinery and several other targets. 

In the middle east, Saudi-led coalition forces fighting Yemen’s Houthis intercepted and destroyed the Iran-backed group's ballistic missile fired at Riyadh at dawn.  The group has already hit a Saudi pipeline, disrupting oil distribution.  That coupled with the worldwide shortage of refining capacity has driven up the price of gasoline and diesel. Three observations:

First, high fuel costs could impact upcoming midterm election.  The Economist now gives Democrats a 93% chance (up from 77% in July) of flipping the U.S. House and a

59% (up from 45% in July) of taking the Senate.  The increases for the Ds are primarily driven by higher prices for gasoline and food.  If Trump can engineer a deal with Iran and stabilize the area, most likely the price of fuel will quickly come down, which could create a shift back to the GOP. 

Second, the lack of refinery capacity is the real issue.  Crude oil doesn’t become gasoline on its own — it has to be refined, and the U.S. has been quietly losing refining capacity for years. The U.S. has 620,000 barrels per day less refinery capacity than it had in 2019.

That capacity is not coming back immediately and consumers pay the price for that capacity shortage directly at the pump.  Couple that with government environmental regulations and the Renewal Fuel Standard mandate, oil companies aren't willing to invest in new domestic refineries.  At a recent White House meeting, oil executives discussed the capacity issues and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The RFS requires oil refiners and importers to blend 15.5% for total renewable fuel and 6.42% for advanced biofuels in 2026.  The hickory nuts (oil field jargon for veteran) told Trump the blending targets are unattainable.  Whether the targets are relaxed remains to be seen.

Third, all politics are local.  Voter behavior and winning elections depend on how well a candidate addresses issues important to those voters.  Most of the time, national issues are not in the decision tree, with the exception of economic issues.  People vote based on how the Party in power has performed in keeping prices and taxes down.  Trump and the GOP led Congress did lower taxes through the 'Big Beautiful Bill," but the price of food and fuel have increased vs. two years ago.  While those high prices will likely come down, it may not be before the midterms.

It may look bleak for GOP in the midterms, but things can quickly change.  As Crown prosecutor Gérard de Ville fort said in The Count of Monte Cristo: “On what slender threads do life and fortune hang…!”

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

MASS COMMUNICATING!

by Steve Fair

Last week, the Republican National Committee held a Midterm convention in Dallas.  Unlike the quadrennial nominating convention where the president and vice president nominees are selected, no official GOP Party business was conducted.  A Midterm convention for Republicans is nothing more than political theatre. 

The Democrats have held three midterm conventions- in 1974, 1978, and 1982.  They used the midterm conventions to debate Party rules and their platform.  The GOP convention in Dallas was an attempt by President Trump to 'get the vote out' for the upcoming November midterms.  Three observations:

First, the Republican Party is fractured.  The Grand Ole Party has deep internal strife between the MAGA base and the non-MAGA minority.  Some Republicans disagree with President Trump's military action in Iran, his policy on tariffs, and immigration and that disagreement is considered treason by the MAGA crowd.  The MAGA crowd requires complete and mandatory agreement with the president's actions.  They insult and put down anyone who presents a critical assessment of Trump's deeds, labeling them RINOS (Republicans in Name Only).  That presents a problem when you need RINOS to win.  If Republicans continue to work against each other instead of together, expect the GOP to lose big in November.

Second, Trump appealed primarily to his base.  "Pretend that I'm on the ballot.  Just one more time," the president exhorted the Dallas crowd.  While the president is term limited and isn't on the midterm ballot, his policies clearly are.    According to the Economist, Trump's approval rating among college-educated Americans has fallen sharply in recent weeks- from 34% to less than 30%.  Those are usually Republican voters, so pretending Trump is on the ballot with that demographic is probably not a sound campaign strategy. 

Third, Trump's coattails could turn out to be a drag.  Candidates running in down ticket races often benefit or are harmed by those at the top of the ticket.  Nationally, that may not be the case this year.  Here in conservative Oklahoma, candidates latch themselves to Trump like a horse to a buggy.  Candidate's mailers, TV ads and social media proclaim how much more Trump they are than their opponent.  But that may not work even in the Sooner state in a general election when the voters tend to not as conservative.  Those pesky moderate Rs might not vote for a Democrat, but they a race blank. 

Republican candidates in Oklahoma are expected to cruise to victory in November, but that is likely not the case nationwide.  In many states congressional races are considered toss-ups and many political prognosticators are predicting a bloodbath for Republicans in November. 

No one fires up their base like Donald Trump, but he is going to need more than just the base to retain the U.S. House.  He needs the RINOs, Americans for No Prosperity, Globalists Club for No Group and many other voter groups he has insulted to triumph in November. 

The RNC would have been better served spending their money on local get out the vote efforts in close congressional district races than staging a 3-day rally preaching to the choir. 

But the president calls the shots at the Republican National Committee and Trump subscribes to Pappy O'Daniel's philosophy: "We ain't one-at-a-timin' here. We're MASS communicating!"  Big rallies and lots of boring speeches may impress those already planning to vote Red in November, but swing voters are better reached one-at-a-timing.

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

GRANDSTANDING!

by Steve Fair

Fourteen states, including Oklahoma have constitutions that require a vote regarding a constitutional convention.  The intervals of frequency and the provision on who calls for the vote vary state by state. 

Article XXIV, Section 2 of the Oklahoma Constitution mandates the question of whether to call a state constitutional convention must be submitted to the voters at least once every 20 years.  The last time Oklahoma voters voted on Article XXIV, Section 2 was in 1970- 56 years have passed since the issue has been on the ballot.

On Wednesday, Governor Kevin Stitt issued an executive order to place proposed State Question 848 (SQ#848) on the ballot for a special election to be held April 6, 2027. 

Stitt's order also instructs the Secretary of State to create the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention Commission (OCCC).  The Commission is tasked with studying the Oklahoma Constitution and make recommendations about the procedures and rules that would govern a state constitutional convention, if voters approve SQ#848.   The OCCC are to submit their recommendations by 12/31/26. 

Oklahoma Attorney General Drummond and several Oklahoma state legislators don't believe Stitt has the authority to unilaterally place a State Question on the ballot.  It is likely the courts will decide the fate of Stitt's order.  Three observations:

First, it is past time to vote on a constitutional convention.  Past elected officials have simply ignored the constitutional provision for a vote for the past 1/2 century.   They feared a runaway constitutional convention could spiral out of control and result in chaos. 

Whether Article XXIV, Section 2 should be in the constitution is subject to debate, but so long as it remains in the document, it should be adhered to.  This past legislative session, the legislature debated the issue.  The Senate and House couldn't agree on how many delegates to a proposed convention would be appointed by each chamber, so the Joint Resolution failed.

Second, most Oklahoma voters could care less about a constitutional convention.  Most Okies have no idea Oklahoma's state constitution is one of the longest and most detailed state constitutions in America.  Drafted in 1907, primarily by tribal leaders, progressive Democrats, and future governor Charles Haskell, using the rejected 1905 Cherokee/Sequoyah Constitution as a framework, the document has a clear populist bent.  

Rural Oklahoma was surprising a hotbed for socialism in 1907.  The Sooner state had a higher percentage of registered Socialist Party members than any other state. 

That explains why Oklahoma was the first state to include a provision for an initiative petition process, empowering private citizens to amend the constitution without the legislature. 

The document fragments power in government.  Oklahoma directly elects more statewide officers vs. other states.  The state constitution also limits the power of the Oklahoma governor.  But most Oklahoma citizens don't care about a constitutional convention.  That is why no pressure has been put on elected officials about Article XXIV, Section 2. 

Third, the issue is being used to grandstand.  Stitt apparently failed to communicate with legislative leaders or the Attorney General before he issued his decree.  Why?  Because the guv knew his action would raise their blood pressure and get headlines.  Stitt could have addressed a vote on Article XXIV, Section 2 early in his eight-year tenure, but chose to wait until now and his edict isn't executed until he is out of office.  Stitt's timing is suspect.  Political games by elected officials waste taxpayer dollars and are exhausting.  Controversy is a last resort for the talentless.   

The legislature should work next session to get the state question on the ballot next year.  Oklahoma citizens should recognize the risks involved in holding a constitutional convention.  It could result in a bigger mess of a state government than already have.

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

MIDTERMS!

by Steve Fair

Midterm elections occur every four years—exactly halfway through a presidential term. They are critical in determining the balance of power in Washington.  TheY determine the sitting president's legislative agenda and judicial confirmations.  All 435 members of the House of Representatives are on the ballot and normally 1/3 of the 100 Senate seats.  But with special elections, 2026 will have 35 Senate races, including one in Oklahoma. 

The current balance of power in Congress has Republicans controlling both chambers with razor thin margins.  The U.S. Senate currently has 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats.  The GOP has 218 seats in the House with Democrats holding 215 (2 seats are open). 

The future balance of power hinges on 20 key toss-up House races and 6 Senate races, (including one in Texas), It is a long shot the Democrats can gain control of the Senate, but they hold the edge in the House if history is any indicator.

Since World War II, the Party of the sitting president has lost an average of 26 seats in the House and 4 in the Senate in the midterm elections.  Only twice (1934 and 2002) has the president's Party gained seats in both chambers in the midterms.  Three observations:

First, midterm elections are regarded as a referendum on the sitting president's performance.  Can Republicans run on President Trump's second term performance?    The latest Quinnipiac University poll found only 32 percent of all registered voters support how President Trump has handled his second term in office. Fifty-eight percent of respondents disapprove.  That could prove to be a problem in the general elections.  Swing voters often determine the winner in toss-up races and an unpopular president could be the difference in winning and losing.  Trump remains popular among most Republicans.  He has a 79% approval rate, but that number is down 10 points in the past two months.

Second, President Trump's hold on the GOP has visibly weakened.  Just last week, three Republicans endorsed by the president lost their primary race.  In all, 10 GOP nominees for Congress or statewide office endorsed by Trump, have lost this cycle. Just a few months ago, when Trump helped bring about an apparent end to the political careers of Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, and Texas Senator John Cornyn, his blessing appears to not carry the same weight it did.  Part of the reason is Trump has endorsed some lousy candidates who are unqualified to do the job and voters didn't blindly follow his advice. 

Third, the balance of power in Congress always hinges on turnout.  Small shifts in who shows up at the polls can flip the House and Senate and alter the trajectory of government.  Historically the Party out of power is more motivated than the Party in power.  A recent HarrisX poll found Trump/MAGA Republicans were more likely to vote than Democrats (70%-63%).  Will GOP voters follow up and show up in record numbers in November?  It remains to be seen.

President Trump consistently defies historical conventional political wisdom.  His ability to motivate his base is unprecedented in U.S. history.  If anyone can get the causal GOP voter off the couch and to the polls, it's Trump.

David Letterman said about the midterms: "Tomorrow is Election Day. It's what they call the midterm elections, and you can cut the indifference with a knife. It's the day Americans leave work early and pretend to vote."

Republicans better not just pretend to vote in November if they want to retain the balance of power.

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

ROBIN WAS A THIEF!

by Steve Fair

Democratic Socialism is a political and economic system that combines a democratic secular government with a worker-owned economy.  Those who subscribe to Democratic Socialism want to replace America's capitalism economic system with a system based on human need rather than private profit.  Democratic Socialism is just  a half click away from communism. 

Both system critique capitalism and seek economic equality, but they differ fundamentally on governance and methods. Democratic socialism combines a socially oriented economy with multi-party, political democracy and civil liberties. Communism, is historically rooted in Marxism/Leninism.  Communism envisions a classless, stateless society where all property and the means of production are commonly owned and run by a single party. 

Prominent self-identified Democrat Socialists currently in Congress include House Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib, (D-MI) alongside Senator Bernie Sanders, (D-VT) in the Senate.  All three members caucus with the Democrats. 

In recent Democrat primaries, Democratic Socialist and left-wing candidates have secured notable primary victories by defeating long-serving incumbents in safe Democratic congressional and state legislative districts.   Socialism is now mainstream inside the Democratic Party.  According to a recent Washington Post poll, 75% of registered Democrats said they would be open to a Democrat Socialist for president.  The same poll showed 55% of all voters wouldn't.  A Fox News poll found 52% of Democrats view socialism favorably.  Among young adults (ages 18-34), nearly half hold a favorable view of socialism.  That is mainly driven by economic pessimism, high living costs, and a rejection of traditional establishment politics.  Three observations:

First, Uncle Bernie Sanders correctly identified the problem.  U.S. income and wealth inequality is at historic highs.  Federal Reserve data shows the top 1% of the population in America control 31% of the nation's wealth.  That top 1% has more wealth than the bottom 90% combined.  A Pew Research poll revealed the percentage of adults in 'middle-income households' fell from 61% in 1971 to less than 50% last year.  America's middle class is shrinking. A large portion of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. But while Bernie got the diagnosis right, his treatment is way off. 

Second, government is not the solution.  Sanders and the liberals seek to take from the rich and give to the poor.  They want government to regulate more by forcing private businesses to pay higher wages to their employees, force landlords to lower rent, and cap profits for businesses.  Excessive government regulation, or red tape will lower productivity by forcing businesses to divert time, money, and labor away from core output and innovation toward mandatory compliance tasks.  Government deregulation is the solution.  Removing roadblocks will spur growth and personal incentive. 

Third, Republicans are losing the battle for the minds of America's youth.  Historically the GOP championed the philosophy of limited government, lower taxes, and reduced federal intervention in the economy.  But Republicans have deficit spent and over regulated just like the Democrats.  Young people see little to no difference between a capitalist and a socialist.  They don't understand that nothing is free and that someone is always paying the bill.  That's the result of overregulation and government overreach- ignorance and cynicism.  Who can blame the youth when people act only out of self-interest?  The logical conclusion is pessimism and distrust of those in control. 

Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor.  Robin justified his actions as righting what he perceived as wrongs.  He once said, "Rob? That's a naughty word, we never rob!  We just sort of... borrow a bit from those who can afford it."  

That is the goal of socialism- take hard working people's money to give to those who will not work.  But no matter how he spun it- Robin was still a thief!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

DENY PAROLE TO STAFFORD!

by Steve Fair

On July 16, 1978, three teenagers and two male adults were murdered at a Sirloin Stockade restaurant in south Oklahoma City.  The victims ranged in age from 15-56 years old.  Six days after the murders Harold Stafford died in a motorcycle wreck in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Harold's sister-in-law, Verna Stafford went to view his body in Chicago and police arrested her as a suspect in the Sirloin Stockade killings.  She implicated her husband Roger Dale Stafford in those murders and a total of 29 other killings in seven different states.

On October 17, 1979, Roger Dale Stafford was convicted of nine murders, and sentenced to death.  His wife Verna was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and given two life sentences.  Verna testified against her husband, and later divorced him while he was on death row. Roger Dale Stafford was executed by lethal injection July 1, 1995.  Stafford never acknowledged his guilt.

In an eerie twist, two weeks later, the AG's office received a $5 Sirloin Stockade gift certificate, purchased in El Reno, with the message "Hey, you got away with it. I am murdered and you helped do it! I am innocent and you know it" written on the back and signed "Roger Dale Stafford 103767". Investigators determined it had been mailed from McAlester, Oklahoma (where Stafford was imprisoned), on July 3, two days after Stafford's execution. 

This week, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board said Verna Stafford, who is now 73, has passed stage one of the parole process in June, meaning she could be one step closer to getting out on parole.  Verna will go to a second round of parole hearings next week.

Oklahoma State Senate President pro tempore Lonnie Paxton, (R-Tuttle) opposes Verna receiving parole.  In a letter sent to the state Pardon and Parole Board Paxton wrote: "There are no conditions, circumstances or arguments that can justify recommending her release. The Pardon and Parole Board should remember the victims, remember their families and vote accordingly.”   Sen. Paxton is right- Verna Stafford should remain in jail and here is why:

First, the heinous nature of the crime.  Even 48 years after the murders were committed, Oklahomans remember the cruel, senseless nature of the crime.  Verna's participation- active or passive- is undisputed.  Justice is not served when criminals get released.  The victim's families have been deprived of their loved ones for almost half a century.  They deserve justice. 

Second, there is no guarantee Verna is not a danger to society.  Criminals can be rehabilitated, but success depends on dealing with the root cause of bad behavior.  The secular approach is to deal with their substance abuse, mental illness, lack of education, and job skills.  Ignoring the real root cause- man's inherit sin nature- results in secular solutions to spiritual problems.  Until God does a work of grace in a heart, rehabilitation is nothing more than behavior modification. 

Third, there are consequences for actions.  Verna was captured in January 1979 and has been continuously incarcerated since March 1980- 46 years.  She was sentenced to two life sentences.  Has Verna paid her debt to society?  The answer is NO!  She should complete her original sentence.  Every choice a person makes sets off a chain reaction, creating results that can be good or bad, fast or slow. What Verna did shaped her future.  It affected others and she should be held responsible for the outcome.

Contact the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board at (405) 521-6600 or email them at Boardmembers@ppb.ok.gov.  Urge them to deny parole for Verna Stafford.

 Weekly Opinion Editorial 

by Steve Fair

 Weekly Opinion Editorial 

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