Maybe the Oklahoman's editors were inspired by their new purpose statement, or perhaps some of their columnists have gotten a bit bored, but the new satirical editorials in the paper have been a surprising hit. The commentaries, which are written from the point of view of a logical, rational, semi-sane human being, provide well-rounded, not-to-be-taken-seriously criticisms of the wacko core of the state GOP. They offer a much-needed break from the drab, down-trodden opinions that are usually found in "The State's More Trusted News."
Things started last week with an article that "criticized" Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon. It's pretty funny. Here's a snippet:
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus announced recently that Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon will be featured at RNC events across the country. The honor was likely bestowed based on Shannon's personal appeal and his potential — not on his actual record.
Shannon, R-Lawton, is clearly likable and charismatic. He's a gifted public speaker. But his biggest appeal to national GOP leaders is undoubtedly his heritage. Shannon is a black Republican and a member of the Chickasaw Nation. That's a rare combination.
Shannon's record so far hasn't drawn national attention. Under Shannon, the House has steadfastly opposed incurring more bonded indebtedness. The result is that major state repairs remain largely unaddressed. Lawmakers instead appropriated funds to fix the Oklahoma Capitol and designated $30 million for other buildings.
Rather than fully address the problem, lawmakers mostly kicked the can down the road. And they did so with a bill combining Capitol repair funds and a tax cut to induce legislative support. A legal challenge based on unconstitutional logrolling is now expected.
Shannon has championed welfare reform measures, including work requirements. That's fine, but it seems a throwback to the cutting edge of political debate in the early 1990s or before, not 2013.
Under Shannon's leadership, the House passed numerous bills catering to fringe elements by focusing on the United Nations' Agenda 21, a hobgoblin of conspiracy theorists, and calling for state nullification of federal law. (Fortunately, Senate conservatives killed those bills.) David Barton, a respected conservative authority on historical and constitutional issues, has called nullification “a dangerous anarchic maldoctrine, cancerous and toxic to the health and vigor of a constitutional republic.” House members passed it anyway.
Those bills aren't a sign of conservative leadership. Instead, they embody liberal parodies of conservatism. The House even advanced bills to water down prior Republican achievements, legislation that would have likely been championed under Democratic control.