Screw rolling in the grave! At this point, E.K. Gaylord must be doing backflips and triple toe-loops!
Last week, the new and improved Oklahoman took a look at the blatant hypocrisy of our lame, boring, craft brew drinkin' congresswoman Stephanie Bice.
Remember her?
She was elected to congress back in 2020 after a slim'ish victories over Terry Neese in the GOP runoff, and Kendra Horn in the general election.
Since then, Stephanie's done a tremendous job of blending in with the rank and file GOP congressional crowd, regurgitating tired, focus-group-tested, party-approved talking points that don't stand out, and then doing whatever her national party bosses tell her to do as they uniformly oppose and obstruct any and all congressional legislation.
Anyway, I guess The Oklahoman's Chris Casteel noticed some of those talking points conflict with some of Stephanie Bice's votes as a State Senator and filed this piece:
Shortly before voting against the Democratic climate, health and tax package on Friday, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice blasted the proposed tax increases, echoing her earlier criticism about raising taxes in a recession.
“This partisan legislation is full of new tax hikes which will negatively impact Oklahomans throughout my district,’’ Bice, R-Oklahoma City, said in a speech on the House floor.
Four years ago, as a member of the Oklahoma Senate, Bice voted for a major Republican package that raised state taxes on gasoline, cigarettes, and oil and gas production.
As a guy who's had a lot of fun criticizing, ridiculing, and lampooning The Oklahoman over the years for its blatantly conservative biases and its influence over this state, it's weird to see the paper, and especially their reporter Chris Casteel – an old Gaylord henchman and loyal company man – do things like call out an Oklahoma GOP congresswomen on the hypocrisies of her right-wing positions.
Sure, the fact they're calling Bice out for her hypocrisy doesn't mean anything – thanks to our freshly gerrymandered congressional districts, she's all but guaranteed re-election – but it's still weird to watch. Next week, expect Chris and Nolan Clay to team up on a bombshell report that Markwayne Mullin has been secretly wearing heel lifts while on the campaign trail.
Here's more:
Under criticism for that vote in her run for Congress two years ago, Bice said she was facing the fourth year of budget cuts amid an economic downturn and that she made a tough choice for the future of Oklahoma.
The congresswoman’s office did not respond to questions this week about her positions, including her insistence that the country is currently in a recession and whether Oklahoma was in a recession when she voted for the tax increases.
Man, wouldn't it be cool to live in a world where journalism like this matters and voters actually cared as to whether or not their elected representatives were consistent on issues and brave enough to put country over party? If that ever happens, EK Gaylord will probably rise from the grave and book a flight into outer space to leave this planet once and for all.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised.
