I'd like to wish a big congratulations to loyal conservatives, MAGA crazies, and all other varieties of staunch GOP hardliners who vote in primary runoffs.
Thanks to our lawmakers, they’re going to have outsized power and control in the upcoming primary election!
According to Oklahoma Voice, lawmakers have made a calculated effort to shift controversial state questions about TSET, Voter ID and Medicaid “compression,” or whatever we’re calling undoing it now, to a low-turnout August primary runoff, where a smaller, more “ideologically friendly” GOP-loyal group of voters is more likely to deliver the outcomes Republicans couldn’t get in a typical November vote.
Via Oklahoma Voice:
Lawmakers aim to circumvent Oklahoma voters by putting state questions on low-turnout election
Oklahoma lawmakers are quietly trying to buck tradition and manipulate election outcomes in hopes that a small, but energized Republican voting bloc will revisit issues voters have already decided.
Some critics said it appears GOP legislative leaders are hoping for different outcomes at the ballot box by ramrodding some of their most controversial plans through in August’s election instead of November’s.
August’s primary runoff election typically has the lowest statewide voter turnout, which critics say makes it ideal for Republican leaders who could otherwise face an uphill battle to get access to a voter-created multi-billion dollar tobacco settlement fund and who are seeking to roll back voter-approved Medicaid expansion.
That's neat! Now that they've neutered the people's right to petition, I was wondering when and where they were going to begin undoing all the wise decisions people approved on their own over the years.
I have to admit, putting those same issues back to a vote of the people—but on a low-turnout runoff election where only the most ardent, active, and regressive Republicans show up to vote—is a pretty smart, if not kind of dickish, unethical, and fucked up way to go about it.
Oklahoma GOP operative, pollster, and kingmaker Pat McFerron justified the move:
“I don’t hold anyone at harm for using it to the best of their ability to accomplish the goals they want,” McFerron said.
He said overall turnout is traditionally lowest in August.
“There will be more Republicans and more conservatives voting in those elections,” McFerron said.
Well, that’s a Trump-ish – if not Kissingerian – way to look at it. Screw ethics, values, or doing the right thing. If the only way to win is to manipulate our democratic process, I guess that’s fine. No judging. Now let's go bomb someone!
Anyway, we still have some time until August, but we’ll do our best to cover these issues that will primarily be decided by old, right-wing conservatives. In the meantime, you can read the full report about our lawmakers’ quest to screw over the state through hardline minority rule over at Oklahoma Voice.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
