Moments of New Awareness

Oh My OKGOP

Some events change political awareness dramatically. The exclusive from Breitbart News, “‘Defeat MAGA’: Meet the Radical Left Network that Hijacked Democrats in Effort to Stop Trump at All Costs” is shocking. It is clear from this documented reporting that oligarchs, if not communists, control the Democrat party and they are better organized, funded, and networked with national leaders and local chapters than the Republican Party or Conservatives. All on the right are targets of their rage.

Regrettably, the Oklahoma GOP is divided into three or more organized groups with conflict most recently exposed by national media. Yes, the “reddest of the red states” is shaded in different reds.

To paraphrase Oklahoma’s Favorite Son, Will Rogers, “I am not a member of an organized political party, I’m an Oklahoma Republican.” In this Substack offering, Oklahoma is the greater community and Northeastern Oklahoma is home.

Since 1985 this reporter, editor, managing editor, etc. has published locally at various times in print and consistently online since 1996 when Tulsa Today.com launched as a Conservative platform for diverse news and opinion. My reputation varies greatly depending on which side of what issue over the decades I have planted a flag and I’ve planted more than a few. Democrat former-Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor once identified me as an “equal opportunity aggravator.”

There are two types of people drawn to politics, those that want to “be something” and those that want to “do something.” The first is attracted to celebrity which they falsely assume links fame with power. The second is drawn to policy debate in the often wishful effort to improve the lives of current and future generations.

The Oklahoma Establishment vs. Conservative divide was stark at the last State GOP Convention as State Senator Nathan Dahm, representing the establishment, was elected Republican Party Chairman and Wayne Hill, representing the grass roots, elected Vice Chairman. Both pledged to bring the party together. Both pledged loyalty to God & Country and conservative principles, transparency, open access, and strict adherence to the rules of the party. As I understand it, once elected, both tried but alignment for the common good didn’t last long.

Vice Chair Wayne Hill and Okgrassroots.com released a “Legislative Scorecard” in October 2023 that evaluated elected officials based on the party platform which enraged the establishment including, elected officials, OKGOP Chair Nathan Dahm and others. The results did not accurately show the left and right divide legislators experience during session, but if a party is to have a platform, it should be followed by those elected as Republicans. On the other hand, legislation is not always obviously right or left.

Having participated on multiple county and state platform committees, however, it is my experience that Platform Committee is where every zealot brings their most sacred cow in the hope to elevate it on the highest pedestal that no one ever sees. It would be better to establish promotable common principles rather than specific planks requiring knowledge most have not discovered. Others, of course, disagree.

The most recent political party dispute was described in an email Wednesday by the conservative group Awake Oklahoma:

On January 29, the office of OK GOP Chair Nathan Dahm, issued a press release that the State Committee meeting of January 27, resulting in the censure of Senator James Lankford, was illegitimate.

The meeting was called by Vice Chair, Wayne Hill after Chairman Dahm refused to issue the call for the meeting per Party Rules. Dahm has repeatedly ignored Party Rules and used his position to cancel required meetings, refuse to call meetings, interfere in state committee business, and interfere in county and precinct elections. He has a history of calling elections or meetings “illegitimate” when the results are not to his liking.

Since his election in May 2023, he has:

• Refused to work with the elected vice chair and other duly elected GOP state committee members, county chairs, and precinct chairs.

• Refused access to the GOP email database to the vice chair.

• Refused access to the social media and website to the vice chair

• Hired a convicted felon to assist him with office duties which the vice chair should do.

• Refused to call a budget committee meeting. When members called one—he locked them out of the building. Then called the meeting "illegitimate."

• Revoked access to the GOP Database center to elected precinct, county, and state leaders.

• Kicked out and locked out volunteers out of the State GOP office.

• Refused to call a budget committee meeting. When members called one—he locked them out of the building. Then called the meeting "illegitimate."

• Revoked access to the GOP Database center to elected precinct, county, and state leaders.

• Kicked out and locked out volunteers out of the State GOP office.

• Refused to publish and communicate to GOP members of passed resolutions and reports from the state committee and budget committee.

• Called the OK GOP State Committee that voted for the censure a “fringe faction group.”

• Requests for transparency and disclosure of financial reports to budget committee members have been ignored.

• Multiple calls and emails to him since his election, from GOP leaders and members, have been ignored.

That "fringe faction" group had the same number of state committee members as met at the previous State Committee meeting. The meeting met all Party requirements for a legitimate meeting. Dahm has insulted all GOP State Committee members calling their time and efforts "illegitimate" as he tries to protect Lankford--who has donated significantly to the OK GOP Party in years past. Click here for more from Awake Oklahoma.

A recording of the meeting, resolutions passed and a map of the counties in attendance may be found online here: OKGrassroots.com.

Writing on OKGrassroots, OKGOP Vice Chairman Wayne Hill Wednesday opined in part:

On Saturday, January 27th , we spoke up and took our stand to say, “close our border.” We as an OKGOP State Committee, condemn and censure you, Senator Lankford. We do not approve of your compromises with Democrat leadership that continue to betray our nation’s sovereignty.

I was asked by multiple state committee members to call the meeting after our chairman declined to make an official call for a scheduled January 13th meeting. His priority was to travel to Iowa for the caucus meetings. This is more than just infighting within our party. This is about one side protecting the official party status quo and another side advocating for an America First policy. The OKGOP State Committee is a voice for you, “We the People.” The OKGOP State Committee is the Supreme Authority of our party at the state level. Many of our leaders in the Republican Party don’t want to acknowledge or adhere to this authority and obvious, stated rule.

By Nature, or Nature’s God, everyone holds the right, especially at a moment of new awareness, to make a new choice. That is personal freedom, but it also carries a moral responsibility to awaken others, in my considered opinion. Today in Oklahoma and America, we face a choice between Constitutional Freedom or Totalitarian Chaos.

When Democrats talk about democracy, they really mean mob action as their rulers direct. As Mussolini put it: “All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.” We saw that creed in the riots of 2020, insurrection without the title. Writing for The Epoch Times, Jeffrey A. Tucker opined January 24, “Add a major dollop of techno-enthusiasm and transhumanist utopianism [to Mussolini’s quote] and you have WEF [World Economic Forum] ideology in a nutshell.”

As Victor Davis Hanson wrote January 29, also in The Epoch Times, “Democrats are tearing apart the country in a manner not seen since the Civil War era - apparently convinced that democracy can’t be trusted and so itself must be sacrificed as the price of destroying President Trump.”

Thus, in a time when the Leftist Conspiracy to destroy America is no longer a theory, Republicans in Oklahoma are fighting among themselves. Are we America First or pawns of the Establishment? Can we work together to grow the party at this critical time or must some pursue individual power?

Another core question: Do we elect party leadership to grow the membership or to speak on issues of the day as they may leverage their own political ambitions?

My position is that Party Officials should grow the Party. On matters of policy, we can all think and speak for ourselves, thank you very much. If we group by common interest, so what? If we have a dozen conservative groups in Oklahoma, so much the better. Let everyone craft a scorecard, American Patriotism is a big tent.

The purpose of Straight Up on Substack is to start a conservative conversation directly with readers at this critical crossroads for America. Not by command and control of our voices, but through a chorus of different voices freely communicating on policy. Hopefully, singing in the same key and, by Divine Providence, with harmonies.

Agree or disagree you may use the comment feature below for public response or email Arnett@substack.com for private communication.

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