Sadly, I'm not dying about it. Why? I'm still plugged in enough to know who to go to for voting advice and I still READ. Yes, it's true! There are actually things you can READ to get information enough to make informed voting decisions!
Here's where I go:
1. OVHC-PAC (Oklahoman's for Vaccine and Health Choice)
Here is their voter guide. Open it, read it - if you're in District 40 - Senator Ervin Yen's district - VOTE JOE HOWELL!
I choose OVHC-PAC because, as a conservative, I believe Government possesses no mandate to regulate my personal behavior - especially medically. The following is a screed I recently posted to the ROPE Facebook page after reading the headline that "Angry Republican Teachers Create A Split Inside The GOP" to explain my thoughts on this topic:
And herein lies the biggest problem... people simply do not understand conservatism, period. The Republican party has historically been the party of the conservative, yet, today, that moniker is slapped on every political ad for every Republican candidate as though it means something about their principles of governance when in truth it's merely a sales pitch. Conservatives CONSERVE all actions that CAN'T be done by the people to the state. That means roads, defense and infrastructure are done by government. Feeding the hungry and caring for the needy is done by PEOPLE through their communities and churches. Law enforcement, schools, fire services, etc, were all to be performed within individual communities by their citizens - they were not jobs for the state or federal governments in any form. For generations this was exactly the way it was done. Only recently have citizens begun to expect the government to PROVIDE FOR THEM in every area of their lives. Yes, there are people who don't understand what it means to be a conservative, yet that doesn't change the principles of conservatism. If you're a registered Republican and you don't agree with these tenets, there are other political parties to choose from. Maybe Oklahoma needs to open ourselves up to the inclusion of other parties, instead of trying to force everyone into three. Big-tenting folks who don't understand or appreciate the tenets of conservatism into the Republican party truly benefits neither party nor person.2. The next place I read is the OCPAC voter guide. Again, I'm a conservative - I want to know what conservative thinkers believe about candidates. I LOVED all their Congressional choices, I agree with their gubernatorial assessments and that of Lt. Governor as well.
3. Though this is not a voter guide per se, I LOVE the Oklahoma Constitution Newspaper's Conservative Index as a way of studying the conservative ideals of INCUMBANTS. This will certainly not help any decision for an incoming candidate, but for INCUMBANTS, it can't be beat. I'd definitely look through this Index before voting for ANY incumbent.
4. Here is the ONE thing I WON'T be consulting to make any kind of voting decision - the Oklahoma Parents and Educators For Public Education (OPEPE) voter guide - the one that uses apples and triangles to promote various candidates they believe support public education.
I have written many articles, such as this, about this group over the past four years that mirror the kind of questions asked by this recent column in the Yukon Progress.
Here are my Facebook comments about this latter story:
We've been saying this for years (Are They For Real?)! Though I actually support Little's assertions that this isn't a war of public vs private schools or that someone who sends their children to private schools (or homeschools) can't be pro-public education in at least some form, her group - OPEPE - has little credibility in the arena of candidate endorsements. Their methods have been questioned by candidates and associates alike, yet legislators like the senator from Guthrie continue to play footsie with them. The primary is Tuesday. Please be cautious and don't vote for ANY single issue candidate - this state has many more problems than simply with education!And isn't this the bottom line? Single issue candidates run single issue campaigns and vote single issues while in office without much understanding of the rest of the issues impacting the state - and there are many.
The Primary is Tuesday (June 26th). Do your research and CHOOSE WISELY. There will be at least two offices for which I will not cast any vote at all. Why? Because I simply refuse any longer to hold my nose and vote. If I don't believe in a candidate, I'm NOT going to put that candidate into office, no matter who they are running against (or with in the primary).
This is a tough election with lots of candidates to choose from in many different categories. I only have a few votes I feel strongly about this year and, because the election is right around the corner, I'll not wax philosophical on why. I'll just leave you with their names. Go forth, go study, go vote!
Governor - Dan Fisher
Lt. Governor - Dominique Block
Commissioner of Labor - Cathy Costello
SD 40 - Joe Howell
SR 10 - Travis Dunlap
SR 36 - Sean Roberts
SR 41 - Denise Crosswhite Hader
SR 63 - Jeff Coody
SR 68 - Nicole Nixon
SR 69 - Chuck Strohm
SR 80 - Mike Ritze
SR 96 - Lewis Moore
US Rep District 1 - Nathan Dahm
US Rep District 2 - Jarrin Jackson
US Rep District 4 - James Taylor
OK County Commissioner 3 - Kevin Calvey
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