OCPA column: Preserving Freedom

Preserving freedom

By Jonathan Small

In 1964, Ronald Reagan famously warned, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

As we celebrate our nation’s founding on July 4, Oklahomans should keep Reagan’s warning in mind. As a state, we have much to be thankful for this year, especially compared to many of our counterparts elsewhere. But there’s no guarantee that will last. We must protect our freedom, not take it for granted.

Oklahoma’s unemployment rate of 4 percent ranks 12th lowest in the country. In other states, the rate still hovers around 8 percent. A major reason for that difference is that Oklahoma officials moved quickly to reopen the state as much as possible, as quickly as possible, following the COVID-19 shutdown in spring 2020, while states that continue to have high unemployment rates typically kept activity shut down much longer.

State leadership, not blind luck, played a major role.

"Mr. Gorbachev..."

25 years ago today, in a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, President Ronald Reagan delivered one of his most famous lines ever...

Pinnell: isn't it our job to grow the GOP?

Moving in Mass

by Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Matt Pinnell

"If we move in mass, be it ever so circuitously, we shall attain our object; but if we break into squads, everyone pursuing the path he thinks most direct, we become an easy conquest to those who can now barely hold us in check." --Thomas Jefferson, 1811

It's safe to say we are in the midst of a very heated GOP Presidential Primary season. We have quality candidates all vying to be the conservative alternative to Barack Obama. For the most part it's a healthy process, but we must heed the wise words of Jefferson and avoid becoming an easy conquest after the dust settles on this season.

Let's take Iowa, for example. The Iowa Caucus is now a wrap with a Romney, Santorum, Paul photo finish. There were quotes from "Party insiders" in Iowa and nationally that were concerned about Ron Paul's support among independents and Democrats in the Hawkeye state. Excuse me for asking the question that some within our Party won't like, but is it not our job to move Independents and Democrats in the Republican column?

When discussing Dr. Paul’s base or Tea Party voters for that matter, many scream "but they aren't Republicans!" Folks, if there's one thing I've learned from being the Chairman of a partisan political party it's that we are not always going to see eye to eye. Same goes for the Democrats. Nearly 60% of Independents voting in Iowa this year were first time caucus goers. Why again is that a bad thing? If we don't welcome these disenfranchised Independents and Democrats (many of whom are young) into the Republican Party then I'm terribly concerned for the future of it.

Republicans love using Reagan quotes to defend everything. Ok then, here's one for you: “Our task now is not to sell a philosophy, but to make the majority of Americans, who already share that philosophy, see that modern conservatism offers them a political home.” Let them in. Let them in in droves, then make them see that our Party offers them a home.

Some will choose to leave after awhile – that’s fine – but many won't. Many will choose to stay, and help, and grow our Party. Remember those Reagan Democrats? George Will rightly noted recently, "Those who were once called Reagan Democrats are now the GOP base." We let them in, and they stayed. On the other hand, if we choose to close ourselves off to anyone that doesn't look like us or sound like us or agree with us on every issue then it will be become extremely difficult for a Republican to ever move back into the White House.

We saw what conservatives were capable of when we moved in mass in 2010. It was precisely what was deemed necessary back in the mid 50's, when Frank Meyer, a founding editor of William F. Buckley’s National Review, laid out the possibility--and necessity--of what he called “fusionism,” a union of social conservatives and those of a more libertarian, free-market mindset.

Once the dust settles and we have a nominee, that moving in mass, that fusionism, is critical. And if we don't? America will, as Ann Coulter put it, "begin its ineluctable descent into becoming a worthless Western European country, with rotten health care, no money for defense and ever-increasing federal taxes to support the nanny state."

You want that? Stay home. Everybody else, however, that believes Obama must go, let's move in mass with the GOP nominee--be it ever so circuitously--and save this country.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President

Happy 100th, President Reagan. We certainly do miss you.

OKGOP Chairman on Lukewarm Politicians

Lukewarm Politicians

by Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Matt Pinnell

We are taught to guard against lukewarm Christianity, but what about lukewarm politicians? I'm having a hard time with them, too.

I bought a book yesterday while writing this message that I'm looking forward to reading- "Primary Mistake: How the Washington Republican Establishment Lost Everything in 2006 (and Sabotaged My Senatorial Campaign.)"

The book is written by Steve Laffey. He was the Mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island when he decided to run for the Senate in 2006, but failed to unseat then-incumbent Lincoln Chaffee for the Republican nomination. Laffey accuses the NRSC of an unprecedented negative campaign against him in favor of his more moderate opponent. Sound familiar? At the time, Pat Toomey called it “the first skirmish in a very important war."

I've read many pages online already; one of Laffey's better lines:"Republicans never did better than when they were proud of who they were, and never did worse than when they pretended to be something they weren't."

When Reagan was questioned by reporters about statements claiming he was too extreme, he responded, "I think moderation should be taken in moderation...When you’re on the operating table, you hope the doctor has more than just moderate skills. Let's put what we and our party believe on our banner and not water it down."

You want to get elected? Stand for something. Drop the talking points and platitudes. Roll up your sleeves, put on some walking shoes, and go talk to voters at their doorstep. I'm encouraged to see our Republican nominees doing just that.

We know where our nominees stand on the issues; I can't say the same for their Democrat foes. Heck, they don't even have a State Party Platform! I guess the Oklahoma Democratic Party is fine with the National Democrat Platform put together by liberals outside of Oklahoma.

Let's put what we believe on our banner and not water it down, Republicans. I guarantee you it's better than the alternative.

If you wish to contact Chairman Pinnell, you can email him at mattpinnell@gmail.com.

"Those Voices Don't Speak for the Rest of Us"

Yes, another video, but this is too good to not post.



Remember this on November 2nd.

Rasmussen Poll: Coburn Over Henry

Rasmussen polled a hypothetical matchup in the U.S. Senate race here in Oklahoma, pitting Sen. Tom Coburn (R) against term-limited Governor Brad Henry (D).

Rasmussen Reports 2010 Oklahoma Senate General Election Poll (link)

Tom Coburn (R) - 52%
Brad Henry (D) - 40%
Some other candidate - 2%
Not sure - 5%

Favorable/Unfavorable

Tom Coburn - 63%/31% (+32%)
Brad Henry - 63%/33% (+30%)

Job Approval (approve/disapprove)

Gov. Brad Henry - 64%/34% (+30%)
Pres. Barack Obama - 38%/62% (-24%)

Poll of 500 Likely Voters, February 24, 2010, with a MoE 4.5%

Henry has ruled out a run for Senate, leaving Oklahoma Democrats without any likely candidate. As of right now, there are no announced opponents for Coburn.

For Brad Henry, the state's most visible and popular Democrat, to fall this short against Coburn speaks to the depths to which the Oklahoma Democrat Party has fallen.

Not only did they lose the state house in 2004 (for the only second time since statehood), and the state senate in 2008 (for the first time in history), but they have fallen below 50% in voter registration for the first time ever. Republicans now make up just over 40% of registered voters, an all-time high. Just 40 years ago, voter registration was slightly over 70% Democrat and around 25% Republican.

Just more evidence that the conservative movement is turning Oklahoma the 'reddest of the red', thanks in part to the work of people like President Ronald Reagan, President Barack Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Harry Reid, all for convincing Democrats that they were actually Republican, and to OKGOP Chairman Gary Jones, for his adept leadership of the Republican Party in Oklahoma.

The Conservative View: A Lesson Re-Learned

This week's Conservative View, by Adair County Commissioner Russell Turner (R-Stilwell).

The Conservative View
by Russell Turner

A Lesson Re-Learned

Being a conservative it is easy to get discouraged about the status of our government and the policies that are being rammed down the throat of the American people. It is evident to see that the mainstream media owes their allegiance to the liberal philosophy. It is sad that the mainstream media no longer has the ability to report issues in an honest and unbiased fashion. When you look at history, the conservative cause has always had to overcome the status quo. Today we are fortunate to have other sources such as the internet and talk radio, the people that founded this country did not have anything as good as we do today. I believe that the desire for freedom enabled our founding fathers to do remarkable and great things. I believe that desire is a part of our genetic makeup. Far too often we have a bad habit of allowing someone to make us believe that the grass is greener on the other hill, more often than not when we get there it is not what we were led to believe.

Just a little over a year ago the pundits were ready to read the obituary for the conservative belief system, now their obituary seems a little premature. I am old enough to have had the honor to have voted for Ronald Wilson Reagan. I remember the mess our country was in due to Jimmy Carter and his cronies promising greener pastures. It has been several years since President Reagan came to power; the voters of that day re-learned our conservative values. Reagan believed in a limited government, strong defense and above all freedom. I saw firsthand the pride in our country that was generated because of those values. Over the past few weeks I have seen the American spirit rekindled.

Even though ridiculed by the main stream press, the tea party movement has grown into a force and a focal point for conservative values. Next Tuesday there will be an election in Massachusetts to fill the senate seat formally held by the late Ted Kennedy. According to recent polls the conservative candidate Scott Brown is leading, just a short time ago this would have been impossible. The events of the last year seemed to have awakened the dormant gene that made this country great. As long as we can re-learn our conservative values when we go chasing greener pastures there will be hope for our country.

If you wish to contact Russell Turner, or want to subscribe to his email loop, email him at rdrepublican@windstream.net.

20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Today marks the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

A large ceremony was held at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the same location as President Ronald Reagan's famous "Tear down this Wall" speech.

Many dignitaries attended the event. Geman Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Russian President Medvedev, former Polish President Lech Walesa, former Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, and leaders from the rest of Europe. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also present.

Noticably absent was President Barack Obama (who normally would have been happy to go speak in Europe...). He sent a video message with Hillary, instead (On a side note, why does everything he talks about always have to go back to him? Watch at 1:45 of the video link to see what I mean).

Also of note was how Mikhail Gorbachev was praised, who was greeted by cheers of "Gorby!" Chancellor Merkel said to Gorbachev that "You made this possible." No mention of Ronald Reagan.

So, since it wasn't said by the Germans, the Brits, the French, the Russians (or former Soviets), our own Secretary of State, or our own President, allow me: President Reagan, thank you. The Berlin Wall wouldn't have fallen without your resolute leadership and determination.

In honor of Ronald Reagan, I present you with a video that gives me goosebumps, even though I wasn't even alive at the time.



Boy, could we use another of him...

Muskogee Tea Party - Rain or Shine!

The Muskogee Tea Party will go on, rain or shine! The location is covered, so everyone should be out of the rain, if or when it comes.

September 12th TEA PARTY

Are you worried about our nation’s future, with escalating budget deficits and increasingly oppressive national debt?

Come join fellow patriots for a TEA PARTY!!

When: Saturday, September 12th from Noon to 1:00pm.
Where: Muskogee’s Civic Center Plaza (4th & Okmulgee)

Special emphasis on “Health Care Reform”

Learn how government-run healthcare will affect you and your family!

Speakers on health care: Dr. Jay Gregory, Dr. Tim Robison and Ronald Reagan (see below)
Comparing the US and Canadian health systems: Bert Heibert
American Majority speaker: Trait Thompson

Hear RONALD REAGAN speak on socialized medicine. (Radio address)

Discover what we can do to take our country back!

This is a NON-partisan event open to all patriotic Americans who want to protect their freedoms and futures. Let your voice be heard!

For more information go to: www.teapartymuskogee.com
or contact Jamison Faught at (918) 869-6000.

Sept. 12th Muskogee Tea Party

September 12th TEA PARTY

Are you worried about our nation’s future, with escalating budget deficits and increasingly oppressive national debt?

Come join fellow patriots for a TEA PARTY!!

When: Saturday, September 12th from Noon to 1:00pm.
Where: Muskogee’s Civic Center Plaza (4th & Okmulgee)

Special emphasis on “Health Care Reform”

Learn how government-run healthcare will affect you and your family!

Hear RONALD REAGAN speak on socialized medicine. (Radio address)

Discover what we can do to take our country back!

This is a NON-partisan event open to all patriotic Americans who want to protect their freedoms and futures. Let your voice be heard!

For more information go to: www.teapartymuskogee.com
or contact Jamison Faught at (918) 869-6000.

Reagan On Socialized Medicine

Here's Ronald Reagan, speaking on socialized medicine in... 1961.



His words could not be more timely. Every word of this could apply to today.

Bobby Jindal's Response and Oratory in General

If you haven't seen it yet, here is Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's response to Barack Obama's recent address to Congress (apparently, the first 'State of the Union' for a new president is not called the 'State of the Union'):



I did not get to see his rebuttal live. Now that I've heard it, I have to say I was somewhat disappointed. The content of the speech was great, but the delivery was poor.

Now, I know that Jindal has never been on a stage like this before, giving the Republican rebuttal to a State of the Union, especially when it is delivered by a smooth (teleprompter-enhanced) speaker like Barack Obama. But, it sounded like Bobby Jindal was talking to a class of schoolchildren.

In that line of thinking, here's a great post by Matthew E. Miller at Race42012. He refers to a paper written by Winston Churchill in 1897, which is quite interesting to read. The Republican Party has not had a great orator since the Great Communicator.

Bobby Jindal has many years ahead of him to improve his speaking abilities. He has some massive intellectual firepower, and if he would polish his oratory skills, he could become a powerful speaker.