Thank you, Tulsa World, thank you. Original here.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Mary Fallin's Family Values
DISCLAIMER: We didn’t want to write this post. We believe that by and large, a politician’s personal life is just that; personal. Particularly for the sake of her family, we had every intention of leaving this story out of the overall discussion. However, throughout the campaign, Fallin has again and again referenced her “family values” finally culminating with her assertion during last Tuesday’s debate that her status as a wife and mother makes her the more qualified candidate for governor. We decided it was time to address her “family values.”
When Mary Fallin says that being a mother is a key difference between herself and her opponent, she isn’t just being powerfully anti-femminist, she’s tapping into a conservative, fundamentalist way of thinking to get out her base. When a conservative says “family” it translates to the fundamentalist lister as “like you, I am a conservative Christian, I oppose equal rights for minorities, I oppose measures to protect women from gender based discrimination, an most importantly I am pro-life.”
The problem for Mary, though, is that by attempting to wink and nod at her conservative supporters, she has opened the door to a discussion on her personal dedication to “family.”
At event after event she touts that “between my husband and I, we have six children,” as if she had anything to do with raising the four from her husband’s two previous marriages. In fact his four children were grown before he and Fallin met.
As to her own two children, she put them through what must have been an unimaginably painful ordeal during her messy, contentious, and very public divorce from their father. Despite publicly humiliating him, she still bears his name, so she can avoid the inconvenience of “re-branding” for her voters. The widely publicized divorce came about after reports surfaced that Fallin had engaged in at least one extra-marital affair with a state trooper assigned to her security detail. The trooper in question, though later re-instated, was discharged from the force and admitted that his conduct had been inappropriate.
The affair was adulterous for both parties, and destroyed two families. Voters were willing to overlook her personal infidelities for a while, but the fact that she has, ever since, continued to live a scandalous and immoral lifestyle while in Congress. Family values indeed. It’s time for the hypocrisy to end.
When Mary Fallin says that being a mother is a key difference between herself and her opponent, she isn’t just being powerfully anti-femminist, she’s tapping into a conservative, fundamentalist way of thinking to get out her base. When a conservative says “family” it translates to the fundamentalist lister as “like you, I am a conservative Christian, I oppose equal rights for minorities, I oppose measures to protect women from gender based discrimination, an most importantly I am pro-life.”
The problem for Mary, though, is that by attempting to wink and nod at her conservative supporters, she has opened the door to a discussion on her personal dedication to “family.”
At event after event she touts that “between my husband and I, we have six children,” as if she had anything to do with raising the four from her husband’s two previous marriages. In fact his four children were grown before he and Fallin met.
As to her own two children, she put them through what must have been an unimaginably painful ordeal during her messy, contentious, and very public divorce from their father. Despite publicly humiliating him, she still bears his name, so she can avoid the inconvenience of “re-branding” for her voters. The widely publicized divorce came about after reports surfaced that Fallin had engaged in at least one extra-marital affair with a state trooper assigned to her security detail. The trooper in question, though later re-instated, was discharged from the force and admitted that his conduct had been inappropriate.
The affair was adulterous for both parties, and destroyed two families. Voters were willing to overlook her personal infidelities for a while, but the fact that she has, ever since, continued to live a scandalous and immoral lifestyle while in Congress. Family values indeed. It’s time for the hypocrisy to end.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Daily Oklahoman Confirms Fallin Extremism and RGA Lies
In a shocking endorsement by the Oklahoman in Sunday’s newspaper, the Editorial Board has written a scathing endorsement of Congresswoman Mary Fallin.
I’ll admit that this blogger thought for sure the Oklahoman would endorse Fallin much in the way they’ve endorsed every Republican from now since forever regardless of whether or not it’s the right choice for them or for Oklahoma. This endorsement for DC Mary reads like a disappointed reporter desperately attempting to defect to support Lt. Governor Jari Askins.
“Both are hardworking women with small-city roots. One of them will usher the state into the second decade of the 21st century…. Negative campaign ads notwithstanding, Askins is not a liberal and does not share many views with President Obama. She’s moderate, energetic, intelligent and personable….”
And Fallin?”She’s obviously more conservative and would need to moderate her ideology if elected.”
Even the Oklahoman thinks that Fallin is too extreme and Askins is more representative of Oklahoma values. Their reason for supporting her is two fold: economic development and workman’s comp reform.
One comment from a reader hits the economic development argument pretty hard:”Fallin while in Congress was consistently against small business proposals, she voted no seven (7) times, and voted to continue outsourcing American jobs, she refused to close tax looholes that encourage companies to outsource, this she did five (5) times. Fallin offered nothing in the way of legislation, with millions out of work, she couldn’t think of one single thing to offer. Please give me a break this woman doesn’t even know how to think.”
Workman’s comp reform? Two commented questioning the usefulness of that in a state where jobs and education are the top issues of the day. In last week’s debate Askins mentioned that she’s authored workmans comp reform, you have to wonder if the Oklahoman (or perhaps a company funding the Oklahoman) is getting slapped with a ton of lawsuits from people being hurt at work. Maybe when Fallin talks about workman’s comp reform she has an insight into who we’re specifically targeting with such legislation.
In the end, the endorsement isn’t a ringing endorsement for Fallin, my guess is this is because they agree that she’s an empty shirt that can’t speak to specifics and move beyond name dropping and platitudes that sound good but mean nothing.
If I’m Askins and I win on November 2nd, every paper in the state gets an exclusive interview except the Oklahoman, but I’m more vindictive than she seems to be.
I’ll admit that this blogger thought for sure the Oklahoman would endorse Fallin much in the way they’ve endorsed every Republican from now since forever regardless of whether or not it’s the right choice for them or for Oklahoma. This endorsement for DC Mary reads like a disappointed reporter desperately attempting to defect to support Lt. Governor Jari Askins.
“Both are hardworking women with small-city roots. One of them will usher the state into the second decade of the 21st century…. Negative campaign ads notwithstanding, Askins is not a liberal and does not share many views with President Obama. She’s moderate, energetic, intelligent and personable….”
And Fallin?”She’s obviously more conservative and would need to moderate her ideology if elected.”
Even the Oklahoman thinks that Fallin is too extreme and Askins is more representative of Oklahoma values. Their reason for supporting her is two fold: economic development and workman’s comp reform.
One comment from a reader hits the economic development argument pretty hard:”Fallin while in Congress was consistently against small business proposals, she voted no seven (7) times, and voted to continue outsourcing American jobs, she refused to close tax looholes that encourage companies to outsource, this she did five (5) times. Fallin offered nothing in the way of legislation, with millions out of work, she couldn’t think of one single thing to offer. Please give me a break this woman doesn’t even know how to think.”
Workman’s comp reform? Two commented questioning the usefulness of that in a state where jobs and education are the top issues of the day. In last week’s debate Askins mentioned that she’s authored workmans comp reform, you have to wonder if the Oklahoman (or perhaps a company funding the Oklahoman) is getting slapped with a ton of lawsuits from people being hurt at work. Maybe when Fallin talks about workman’s comp reform she has an insight into who we’re specifically targeting with such legislation.
In the end, the endorsement isn’t a ringing endorsement for Fallin, my guess is this is because they agree that she’s an empty shirt that can’t speak to specifics and move beyond name dropping and platitudes that sound good but mean nothing.
If I’m Askins and I win on November 2nd, every paper in the state gets an exclusive interview except the Oklahoman, but I’m more vindictive than she seems to be.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Fallin Changes Her Story on Immigration
Throughout the campaign, DC Mary has been touting her “support” for the state of Arizona’s recent immigration law. In fact, she has insinuated that her opponent doesn’t take a hard enough line against illegal immigration because she hasn’t spoken publicly for or against the law in Arizona.
That might have something to do with the fact that both women are running for governor of Oklahoma, not Arizona. The laws of another state are wholly irrelevant in a gubernatorial campaign.
That is, of course, unless one or both of the candidates specifically intends to emulate the other state’s laws, and enact a similar measure after being elected. Fallin, up until last night, had stayed quiet as to whether that was indeed her intention.
However, in the post debate spin room, Fallin was asked directly if she would support passing the same law enacted by the Arizona state legislature in Oklahoma. Her response, after a great deal of talking around the issue, was no. She does not think that Oklahoma and Arizona have the same immigration issues, and thus does not support the passage of a similar measure here.
In other words, Mary Fallin has been running all over Oklahoma talking about issues that impact another state, and solutions that work in that other state, while ignoring the real problems faced by the state in which she is actually running. In so doing she has wasted the time of everyone who has had to sit and listen as she goes on about how her opponent isn’t sharing her opinion on the laws enacted by another state, which have absolutely no bearing on this one.
Why would she spend so much time on an issue that has nothing to do with Oklahoma? Because she wants to play on the fears and prejudices of voters, rather than appeal to their indigence with real discussion of genuine issues.
And for that, she should be ashamed.
Here’s the video from the spin room:
I’ll have a debate follow up for you later in the day, but for now, just know that the biggest qualification she was able to offer last night was that she’s given birth.
Oh, and share this link with your friends:
tinyurl.com/fallinfamilyvalues
That might have something to do with the fact that both women are running for governor of Oklahoma, not Arizona. The laws of another state are wholly irrelevant in a gubernatorial campaign.
That is, of course, unless one or both of the candidates specifically intends to emulate the other state’s laws, and enact a similar measure after being elected. Fallin, up until last night, had stayed quiet as to whether that was indeed her intention.
However, in the post debate spin room, Fallin was asked directly if she would support passing the same law enacted by the Arizona state legislature in Oklahoma. Her response, after a great deal of talking around the issue, was no. She does not think that Oklahoma and Arizona have the same immigration issues, and thus does not support the passage of a similar measure here.
In other words, Mary Fallin has been running all over Oklahoma talking about issues that impact another state, and solutions that work in that other state, while ignoring the real problems faced by the state in which she is actually running. In so doing she has wasted the time of everyone who has had to sit and listen as she goes on about how her opponent isn’t sharing her opinion on the laws enacted by another state, which have absolutely no bearing on this one.
Why would she spend so much time on an issue that has nothing to do with Oklahoma? Because she wants to play on the fears and prejudices of voters, rather than appeal to their indigence with real discussion of genuine issues.
And for that, she should be ashamed.
Here’s the video from the spin room:
I’ll have a debate follow up for you later in the day, but for now, just know that the biggest qualification she was able to offer last night was that she’s given birth.
Oh, and share this link with your friends:
tinyurl.com/fallinfamilyvalues
Mary Goes... Jari Stays... again
Ok, I feel like I’ve made this post before… Actually I know I have, because it just keeps happening. Yet again, DC Mary, and Jari Askins made a joint appearance, this time with the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association. And yet again…
Jari stayed to participate with the group, and get a more in-depth look at their concerns.
Mary high-tailed it out of there because bringing more travel and tourism dollars to Oklahoma just isn’t important enough for her to stick around.
Way to go, DC Mary.
Jari stayed to participate with the group, and get a more in-depth look at their concerns.
Mary high-tailed it out of there because bringing more travel and tourism dollars to Oklahoma just isn’t important enough for her to stick around.
Way to go, DC Mary.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Fallin’s Signs Stand Up For Oklahoma Just Like She Does
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Fallin Scared of Andrew Speno
Last night on Fox 25 Lt. Governor Jari Askins did an interview with Andrew Speno. She spoke frankly about the latest polls and said she was confident that the race was going well.
At the end of the interview, Speno said that they had hoped to do a similar interview with Mary Fallin, however repeated attempts to get an interview scheduled met with resistance. Finally Fallin’s communications director confided to Speno that they just weren’t “comfortable with the interview.”
It’s a candidate profile! A total puff piece! On a FOX affiliate of all places, and the Repubican candidate isn’t “comfortable” doing an interview?
If this is her degree of accessibility during the campaign, imagine how she’d be as governor! The governor’s office will be like Fort Knox, armed guards at the door. No one but rich lobbyists and her DC cronies will be allowed inside. It’ll be a return to the “good ol’ days” of smoke filled back rooms.
Watch the interview here. Guess next time she'll have to send her little manslave Bobby Stem instead...
At the end of the interview, Speno said that they had hoped to do a similar interview with Mary Fallin, however repeated attempts to get an interview scheduled met with resistance. Finally Fallin’s communications director confided to Speno that they just weren’t “comfortable with the interview.”
It’s a candidate profile! A total puff piece! On a FOX affiliate of all places, and the Repubican candidate isn’t “comfortable” doing an interview?
If this is her degree of accessibility during the campaign, imagine how she’d be as governor! The governor’s office will be like Fort Knox, armed guards at the door. No one but rich lobbyists and her DC cronies will be allowed inside. It’ll be a return to the “good ol’ days” of smoke filled back rooms.
Watch the interview here. Guess next time she'll have to send her little manslave Bobby Stem instead...
Friday, October 8, 2010
DC Mary is quick to pat herself on the back for nothing
Awwww Congrats Mary! But there is just 1 tiny problem with this. You didn’t get this award because of how awesome you are, the ENTIRE Oklahoma delegation got this award which you just happen to be apart of.
According to the High Plains/ Midwest AG journal:
The American Farm Bureau Federation has honored all seven members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation with its “Friend of Farm Bureau” award for their sustained and exemplary support of farmers and ranchers.This award wasn’t about you at all, in fact you VOTED AGAINST the Farm Bill.
DC Mary is no supporter of Oklahoma’s farmers and ranchers. She has consistently turned her back on them by voting against legislation that provides support to the industry and justifying her lack of support by calling it “wasteful government spending.”
Mary likes to brag about the fact that her husband and her do farming on the weekend. This only shows Mary’s ignorance on the issue, farmers don’t only farm on the weekend. Farming is a way of life, and a cornerstone in Oklahoma’s economy, Mary & her husband’s hobby of farming on the weekends is a joke and to imply that she knows the struggle of Oklahoma farmers because of it is an insult to them.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Mary Fallin is the Worst Person in the World... Again
As promised, video from Olbermann’s Worst Person in the World segment from October 5th, starring, you guessed it, Congresswoman Mary Fallin, affectionately known around here as “DC Mary.”
Tonight she achieved the dubious honor (did I mention it’s her THIRD time??) for kicking Democrats out of the event at the Thorpe Museum last month before she was willing to take the podium. You’re really making your state proud, Representative.
Tonight she achieved the dubious honor (did I mention it’s her THIRD time??) for kicking Democrats out of the event at the Thorpe Museum last month before she was willing to take the podium. You’re really making your state proud, Representative.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Paging Hester Prynne
We don’t know who made these, but we wish we had thought of it first! Anyone know where this blogger could get a few of these?
Friday, October 1, 2010
Fallin voted against limiting credit cards for high-risk college students
Fallin voted against an amendment that limited credit lines for full-time college students ages 18-20 to the greater 20 percent of a student’s annual income or $500 if there was no cosigner on the account.
It prohibited companies from issuing cards to students who already had one. It required creditors to obtain proof of income, and credit and income history from college students before issuing a credit card.
The amendment was designed to help keep our youth from becoming buried under massive amounts of credit card debt while trying to finish their education. Something DC Mary cares nothing about.
Once again taking the sides of lining CEO's pockets... instead of helping our youth and our future.
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