Oklahoma Virtue

Oklahoma. Republicans. Of course they did:

The Oklahoma Republican Party is under fire after a controversial Facebook post.

In the post, the Oklahoma GOP compared providing food stamp benefits for Americans in need to feeding animals at national parks.

“The Food Stamp Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proud to be distributing this year the greatest amount of free Meals and Food Stamps ever, to 46 million people,” the Oklahoma Republican Party said on Facebook. “Meanwhile, the National Park Service, administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, asks us ‘Please Do Not Feed the Animals.’ Their stated reason for the policy is because ‘The animals will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves.’ Thus ends today’s lesson in irony #OKGOP.”

(Franklin)

The KFOR report notes the predictable negative reaction, including the obvious question about comparing people to wild animals, an invocation of the words of Jesus Christ, and an identifying conservative denouncing the “counterproductive” “disgrace” and “awful taste” of the post.

Which leaves only the other obvious question: What the hell is wrong with the Oklahoma GOP?

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Image notes: Top ― Detail of Lucifer, by Franz von Stuck, 1890. Right ― Image of Facebook post by Oklahoma Republican Party, 13 July 2015.

Franklin, Dallas. “Oklahoma Republican Party under fire after controversial Facebook post”. 14 July 2015.

The Donald Trump Show (Plants and Potsherds)

“If the DNC had scripted the last month or so, the party probably would have come up with a scenario that looks quite a bit like the one we’ve seen.”

―Steve Benen

This is one of those occasions upon which I must disagree with Mr. Benen:

A Republican carnival barker would use racially charged, xenophobic rhetoric, which would propel him into the GOP’s top tier, pushing minority communities even further from the Republican Party. All the while, the GOP would find itself on the defensive, and more serious candidates would struggle to gain traction.

That is to say, no proper screenwriter would script such an episode except as naked farce. There is a reason truth insists on being stranger than fiction.

Benen also notes that some have made what seems the obvious point, that Trump, who has formerly identified with both parties, is a secret Democratic plant trying to wreck the Republican Party.

And also that for some, such as Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL26), the conspiracy theory is the best they’ve got:

Something, But Don’t Ask Me What

Because … oh, I don’t know … I needed an excuse?

• Not quite interpretive dance: Meet Gazelle Bug in, “Survival of the Fastest” (8 July 2015)

• Mod Mode Messless Mix: Hang with Nerd Bug, and learn to love the fresh, clean scents of molded plastic and Lysol^® in, “Bless This (and Your) Mess” (9 July 2015)

• Special cameo appearance: Get your swing thing some zingaling with Randy Tesla and some Flapper Bug in, “Electric Boogaloo” (10 July 2015)

I know, I know, I know. Adam passed on a chance to do the obvious joke, and, really, if we’re aiming for cameos, Randy Tesla or Sparky the Firefly?

Uh-huh. That’s what I thought.

Long as it ain’t Randy Quaid, eh?