High Noon Club

11/12/2023

CIRCULAR FIRING SQUAD
by Steve Fair

Last Tuesday was election day in America. The Democrat incumbent governor in Kentucky was reelected. A pro-abortion ballot initiative passed in Ohio. Democrats gained full control of the Virginia General Assembly. The GOP governor in Mississippi was re-elected and a Republican was elected to the NYC city council from the Bronx. Based on the success of the Ds, mainstream media and political pundits immediately begin to predict 2024 was going to be a disaster for the GOP. Three observations:
First, forecasting future elections is next to impossible. Trying to tie one race to another is foolhardy. Prognosticating 2024 elections now is like divining when an earthquake, solar flare, or asteroid will occur- no one knows until it happens. It is still too early to predict which political Party or candidate will win next year’s elections.
After every election, talking heads and self-described experts take a small sample size, extrapolate, estimate, conclude and predict future election outcomes for the sole purpose to ‘influence’ those future elections. They try to wag the dog. That is done on both ends of the political spectrum. Take all of them with a grain of salt. The truth is no one knows the future, but God Almighty.
Second, elections are won by those who vote. That sounds too simple, but the fact is turnout is the key in every election. Early analysis of Tuesday’s elections indicates Republican turnout in Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia was less than Democrat turnout. Why did GOP voters decide to stay home? Was it apathy or deliberate sabotage as an act of protest? Was it a distrust of the electoral system? Was it the candidates themselves? Most certainly, it was candidates! Ultimately, candidates win or lose races. A political Party provide the infrastructure and ballot access, but getting voters to the polls is the responsibility of each individual candidate.
Mark Levin says the GOP candidate for governor in Kentucky wasn’t conservative enough. He could be right, because down ticket Republican statewide candidates swept their races. What Levin doesn’t tell you about the governor’s race is the Democrat governor was an incumbent. Incumbents win 96.4% of the time in all races.
Third, without unity, Republicans will lose in 2024. Some Republicans blame the poor showings in Tuesday’s elections on the leadership of the Republican National Committee (RNC). Some blame illegal immigration. Some blame Party ‘messaging.’ Some blame the RINOs (Republicans in Name Only). RINOs blame the extremists. Extremists blame the establishment. Some blame earthquakes, solar flares, and asteroids. Republicans, at all levels, are engaged in a circular firing squad; a self-destructive internal conflict with mutual recriminations.
There is no unity in the GOP. Reagan’s 11th commandment (Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republicans) is ignored. Cliques, packs, tribes and bands dominate the Republican Party and interaction with those outside the clique/pack/tribe/band is condemned. Jesus said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” No house is more divided than the GOP.
Tuesday’s elections were not a disaster for Republicans. It’s disappointing Ohio GOP voters stayed home and didn’t vote down the pro-abortion bill. But the other races were lost by candidates, not by the Republican Party.
As the economy continues to struggle, prices continue to increase and wages lag behind inflation, 2024 looks to be a year of opportunity for Republican candidates. Most Americans vote with their pocketbook.

Steve Fair is Vice Chairman of the 4th district of the Oklahoma Republican Party. Steve is available to speak to groups and civic clubs. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. His blog is

A conservative view of national, state and local politics by Steve Fair

07/10/2023

ANIMAL FARM
by Steve Fair

Last week, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a federal district ruling on whether the City of Tulsa has jurisdiction over Native Americans. Justin Hooper got a speeding ticket five years ago in Tulsa. He pled guilty and paid his fine. Two years later, Hooper, who is a member of the Choctaw tribe, filed for postconviction relief citing the McGirt decision. The Tulsa municipal court threw out the case, as did the federal district court. Hooper appealed to the appellate 10th circuit court and they agreed the Indian reservations of the five civilized tribes remains intact and the members of the tribes are under no obligation to submit or obey municipal or state law.
Alicia Stroble is a member of the Creek nation. In 2022, Stroble sued the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) contending that she did not have to pay state income taxes because she wasn’t subject the laws of the state of Oklahoma. An OTC administrative judge agreed with her, but the OTC board members reversed the ruling. The case is now in front of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, a body more unstable and unpredictable than water. Who knows how they will rule.
When the McGirt decision was rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), the disestablishment of the reservations was cited as the primary issue. McGirt was thought to apply only to criminal law, but the 10th Circuit decision in the Hooper case indicates the reestablishing of the reservations has more than criminal law implications. Two observations:
First, tribal members in Oklahoma should be subject the same laws as non-tribal members. Since statehood, that has been the case. McGirt changed that. Now the Hooper ruling says non-tribal members in the eastern half of the state have to drive the speed limit, but tribal members can ignore it. That’s unfair and crazy! If Stroble is successful, she will not pay taxes, but non-tribal members will have to. That is asinine! There can’t be two sets of rules in the state. That will divide and ultimately destroy the state.
Governor Kevin Stitt said regarding the Stroble suit: “I will always fight for fairness, and it is just preposterous to believe that in this scenario a single mom of a different race would have to pay taxes, but I as governor(Stitt is Cherokee), wouldn’t because of my native heritage. The reality is we all drive on the same roads, send our kids to the same schools- we should all play by the same set of rules regardless of race.”
Tribal leadership appears to want to divide Oklahoma. For over 100 years, the tribes and the state co-existed and cooperated, but now it appears tribal want preferential treatment for their citizens. The Hooper opinion by the 10th circuit sent the message tribal members are like Post cereal- just a little bit better than other Oklahomans.
Second, the Hooper decision was based on race. Ironically, the Hooper decision came the same week the SCOTUS struck down Affirmative Action and ruled college entrance could not be based on race. Sara Hill, the Attorney General for the Cherokee nation, said, “A lot of people make the mistake this (the Hooper decision) was about race when its really about being a citizen of a government and who has authority over you.” But Hill is wrong. The determination of tribal citizenship is based on race, so how is the ruling not related to race?
George Orwell’s novel, Animal Farm, tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer. The animals vow to create a society where all the animals are equal and free. But under the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon, the pigs ultimately create a state as bad as it was under the farmer. In the final chapter of the book, Napoleon tells the animals that all of them are equal, but some are ‘more equal’ than the others. Welcome to Animal Farm!

Steve Fair is Vice Chairman of the 4th district of the Oklahoma Republican Party. He can be reached by email at [email protected] His blog is

A conservative view of national, state and local politics by Steve Fair

12/01/2022

11/24/2022

Happy Thanksgivings Day America the Beautiful 🇺🇸

11/16/2022

Former President Donald Trump has announced his comeback campaign for the presidency, pledging to take back the White House and place the United States back on a path toward national greatness.

FEC paperwork filed by Trump on Tuesday titled “Donald J. Trump For President 2024” revealed as much.

Trump made an official announcement at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday.

Get the full story here: http://w-j.co/s/bc0de

11/15/2022

Prez Trump will announce Prez’al 2024 run this evening… Stay Tuned