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‘Jumping the Shark’ as bad in politics as on TV
commentary
June 26, 2024
‘Jumping the Shark’ as bad in politics as on TV
By JOE DORMAN OICA CEO,

OKLAHOMA CITY – Growing up as a child in the 1970s, I enjoyed my fair share of television shows. One of my favorites was “Happy Days,” celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

“Happy Days” starred Ron Howard, a Duncan native, who played Richie Cunningham. The show followed the Cunningham family and friends, one of whom was Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli. Fonzie epitomized coolness for his teenage neighbor, and a lot of kids like me.

In Season 5, a threepart episode included a plot where Fonzie jumps over a shark on water skis. The term “jumping the shark” came to mean any creative work that is out of ideas and relies on extreme exaggeration.

Oklahomans saw many candidates “jump the shark” with their campaign literature and promises this year.

People running for office made extreme overstatements on how bad their opponents are, or they promised policies that simply cannot happen without drastic changes. The side effect of this type of campaigning discourages many middle-of-the-road, or moderate, Americans – frustrated with the extremist rhetoric – from even voting.

As evidence, only 20 to 25 percent of registered Republican voters bothered to vote, with the only statewide race garnering just over 237,000 total votes. Democrats had no statewide elections, so turnout was even more sparse with just local races occurring.

Expect the turnout percentage to be even less in the August 27 runoff elections.

What is dangerous about the campaign rhetoric is that the candidates want to appeal to the few they know will show up, moving policies farther to the extreme positions. Case in point, you will hear much about rejecting federal funds for operating government services, and you will also hear candidates want to cut taxes.

Our state government runs on a finite amount of money based upon our state tax collections. Some of those programs receive matching funds from federal taxes collected, including education/ schools, children’s support services, road building, and health care programs, with the latter sometimes getting a seven-to-one match from federal appropriations.

If federal funds are rejected, the state must either drastically cut services or raise state taxes to pay for those programs.

Here is the kicker, those federal funds many candidates say they do not want…that is our money, taxes we have paid to the federal government. If we do not accept them, you can bet some other state will.

One example is the rejection by the state of funds to provide food support in the summer for children who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program.

The nonprofit sector simply cannot meet the demand of hungry children, so the Legislature allocated more than $8 million of state money to assist with needs this year, a much-needed boost, and thank you to the state lawmakers who did that.

That $8 million of state dollars is only a fraction of the $42 million in federal matching dollars that was turned away. That difference of $36 million was taken from Oklahoma families who would have spent it in local grocery stores, making it an even bigger boost to our economy. Instead, it went to other states’ children.

Be wary of the rhetoric when it starts back up in August and again for November 5, the General Election; do not fall for exaggerations, and certainly do not sit out by not voting.

Voters need to elect reasonable, rational candidates who will vote on policies for the best interest of Oklahomans, and especially for children who cannot vote for themselves.

If a candidate is going to “jump the shark” with their campaign promises, do you really want them to make decisions for all Oklahomans?

The annual 4th of July Fireworks show
A: Main, news
The annual 4th of July Fireworks show
July 9, 2025
Eufaula’s population was swollen over the weekend as thousands of out-of-towners joined locals to watch the annual 4th of July Fireworks show, held Friday, July 4. The display took place over the Eufa...
A: Main, news
City gets more attorneys; OKs growth plan
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
July 9, 2025
New-and-former City Manager Jacob Foos continues to make changes at city hall. Shortly after being re-hired for the position he left in September, 2021, Foos issued a statement that he was establishin...
Local resident stars in U.S. Cellular ad
A: Main, news
Local resident stars in U.S. Cellular ad
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
July 9, 2025
In all of her 58 years Louana Christie, EHS Class of ’85, never thought she would appear before a camera. Movie making was for her older sister, Selina Jayne Dornan, former Eufaula mayor and who once ...
A: Main, news
Eufaula school feels the chill from Trump’s funding freeze
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
July 9, 2025
When the Trump administration announced this week it was freezing over $70 million in education funding earmarked for Oklahoma, it surprised a lot of administrators. Eufaula School Superintendent Mont...
A: Main, news
Trump freezes over $70 million in state’s education funds
July 9, 2025
States won’t receive funds from six federal programs, including after-school care and English learner support, until further notice. NURIA MARTINEZ-KEEL OKLAHOMA VOICE OKLAHOMA CITY — The Trump admini...
Noah Alexander trades football uniform for West Point uniform
A: Main, news
Noah Alexander trades football uniform for West Point uniform
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
July 9, 2025
Noah Alexander will begin his senior year at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., this fall. It seems like only yesterday he was a stand-out running back for the Eufaula Ironheads, ...
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Bud McCombs to speak to Friends of Library
news
Bud McCombs to speak to Friends of Library
By LENORE BECHTEL 
July 9, 2025
How Eufaula happened to exist will be Friend’s speaker’s topic at the Eufaula Memorial Library at 1 p.m. Friday, July 18, When Eufaula was only an intersection, the city’s founding fathers lived in a ...
news
Annual Memorial Service planned at Honey Springs Battlefield
July 9, 2025
CHECOTAH — Honey Springs Battlefield will hold its annual memorial service on Saturday, July 19, at 10:30 a.m. to honor the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Honey Springs near Checotah. The service ...
Calls needed to protect National Weather Service operations
commentary
Calls needed to protect National Weather Service operations
By JOE DORMAN OICA CEO 
July 9, 2025
OKLAHOMA CITY – We at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) extend our deepest condolences to families tragically impacted by the recent flooding in Texas. Flooding along the Guadalupe Rive...
news
Jeff Starling launches campaign for attorney general
July 9, 2025
TULSA ––Jeff Starling, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Energy and Environment, has officially announced his candidacy for Attorney General of Oklahoma. Starling is a conservative, attorney, businessman, and d...
Warriors of God, ready yourselves
commentary
Warriors of God, ready yourselves
July 9, 2025
Of my 56 years of being in this world, 50 of those years I have been filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I was only six years old when I attended my first Tiger Mount...
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