Yet Another Reason To Like Oklahoma

The sale of the business unit I worked for by the company which employed me resulted in our family moving from Wichita, Kansas to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2003. The driving distance between these two cities is approximately 180 miles. Prior to the move, I could not imagine a distance that small resulting in much of a culture shock. I was wrong.

I won’t elaborate on the differences which make me wish I was elsewhere. You can thank my wife for saving you from a diatribe. She became annoyed with me when it became apparent that my negativity toward our new home was transferring to our daughter. I was instructed to get my mind right so that my daughter would follow suit, resulting in the entire family being happier. If Momma's not happy, well, you get the idea.

So, I began my quest to become a more positive Sooner. I tried my best to find things which I liked about our new environs. Our house is a fantastic place to host friends and family. The summers are about the same as those in Wichita only slightly longer. This means the winters are slightly shorter. The scenery is greener and hillier. See, the Pink Floyd twelve step program is working. There’s a voice inside my head but it’s not me.

A more tangible bright spot is our tax free holidays. The State Government has the good sense to provide certain weekends where the sales tax on goods purchased is waived. The one that sticks out in my mind is the back to school tax free weekend. School supplies and clothing can be purchased sans sales tax. A boon to families with school aged children and the economy alike.

Last night, through a true stroke of luck, I found yet another tax free weekend reason to like Oklahoma. It started snowing, so we watched the 10 o’clock news to see what the weather would bring us. There it was, a gem, nestled between the cam shots of the snowy intersections and the seven day forecast.

It seems that the State Senate will be considering having a Second Amendment Weekend. That’s right folks, a weekend in August, immediately before hunting season, when rifles, shotguns, and pistols can be purchased without paying state sales tax. As good as this is, it wasn't what really made me glad to live here.

We have a DVR and I actually backed up a news story to watch it again. I couldn't believe what I saw the first time. The State Senator who is proposing this legislation is, are you ready for this, a Democrat. A Democrat proposing a tax cut while simultaneously encouraging gun sales. I nearly fell off the couch.

For as long as Channel 6 has it up, you can find the story here: http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=11744874

I guess Oklahoma Democrats are more Republican that some of the RINO's we have in Washington. It’s good to be a Sooner.