Final Countdown
Hopefully, if all goes as planned, by the time this hits your mailbox or your computer, we will be at the end of this year’s session. This session, for me, has been one of the most stressful in my career. I have always considered myself a little bit of a workaholic but I think I managed to reach the saturation point even for me. It seems like this session has had the feel of those times when you just cannot quite catch your breath. Part of my problem is that I am not very good at saying no. I had a favorite book when I was a small boy. It was one of those little golden books that parents read to their kids when they are two or three or so. The book was called Tommy’s Camping Adventures. I think it appealed to a budding outdoorsman and it was one of my absolute favorites. In the book, the main character, Tommy, wanted nothing more than his own camp job. It seemed like the older kids and his parents all had specific camp chores that they had to do. Tommy just wanted a duty, something to make him feel like he was part of making the camp run smoothly. What Tommy did not realize was that with chores come responsibility and you can soon become overburdened with that and it can take the fun out of it pretty quickly. Of course, in the book Tommy’s camp job was to get the family back to camp when they got lost on a hike because Tommy unburdened with all the responsibilities was able to think and observe all the landmarks around the forest and the lake where they camped. When the family went off on a hike and could not find their way back, Tommy realized his camp job was to lead the lost family back to the security of the well-organized campsite.
I guess that I am the antitheses of Tommy in this year’s session (you might have to look that one up). This reality show that we call the Oklahoma legislature has for me been loaded with camp jobs and not much of an adventure. I have been the director the page program for about seven years and I love working with those kids. As I have grown into leadership, I have also taken on numerous other duties. My new chairmanship this year has been very interesting but I have spent several years as the Chair of the Agriculture Committee and this year the Speaker assigned me to the Natural Resources and Regulatory Agency Subcommittee which is the subcommittee that appropriates money for the Agriculture Department, Department of Commerce, and has oversight for all the regulatory agencies like the Wildlife Department, Department of Consumer Credit, Insurance Department and numerous others. It has been a very steep learning curve as I have always chaired committees on the policy side and now that I have moved to the appropriations side, I have had to go back to school so to speak. Another duty that I enjoy is serving as one of the presiding officers which means I sit in the Chair and preside over the House. It is a natural fit for me after 27 or 28 years in the auction business but it is also very confining. All these duties are on top of all the legislation we carry and staying up on issues that are important to my constituents. This year, the icing on the cake was redistricting. It is an honor anytime the Speaker asks you to be in charge of something and this year he asked me to be the Chairman for the Southwest region which stretched all the way up to the South Oklahoma City area and a little bit east. I found out rather quickly that redistricting is much more than just drawing lines because each district has a personality in it and that personality is an elected official. I have been amazed at the contentiousness of that process. I found out, which should have been no surprise, that not everyone would be happy with the final outcome and the shape of their district. Many of those meetings and tussles occurred in the basement in the redistricting office away from news cameras and reporters and far away from public view. To the untrained eye or the casual observer in the gallery, it still looks like we are just sitting around, drinking coffee and pushing a button.
I feel a little bit like a pack mule that is on the verge of being overloaded. While it is an honor to serve as your State Representative, I am just a little rung out and ready to get out of the Capitol. I realize things will not be a lot slower at home but I am ready to see about it. It has been a tough year with a tough budget. Thank goodness, we are tough people and we will survive it. I will get recharged and things will look better. Back to Tommy and his camping adventure, Tommy be careful what you wish for because son, I am here to tell ya’, too many camp jobs can spoil the camp.
“Nobody ever drown in his own sweat.”
Monday, May 23, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
If It Rains On Easter
Like most of you, I grew up here in Southwest Oklahoma. I have met a good many colorful, old timers with lots of sayins’. Some I can repeat, some I can’t. We have all heard “it’s gonna rain if a turtle is crossing the road” and “if a hurricane hits Brownsville, Texas, the moisture will catch us in Comanche County”. Most recently, I heard one that I had not heard in a long time “if it rains on Easter Sunday, it will rain for seven Sundays in a row”. The catch seems to be so far, how much is it going to rain? It is crazy to think that where I live, between Lawton and Faxon, we look like the Australian Outback, still feeding hay and protein, trying to hang on to cows that should probably already be gone. Just 20 minutes southeast in Cotton County, they seem to be in “rain alley”. I think the last spell that went through, they got something like four inches. For some reason, we cannot buy more than a shower for any amount of money. We have ponds that are in jeopardy which have never gone dry before. I even have a little spring on my place that I noticed Sunday had quit seeping. Plus, the extreme high temperatures and hot wind are just making the problem even worse. So far though, the saying has held true. We have had a little shot of rain the last 2 Sundays since Easter but it has not been measurable. It is going to take a big one, at least in our corner of the world, to turn this thing around. I know that it will come, I just wish I knew when.
Meanwhile, back at the Capitol, Monday afternoon, we voted the House redistricting map out of conference committee. There will be some drastic changes in far western Oklahoma where Representative Purcy Walker’s district will basically disappear and will move into Canadian County. Nobody including Representative Walker really wanted that but with him terming out next year, it seemed the logical place to make the move. While I hate to see it, the Constitution is pretty specific on what needs to happen and for the remaining Representatives to be able to gather up enough population to hit the magic number which is 37,000 plus or minus 3 percent. It became pretty clear to those of us on the committee that there may not be a good alternative. My contention is that Representative Purcy Walker will be remembered for the extremely good person that he is and how well he cared for the people of western Oklahoma, not only in his district, but as a good solid rural Representative for all of western Oklahoma. Purcy Walker is just plain good people and about as nice a guy as I have ever met. I think long after the district lines are redrawn and fade into the western Oklahoma landscape, those that he served will always remember that some politicians really are good people. I think he is disappointed as are a lot of us but again, the Constitution is pretty specific and those rural districts had to grow to meet the guidelines. The good news for my particular constituents is that I was able to keep almost everyone and more specifically, Tillman County will remain intact and that was pretty important to me to keep some continuity in that area.
We are winding down this year’s session and I have to say, as bad as I hate to wish my life away, I am ready to get this one over. Coming back home may be tough if it does not rain because it will be a lot of work no matter what. But, I am ready to hang up the coat and tie and get back into some work clothes. Three weeks and counting…
“Timing has everything to do with the success of a rain dance.” –Cowboy Poet Baxter Black
Meanwhile, back at the Capitol, Monday afternoon, we voted the House redistricting map out of conference committee. There will be some drastic changes in far western Oklahoma where Representative Purcy Walker’s district will basically disappear and will move into Canadian County. Nobody including Representative Walker really wanted that but with him terming out next year, it seemed the logical place to make the move. While I hate to see it, the Constitution is pretty specific on what needs to happen and for the remaining Representatives to be able to gather up enough population to hit the magic number which is 37,000 plus or minus 3 percent. It became pretty clear to those of us on the committee that there may not be a good alternative. My contention is that Representative Purcy Walker will be remembered for the extremely good person that he is and how well he cared for the people of western Oklahoma, not only in his district, but as a good solid rural Representative for all of western Oklahoma. Purcy Walker is just plain good people and about as nice a guy as I have ever met. I think long after the district lines are redrawn and fade into the western Oklahoma landscape, those that he served will always remember that some politicians really are good people. I think he is disappointed as are a lot of us but again, the Constitution is pretty specific and those rural districts had to grow to meet the guidelines. The good news for my particular constituents is that I was able to keep almost everyone and more specifically, Tillman County will remain intact and that was pretty important to me to keep some continuity in that area.
We are winding down this year’s session and I have to say, as bad as I hate to wish my life away, I am ready to get this one over. Coming back home may be tough if it does not rain because it will be a lot of work no matter what. But, I am ready to hang up the coat and tie and get back into some work clothes. Three weeks and counting…
“Timing has everything to do with the success of a rain dance.” –Cowboy Poet Baxter Black
Monday, May 9, 2011
Been a Long Time Comin'
Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of session, we struggle with this article. It seems that some weeks it falls right in my lap. This, my friends, was one of those weeks. I had struggled last week to piece together enough information to put together this week’s message and had a rough draft in mind. It was so so. As I got to my apartment in Oklahoma City on Sunday night and turned on the TV, I realized that one of the biggest events in U.S. history had occurred. Our military had succeeded in taking out Osama Bin Laden.
It is one of those “you know where you were when” moments. Some of us remember the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was three and cannot really say that I remember that day but I remember growing up with the news on the magazine covers about everywhere you looked. Through my life, there have been several of those moments that seem to crystallize in your memory and you can remember little details about where you were, who you were with, etc. The space shuttle disaster, the OKC bombing, just to name a few, and of course, the granddaddy of them all, the Twin Towers. I was on the treadmill at what used to be Gold’s Gym in Lawton that morning and I will never forget watching the events unfold. One of my most vivid memories is a lady who was on the treadmill next to me that I had seen several times but had never really spoken to. We all just stopped and watched in horror, not able to fully grasp what we were seeing but knowing that it was a dark moment in our nation’s history. I will never forget what she said as we stood there she said “I know people in those buildings”. She grabbed her towel and left. As that morning progressed, it got much worse and our world was forever changed.
That turn of events set off one of the largest man hunts in the history of our planet. One of the most evil beings to ever walk the earth seemed to be as elusive as a ghost. It took ten years to finally search him out and probably almost everyone in America would have been just fine with pulling out all the U.S. people and turning the desert into glass. But, that is not how we roll. We have spent a large number of U.S. lives in the search for Bin Laden and the war on terror and finally, thanks to our awesome military and the men and women who suit up everyday, public enemy number one was brought to justice. Many will beat their chests and take credit but you and I know who deserves the credit and it is our armed forces. It was interesting that he was very quickly buried at sea and I think that was probably the right decision because it keeps his grave from becoming a shrine to others who hate America. It would have been real easy to carry him through the streets but again, that would not be the right thing to do. To assume that the war on terror is over would be pure folly but to assume that the iconic leader of that war has finally been taken out and that it will, to some degree, send a message is right on.
Bin Laden, you attacked the most powerful country in the world and your buddies better be on notice. This is an awesome country and we are not going to tolerate those who attack us. May your eternity be miserable. It’s been a long time comin’. God bless America.
“Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower
It is one of those “you know where you were when” moments. Some of us remember the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was three and cannot really say that I remember that day but I remember growing up with the news on the magazine covers about everywhere you looked. Through my life, there have been several of those moments that seem to crystallize in your memory and you can remember little details about where you were, who you were with, etc. The space shuttle disaster, the OKC bombing, just to name a few, and of course, the granddaddy of them all, the Twin Towers. I was on the treadmill at what used to be Gold’s Gym in Lawton that morning and I will never forget watching the events unfold. One of my most vivid memories is a lady who was on the treadmill next to me that I had seen several times but had never really spoken to. We all just stopped and watched in horror, not able to fully grasp what we were seeing but knowing that it was a dark moment in our nation’s history. I will never forget what she said as we stood there she said “I know people in those buildings”. She grabbed her towel and left. As that morning progressed, it got much worse and our world was forever changed.
That turn of events set off one of the largest man hunts in the history of our planet. One of the most evil beings to ever walk the earth seemed to be as elusive as a ghost. It took ten years to finally search him out and probably almost everyone in America would have been just fine with pulling out all the U.S. people and turning the desert into glass. But, that is not how we roll. We have spent a large number of U.S. lives in the search for Bin Laden and the war on terror and finally, thanks to our awesome military and the men and women who suit up everyday, public enemy number one was brought to justice. Many will beat their chests and take credit but you and I know who deserves the credit and it is our armed forces. It was interesting that he was very quickly buried at sea and I think that was probably the right decision because it keeps his grave from becoming a shrine to others who hate America. It would have been real easy to carry him through the streets but again, that would not be the right thing to do. To assume that the war on terror is over would be pure folly but to assume that the iconic leader of that war has finally been taken out and that it will, to some degree, send a message is right on.
Bin Laden, you attacked the most powerful country in the world and your buddies better be on notice. This is an awesome country and we are not going to tolerate those who attack us. May your eternity be miserable. It’s been a long time comin’. God bless America.
“Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Sheila O. Lee--March 10, 1961-April 4, 2011—An Amazing Woman
A little over a week ago, Southwest Oklahoma was rocked, shocked and deeply saddened by the very untimely passing of Sheila Lee. Unless you are connected to the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber crowd, that name may not be a household word. But, I am gonna bet ya a dollar to a donut, that you have attended an event that was made better by Sheila’s extreme organizational skills. Sheila had worked for the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber for over 15 years and I have thought over the last week or so, how best to describe her. The best analogy I can draw is no matter what the event coming to Southwest Oklahoma, Sheila Lee was “on it”. I have worked with Sheila even way back in my ag teacher days when I was the steer superintendent for the Wichita Mountains Classic. That show, year after year, brought people in to show livestock from all over the US. It did what the Chamber folks like to call “put lots of heads in lots of beds”. I know some of my rural folks out there have had kids that have shown livestock in that event and that is just one example of the kind of things that Sheila did to keep things cranking and to keep people coming to visit Southwest Oklahoma. Another event that she was always good at orchestrating was the buffalo and longhorn sales that occur at the Wichita Mountains. Typically those events bring lots of folks from out of town and the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber for years has put a committee together to cook buffalo burgers for the visitors that come from far and wide to buy those animals. Sheila was a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma, as am I. One of the best things that happens every Fall with each new LOK Class is that they make a stop here in Southwest Oklahoma and state leaders from all walks of life get to come and experience our Southwest Oklahoma hospitality, as well as the high importance of a military presence to our Southwest Oklahoma economy. Sheila had her hand and more importantly, her superb organizational skills in a good many of these events and did 'yeoman's work’, mostly behind the scenes to make sure that we brought as many people into our area, and more importantly, into our economic circle in our part of the state. The question on everyone’s mind is “how do you replace someone so effective”?
Shelia was an integral part of the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce. She served the chamber in several different capacities since 1996, finally earning her role as President & CEO this past October.
Shelia began her professional life as a successful businesswoman in Hanau, Germany, where she was a retail specialist with Waterford/Wedgwood and an accountant for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. Once she returned to the United States, she began work in the field of career services, assisting others in finding an appropriate career path. She moved to Lawton, where she worked in Student Services for Draughon College and later became a fiscal officer at Marie Detty Head Start Center. She began her prominent Chamber of Commerce career in 1996 as the receptionist with the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce. Throughout the years, she thrived in many roles at the Chamber to include Military Affairs, Membership and Tourism, rapidly was promoted to Chamber Vice President and recently accepted the position of Chamber President.
She served as a board member for the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce, the United States Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Oklahoma, the Lawton Food Bank, the Oklahoma University Cancer Institute, and the Fort Sill Federal Credit Union. She was a member of Leadership Oklahoma Class XVII, the Lawton Business & Professional Women, the League of Women Voters, the Association of the United States Army and the United States Field Artillery Association. Shelia participated in numerous professional organizations including the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Annual Convention, the Great Plains Association and the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association. Shelia was an instructor for the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Oklahoma Chamber Management Institute. She was also a member of the Artillery Order of Molly Pitcher and was a very active volunteer for many organizations, but she was most proud of her work with Army Community Services and military families who were in need. She worked numerous hours to enhance the "Loan Closet," a program designed to allow military families to borrow common household items while in transition between duty assignments. The program was unfunded and owes its success to Shelia's tireless efforts to ensure the care of soldiers and their families.
Shelia's presence will be missed both here in the Lawton community, as well as around the state.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call
1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road
"Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.” — Harold S. Geneen
Shelia was an integral part of the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce. She served the chamber in several different capacities since 1996, finally earning her role as President & CEO this past October.
Shelia began her professional life as a successful businesswoman in Hanau, Germany, where she was a retail specialist with Waterford/Wedgwood and an accountant for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. Once she returned to the United States, she began work in the field of career services, assisting others in finding an appropriate career path. She moved to Lawton, where she worked in Student Services for Draughon College and later became a fiscal officer at Marie Detty Head Start Center. She began her prominent Chamber of Commerce career in 1996 as the receptionist with the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce. Throughout the years, she thrived in many roles at the Chamber to include Military Affairs, Membership and Tourism, rapidly was promoted to Chamber Vice President and recently accepted the position of Chamber President.
She served as a board member for the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce, the United States Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Oklahoma, the Lawton Food Bank, the Oklahoma University Cancer Institute, and the Fort Sill Federal Credit Union. She was a member of Leadership Oklahoma Class XVII, the Lawton Business & Professional Women, the League of Women Voters, the Association of the United States Army and the United States Field Artillery Association. Shelia participated in numerous professional organizations including the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Annual Convention, the Great Plains Association and the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association. Shelia was an instructor for the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Oklahoma Chamber Management Institute. She was also a member of the Artillery Order of Molly Pitcher and was a very active volunteer for many organizations, but she was most proud of her work with Army Community Services and military families who were in need. She worked numerous hours to enhance the "Loan Closet," a program designed to allow military families to borrow common household items while in transition between duty assignments. The program was unfunded and owes its success to Shelia's tireless efforts to ensure the care of soldiers and their families.
Shelia's presence will be missed both here in the Lawton community, as well as around the state.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call
1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road
"Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.” — Harold S. Geneen
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Open Carry Continued
It has been very interesting as I have explored this issue of open carry of fire arms. One of the things that has been a good tool has been Facebook. We post this weekly article not only in our weekly papers but also on our Facebook page in the form of a blog. A lot of my friends and neighbors, some that have been friends since childhood gave me a lot of their thoughts and if you have ever looked at my Facebook page, you might guess that by my profile picture alone, I am a gun guy. The picture shows me with my wife and daughters in camo with rifles and shotguns sitting on the tailgate of a pickup. We used that picture on a Christmas card a couple of years ago. So, you might also guess that a good many of my oldest friends are also gun guys, outdoorsmen, etc. Some went into great detail when commenting on my blog.
One of the common threads regarding the current law seemed to be that some of the folks who have concealed carry permits that have been legally obtained worry about what happens if their gun becomes accidentally exposed. One of the responses came from Sherriff Whittington who has over 30 years experience in law enforcement. One of his concerns is that if a CCL holder is carrying and becomes exposed, it can mean bad news. Matthew, another Facebook friend, responds to Sherriff Whittington that “this is one of the biggest reasons he does not carry more often”. He does not want to be labeled a “bad guy” if his pistol becomes exposed while having dinner at a restaurant. Two of my friends, Keith and Tim, both hold federal firearms licenses. Both agree that open carry should not be “wide open”. Keith, who is a veteran school teacher even goes as far as to say “I can honestly tell you that even though all citizens have the right to own firearms, not all of them should”. He also goes on to say that “open carry can create a nervous atmosphere in communities”. Keith said “let’s keep our guns concealed and keep the criminals guessing who is and is not armed”. Mark, a friend of mine for over 30 years who is very much an outdoorsman, thinks concealed carry is better than open carry and feels like, as he puts it, “an ace in the hole is always a better idea than showing your hand”. Another friend whom I have known for most of my life who now lives in Tennessee says what makes him nervous about open carry is what he calls “caliber envy”, the whole “mine is bigger” argument. On the other side of the equation is Sissy who owns a local business. She said she would rather see the gun than guess who has it. She also adds that she would like to know someone would back her up if things went wrong.
Most of the people who I have heard from on this particular piece of legislation would also die for your right to keep and bear arms. Not one of them is part of the “tasseled loafer crowd” as I jokingly call some folks. They are country boys and own enough guns to protect their family and property from whatever comes. Even this crew has varied opinions of open carry and not one of them has said “swing the gate wide open and let er’ rip”. So, for me to say that my constituents are clamoring for open carry would be a misstatement. I think that my constituents become a little nervous at the thought of anyone 18 years and older with zero checks, zero balances and zero training strapping on a hog leg and taking off down the street.
Every gun bill we have seen this year has been amended all over the road. I am not sure how I will vote if we actually get an open carry vote on the floor. But, I know how my people are feeling more than ever before. I think they are very divided but leaning toward not allowing open carry. I have to balance what I think and believe with what I think the people who elected me feel and believe. In my opinion, a vote of the people would be a true test. I think that would tell us in no uncertain terms how the majority of Oklahomans feel about this issue. I think I know how that would turn out.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Common sense is seeing things as they are, and doing things as they should be done.”
-Unknown
One of the common threads regarding the current law seemed to be that some of the folks who have concealed carry permits that have been legally obtained worry about what happens if their gun becomes accidentally exposed. One of the responses came from Sherriff Whittington who has over 30 years experience in law enforcement. One of his concerns is that if a CCL holder is carrying and becomes exposed, it can mean bad news. Matthew, another Facebook friend, responds to Sherriff Whittington that “this is one of the biggest reasons he does not carry more often”. He does not want to be labeled a “bad guy” if his pistol becomes exposed while having dinner at a restaurant. Two of my friends, Keith and Tim, both hold federal firearms licenses. Both agree that open carry should not be “wide open”. Keith, who is a veteran school teacher even goes as far as to say “I can honestly tell you that even though all citizens have the right to own firearms, not all of them should”. He also goes on to say that “open carry can create a nervous atmosphere in communities”. Keith said “let’s keep our guns concealed and keep the criminals guessing who is and is not armed”. Mark, a friend of mine for over 30 years who is very much an outdoorsman, thinks concealed carry is better than open carry and feels like, as he puts it, “an ace in the hole is always a better idea than showing your hand”. Another friend whom I have known for most of my life who now lives in Tennessee says what makes him nervous about open carry is what he calls “caliber envy”, the whole “mine is bigger” argument. On the other side of the equation is Sissy who owns a local business. She said she would rather see the gun than guess who has it. She also adds that she would like to know someone would back her up if things went wrong.
Most of the people who I have heard from on this particular piece of legislation would also die for your right to keep and bear arms. Not one of them is part of the “tasseled loafer crowd” as I jokingly call some folks. They are country boys and own enough guns to protect their family and property from whatever comes. Even this crew has varied opinions of open carry and not one of them has said “swing the gate wide open and let er’ rip”. So, for me to say that my constituents are clamoring for open carry would be a misstatement. I think that my constituents become a little nervous at the thought of anyone 18 years and older with zero checks, zero balances and zero training strapping on a hog leg and taking off down the street.
Every gun bill we have seen this year has been amended all over the road. I am not sure how I will vote if we actually get an open carry vote on the floor. But, I know how my people are feeling more than ever before. I think they are very divided but leaning toward not allowing open carry. I have to balance what I think and believe with what I think the people who elected me feel and believe. In my opinion, a vote of the people would be a true test. I think that would tell us in no uncertain terms how the majority of Oklahomans feel about this issue. I think I know how that would turn out.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Common sense is seeing things as they are, and doing things as they should be done.”
-Unknown
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Open Carry--My Thoughts.
Oklahomans love their freedom. If they had their druthers, they would just as soon the government leave them alone and let them go about their business. As a general rule, Oklahomans are pretty staunch about their right to keep and bear arms. Most of the time, I am 90% with them. No, on second thought I’m 98% with them. Your right to keep and bear arms is an issue that is pretty important to me. I have always been proud of my A rating with the NRA. I am a gun owner as well as a sportsman. I think our forefathers knew what they were doing when they established the second amendment. I have however really had to stick my thumb in the wind on the open carry issue.
I think that open carry may make some people nervous. In fact, I had a conversation Friday back in my district when I grabbed a nice, healthy lunch at the Hop-N-Sack and set down to talk with some neighbors, one of which was even in camo and is an avid outdoorsman. They said that it gave them concern and these are guys that would fight ya’ for their right to keep and bear arms. Everyone in the group said they kept a gun in the pickup all the time. Their concern was that if open carry passed without any constrictions, an 18 year old kid with no training or background check could strap on a hog leg, and off he goes! I was a little surprised because I would have bet ya a dollar to a doughnut because I would have thought those guys would have said “shoot ya, let’s open carry”. I told them that I had actually used them in discussions when I compare guys in a convenience store in the country to a Starbucks in OKC or Tulsa. My thoughts were that if someone were to come into a store like the one we were sitting in with a gun on his hip, no one would be too alarmed. If that someone came into a Starbucks in a metro area or something like it, people would get really nervous. While I voted for the amended version of HB1647, and by the way the amendment tightened it up a lot, because it said that someone with a protective order in fear of their life would be able to open carry, but that the “everyday Joe” would not. One good reason to be in contact with your voters is because if you will listen, they will tell you. These are all God fearing, hard working, gun owning guys.
I think those nervous about open carry outnumber those in favor for it. I think it was interesting that the NRA was neutral but the OK2A which is a group of Oklahoma gun owners who fight for the second amendment and are promoting open carry, would love to see it. I think for many it is just a flat out scary issue. If one if a guy would think rationally, most of us really have no fear of law abiding citizens keeping firearms, whether in a vehicle, a purse, in the nightstand or for that matter, in the gun rack in a pickup. I do however think that for some, certainly not everyone but again, for some open carry maybe be going a little too far. I think my epiphany happened Friday in Chattanooga, Oklahoma when my gun-toting buddies said it worried them. I think it boils down to this: most conservatives will defend your right to keep and bear arms; they just do not necessarily want to see it.
We will see what the final version looks like and I will probably be a yes vote. But, you better believe, I am going to be running some more traps with the country boys between now and then. ‘Til next time…
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call
1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“An armed society is a polite society.” – Robert A. Heinlein
I think that open carry may make some people nervous. In fact, I had a conversation Friday back in my district when I grabbed a nice, healthy lunch at the Hop-N-Sack and set down to talk with some neighbors, one of which was even in camo and is an avid outdoorsman. They said that it gave them concern and these are guys that would fight ya’ for their right to keep and bear arms. Everyone in the group said they kept a gun in the pickup all the time. Their concern was that if open carry passed without any constrictions, an 18 year old kid with no training or background check could strap on a hog leg, and off he goes! I was a little surprised because I would have bet ya a dollar to a doughnut because I would have thought those guys would have said “shoot ya, let’s open carry”. I told them that I had actually used them in discussions when I compare guys in a convenience store in the country to a Starbucks in OKC or Tulsa. My thoughts were that if someone were to come into a store like the one we were sitting in with a gun on his hip, no one would be too alarmed. If that someone came into a Starbucks in a metro area or something like it, people would get really nervous. While I voted for the amended version of HB1647, and by the way the amendment tightened it up a lot, because it said that someone with a protective order in fear of their life would be able to open carry, but that the “everyday Joe” would not. One good reason to be in contact with your voters is because if you will listen, they will tell you. These are all God fearing, hard working, gun owning guys.
I think those nervous about open carry outnumber those in favor for it. I think it was interesting that the NRA was neutral but the OK2A which is a group of Oklahoma gun owners who fight for the second amendment and are promoting open carry, would love to see it. I think for many it is just a flat out scary issue. If one if a guy would think rationally, most of us really have no fear of law abiding citizens keeping firearms, whether in a vehicle, a purse, in the nightstand or for that matter, in the gun rack in a pickup. I do however think that for some, certainly not everyone but again, for some open carry maybe be going a little too far. I think my epiphany happened Friday in Chattanooga, Oklahoma when my gun-toting buddies said it worried them. I think it boils down to this: most conservatives will defend your right to keep and bear arms; they just do not necessarily want to see it.
We will see what the final version looks like and I will probably be a yes vote. But, you better believe, I am going to be running some more traps with the country boys between now and then. ‘Til next time…
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call
1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“An armed society is a polite society.” – Robert A. Heinlein
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Ugly Business
Deadlines always have a way of applying pressure. It places a time contract and forces things to be done within a framework. This past week at the Capitol was one of those deadline weeks. It is probably the most awful time to be a legislator. I have seen some very intelligent people over the last decade try to manage the flow of the legislative process. Even the smartest of them struggle so I am beginning to think it is just the nature of the beast. The gatekeeper for bills is the floor leader. This year’s Floor Leader who was appointed by the Speaker, is Dan Sullivan from Tulsa. Dan is probably as smart as anyone I have ever met. But, even with his way above average intelligence, the task of getting 3,000 pieces of legislation through the process is very daunting. We really did not want to meet on Friday this last week because of the additional cost so we crammed about three weeks worth of floor activity into four days.
I thought of a cowboy analogy as I set in the presiding chair listening to a debate that I had heard many times. There only difference now is that it is coming from new players. I believe that bills in the legislative process are a lot like working a pen of cattle. If you have ever worked cattle, you will know exactly what I am talking about. Most of the gentle, easy to handle calves will go through the chute fairly smoothly. As you work toward the back of the pen, you get into the knuckleheads of the group. They are the ones who do not want to go through the alley, the ones who fight the chute, they spook and shy, usually require a little cussin’ and just generally cause trouble. Most of us were not lucky enough to have Dr. Temple Grandin design our facilities. Bills in the legislature are much like that. The easy ones go through the process pretty early and usually pretty smoothly. The knuckle heads or in this case the tougher, more contentious bills kind of ball up in the corner of the pen. When you finally get them headed down that alley, it takes lots of hot shottin’, whippin’ and cussin’ to finally get them passed.
This last week was like 150 head of five weight steers just off wheat pasture coating everything with a color of green, you know what I’m sayin’, and just kickin’ the snot out of anyone who got in their way. About that fourth night that lasted till near midnight, we had a bunch of people ready to get out of that dome. We have a lot of diversity in the House chamber this year. There is quite a spread between the right and left. It has caused a lot of headaches and fights. Interestingly enough, many of the fights have been caused by the extreme right teaming up with the left. Many of those battles have occurred because of an unusual alliance between the left and the right. I am really not trying to poke anyone in the eye with that. It just is what it is. It has been said that politics makes strange bed fellows. There is probably not a better example of that than in the House this year. I am always honored to preside over the House and I have always appreciated the Speaker’s confidence in me to sit in the chair and run the session but this year, instead of a gavel, you almost need a striped shirt and a whistle. It has just been tough, no let’s just say ugly. I have never pulled punches or tried to sugar coat things and I am not going to now.
This week is already better because we have passed the deadline and we restart the timer. We are now going through the committee process of hearing Senate bills on our side. In a few short weeks, we will do it again. And then, we will start on the budget. Pray for us.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call 1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Politics are very much like war. We may even have to use poison gas at times.” -Winston Churchill
I thought of a cowboy analogy as I set in the presiding chair listening to a debate that I had heard many times. There only difference now is that it is coming from new players. I believe that bills in the legislative process are a lot like working a pen of cattle. If you have ever worked cattle, you will know exactly what I am talking about. Most of the gentle, easy to handle calves will go through the chute fairly smoothly. As you work toward the back of the pen, you get into the knuckleheads of the group. They are the ones who do not want to go through the alley, the ones who fight the chute, they spook and shy, usually require a little cussin’ and just generally cause trouble. Most of us were not lucky enough to have Dr. Temple Grandin design our facilities. Bills in the legislature are much like that. The easy ones go through the process pretty early and usually pretty smoothly. The knuckle heads or in this case the tougher, more contentious bills kind of ball up in the corner of the pen. When you finally get them headed down that alley, it takes lots of hot shottin’, whippin’ and cussin’ to finally get them passed.
This last week was like 150 head of five weight steers just off wheat pasture coating everything with a color of green, you know what I’m sayin’, and just kickin’ the snot out of anyone who got in their way. About that fourth night that lasted till near midnight, we had a bunch of people ready to get out of that dome. We have a lot of diversity in the House chamber this year. There is quite a spread between the right and left. It has caused a lot of headaches and fights. Interestingly enough, many of the fights have been caused by the extreme right teaming up with the left. Many of those battles have occurred because of an unusual alliance between the left and the right. I am really not trying to poke anyone in the eye with that. It just is what it is. It has been said that politics makes strange bed fellows. There is probably not a better example of that than in the House this year. I am always honored to preside over the House and I have always appreciated the Speaker’s confidence in me to sit in the chair and run the session but this year, instead of a gavel, you almost need a striped shirt and a whistle. It has just been tough, no let’s just say ugly. I have never pulled punches or tried to sugar coat things and I am not going to now.
This week is already better because we have passed the deadline and we restart the timer. We are now going through the committee process of hearing Senate bills on our side. In a few short weeks, we will do it again. And then, we will start on the budget. Pray for us.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call 1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Politics are very much like war. We may even have to use poison gas at times.” -Winston Churchill
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