[Republic of Michigan]

Susan J. Demas: Michigan becomes ground zero in GOP's war on national parks | MLive.com

People in the state of Michigan are absolutely indignant with Oklahoma's Senator Demas. What has Michigan ever done to Oklahoma??

[linicx]

I could also point out the immense popularity of the Indiana Dunes, Door County in Wisconsin, as well as Thunder Bay in Canada. The Great Lakes is no Great Deal. None is a large body of water when compared to the Atlantic, the Pacific, or the Gulf.

Oklahoma is not only one of the most interesting states, it is surrounded by and steeped in ancient history. There mountains and New Mexico are our western neighbor, Hot Springs in the Quichita Mountains (1 of 3 mountain ranges) is to the east in Western Arkansas.

The White Sands National Park is closer than Michigan. The "Little Grand" in Texas is closer than the Grand Canyon and just as unique. So no, we don't have to go to Michigan to find wildlife. It it's not in our backyard, it's in them thar hills just across the border.

OK has a couple of pretty good sized cities in Tulsa and OKC. But if you yearn for a little weekend getaway, OKies are within 300 miles of Dallas, St. Louis or Kansas City, Hot Springs, Eureka Springs, Lake O' the Ozarks, Branson, and three national CW Battlefields, etc.. I lived in Oklahoma for many years. If I wanted to see one of nature's wonders all I had to do was look in my yard. It would be paradise without politicians.

[Republic of Michigan]

Originally Posted by linicx

I could also point out the immense popularity of the Indiana Dunes, Door County in Wisconsin, as well as Thunder Bay in Canada. The Great Lakes is no Great Deal. None is a large body of water when compared to the Atlantic, the Pacific, or the Gulf.

Oklahoma is not only one of the most interesting states, it is surrounded by and steeped in ancient history. There mountains and New Mexico are our western neighbor, Hot Springs in the Quichita Mountains (1 of 3 mountain ranges) is to the east in Western Arkansas.

The White Sands National Park is closer than Michigan. The "Little Grand" in Texas is closer than the Grand Canyon and just as unique. So no, we don't have to go to Michigan to find wildlife. It it's not in our backyard, it's in them thar hills just across the border.

OK has a couple of pretty good sized cities in Tulsa and OKC. But if you yearn for a little weekend getaway, OKies are within 300 miles of Dallas, St. Louis or Kansas City, Hot Springs, Eureka Springs, Lake O' the Ozarks, Branson, and three national CW Battlefields, etc.. I lived in Oklahoma for many years. If I wanted to see one of nature's wonders all I had to do was look in my yard. It would be paradise without politicians.

First off, people in Michigan are not awaiting your visit nor care if you or your senator step foot in Michigan. The point of this thread is not to see where you and your fellow OKies can visit. The point of this thread is to alert you that your elected representative has made a crusade targeting National Parks in Michigan. These parks are for all Americans. You state that the Great Lakes are not a big deal...(ummm they only form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth, containing 21% of the world's surface fresh water) Some people enjoy the breathtaking views and beauty of Sleeping Dunes, Isle Royale, and Keweehah National Parks. If you don't, that is your right...Michiganians are not losing sleep over that. Millions visit and return. It would be nice if his constituents could take him to battle about targeting national parks which may not be convenient or of interest to you guys.

[diablo234]

Honestly as someone with no ties to either Oklahoma or Michigan I must say it would suck if Isle Royale or Sleeping Bear Dunes were removed from the National Park system. I have seen photos of both places and they seem to be pretty amazing in their own right (especially Sleeping Bear Dunes in which you have giant sand dunes towering 450’ above the shoreline of Lake Michigan).


Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore:
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Isle Royale National Park:
Isle Royale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Griffis]

As an Okie, I can say without equivocating that Tom Coburn is an imbecile and an @- hole.

However, Jim Inhofe is even worse.

[601halfdozen0theother]

Tom Coburn has been a genuinely evil idiot for years and years - I hated him so much when I lived in Oklahoma. Jim Inhofe is the same. I can't believe they're still in office - seriously, Oklahomans!

I think the reason they keep getting elected is that all they have to say is: "Democrats want you to have an ABORTION!" and the sheeple will keep voting for them, no matter what other larger issues are affecting the rest of the country. Fundamentalist religion has a hard, hard grip on Oklahoma.

ALL Americans are big time upset with Coburn and his ilk.

[Griffis]

Originally Posted by 601halfdozen0theother

I can't believe they're still in office - seriously, Oklahomans

Don't blame me. For one thing, I've been out of state for eight years until recently.

For another, I don't vote for ANY Republicans OR Democrats for any major offices, especially any that will have any federal-level involvement.

But while Oklahoma is still very "red" and religious, it is loosening up some.

Slowly, but it's happening.

Recently a poll showed 70% of Okies support medical marijuana, and 57% support full legalization.

Also, in the last three presidential elections, the state voted a little over one-third blue (and the percentage has increased each cycle...it's an even higher percentage in the metro areas.)

Heckfire, we even made tattoo parlors legal! (In 2006 )

Seriously though, Oklahoma really is more diverse than most people think of it as being.

[teakboat]

Both Michigan and Oklahoma have something to offer. I think Oklahoma has been underestimated. That is probably more the fault of Oklahoma than anything else, because I think that very few people in OKC or Tulsa are fully aware of or appreciate some of the more interesting parts of Oklahoma, such as the near wilderness that is almost the entire SE 1/4 of the state. It is virtually uninhabited and unvisited, despite being beautiful and interesting with mountains, clean water, oaks and pines, parks and public lands, and history. Most of the rest of the eastern part of the state is also dotted with lakes and rivers, hills, trees, and wildlife.

Demas made it sound like Oklahoma is covered with "ugly oil wells". This is an incorrect generalization and stereotype. Demas might be one of those who preaches to the rest of us about nature from their computer keyboards, while having little practical experience with actual nature.

[Jammie]

Michigan, actually, Oklahoma has some very pretty areas and some very nice people. That being said, many lean WAY too far to the right. I'm not fond of the politics in OK.

Could I offer a suggestion? I'd make it my personal crusade to send emails and letters to any politician who is doing something like this or any one of them that is supporting this. Enlist anyone's help that you can think of all the way from your neighbors to any businesses to any politicians in your state. Ask the politician to come and visit, listing your state parks. Kill them with kindness and see if they'd accept the invitation or give you their political line of b.s. Remember that their response could be something interesting to share in your local papers.

The problem is that certain politicians want all the spending to cease except where their own interests/states are concerned. That could explain the sudden lashing out at your state. It doesn't make it right, but it appears that's what's happening.

[Republic of Michigan]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Michigan, actually, Oklahoma has some very pretty areas and some very nice people. That being said, many lean WAY too far to the right. I'm not fond of the politics in OK.

Could I offer a suggestion? I'd make it my personal crusade to send emails and letters to any politician who is doing something like this or any one of them that is supporting this. Enlist anyone's help that you can think of all the way from your neighbors to any businesses to any politicians in your state. Ask the politician to come and visit, listing your state parks. Kill them with kindness and see if they'd accept the invitation or give you their political line of b.s. Remember that their response could be something interesting to share in your local papers.

The problem is that certain politicians want all the spending to cease except where their own interests/states are concerned. That could explain the sudden lashing out at your state. It doesn't make it right, but it appears that's what's happening.

It is probably my fault for including an article where the author needlessly lashed out at Oklahoma as retribution for what the state's Senator is doing to Michigan. Nobody in Michigan has one ounce of animus toward Oklahoma. Keep in mind the author of the article is one person who is writing a commentary. It does not reflect the views of the people living in the Land of 2 Peninsulas. That being said, Michiganians are tired of Southern politicians consistently waging war against Michigan from trying to poach our industries to this now. Meanwhile Kentucky gets a 2 billion dollar dam. And the irony is that all of these Red Southern States are taking in more money than they send to Washington DC and yet are fixated with dismantling it.