The new legislative Republican majority in Arkansas has drawn criticism for focusing too much on social issues, but the legislators are merely matching their candidate talk with their elected walk.
“We are more than halfway through the session and jobs, Medicaid, education are still taking the back seat to social issues,” spokesman for the Democratic Party of Arkansas Candace Martin observed last week on the social network Twitter.
It’s true some of the highest-profile bills have focused on limiting abortion, but that should not be a surprise. The bills now becoming law have been introduced in various forms in previous sessions, but often were aborted in committees controlled by Democrats.
Many Republicans ran for legislative seats using a coordinated message — a strategy similar to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America” back in the 1990s. The Arkansas version was called the “SIMPLE Plan.”
The P in the plan was “Protecting Arkansas’ future,” which spelled out specifically that, if elected, candidates would work to protect life, including passing the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to ban most abortions after 20 weeks. So it should not have been a surprise that the bill and several others were a priority of the newly elected Republican majority.
It’s worth noting that while abortion-related issues have gotten a lot of attention, progress has been steady on other areas of the SIMPLE Plan. Some examples:
• “Spending restraint” was introduced in HB 1041 by House Majority Leader Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs, which sought to limit the size of state government growth to no more than the average annual change in the state disposable personal income. His bill made it out of committee but came up two votes short on the House floor. Westerman has said he may make another run with the bill.
• “Income and other tax reform” proposals are numerous but mostly in the discussion phase. House Speaker Davy Carter, R-Cabot, has indicated he would like to see about $150 million in tax cuts moved to the House floor once the Legislatue has a clearer picture of the overall budget.
• “Medicaid sustainability” has been a dominant theme of the session, reforming the current Medicaid system and deciding whether to expand it as part of health care reform.
So, Republicans are keeping their campaign promises. Those not pleased with the direction either were not paying attention during the campaign or probably voted for candidates from the minority party.
Jason Tolbert is an accountant and conservative political blogger. His blog — The Tolbert Report — is linked at ArkansasNews.com. His e-mail is jason@TolbertReport.com.
Comments (19)
Add commentPun intended?
"The bills now becoming law have been introduced in various forms in previous sessions, but often were aborted in committees controlled by Democrats. "
If we cut $150 Million dollars in taxes, how do we get to the constitutionally required balanced budget? All of the tax cuts mentioned in a recent article were for agriculture and businesses. Where will the spending cuts or revenue come from to make up the differences? I guess we'll find that out later, when it hits our front steps.
:PHHHFFFTTTTTHH to Davy Carter and Jason Rapert.
Wow
What a novel idea, politicians keeping their campaign promises.
Politicians elected as a result of the Citizens United
decision which allows monied millionaires and billionaires to masquerade as grass roots groups only seeking to promote their personal agendas and not the agendas of free thinking people. Lemmings will follow any leader who speaks up the most, with the funding available by groups like Club for Growth and Crossroads GPS (GPS standing for Grassroots Political Strategies). Grassroots being twisted here to represent the works and ideas of 10-20 millionaires and billionaires who want their policies implemented, not the policies of the general public.
Sure
Heaven forbid that the people of this great state got tired of the way it has always been.
Sure, 'cause we LOVE us some
Sure, 'cause we LOVE us some good ol Southern Living' -- I sit back and think about them good old days...when times were slow and laid 'black'!!!!!
[StateRep David Meeks @DavidMeeks]
[More inappropriate remarks by Rep John Walker from the well. This is 2013. #arleg]
"The above is what Rep. David Meeks tweeted while Rep. John Walker, a 76-year-old African American from Hope, Arkansas, gave a passionate speech alluding to his own personal history as the House debated the Voter I.D. law. Walker noted that most in the chamber did not share that history and had never been deprived of the right to vote. Take a minute to read about Walker’s life. Remember that there was a systematic effort, backed by the police power of the state, to keep folks like Walker from voting. Remember that Walker’s attempt, along with five others, to attend the University of Texas as the school’s first black undergraduates ended up in federal court. That was before Meeks was born, but not so long ago."
http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/ArkansasBlog/
You would think Rep. Meeks would realize
such tweets would reveal his true, racist nature. I guess he IS dumber than he looks. IMHO
Setting the Record Straight
“most of you [legislators] who sit here don’t have my color." Rep John Walker.
This is what I was specifically referring to when I sent out the above tweet. You can only imagine the liberal outcry if I said something very similar. Making racial overtones is what is inappropriate.
This article is nothing more then liberals trying to push a certain agenda.
This post reflects more accurately the truth:
http://www.thearkansasproject.com/my-david-ramsey-problem-and-ours/
This is the original article on Voter ID and contains video for context: http://www.thearkansasproject.com/rep-john-walker-says-voter-id-means-bl...
Here to Serve,
David Meeks
"This article is nothing more
"This article is nothing more then liberals trying to push a certain agenda.'
Oh, sure David,
Them big bad liberals made you tweet something inappropriate... REALLY?
So, when Mr. Walker pointed out the obvious, and that he has personal experience of voting decimation he 'goaded' you into reminding Mr. Walker it was 2013?
Crypted, You are missing the
Crypted,
You are missing the point. Most of his speech was appropriate. There were just a couple of things he said that I thought was inappropriate. I pointed out the one that prompted my tweet and then referred you to a post that gives further explanation.
David
And... "The National Rifle
And...
"The National Rifle Association, which is battling a raft of gun control measures on Capitol Hill, also has an international fight on its hand as it gears up to oppose a U.N. treaty designed to restrict the flow of arms to conflict zones.
Negotiations open Monday in New York on the Arms Trade Treaty, which would require countries to determine whether weapons they sell would be used to commit serious human rights violations, terrorism or transnational organized crime."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-nra-square-off-...
Also, too...
"During the negotiations, the NRA organized a letter signed by a group of 51 Democratic and Republican senators opposing the treaty. The senators warned President Obama that they would “oppose ratification of an Arms Trade Treaty presented to the Senate that in any way restricts the rights of law-abiding U.S. citizens to manufacture, assemble, possess, transfer or purchase firearms, ammunition and related items.”"
...
“The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”
The wing-nut mental illness continues!!!!