News and Views on Politics, Policy and More
Dan Greenberg, in his post earlier this morning, wrote about his experience before the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee yesterday. I went and grabbed some video off of the House website of Mr. Greenberg's exchange with state lawmakers. His comments start just a little ways into the clip below -- because, in true governmental fashion, the House website's video editing features are inefficient. Things got a little tense at times. Grab your popcorn: … [Read more...]
In response to the shootings in Connecticut last week, Texas Governor Rick Perry wants to allow teachers to carry weapons in their classrooms -- that is, if someone has obtained a concealed carry license, “you should be able to carry your handgun anywhere in this state” (with the exception of private property where property owners have said otherwise, he clarified). Yet Perry knew what the reaction from the rabid anti-gun Left would be before those words ever left his mouth: “Perry … [Read more...]
So you know those meetings Rep. Clark Hall has been having, costing taxpayers over $32,000 (so far) this year? And remember how I mentioned that they were essentially without substance, and are perhaps just ways for legislators to get paid more? Well, new audio has surfaced that shines some light on this question. The State Agencies & Governmental Affairs committee met last Monday, August 20th. The agenda for that day included a whopping two items of new business: the … [Read more...]
Under Siege: If you've been overseas for several months and are just returning this morning, you should know that the 2009 session of the Arkansas General Assembly commences today. Hooray! Drinks all around! (Arkansas News Bureau) Balance Sheet: Lean budgets mean tougher times for state government, making legislators sad. The good news: Lean budgets increase opportunities for acrimony and backstabbing, making The Arkansas Project happy. Hooray! (AP) The Odd Couple: One's a slobbish House … [Read more...]
In 2007, the Arkansas legislature created a task force on higher education reform. Last week, the task force produced its final report, Access to Success (opens in PDF file), an extensive list of problems with and recommendations for our state's higher education system. I mentioned this report last week in a post that Arkansas Project editor David Kinkade thoughtfully titled Is College a Waste of Time? So let me answer the question: Yes. Definitely. For some people, college is a huge waste of … [Read more...]
In the "Style" section of Sunday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, you might have come across a brief review of a new CD from the Fayetteville-based band A Good Fight, "The City Could Be Ours by Morning." Reviewer Kody Ford raves about the band's "mixture of punk and pop with a gritty edge." You can sample the sound on the band's MySpace page here and at their website here. What you may not know is that the band's bass player is none other than Arkansas Rep. Jon Woods, a Republican House member from … [Read more...]
