Richard Womack: No Pie for Me!

May 21, 2013 5 Comments
money_suitcase

There’s been a lot of gossip swirling around the vote to expand Medicaid in Arkansas. For example, how did proponents of expansion pick up 8 votes from Monday (when the bill first failed) to Tuesday when it passed? There’s been a lot of talk about bribery or extortion -- Rep. Nate Bell even went to the House floor and spoke of “threats” that had been leveled against House members. Rep. Bruce Westerman, in a fiery speech, asked members if their votes were worth “30 pieces of silver?” … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Martha Shoffner: Innocent Until Proven Guilty or Guilty Until Proven Innocent?

May 20, 2013 4 Comments
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A lot has happened since we broke the news Saturday night that State Treasurer Martha Shoffner had been arrested by the FBI (officially the biggest story in the history of The Arkansas Project, by the way, shattering the record that was set only a few weeks ago when we broke the news about constitutional carry).  At the time, it wasn’t clear why she had been placed in the Pulaski County jail. However, this lack of evidence did not stop two Arkansas political figures from simultaneously … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Democrats, Arkansas Politics Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On the Arkansas Times, Part III: Are Private-Option Advocates Really That Much Smarter Than We Are?

May 20, 2013 3 Comments
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Upon rereading David Ramsey’s piece on the genesis of the “private option,” it’s hard not to notice the flood of admiring compliments he bestows on the intellect of its creators. They are “clever,” “smart,” “open-minded,” and “pragmatic.” As they work in tandem with Governor Mike Beebe, they are “thoughtful and nuanced.” In particular, Senator Jonathan Dismang’s “comfort with getting into the weeds on policy details” makes him “open to pragmatic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Media, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Introducing, The Arkansas Project Podcast

May 17, 2013 Leave a Comment
TAP podcast phone

(Click here to listen on your mobile device) We are proud to present to you the inaugural episode of The Arkansas Project Podcast. We are hoping to produce one show a week to keep you up-to-date on what's going on at the capitol. In the near future, the show will be available for download in the iTunes store, but for now, you can enjoy it here on the blog. For your reading pleasure, here are the stories we mention in the show today: Carter quote on "private" option opponents IRS … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Warring Messages of the Private Option

May 17, 2013 5 Comments
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At the Saline County TEA Party meeting last week, Rep. Andy Mayberry told his constituents that the struggle over the private option made him feel like he was being forced to jump out of the third story of a burning building: There’s no way, if I just stand there, that I’m going to survive. I’m gonna burn. There’s a window over here that I can choose to jump out of and I might die in that fall. I know I’m going to die if I stay there and don’t do anything. But I might just survive … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

State of the Race: Pryor vs. Arkansas 2014

May 16, 2013 1 Comment
Rumored potential Pryor challengers Cotton, Womack, Darr (left to right)

As you probably know, Senator Mark Pryor is up for re-election next year. So I asked Ward Baker, political director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), about the state of the race, potential GOP challengers, and much more. Despite some conventional wisdom within the state and amongst the DC establishment, Pryor is very vulnerable, according to Baker: He’s an incumbent that can raise money. I think he has a legacy name but that name apparently isn’t helping him very … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2014 U.S. Senate Race, Arkansas Politics, Election 2014, Gallery, Mark Pryor Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

On the Arkansas Times, Part II

May 14, 2013 1 Comment
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David Ramsey of the Arkansas Times regularly distinguished himself this session with his thorough coverage of the debate over Medicaid expansion. His account of the creation of the “private option” -- perhaps the biggest increase in the size and scope of state government in my lifetime -- was educational and gripping. But occasionally his work told us more about David Ramsey than it did about Medicaid expansion. One of the areas where his article fell short was in his discussion of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Arkansas Media, Medicaid, Obamacare Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

On the Arkansas Times, Part I

May 13, 2013 2 Comments
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One of the legislature’s most praiseworthy achievements this session was passing a “voter ID” bill. If you read the unsigned article in this week’s Arkansas Times, though, you’ll see a very different perspective on voter ID. Indeed, the Times explained: Republicans say the new law will protect the integrity of our elections; some may believe that. But there's no evidence of substantial in-person voter fraud, the only kind prevented by the new law. There is plenty of evidence, however, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Arkansas Media, Elections, Voter ID Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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