Why Did Raw Milk Curdle in House Committee?

March 16, 2013 10 Comments
farmers in jail

Yesterday, as previously reported, the raw milk bill (HB 1536) was defeated by the House Ag Committee. But before the bill was defeated on a roll call vote, it was ruled passed on a voice vote by Vice Chair Rep. Nate Steel. What happened? Rep. Bob Ballinger, a freshman, conservative legislator from Hindsville, requested a roll call vote and it was seconded. But Rep. Ballinger has already proven himself to be a friend of liberty in the Arkansas House. Why did he request a roll call vote and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Economic Freedom, Gallery Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Representative Alexander Makes The Case for Milk Freedom

March 15, 2013 2 Comments
happy cows

I wrote yesterday about Representative Randy Alexander’s bill to legalize the sale of lacteal secretion, more commonly known as raw cow milk. But these are just my opinions, backed up by mounds of evidence -- and as many of you constantly remind me on Twitter, I’m just an obnoxious "cow patty" head. So let’s hear from the bill’s sponsor, shall we? Representative Alexander told me that, for him, there are three key questions here: 1. Is raw milk really dangerous? 2. Should … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Economic Freedom, Gallery Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Legalize Milk!

March 14, 2013 3 Comments
cow EF

The Arkansas legislature is faced with a question: Do Arkansans have the right to buy and eat what they choose? The question may sound silly, but it is neither frivolous nor unimportant. It is basic: if legislators cannot get this issue right, it’s unlikely that they will be able to come down on the side of freedom on larger issues. The steaks (ahem) are high. The proposition is a bill by Representative Randy Alexander (HB1536) that would legalize the sale of raw milk in Arkansas. You can … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Economic Freedom, Gallery Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Raising the Minimum Wage: Unfair to Working Students And Still a Bad Idea

March 4, 2013 1 Comment
money

The House Public Health Committee is slated to take up Rep. Butch Wilkins’s minimum wage hike tomorrow morning. The proposal would raise the state’s minimum wage from $6.25 to $8.25 -- unless you’re a full-time student who works less than 20 hours a week. Under current law, these students are only entitled to 85% of minimum wage -- Rep. Wilkins’s bill would cut that percentage by 20 points, down to 65%. What would the real effect be for working full-time students? Let’s do some … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 General Assembly, Arkansas Legislature, Economic Policy Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Congress, Your Grades Are Posted

February 21, 2013 Leave a Comment
economic_freedom

Yesterday, Americans For Prosperity released their "Economic Freedom Scorecard." Quite simply, the group ranks all 535 members of Congress based on their votes regarding economic freedom: The 112th Congress Scorecard includes critical votes on such issues as the repeal of President Obama’s new health care law, preempting EPA’s purported authority to regulate greenhouse gases, supporting Chairman Paul Ryan’s budget, ending ethanol subsidies, several Congressional Review Act resolutions to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Policy Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Give Freedom a Chance: New Report Shows Arkansas 43rd in Economic Freedom

December 3, 2012
534479_432484030150528_486297233_n

Last week, Fraser Institute released their annual Economic Freedom of North America report. They use numbers and pictures and stuff that shows how quickly we are transforming into a European-style socialist utopia. Turns out, it’s happening pretty fast (and trust me, these people know what they’re talking about -- they’re Canadian). The report -- which includes 10 Canadian provinces -- ranked Arkansas #51 overall in economic freedom or 43rd among the American states, putting us in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Economic Policy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Wood You Believe It: How Bureaucrats Are Splintering Economic Growth in Arkansas

October 16, 2012
AR Trees

Readers of this blog are familiar with the waste of millions of taxpayer dollars at Governor Mike Beebe’s Solyndra, LM Wind Power. The cronyism, mismanagement, and lack of accountability there is breathtaking. These concerns are not simply economic, but political and philosophical: for instance, what message is this favoritism sending to other Arkansas businesses that do not receive the same preferable treatment? Shouldn’t they be outraged that the state isn’t paying for their projects? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Economic Policy, Environmentalism Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Governor Beebe Calls AFP Ad “False, Misleading”

October 13, 2012

Governor Mike Beebe's assault on Americans For Prosperity - Arkansas continued this week. This time, Beebe is taking the fight to the airwaves, starring in a new television ad produced by the Democrat Party of Arkansas.  In the ad, Beebe calls AFP a "Virginia group" that is using "secret money" to "trash Arkansas" in a "false and misleading ad." Watch and take pride in your state's chief executive: AFP-Arkansas Director Teresa Oelke addressed some of the governor's comments directly … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Gov. Mike Beebe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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