News and Views on Politics, Policy and More
Last night, I witnessed the Searcy debate between incumbent Rep. Mark Biviano and his Democrat challenger Kyle Osborne. If the voters make a choice based on the candidates' performances, Osborne is in serious trouble. In his opening statement, Osborne began by saying he’s running for state representative because he has 30 years of law enforcement experience and “we need a little law enforcement in Little Rock.” He continued by saying he wants to go to the legislature to “serve … [Read more...]
Earlier this week, Governor Mike Beebe created a bit of a kerfuffle when he spoke before a group of business leaders at the Arkansas Governor’s Quality Awards ceremony. Rather than discussing whatever it is you discuss at those fancy dinners, Beebe took to the lectern to criticize the allegedly sinister Americans For Prosperity-Arkansas and their new television ad. The ad talks about the shrinking opportunity in our state due to the growth of government and lack of economic freedom (which, … [Read more...]
Did you know that, in the state of Arkansas, it’s easier to become an EMT than a barber? Emergency Management Technicians are allowed on the job after only 28 days of training. Barbers must obtain 350 days of training. In fact, 30 licensed occupations require longer training than EMTs in the state. You may remember that earlier in the week I wrote about the Institute for Justice’s new report that ranked Arkansas as the “5th most broadly and onerously licensed state in the country.” … [Read more...]
When he was in the state legislature, AAI President Dan Greenberg worked to limit the reach of the state’s bureaucracy. Namely, he tried to rein in the state’s Interior Design Board, as detailed in this story from Reason; he ultimately succeeded in limiting its powers by combining it with two other agencies and depriving it of a majority on its governing board. Last November, David Kinkade wrote about the state’s contractor licensing racket that was ‘hammering’ builders in the state. … [Read more...]
