Destiny Knocks On Arkansas' Big Government Plantation Door

Bill Smith, Editor: I commend the Arkansas Republican legislative members who, as the minority party, challenged Arkansas Plantation Politics which has burdened average Arkansans. The background of this worthy attempt is detailed in the related article presented below.

If Arkansas is going to confront the "enslavement by big government," its consumption of the personal and corporate incomes of Arkansans, and the burden of its by-product "government waste," we need committed conservatives not Obama-lite or McCain-lite to be elected as Arkansas State representatives and senators in November, 2012. As much as I hope for the defeat of Barack Obama in 2012, I hope that awakened Arkansans now see the elected Obama go along, get along Democrats who have supported the efforts of Barack Obama and Mike Beebe.

Gov. Mike Beebe, as the senior elected member of the Arkansas Democrat Party, has willfully led and promoted the efforts of Big Intrusive Government including advocating for implementation of Obamacare. It is not that Arkansas government has not been intrusive before Mike Beebe (who has been a fixture of Big Government for a very long time). However, now, Arkansans have had enough of Government programs consuming their incomes, savings and retirements without equivalent reasonable returns in services. It is primarily elected Arkansas House and Senate Democrats, who are and have been funding and supporting the programs desired by the Governor Beebe . These members have shored up and protected Beebe's efforts. These democrats have  ignored the public or have attempted to persuade their constituents that they are doing their best when in fact they have been unwilling to even give serious consideration to challenging State Government 1) to do more with less especially in today's technological world and 2) to eliminate and / or to consolidate inefficient agencies and departments. Some of them have even openly filed briefs to the Supreme Court supporting Obamacare in Arkansas.

Enough is enough! Today began the week (only one week) in which the citizens have an opportunity to file for elected office to replace these progressive liberal members of the legislature. We also have a unique opportunity which happens once every 10 years: ALL positions of the Arkansas State Senate as well as the State Legislature are up for election. Destiny Knocks On Arkansas' Big Government Plantation Door. I pray that people will seize this opportunity.

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Katherine Vasilos, Communications Director, Republican Party of Arkansas: Democrats in the Arkansas General Assembly are simply unwilling to compromise when it comes to reducing waste, fraud and abuse in state government. Rather than working with legislative Republicans to compromise on a leaner state budget for 2013, Democrats are playing politics with Arkansas jobs by threatening state worker layoffs.

The reality is that Democrats are fearful of Republicans who are bringing new ideas to the political process.

Last week, the GOP proposed a budget that reduces spending in Governor Beebe’s $4.7 billion budget from 3.5 to 3.1 percent – hardly the disaster Democrats want you to think it is. $21 million in spending reductions is absolutely achievable without layoffs, yet Democrats say they are “not willing to give an inch” when it comes to compromise.

When Arkansas families tighten their belts, state agencies need to as well. Battles for efficiency in the way our state spends taxpayer money are battles well-fought for the people of Arkansas.

In fact, on Wednesday a Republican-sponsored bill to cut funding for lawmakers’ dues to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Council of State Government was voted down by Democratic lawmakers on the Joint Budget Committee. The bill would have saved the state $267,400 by ending this taxpayer-funded perk. It’s clear we need to trim our state budget and it’s even clearer that state lawmakers should start with themselves.

It’s sad to see Arkansas Democrats embracing this type of Washington politics instead of a truly bipartisan budget that will benefit Arkansans by preserving much needed services like Medicaid. If our state can’t find ways to reduce the budget today, where will we find the money to a fund a projected $250 million Medicaid shortfall next year?

By introducing a conservative budget alternative, legislative Republicans have successfully opened up the traditionally Democratic-controlled, behind the scenes state budgeting process to the people of Arkansas. State government should be held accountable to the taxpayers of Arkansas, period.

Take action today! Click here to submit a letter to your local paper thanking Arkansas Republicans for fighting to reduce spending, protect Medicaid and increase transparency.

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Tags: Arkansas, Plantation Politics, Reducing Waste, Protecting Medicaid, Opening Up State Government, Mike Beebe, big government, democrats, recuced government , republicans, legislative members, legislature, media, RPA, Republican Party of Arkansas To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!