How I'm Voting On 5 Arkansas Ballot Issues & Why
Beware though if you print it, you may just get part of it will come off; and you will have to look back at you computer to fill in the information for the part that did not print off. However, I hope all the ballot issues will print out for you.
Prior polls on these ballot issues can be found Here.
Be sure to vote! Early voting starts Oct 22. Voting Day is November 6.
Description of Issues via the Arkansas Secretary of State website:
Issue One - AGAINST - This is referred to the people by the legislature by SJR8:
"Proposing an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to limit attorneys' contingency fees in civil actions to thirty-three and one-third percent (33 1/3%) of the net recovery; to limit awards of punitive damages and non-economic damages in civil actions; to require adjustments to the limitations on punitive and non-economic damage awards for inflation or deflation; and to provide that the General Assembly may, by a three-fifths vote of each house, amend or repeal a rule of pleading, practice, or procedure prescribed by the Supreme Court and adopt a rule of pleading, practice, or procedure." Read the full text
1. It is a constitutional amendment so it cannot be ruled unconstitutional. We need to think long and hard about changing the constitution. If in doubt, don"t vote either way.
2. Issue One is step toward doing away with juries by limiting the amount awarded by the jury for the injured party.
3. Issue One is a power grab by the legislature. It actually gives the legislature power over the judicial system by taking over the Separation of Powers, the three branches of government: executive branch, judicial branch, and legislative branch. Issue one allows legislatures to pass laws on what kinds of evidence can be admitted into court. The hidden dagger in Issue One: They can destroy your case by limiting what evidence can be admitted into court.
4. Every conservative organization that I know of in the state, but one, is opposed to this particular Tort Reform, Issue One.
a. Jerry Cox with Family Council is having meetings with pastors to oppose Issue One. Cox says: "Note, the Family Council has never opposed responsible tort reform. Ultimately, Issue One says that some lives are more valuable than others. It says that your life's value is determined by what you earn at the time of a tragedy." Thus a stay at home mom would be worth less than a working mom. The same applies for a child or infant, retired veteran, a Down Syndrome individual, or a nursing home resident or someone who is retired.
b. Arkansas Right to Life Executive Director Rose Mimms wrote an editorial opposing Issue One. The title of her article is Arkansas Proposed amendment Puts a Price Tag on Life..
c. Conduit for Action opposes it! Conduit for Action is one of the most conservative and reliable organizations in the state.
d. Secure Arkansas also opposes it.
Points shared by Jerry Cox on Paul Harrel Program on Issue One:
b. It is a moral issue - No justice for the poor, the injured, etc.
c. Issue One shields nursing homes, bad hospitals etc. from lawsuits , but especially will hurt the stay-at-home mom.
d. Jerry Cox was against this kind of tort reform in 2003 and fought nursing homes on this very same thing. That Tort Reform was defeated in 2003.
e. Why are you against it people ask, and say they are Republicans; and Republicans are for tort reform. This tort reform shields bad hospitals and nursing homes and hurts the pro life movement.
f. It tilts justice against those that don't have a lobbyist whispering in their ear. People that are disabled or little children don't have a lobbyist to work for them.
g. Having big corporations pay fines is the only avenue you have to stop them from continuing bad actions.
h. The Civil Justice system holds powerful corporations and businesses accountable. This law would shield them from accountability.
i. Ordinary tort reform covers only medical malpractice but Issue One covers ALL forms of liability; Issue One law deals with every kind of lawsuit against any business you can dream up. It is not like the Tort Reform of surrounding states.
Issue Two - FOR I think most people understand the reason to vote For this issue. Referred to the people by the legislature. HJR1016.
Issue Two - "An amendment to the Arkansas Constitution concerning the presentation of valid photographic identification when voting; requiring that a voter present valid photographic identification when voting in person or when casting an absentee ballot; and providing that the State of Arkansas issue photographic identification at no charge to eligible voters lacking photographic identification." [Read the full text]
This initiative was by the people with long, hard hours of gathering petitions to restore the term limits that the legislature deceptively took away from us. In 2014, the legislature fooled the people with their so-called Ethics Bill.
Legislators also use unethical deceptive techniques to get bills passed. As an example, practically no one even knows that two Arkansas representatives, one Democrat "Warwick Sabin and one Republican Jon Woods [now sentenced for 18 years in prison] sponsored (and passed) a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment to corrupt our 'term limit' amendment of 1992 that citizens worked for so many years to get passed."
That 'term limits' language is [was] hidden at the end of an ETHICS bill. Legislators know everyone wants ethics reform so what better place to hide it. The title of the 22-page bill is unusually long, 157 words, with only nine words at the very end pertaining to term limits, and deceptively reads, 'establishing term limits for members of the General Assembly.'" Putting term limits in an ethics bill is so like Washington politics.
Issue Four - AGAINST - An Amendment to Require Four Licenses to be Issued for Casino Gaming at Casinos, One Each in Crittenden (to Southland Racing Corporation), Garland (to Oaklawn Jockey Club, Inc.), Pope, and Jefferson Counties." [Read the full text]
Although proponents of Issue Four tout the increase in jobs and revenue, I agree with Jerry Cox and Family Council that the costs to society far outweigh the increased money from the gambling. "In communities where you have casinos, you have a higher rate of divorce, higher rate of bankruptcy, higher crime rate," said Cox. "You have more pathological gamblers, people who are addicted to gambling, and every one of those people who is addicted to gambling costs the society a lot of money."
Issue Five ( AGAINST) - An Act to Increase the Arkansas Minimum Wage - An Act to amend the Arkansas Code concerning the State minimum wage; the Act would raise the current State minimum wage from eight dollars and fifty cents ($8.50) per hour to nine dollars and twenty-five cents ($9.25) per hour on January 1, 2019, to ten dollars ($10.00) per hour on January 1, 2020, and to eleven dollars ($11.00) per hour on January 1, 2021." [Read the full text]
a. Minimum wage is a catch-22. On one hand, it's simply an absolute minimum pay for a job, it doesn't have to be a "liveable wage" like some think.
b. Is expensive for the consumer because management always passes on costs to the consumers.
c. Will cause loss of jobs, especially for young people.
d. Will increase inflation.
e. The problem is not increasing minimum wage, but keeping down costs.
f. Minimum wage jobs should be considered entry level positions for young people getting started in the work force.
g. In states like Washington and California where this kind of minimum wage was passed, there was a resulting closure of businesses and the implementation of robots and/or ordering kiosks that can be programmed for the menial jobs that usually pay minimum wage meaning a net loss of jobs.
In Summary:
Issue One (Tort Reform) - Against
Issue Two (Voter ID - For
Issue Three (Term Limits) - For
Issue Four (gambling) - Against
Issue Five (Minimum Wage) - Against
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Debbie Pelley is Retired Arkansas Teacher of 27 years. She is presently a grassroots citizen activist, researcher and writer who advocates for Arkansans and for transparent and limited government. She is a contribution author on the ARRA News Service.
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