Ever notice how elected officials show up for all manner of things in the months prior to an election, however they’re nowhere to be seen, don’t reply to mail or email (I don’t count the boilerplate garbage they actually send), and pretty much don’t exist in our world.
The world they do exist in is a world of conniving, cheating, lying, misrepresenting truth, and generally dirty pool. Don’t believe me?
We, actually I, have been watching this legislative session and find that there’s nothing being done that in any way reflects the needs or wants of the grassroots. Amazing, in that at the last state convention there were more grassroots people there than legacy republicans. You will note that I did not (and will not) capitalize republican, as those who belong to that political party usually don’t follow their own party rules nor do they honor or follow their platform. They can be lots of things (and they are) but they’re not big “R” republicans.
There’s a rumor floating around – this is a rumor, presented because it fits the situation, but there’s no proof – that Governor Sanders had a poll of 
“constituents” (no one I know participated) and from that poll determined the five topics of most interest to republicans. Seemingly her brand of republicans, not the grassroots (even though grassroots outnumbered legacy republicans at the convention.) She supposedly, through back channels, communicated those five topics to the legislature with the requirement that nothing except those topics would be passed in this session.
This action is completely in character for the tyrant who was elected because she was Trump’s White House Press Secretary, and no other reason. Elected to the highest office in Arkansas without any experience as an elected official prior to that. She did have a lot of experience as a consultant to both Arkansas Senators, Boozman and Cotton, and was an advisor in Trump’s 2016 campaign. Given our Senator’s lack of support for grassroots issues, it makes sense that’s where she got her political training.
She is the perfect example of the nut not falling far from the tree. She governs just like her dad, another governor with limited political experience. Mike Huckabee was Lieutenant Governor from 1993 to 1996, replacing Jim Guy Tucker when Bill Clinton was elected President. Other than that, Mike’s only elected experience was being Lieutenant Governor when Tucker resigned.
Republicans in Arkansas control the state, holding all constitutional offices. You would think they’d be on board with the programs on President Trump’s agenda, government efficiency, cost savings, transparency. In Arkansas it seems to be none of the above. Instead we’re looking at bills that allow alien truck drivers who cannot speak or read English, who do not have a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) the right to drive on Arkansas roads in place of a bill that would have prohibited it and saved lives. Arkansas legislature is also prone to weaken the FOIA law since the Governor decided she didn’t like people knowing who was traveling with her.
This is what happens when elected officials believe the system is there for their benefit and not to serve the people. It’s also disturbing when state senators work against any bill originating in their county as a way to revenge their perceived injury by the 2024 convention taking their vote in party matters away. Kind of venial and small, but unfortunately expected if you want to move into a constitutional office when your final term is done. This is how politics works in Arkansas.
Then we get the mantra that “any ‘R’ is better than a ‘D.’” We disagree. First of all it’s hypocritical to disregard half of the population, and to be clear on this, an honest democrat is preferable to a lying republican. Any day. At least then we’d know what we were getting.
It’s time for county committees in Arkansas to actually read the platform and require that candidates follow it. Anyone who puts their personal good 
above the platform and the law needs to be removed. Primaries are a good tool, voting for the competition is the alternative.
When Governor Sanders and her henchmen in the legislature decide to do the right thing and govern according to their own platform she and they will deserve our support.
Until then, she’s just another corrupt politician being followed by corrupt politicians.
If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Jack’s Substack for more of the same type of content.
Continuity planning, civilian and military
Recent Comments