Articles in the Democrat-Gazette today note the rising tide of Republicanism in the state. And, as Stephens Media notes, moderation is no virtue among today's Republican candidates in Arkansas.
I do wonder if all those making up this political trend have thought of specific consequences. Perhaps they have.
E-mail happened to bring up a couple this morning.

1) Women's rights.
Funny or Die has a darkly funny take on the Republican notion of women's medical autonomy, an elaboration of the illustration above.
2) Taxes.

It might be that Kansans and a growing number of Arkansans want a tax system that penalizes the poor and diminishes the public services on which the poor and middle class depend more. I have to believe — someday — they'll realize they did NOT want the consequences of this sort of public policy. Meanwhile .....
Kansas, of course, has one of the most punishing regimes in the country, too, when it comes to women's abortion rights.
Personhood from conception, a tax on abortion, withholding of medical information from women, invasive procedures — Kansas now has it all, Gov. Brownback presiding. Nor is dissent much tolerated. Remember how Kansas school officials came down with both feet on Emma Sulllivan, a high school student who criticized Brownback? She's still catching grief on Twitter as a result. A while back, she said she was looking forward to attending the University of Arkansas. We could use her, judging by recent trends.

So far, quiet. The line is open.
* CANVASSING REPORTS:
1) Here's a Facebook link for what's happening with the ethics reform troops.
2) And here you can follow the group working on medical marijuana.

Channel 4 reports a fatal shooting near 6th and Louisiana about 1:15 a.m. today. If you're counting, it's homicide #19 for the year in Little Rock.

Officer Michelle Howard, who explained that while the initial radio call mentioned an address on 6th, where a big event with DJs was underway at Lulav, the report of trouble actually came from the Mediums Art Lounge at 521 Center Street, in the same city block, but around the corner from Lulav. Both occupy space in a larger building that once housed the Draughon School of Business.) That call was to a disturbance, not a shooting. After officers arrived, they heard gunshots and found the body of a man fatally shot on a parking lot north of the building. The victim was identified as Terry Bullard, 18, of Little Rock.
Channel 4 says he just graduated this week from Central High School and was headed to play football at Henderson State. His family said he was at the wrong place at the wrong time Friday night.
Forbidden Hillcrest, a steady monitor of police traffic, said things started with a fight and police were on hand when someone was shot, according to radio transmissions.
Crowds were attracted to both clubs — because of the "all white affair" at Lulav, in which patrons are encouraged to wear white attire, and the "Pink Friday" at Mediums.
Just got word from Wes Broadstone about a cool show tonight around 7 p.m. at Dedicated Art Studio. It's in remembrance of the late, great Victor Wiley, Little Rock's sui generis artist, activist, musician, dancer and guy who threw glitter all over everybody.
Broadstone said there would be some of Wiley's art on display and live performances from the Broadstone brothers' band, The Crisco Kids, as well as The Intestines and The Side Hustlers. The cover is $3.
Little Rock's The Alpha Ray — playing the Stickyz Music Tent at Riverfest tonight — has an album coming out this fall on Thick Syrup Records. It's being mastered as we speak by none other than Ken Stringfellow, of The Posies/Minus 5/Big Star/a jillion other bands.
While the record won't be out quite yet, you can check out this track, "Berlin Rainbow," after the jump.
The Alpha Ray dudes are Bryan Frazier, Jonathan Teague (Clicking Beetle Bad Omen Band, The Many Persian Z's), Chris Avakian (Flaming Death Fairies, The Many Persian Z's), and David Stone (Landrest).
Robert Pattinson, the actor who plays sparkly, emasculated vampire Edward Cullen in the "Twilight" series, has told the magazine Les Rockuptibles that one of the projects he'll be taking on in coming months is a film about "The Band."
Before you start thinking the ghost of Levon is going to appear and stake his ass, this might actually be interesting. Beyond all the Twigasming, Pattison is an reasonably good young actor — his turn as Stephanie Meyer's whiny, tubercular virgin-slayer not withstanding — and probably has enough pull in Hollywood these days to bring some real money and talent to what will have to be an ensemble project.
Besides, you can't possibly hate Edward as much as Robert Pattinson does.
From the interview with Les Rockuptibles:
Q: What are you working on right now?
RP: I'm going to do a movie about The Band, the one that played with Dylan: a beautiful script about the nature of songwriting. I'm preparing a thriller too, with a beautifully written script too. It doesn't have a director yet. Tons of French directors are in line to to do. A few years ago, Latin America was where it's happening, it seems it's France turn now ... I'm filming another movie with Cronenberg but i don't know when he wants to start filming. It's going to be his first one in the US and he promises it's going to be very strange. The next two or three years are going to be crucial for me. It's now that that everything happens.
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