Thursday, April 26, 2012
The end of the week is in sight
Posted by Max Brantley on Thu, Apr 26, 2012 at 4:34 PM
The Thursday line is open. Final words:
* TRIBUTE TO LEVON HELM: Gov. Mike Beebe has ordered state flags to fly at half-staff Friday in tribute to Levon Helm, the Marvell native musician who died last week.
* ONE MORE REASON REPUBLICANS HATE OBAMACARE: It costs insurance companies money. Remember the requirement that insurance companies must spend 80 to 85 percent of the money they take in on health care?
By this August, insurers are projected to send consumers a total of $1.3 billion in rebates, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis released Thursday — $541 million to large employers, $377 million to small businesses and $426 million to people with their own insurance plans.
We have to nip that crap in the bud right NOW! Right, Timmy G?
* COWBOYS AND INDIANS: An 8-year-old boy took a .22 pistol to Daisy Bates Elementary today. It was discovered without harm to anyone. He said he wanted to play cowboys and Indians with friends and showed it to one friend, who alerted a teacher. The teacher found the gun in a backpack, cocked and ready to fire. His father told deputies he thought the gun had been in a locked cabinet. School officials said the child would be expelled.
* FIRST IT WAS OLD FOLKS; NOW IT'S STUDENTS: U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin has already thrown in on Republican budget plans that will end Medicare as guaranteed health coverage for seniors. Today, it's the young people he's screwing over. He'd earlier voted for a Republican budget that would allow doubling of student loan rates for 67,000 Arkansas students. Today, he voted against a Democratic Party plan to block the student loan interest rate increase and pay for it by ending tax breaks for big oil companies. Arkansas students or big oil companies? Easy choice for Republicans and Tim Griffin. They'll offer a plan to prevent the doubling of interest rates by taking it out of government support for health care, such as immunizations. Big oil tax breaks or money for kids in need of shots? Easy call for Republicans.
* TROUT HATCHERIES SAVED: Joe Mosby of Stephens Media is reporting that it looks like something has been worked on keeping important trout hatcheries in Arkansas operating.
Speaking of...
-
Sunday morning: IRS, Kochs and movies
May 19, 2013Not much new to report this morning. If all goes well, I'm going to catch at least three movies today at the Little Rock Film Festival. /more/
-
Welcome Sen. Elizabeth Warren
May 13, 2013Upworthy, a site worth following, posts this on inaugural legislation by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. /more/
-
Has Arkansas deregulated guns or not?
May 8, 2013John Lyon of Stephens Media examines at some length today a simmering topic in the gun nut community that is of general interest. /more/
-
Tuesday topics
May 7, 2013The line is open. Final words: * THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT HAS DESIGNS ON ARKANSAS: Church and State magazine reports on plans by the American Renewal Project, a Religious Right organization, to politically target 12 states including Arkansas in 2014 to "restore America to its Judeo-Christian heritage." /more/
-
Asa Hutchinson on the NRA speakers platform today
May 3, 2013Good to be associated with the extremists of the NRA? In Arkansas Republican circles, the answer is a big ja wohl! /more/
-
Mark Pryor: Stooge of the Night on Letterman show
April 27, 2013As several have noted, David Letterman made Mark Pryor his stooge of the night last night for his vote with the NRA to defeat legislation to expand gun purchase background checks to gun shows. /more/
-
May more Sundays be the same
April 21, 2013Nice ays wasn't it? Quiet, except for the CYA noise from up in Faulkner County where Rep. Tim "Pipeline" Griffin is busy 'splainin' how that oil-spewing pipeline isn't like the other pipeline he wants to build carrying the same dangerous stuff. /more/
-
UPDATE: Nate Bell shoots from lip on Boston violence; Speaker Carter apologizes for him; Bell apologizes for 'timing'
April 19, 2013(For readers new to this site: Nate Bell is a Republican state representative from Mena. /more/
-
Griffin touts Exxon to oiled constituency
April 11, 2013Put yourself in the shoes of Rev. Pat Robertson or one of the other clerics who insist that disasters, whether natural or manmade, are God's way of showing His wrath over the stupid things people are doing. /more/
-
Gun battles (political) rage on
April 10, 2013The New York Times examines why some states — Colorado and Connecticut — have been successful in enacting gun safety laws while Congress has been stymied. /more/
- More »
Comments (42)
Showing 1-42 of 42
More by Max Brantley
-
'Tort reform' proposal alters balance of power
The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the businesses it represent are pushing hard for a "tort reform" constitutional amendment to overturn the Arkansas Supreme Court's continued insistence that damaged people are entitled to a fair day in court.; Businesses, tired of a level playing field, propose nothing less than a radical reshaping of the balance of government.
- Mar 25, 2013
-
Kevin Kresse sculpture added to Riverfront Park
City officials this morning dedicated the latest addition to the sculpture collection in Riverfront Park — "Breaking the Cycle" by Little Rock artist Kevin Kresse.
- May 15, 2013
- More »
Event Calendar
-
Re: Martha Shoffner's day in court
I don't wish to see her in jail, but she is unfit for public office…
- on May 20, 2013
-
Re: It Could Happen to You: the open line
Women are now legally free to roam bare-breasted in New York City.
In February…- on May 20, 2013
-
Re: UPDATE: FBI confirms State Treasurer Martha Shoffner's arrest, apparently for official misconduct
And if their case is based on testimony of Cord Rapert (cousin of Republican Sen…
- on May 19, 2013
Top Commenters
Blogroll
Slideshows
-
May 16, 2013
Site Index
News
Cover Story / Arkansas Reporter / The Week That Was / Smart Talk / The Insider / The Observer / Editorial / Max Brantley / Ernest Dumas / Gene Lyons / Bob Lancaster / Words / Guest Writer / Letters
Entertainment
A&E Feature / To-Do List / In Brief / Movie Reviews / Music Reviews / Theater Reviews / A&E News / Art Notes / Graham Gordy / Books / Media / Dining Reviews / Dining Guide / What's Cookin' / Calendar / The Televisionist / Movie Listings / Gallery Listings
This Week's Cover
Quick Links
Special Publications
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
