Monday, February 18, 2013
Arkansas Politics Beware Republicans bearing gifts
Posted by Max Brantley on Mon, Feb 18, 2013 at 10:19 AM
It's HB 1042 by Nate Bell and Jason Rapert, two names that should strike fear in the hearts of fair-minded people.
One of those lonely activists who's on the lookout for damaging exploitation of Arkansas people and their resources in Fayetteville shale exploration sees a dark intent in the provision to extend common carrier protection to pipeline companies. Existing case law already works in the pipeline companies' favor, by calling it a public use if it can be shown a pipeline was not exclusively for the benefit of a single company, but could draw supplies from various producers. The argument being made by my correspondent against the pending legislation is that certain gas companies have locked down so much land in Arkansas that their pipelines in some cases will serve only their benefit, not a public use. Thus, he argues, the law to expand eminent domain powers to them is actually making the law CONTRARY to private landowners' interest.
Jason Rapert advocate for more power to condemn private land in the Fayetteville shale for gas companies? Under the guise of expanding private property protection? Jason Rapert be dishonest? You might as well tell me that Jason Rapert's original bill to virtually ban abortion would have required a transvaginal probe of women. He said it didn't and if you can't trust Jason Rapert ....
I'm sure he and the Hon. Rep. Bell can explain all this away at the proper time.
Speaking of...
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Practicing law with Bro. Rapert
May 18, 2013Sen. Jason Rapert, author of the patently unconstitutional bill to ban most abortions in Arkansas at the 12th week of pregnancy, took heart yesterday at Judge Susan Webber Wright's indication that she was inclined to uphold the part of the law that requires women seeking an abortion in the 12th week of pregnancy or later to have an ultrasound and to be shown the results of that test. /more/
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Judge Wright issues injunction against abortion law
May 17, 2013The word from the federal courthouse is that federal Judge Susan Webber Wright has issued a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the new Arkansas law that was meant to bar most abortions at the 12th week of pregnancy. /more/
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Women's rights in court this morning
May 17, 2013Leslie Newell Peacock will be in federal court for us this morning for the preliminary injunction hearing on the lawsuit challenging the new state law prohibiting most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. /more/
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The death and taxes open line
May 16, 2013The line is open. Closing out: * THERE THE GOP GOES AGAIN: The Arkansas Republican Party is in all-out assault mode on U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, today pounding him for saying seven years ago that he supported permanent repeal of the estate tax (dishonestly called a "death tax" by the Republicans) but joining in recent bipartisan approval of what is now a dramatically lower estate tax. /more/
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How the Arkansas legislature has changed your life
May 9, 2013For better or for worse. /more/
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The terrible 10 of the 89th Arkansas General Assembly
May 9, 2013They're the worst of the worst. /more/
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Diamonds in the manure of the Arkansas legislature
May 9, 2013Some legislators and legislation shone. /more/
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'Powder, lead, walnut, brass and steel': Nate Bell's tribute to weapons
May 7, 2013Kind of a nicely written narrative from Rep. Nate Bell of Mena on what he says was a formative episode of his youth, when, he says, a 30-30 rifle gave him the backing he needed to scare a would-be intruder away from his Alabama home. /more/
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More Bell bashing
May 2, 2013I am a resident of Massachusetts and the aunt of Lauren Rousseau. You might recognize her name; her body was blown apart by some of the 154 shots of the Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle that Adam Lanza used in his massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. There were 20 innocent children and 5 other adults also murdered that day. /more/
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Lyons: Nate Bell doesn't know Boston
April 25, 2013For what it's worth, almost everybody in Arkansas who can find Massachusetts on a road map was appalled by state Rep. Nate Bell's grotesquely inappropriate Twitter post. /more/
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Comments (15)
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