Arkansas Blog

Can Beebe change the system from deep inside lobbyist pockets?

I said that the daily per diem should suffice for lunch. I haven't read the article yet because I work for a living-- but Mr. Blomley is destined to be on the other end of tape recorder when he next talks to me. Perhaps I'll post the MP3 on this site. He leaves out everything that doesn't cast me as "Arkansas' version of Kinky Friedman."

This is where it would be nice to have another NEWSPAPER in Arkansas. Maybe the Arkansas Times should occasionaly break ranks and do a NEWS story. You're missing a great campaign in Europe Max. You miss it even more when you are in Arkansas.

Maybe it is time to take a look at the entire part of the Constitution that calls for bi-annual sessions and the low pay structure. The report in the DoG shows that the members continue to need to meet during the interim period and that the state is paying for that with per diem costs. We remember the issue of how many miles it is from Conway to Little Rock depending on whether you are a state employee being reimbursed or a state representative.

Should they meet annually? Can anyone actually predict with any accuracy two years into the future when the federal government is meeting about 32 days a year and constantly changing the rules.

Perhaps Beebe needs to appoint a comittee of business persons and government representatives to see how government works or may be better, how it should work if their first aim is to serve the people and not just get re-elected. This should include whether the legislature should have its own experts groups available as consultants and not have to rely on lobbists. The Feds could use this also since they eliminated the Congressional Science Office where they did have experts on a number of subjects.

When you make 4 times your legislative pay in per diem payments, something isn't in balance. The current feelings of some of us out in the trenches paying the bills is that we are getting the best government money can buy on both the state and federal levels.

Sounds like Max is a Holt supporter. One of his tip five issues is the "not one cup of coffee rule" which he threatens to take to the people via ballot initivative if the legde does not act.

Holt is on the right (as in correct) side of this issue. A lot of people may vote for him on this one issue. Beebe and Halter and others should adopt this stand.

Asa at least said that HE wouldn't accept a lunch or dinner or anything from lobbyist. He recommended that same policy for the leg, but said that they would have to set thier own rules. Beebe wouldn't even give a personal committment that he wouldn't take freebies from lobbyist because that would end his golf games and nights out at Brave New Restaurant.

These people may protest all they want that their vote can't be bought for the price of a dinner. But, the fact that lobbyists are lining up to give them dinners puts the lie to that claim.

If these pocket stuffing bastards can't feed & house themselves in Little Rock on the per diem, then maybe they should just bow out of politics and stay home running their businesses.

The influence of money in politics is no different than the influence of advwertisers on the media. The newsies aren't going to go out of their way to screw their patrons, but if the story needs to be written it will be written. We need to stop talking about ethics (and God) and start talking about government and ideas. If politicians are working on the problems of the people they wont be working to serve themselves.

If the news covered elections, government, and details the politicians wouldn't have to spend some much time and effort raising money. They have to raise money to frame themselves to the public becasue the media does such a terrible job of it. Quit writing about fund-raising and "ethics" and write about the issues and the personalities. Why not publics the entire text of a few speaches rather than cut one sentence out and fill in the page with connectors. That will solve a lot of problems right there.

Zach Wright: This guy is a idiot. No wonder Harlod Ford Jr. didn't want him on his Senate Campaign.

You're right, Max. They'll TALK right. If any of them ever would DO right we wouldn't need the press to watch over them anymore, would we? So, who is watching over them now?

"Asa at least said that HE wouldn't accept a lunch or dinner or anything from lobbyist."

Go take a look at his financial report.