From the web
In response to “The heart(less) of the Arkansas Republican Party”
Why is the cost of the GED rising so dramatically? Follow the money — straight to Pearson testing. The same folks who are requiring school districts across the country to dramatically and expensively upgrade technology to “better” test everyone have partnered with GED testing services to require significant technology to take the GED test. Instead of arguing if the state should continue to pay for students’ GED testing because those folks “should have” taken advantage of public education when they had the chance, perhaps we should ask why those costs have gone up so much and who is going to make a sizable profit from this dramatic increase in fees! Is there any proof that the current test, a cheap paper-and-pencil test, is not satisfactory? Is there any proof this new computerized test will be better? I think our priorities as a state should be to help as many people as possible acquire a diploma or a GED. Pricing people out of taking a GED exam is penny wise and pound foolish.
Inthetrenches
In response to “Coming: Behind-the-scenes account of 1980 Titan missile accident in Damascus, Ark”
I remember standing in the student’s lounge at Tulane watching the news account. One of my classmates asked if I knew where Damascus was. “Yeah,” I said. ” I know exactly where that missile silo is. My grandparents live 10 miles from there.” Silence.
Bopbamboom
In response to “Gun control group to spend $350,000 against Pryor”
Pryor’s been disappointing on a LOT of issues. I’m not saying Cotton isn’t worse. I’m saying that if you decide that your job as a Senator is to be a limp wind sock for the NRA, you have to expect this type of reaction. I’m sick and tired of being asked to vote for someone because the other guy could be worse.
Archaeopteryx
Mayor Bloomberg and his Madison Avenue consultants have a thing or two to learn about Arkansas politics.
Radical Centrist
At least we know the enemy with Cotton. I’m sick of being ashamed of Democrats in name only like Pryor. At least with Cotton we know he is a whacked out gun nut who wants to kill everyone who disagrees with him. I think Cotton is so extreme he helps the long-term cause. Pryor is much more dangerous in the long run and voting for the lesser of two evils makes everyone hate politics and politicians.
Joshua Drake
Man, I’m not in love with Pryor either, but if the Mayors Against Illegal Guns think that someone to the left of Pryor can beat him in a primary and then win a general, or that any Republican candidate for an Arkansas Senate seat will have stronger positions on gun issues than Pryor does, they’re crazier than Tom Cotton.
Boxy
What the hell is it with Arkansas and mediocrity? It’s as if the Democratic Party went on autopilot in 1992 still living on memories of Bill Clinton. Jason Willet’s NEA Mafia of 2006 brought us Martha Shoffner and Dustin McDaniel. The lack of support for Joyce Elliot and Bill Halter by the rural party apparatchiks. The embarrassment of having to trot out Gene Jeffress as the 4th District standard-bearer only to be “cottonfodder” by the Koch Brothers/CFG/ALEC’s hand-picked candidate. There is still plenty of deadwood in much of the Democratic Party of Arkansas’s rural delegates. It’s not 1966 anymore.
LinCo Progressive
In response to “Tom Cotton’s attack on the Constitution”
Tom Cotton came from a very old and well respected Yell County family. His grandmother was one of the most beautiful, classy and beloved women around. She knew Yell County history inside and out and I used to listen to her eloquent stories for hours. His parents are hard-working, kind, very attractive, civic- and community-minded people who are known and are respected by most everyone around. It would be hard, if not impossible to find anything negative to say about Tom’s family. Had either of Tom’s parents run for any office, I, as well as most of the county, would have been out campaigning every day for them. But they didn’t run. Their son who grew up here, but left as soon as he graduated from high school, never to return except for brief visits, did run. Unless someone knew the son from high school, no one really “knew” him as an adult. But because the parents are so well-respected and highly regarded, many people voted for the son, based on his military service, first class education, the fact he is an “R”, and had unlimited out of state resources to paint a high gloss picture of all of the above. It was hoped and assumed that “the apple didn’t fall from the tree.” Many Democrats crossed over and voted for the son of their lifelong friends. So, no, the parents should not be blamed for Tom’s extremist views. He developed those through his many years and life experiences outside of Arkansas because he hasn’t lived here in 19 years. On the other hand, there are people around here who think and feel just as he does, and as long as those people can get the votes out, these are the people who will be elected. But his choices as an adult cannot be blamed on his family. You couldn’t find nicer people than his parents.
Mountain Girl
Tall Talking “Rotten” Cotton is at it again! If the Club for Growth puppeteers provide him with a script, his mouth will say whatever they want it too. Is Constitutional Law still taught in Law School? Having seen some of the legislation offered by “Bullet” Bob Ballinger and now “Rotten” Cotton, it just makes me wonder.
RYD
In response to “Loca Luna loses court challenge of parking plan for The Fold”
Like Kissinger said, restaurant politics are so vicious because the steaks are so small…
Bulkington
Wait, is Loca Luna doing this just to block a new (and great; my wife and I had some very tasty tacos there on Sunday night) restaurant from opening down the street from them? If so, this gives me another reason not to eat there. That and their crappy menu that hasn’t changed in over 10 years.
pittoftheozarks
I had brunch at Loca Luna the other day. The hollandaise was a sight to behold: lime green and watery. I would tackle THAT problem before I try to run off another restaurant.
Blue State
In response to “The Chamber of Commerce crusade to curtail lawsuits”
Zook’s “widely recognized problem” is an urban myth created by the insurance industry and promulgated by the multimillionaire mainstream media. I assume he has no problem with an Arkansas jury sentencing an Arkansan to death. Cutting insurance company profits, on the other hand, that would be serious.
Silverback66
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