Most Secular and Liberal Dem Ticket in History Begins to Prove it
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We did all in our power to warn people about the state Democratic ticket in 06, saying it was the "most secular and liberal" state-wide ticket the Democratic party had ever offered to Arkansas voters. Though the phrase was repeated often by many others, the warnings fell on deaf ears. The general electorate was angry, and the Republican candidates had a mill-stone around their neck in the person of President George W. Bush. It didn't help that the top of the ticket heartily embraced the mill-stone that would sink them all straight to the bottom.
Our warning is quickly proving to be all too accurate, and Democratic legislators must now decide whether or not to embrace what could wind up to be their own mill-stones in elections to come.
(continued- click THURSDAY below and scroll down for rest of story, or if sent straight here just scroll down)
posted by Mark Moore (Moderator) at Thursday, January 25, 2007
12 Comments:
Government Spending:
Governor Beebe very cunningly began the session with talk of a grocery tax cut. Now that the dust is clearing from the budget brouha we see that our biggest surplus in history is going to be divided up among interest groups, not be given back to the voters. The tax cut is miniscule relative to the size of the annual overcharges, rely partly on raiding trust funds, and already the "phase out" of the grocery tax is being "phased out". Talk of a date certain for getting the rest of it gone is fading. Meanwhile, the expansion of government programs faster than the increase in earnings of taxpayers continues. Several programs are being expanded that will involve on-going committments, not one-time measures. In one or two election cycles, there is going to be talk of budget deficeits and tax increases. People will remember (perhaps with reminders from opponents) that the current group of legislators has an $830 million dollar surplus and general revenues that were almost $200 million each year over spending. They will be remembered as the ones who blew that big a wad the next time a budget shortfall comes up.
Government Scope:
An expansion of Pre-K is a good example of this. The idea that government should be in charge of children during the tender formative ages of three and four is a nanny-state liberal idea that would have shocked our grandmothers. Despite claims to the contrary, no valid studies show it does any long term good. It is government jumping into the culture war against stay-at-home-moms. Almost everyone agrees that the public schools are doing a poor job with their present scope of responsibilities. Yet the new bunch continues to push Pre-K.
Though growth of government spending and scope are two areas that got Bush in trouble and might get state Democrats in trouble too one day, even Bush had enough sense to tread lightly on this next one. The so-called Equal Rights Amendment has the potential to turn voters ugly-angry in years to come, once its effects take root. The amendment has been used to push for homosexual marriage in several states. It expands the intrusion of the federal government into states and into businesses, and makes sue-happy lawyers very happy. I don't even have time to go into all the potential disasters that could stem from passage of the ERA, and they were all gone over in the 70s and early 80s- that is why the thing went dead. Radical feminists and homosexual rights activists are hoping everyone has forgotten the lessons from those days, but Beebe, Halter and McDaniel presumably know what they are doing. They are pushing this thing knowing that it will let in through the back door of the courts things that they would not dare try or admit to supporting as legislation.
When Republican candidates tried to make an issue of this during the campaign they were roundly critisized. In two cases their opponents radiated indignation and denied everything. The press insinuated they were not running on "real issues", and accused them of needless fear-mongering. People simply did not accept that the Democratic candidates would do anything to advance the homosexual agenda, (even though McDaniel unlike the other two, did not deny his support for homosexual civil unions). Yet it now seems that Hutchinson, Holt and DeLay were correct in their warnings. Among their very first acts, the state-wide Democratic office holders have a big event where they push the very thing that gay-rights groups are pinning their hopes on- an ERA amendment that activist judges can use to do an end-run the will of the people.
What Democratic legislators need to decide, and in a hurry, is if they want to play along or keep their independence. Their national opposite numbers, the Congressional Republicans, decided to follow the leader- and got turned out of office when his policies went sour. So there you have it. Do they follow Beebe et al even down a road that veers far to the left of their comfort zone, or do they assert their independence on these issues? Stay tuned.
"All of the arguments against this amendment existed and were used against allowing women the right to vote," Beebe said at the rally sponsored by the Arkansas Business and Professional Women's Association, which has lobbied for ratification of the ERA since the 1970s.
What on earth is that man talking about?
One fear we have over the ERA is that courts will use it to ram homosexual marriage, adoption, employment, etc. down our throats. Was THAT used as an "argument against allowing women the right to vote"?
Did we even HAVE activist judges back then? What about a climate of lawsuits that cripple business. Was THAT a factor in 1915?
Is there anyone out there who can make any sense at all out of what the Governor is saying? Is anyone concerned that what he is saying makes no sense?
It looks like only "The Brotherhood" can save us now. No wonder Brummett tried to demonize them.
They will be remembered as the ones who blew that big a wad the next time a budget shortfall comes up.
worth repeating.
What is it Republicans are fond of saying? Oh yeah, I remember, it goes something like this: If you don't like Amerka then leave.
Since the voters of Arkansas have elected the most liberal ticket of all times, then it follows logically that I should say:
If you don't like Arkansas, then move to Alabama where bigotry is still tolerated.
Oh, I get it Rob. We're all supposed to despise anyone YOU label as a "sexist" or "bigot," but it's okay for you to generalize and discriminate against people based upon what state they live in. That old liberal logic.
Rob the "walking cliche" strikes again.
This time he brilliantly works BIGOTRY into his argument. (next time will it be sexism or homophobia...stay tuned)
You guys beat me to the punch, proof he left himself wide open.
Ro-bert-o my friend, I could either move to Alabama or become a liberal, since liberal bigotry and intolerence is never acknowledged as such!
Boys and girls, we're about to have our rights trampled on and our freedoms being revoked. As Gerald Ford said once, "A government big enough to give you what you want, is big enough to take it all away." Heed this warning and next time....VOTE GOP!!!
You guys really know how to take a joke. I don't really have a dog in this whole ERA fight, I just think your arguments are ridiculous and I enjoy pointing out hypocrisy sometimes, thats all.
rob, are you gay? theres something about your style that makes me think you are 1)gay or 2)actually a woman pretending to be a man. my money is on 2
I love the irony of a man that won't even sign his own name out of pure fear, acusing me of not having testicles. Priceless!
I am not doing all this work so that people can come on here and exchange personal insults. Please elevate the debate everyone.
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