What's Baker Up To?
Jason Tolbert tweeted that Senator Gilbert Baker told him that he would file next Monday morning. That's at the last possible day. Most of the other big name candidates already filed on the first day.
Baker was the insider's choice until Congressman John "Bailout" Boozman jumped into the race. The outsider vote is already split among several candidates, denying any of the critical mass to get momentum and win this thing without a run off.
I speculate that Baker is trying to cut a deal. He knows that the tide has turned against him, both in terms of his actual record being exposed to conservative partisans and in terms of establishment support shifting to Boozman. What will the RNC do for him if he steps aside and endorses John Boozman for US Senate? The insiders can then be unified and push hard on the casual primary voter- the swing vote, to go for their champion rather than one of those unsavory reformers.
Perhaps Baker will go down to the Capitol next Monday and instead of filing for US Senate he will, with cameras rolling, endorse Bailout.
Baker was the insider's choice until Congressman John "Bailout" Boozman jumped into the race. The outsider vote is already split among several candidates, denying any of the critical mass to get momentum and win this thing without a run off.
I speculate that Baker is trying to cut a deal. He knows that the tide has turned against him, both in terms of his actual record being exposed to conservative partisans and in terms of establishment support shifting to Boozman. What will the RNC do for him if he steps aside and endorses John Boozman for US Senate? The insiders can then be unified and push hard on the casual primary voter- the swing vote, to go for their champion rather than one of those unsavory reformers.
Perhaps Baker will go down to the Capitol next Monday and instead of filing for US Senate he will, with cameras rolling, endorse Bailout.
posted by Mark Moore (Moderator) at Tuesday, March 02, 2010
16 Comments:
NO WAY! His ego is too big for that!
If his interest is in being Governor someday what are the chances of Baker jumping into the LG race? It is a natural step towards the Governors seat.
whoa ! interesting thought
Will he run as a democrat?
After looking at his voting record save the social issues, he is the dream candidate for the big gov't types in Arkansas.
He is also a dream for the gun control wing of the arkansas voting block.
I think he should do in Arkansas what Arlen Spector did in Pennsylvania.
His campaign costs would drop because he wouldn't spend money attempting to remake himself as a fiscal conservative / constitutional conservative etc....
Ralph
Just becuase Holt can't be a team player doesn't mean you have to bash Baker for working with the GOP.
Baker's a team player for siding with Beebe on making public the names of all concealed carry holders in Arkansas. What team is he on any way? I am on the other team when it comes to 2nd amendment constitutional issues and so are most Arkansans.
What team was shake and Bake on when he recently voted for the increase in the Gas Severance Tax? Not the smaller government, pro business, pro fixed income havin' constituents. He was on the Lobbyist's team. He was on the shrink exploration and cause inflation team.
Do we need to look into more of Baker's Team Statistics Here?
The big gov't lack of constitutional freedom clamp down team.
Come on 10:42, that's a sad sack joke of a point. When's Baker going to legislatively take a stand in Small Rock for the things he is taking a stand for during his current senatorial Campaign.
He has been very duplicitious.
Baker sold out a long time ago.
His campaign coffers and campaign team are filled with either lobbyist money and or machine money.
Why, you ask, Because he is on the Lobbyist's team when it comes to voting in Small Rock.
BTW, Holt is a team player with the Constitution, the republican platform, smaller government, less taxes, 2nd amendment. He will not play ball with the fiscally reckless constitution ignoring wing of the GOP like Bert.
Robert The Bruce
Okay then since Holt is so in to not being from the insiders (who ever they may be), how does he plan to fix the fact that the gas tax that we now have isn't providing the revenue that it once did? What would he of done with the Lakeview case. Its one thing to bash Baker for a couple of votes. But at some point you have to govern. Holt just seems to be against any and every one.
Don't know how the switchover from intended Federal Candidate to State Candidate will work. Seems to be an accounting mess in the making. If LTGOV, why not pick SOS and at least be relevant. Martin is small fry and is nothing more than a wasted effort. I think Baker is boxed in on all fronts, so in the end it is more than likely about production value and news cycle. He needs all he can get. Boozeman may have to answer for TARP, but Baker has so much worse. Regardless a lot of money will be wasted by these two in an attempt to out GOP eachother.
Holt is Dr No when legislators in his own party or a republican Governator is attempting to vote in more Big Gov't or unconstitutinal freedom reducing legislation(expecially when the legislation is polar opposite to what said legislator or governator eschewed during their campaign season ie..
What Baker and Boozman and Hendren are doing right now as we blog----sell the peeps with conservative campaign rhetoric then move left once they get into office then move back to the republican platform once the campaign season heats up again).
Sounds harsh but the Arkansas / American taxpayers are tired of this obvious example of duplicity let alone the fact that we cannot afford more deficit or lifted debt ceiling spending.
Robert The Bruce
3 fifty,
Do you think then that we ought to raise the tax rates to bring more business or exploration into Arkansas?
Is that your best answer for growing the ecomomy here in Arkansas by penalizing it with more ornerous taxes and fees. And then that will encourage more companies look favorably at the Business Climate here in Arkansas?
You Sound like a Jimmy Carter retread. Business make an economic decision about where to do business. Problem for Arkansas is Business's still have a choice at where they will be most advantaged to locate to.
If Arkansas keeps itself positioned as one of the most highly taxed states for businesses to operate in, then the tax base from which to draw revenue will grow at a slower rate. Look at the surrounding states tax levels and see that Arkansas needs to do a total tax make over from a business favorability rating relative to Texas,Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Lousiana.
3 Fifty,
If you want the full tax and spend resume on Baker, it out there.
The couple of votes mentioned earlier are merely an hors d'oeuvre.
Baker has cooked up a legislative record that surpasses Golden Corral, Country Kitchen and Ryan's Buffets combined in terms of stuffing his voting record with tax increases, spending increases, and anti constitutional freedom reductions.
The real problem is not only that his record is what it is, but the fact that he his attempting to cloak his record with empty redundant campaign rhetoric, pledges, promises and such purporting stands and positions on significant issues opposite of the public record that he himself created and must live with.
Robert the Bruce
Baker is my Hero! He has yet to meet a pledge he didn't like or sign. At some point they will hit central mass and counteract eachother. What ever happened to the ultimate pledge? The Oath of Office. Here is a great campaign slogan for free. Gilbert Baker the Pledgemaster!
So what is Jim Holt doing he has not filed either - is he going to let John Boozman have it
I never said raising taxes helped grow the state. The fact was the State Supreme Court had ordered the state to spend more money on the education system or the court would take over the schools. Pulaski county is a perfect example of the state controlling schools. No good leader in their right mind would let the entire school system be run by the courts. To avoid that the legislator had to raise taxes. So your trying to tell me Holt would of put our schools under court control?
Holt hasn't filed because he probably doesn't have the money.
Jimmy Carter ain't got nothin on you,
Holt voted against the bill for $360 million tax increase that resulted in an increase of our sales tax to 6%. Act 59 (SB42) Holt was one of two Republicans voting against this bill and one of eleven senators altogether voting against it. (There were 35 senators and eight of them were Republicans.)
Bert again voted for this Tax Increase-Where the Supremes Jimma?
Holt voted against the facilities bill that allows the State to take over all school facilities in Arkansas. The study on the Facilities issue recommended $4.5 billion to repair schools in Arkansas. The bill gave the State Board of Education the right to prioritize and control ALL improvements, building, and major equipment spending on school buildings IN THE STATE. At the time of this bill less than 10 states in the nation had similar laws on facilities. Holt was one of two Republicans voting against this bill and four senators altogether. Act 90 (HB1009) by Betty Picket.
Bert again voted for more bureaucracy and Bigger Gov’t. I guess he was taking it for the team there maybe thinking about the Supremes also, huh.
Holt voted against the Omnibus bill ((a 50 plus page bill) which implemented a state – government controlled curriculum in every school in Arkansas and expanded government control of schools in numerous areas, allowing the state board of education to take over schools even the first year schools did not meet state’s requirements. Only two Republican senators voted against it, and five senators altogether. Act 1467 (HB 2697)
Bert again voted against local control and a bigger government redundancy department in Small Rock. Another example of Bert being Bert.
Holt voted against the failed SB28, the consolidation and reorganization plan by Senator Argue to consolidate schools under 500, and against Act 60 (HB1109) for consolidating small schools and extending government control and regulation. The state already had about 30 school districts where students were riding the bus 3 1/2 hours a day, and this would have extended these long bus rides to many, many more school districts. Holt was one of two Republican senators voting against the bill. Act 60 (HB 1109).
Team Player Bert Again sided with the Big Gov’t Schools on this.
Holt voted against the $107 million bill for 32 new State Department of Education employees, to give $107 million dollars to Arkansas Department of Education for 32 new employees (growing government). Act 98 (SB91).
Bert also recently voted for a Gas Severance Tax increasing natural gas prices to the consumers right now. And decreasing Exploration Right here in Arkansas.
Sorry to burst your campaign bubble here. This is the tip of the iceberg on his reckless fiscal voting record of increasing taxes and spending in Small Rock.
Here is the link to the legislative site where you can find more of the above
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/SearchCenter/Pages/historicalbil.aspx
He does say though and promise to change once he gets to DC.
RTB
2:37 you have it mixed up. Pulaski is an example of FEDERAL courts taking over a school. Lakeview was our STATE court usurping the legislature's legitimate power of the purse strings. The legislature could have stood up to the state courts. They just did not want to.
I agree with the two members of the court who said that it is beyond their purview to dictate to the legislature what an "adequate" spending level ought to be.
The legislature did not have to give in to the state court. Holt was one of the few down there who pointed out that by the fundamental doctrine of separation of powers the court was out of line.
The other legislators, like Gilbert Baker, acted according to the idea of "never let a good crisis go to waste". They quickly caved to the courts and grew government not because they had to, but because it was what they (Huckabee and Baker) wanted to do and did do throughout their careers of public "service".
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