Operating Conservative Majority in Arkansas House

Tolbert has the account of the capital gains tax cut passing in the Arkansas House. The thing that fascinated me was the loosening of Gov. Beebe's iron-grip over the legislators. The sudden presence of a sizable Republican minority willing to buck the Governor has the effect of emboldening members of his own party into joining them in sort of an operational conservative coalition.

Of course tax cuts are easy. Spending cuts are what is hard. We will see who sticks with who when budget priorities are laid out. Still, as a person who believes in a strong legislature, I find it a very refreshing change that we have a legislature that is willing to stand up and express their own will. It is quite a change from the last group, who took what I considered outrageous disrespect from the Governor and Executive branch personnel.