Standing in Wisconsin

I try to stay focused on Arkansas politics because I realize that to be the most effective I have to concentrate where I have the most influence. Having said that this ordeal in Wisconsin is really at the core of the challenges that face American in every state.

Don't you find it funny that folks screaming "Freedom, Democracy, Union" are literally blocking and preventing the process from happening? Democratic Senators have fled the democratic process? 

Does it say anything about the Teacher's Unions favorite mantra "it's about the children" when teachers and administrators have shut down schools to get their way? 

I mean shouldn't union dues be voluntary? Should the state be in the business of collecting them?

State budgets are faltering because collective bargaining tactics are used to force extravagant pension and health benefits. Do we want unions to have this sort of power?

Seems to me that union bosses in WI are frantic because they know their hand has be revealed. They know that Americans, by in large, are screaming for reforms, transparency and accountability. 

Arkansans should look long and hard at the example WI legislators are setting and perhaps adopt Governor Scott Walker's reforms for our state. 

Americans For Prosperity and American Majority will join forces again along with thousands of conservative activist to stand in support of Governor Walker (details here and here)

If you wanna know the nitty gritty details, I encourage you to read Michelle Malkin's blog she has followed the story rather closely. 

GET INFORMED AND ENGAGED~ You matter and TOGETHER we are making a HUGE difference~

Oh, and yes Max, my lexicon for Governor Walker would be "Champion of Liberty". 

Another Chapter in My Book

As many of you know today is my last day with American Majority. It is the epitome of bitter sweet!


I was as proud to work for American Majority as I was to serve in the US Navy, both are a service to this nation.

I am thankful for the opportunity that American Majority provided for me to share my passion for liberty and freedom. It is especially gratifying that we have had such success in Arkansas. As a matter of fact I believe history was once again made here Wednesday, three tax cuts passed out of our House and are headed to the Senate. Eight democrats (one with amazing courage) stood against our very (faux) powerful Governor, the details of this story are EPIC! Thanks in no small measure to what we accomplished with American Majority Arkansas.

Being this is more of a life path than a career choice, I am positive that our trails will cross again, as we march FORWARD to prevail.  I pray blessings over the folks at American Majority as well as their families and future endeavors.



When my friend Kerry Baldwin went out on that proverbial limb to hire me despite my "explosive" personality (funnier if you know my background)  it was the beginning of what will be a life long friendship and eternal voyage to obtain and maintain, transparency and accountability in our government on every level.  

I will now be working with Americans For Prosperity, as the Director of Grassroots for Arkansas. WOOT WOOT!! 
Joining forces with my friends Teresa Oelke and Elizabeth Aymond~ Watch Out Arkansas, you ain't seen nothin yet.

~Tax Nazi Loses to Minority Majority~

You've heard of the Soup Nazi right, well Governor Beebe is the Tax Naxi. He has been working non stop behind the scenes to control what happens at the State Capitol.

He has supposedly used all the (dirty) tricks of the trade, ie. back room meetings, lobbyist pressures, out right threats, public appearances with state dignitaries and more, but so far to no avail.  And the results were EPIC~ three tax cuts passed through the Arkansas House of Representatives  with what I am now calling the minority majority! 

I was so fortunate to be there and watch (you can witness here) as 53 of our elected officials held the line for the people of Arkansas, 8 (correction there were 9) of them, Democrats, at a very high price. (Vote Roll Call) The[y] voted for HB1002 a bill that would reduce the capital gains tax in our state. The Governor made it very clear that this was not going to happen. (see post from Tuesday)

I assume that these 53 legislators took very seriously the events of Nov 2nd  where history was made in our state (Arkansas, Can They Hear Us Now?)and realize that times are a changin. 

Day after day there are literally hundreds of people walking the halls of the Capitol that are there for one reason and one reason only, to be a visual reminder to those casting the votes that the people of Arkansas are now fully engaged. Arkansans are determined to make sure our state government is run~ of, by and for the people, regardless of what the Governor and his cohorts want to believe. 

We are under no delusion that this will happen over night and are very cognizant of the fact these bills still have to make it through the Senate and ultimately pass the Governor, but what is important is that just like the Little Engine That Could, citizens are realizing that the power is with the people, if , and only if, they choose to exert it. 

Here are some of the amazing details of the event from state bloggers. I encourage you to read, it really is one for the history books:  "Arkansas's Iron Curtain, Revisited", "Conservative Majority Passes Tax cuts in Dramatic House Session", and "Tax Cut Bills ass House Panel"

Trickle Down Goofy Voodoo Economics? What??

Dear Governor Beebe, the people of Arkansas would like you to know that we are not buying your political jabber jawing about budget cuts. To say there is no room to improve our fiscal situation is counter to our core beliefs and flies in the face of truth, according to numerous newspaper headlines we have read over the last year.

In a speech this past weekend you said to the Democratic Party of Arkansas Executive Committee:

“We are in the midst right now of discussion and negotiations and threats and counter threats about actions that people want to take primarily on the Republican side of the ledger that potentially impact our ability to deliver essential services or keep this budget balanced like we are talking about,” (read about balanced budget)

Your definition of essential services evidently differs from most Arkansans in that, we would not define essential services as $400,000 spent by just eight of our legislators last year alone on travel and expenses? 

Or the 658 vehicles at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for only 613 employees. 

Nor the bloated $324,000 a year salary we pay to the Lottery Director,  Ernie Passailaigue, whose base pay should be $141,603 a year, but the Lottery Commission has been paying him $324,000 a year thanks to an optional multiplier included in the state’s lottery law, which CONSEQUENTLY, according to a statement from Attorney General Dustin McDaniel on February 7th, Arkansas law “expressly prohibits."  

Pretty sure not many Arkansans you would find that your  $5,000,000 private jet and pilot are an essential service . Being one of the poorest states in the union not many have a private jet at home.

In 70 of our 75 counties median household incomes dropped 6.9% from 2000 to 2009 according to the U.S. Census Bureau and you, Governor are telling us you can't cut your budget?

I would say the math is not the problem, but your definition of “essential”.

More SB183 Shenanigans~

Being Valentines Day I found this wonderful  Hershey's chocolate Kiss which reminded me of some SB183. An enigma wrapped in a riddle shrouded in mystery, much like an earmark wrapped in a fee (tax) shrouded in a bill, . 

Last week I told you about the miss recorded votes of Senators Bledsoe and Dismang after this bill sailed through the Senate with a 27-7 vote talley (should have been 25-9). 

This sent conservatives around the state into a tissy because if passed it will double fees for car titles, for all Arkansans, to help increase funding for the Arkansas State Police retirement system. 

But I am wondering what buildings have to do with Arkansas State Police retirements? In Section 3 of this bill we switch from talking about retirement to talking about some 1995 building fund and depositing $920,000.00. 

Voters made it very clear that they will not stand one more increased tax, fee, levy, whatever you wanna call it.

Today the Arkansas House passed over this bill, which means, as far as I understand it, that they didn't want to deal with it today so they "passed over" it and will vote on it another day.

This gives citizens time to reach our representatives and share with them your thoughts on this bill. 

Roll Call~

I will be at the Capitol for the next few days. Here is the schedule for the week. If you want to get a real feel for what is happening during the session I would encourage you to sign up on Twitter. It is very simple and is completely free. When you set it up follow me @llmasterson and be sure and visit the hashtag #ARLeg. You will see messages from tons of people attending committee meetings, talking with legislators and discussing bills~
If you would like to find out how to use Twitter, you can visit American Majority's page "Twitter for Beginners"













TAX TUG OF WAR


This week is expected to be one of the more exciting at the legislature, especially concerning taxes. 
You may recall in Governor Beebe's State of the State address where the Governor said" 

Beyond that [half-cent grocery tax cut], I don't see any room for additional tax cuts or significant increases in program funding. If we are to retain the enviable national position we now hold, we must remain cautious and conservative. If you make a proposal that seeks to cut revenue or increase spending, the only responsible approach is to state precisely where that money is coming from. If the proposal calls for a tax cut, then it is only fair to detail exactly which existing programs you will cut to offset that loss in funding. Abstract claims of hypothetical future growth don't change the immediate impact that a tax cut will have on state revenues and state services. 

But legislators seem not to be detoured by the strong warning of the Governor, over the next few weeks they will be proposing more than $217 million in tax cuts. Evidently many listened to the masses of people who sent a very clear message on Nov. 2nd demanding lower tax, less government and more fiscal responsibility.

Our tax loads in Arkansas are among the most burdensome in the nation. We are 39th in state business tax climate  the worst of 7 states in this region, Louisiana being the closest at 36th. Our state and local sales tax rates put us in the top 10 of highest taxed, ranking in at #9. 

Not exactly the top 10 list we were striving to make.

On Tuesday Rep. Ed Garner  (R- Maumelle) will present HB1002, a bill that will reduce the capital gains tax. Right now Arkansas's Capital Gains tax is 4.9% compare this to other states in this region~Texas and Tennessee have no income tax and therefore no capital gains taxes. Mississippi and Oklahoma have eliminated capital gains on in-state investments.


On Thursday Senator Gilbert Baker (R-Conway) hopes to present his bill SB274, which would raise the sales tax exemption on used cars from $2,500 to $5,000


Other tax cuts proposed include a $8.9 million sales tax exemption on manufacturer's or dealer's rebates for cars, a $3.8 million cut in the sales tax manufacturers pay on utilities and a $3.7 million tax cut for head of household taxpayers with two or more dependents.


Many of the committee meetings will there bills will be discussed are stream live at http://www.arkansashouse.org/. I will update my blog as much as possible, do consider getting on Twitter it is an essential tool of communication for those wanting to become more informed and engaged!






SPEAKING OF SOCIAL MEDIA~ 


Think Social Media is just for kids or people who play farmville?~ Think again~ "It's a Facebook Revolution," said Akhnoukh. "That's what changed the future of Egypt. Facebook. It's as simple as that."

Being someone who's job description requires the use of social media I have found the web site "Mashable" to be quite useful. A story caught my eye this morning, "How We Use Social Media During Emergencies" , expressing that same sentiment about the importance social media played in the crisis in Egypt. 


Journalist at the BBC have been told to use social media as a primary source of information. According to a story in the Guardian,  Peter Horrocks, director of BBC Global News instructed his staff in February of 2010 "to make better use of social media and become more collaborative in producing stories."
He was quoted in the story as saying:

"This isn't just a kind of fad from someone who's an enthusiast of technology. I'm afraid you're not doing your job if you can't do those things. It's not discretionary"

It's like anything else new a little intimidating at first but then just like that microwave, VCR and now the ever popular Netflix once you have it you will wonder how you ever got by without it!

I invite you to join people from across Arkansas, some of America’s foremost free-market voices and top experts on grassroots mobilization, in a massive show of force for our shared belief in lower taxes and more limited government.that will gather on February 24th at the Second Annual Defending the American Dream Summit. 

Register Today!