Arkansas’ Future Not Obama

Ever since I joined the ranks of professional journalists after several years of learning in high school and at Arkansas State University, one of my favorite opportunities in the job has been talking to the people asking for the votes of my fellow Arkansans.

It’s fashionable these days to turn up one’s nose on politicians, a category they immediately join the day they announce as their candidacy although newcomers usually don’t typically care for the label. People like Martha Schoffner, Hudson Hallum, Paul Bookout and Mark Darr reflect only the most recent generation of Arkansans whose integrity failed when put to the test of public trust.

The list of examples in Arkansas alone could be long, then we see New Jersey political figures shutting down traffic as political retribution and similar stories of corruption involving elected officials.

But if we love this country and admire the Founding Fathers’ brilliance in crafting a representative government, we can ill-afford to immediately distrust and dislike the folks who step out in public service. Most politicians want to do right by their communities, state and nation. Some demonstrate mastery of the issues they’ll have to deal with, while other candidates have no business asking for the responsibilities of office based on their lack of knowledge and ideas. But they have the same right to ask for votes as anyone, and sometimes We The People demonstrate our fickleness in the selections we make.

A key example of that, even before Darr’s ethical violations came to light, was the fact we elected the super-experienced, politically astute Democrat Mike Beebe as governor in 2010 and at the same time selected political lightweight Mark Darr, a Republican, to be the man who would fill Beebe’s shoes if the governor could not serve out his term. These two had virtually nothing in common with regard to the way they would lead the state. The electorate gave Darr, who ran against a much more politically experienced Democrat, a chance almost solely on his anti-Obama positions.

Voters have every right to be so politically schizophrenic, but it doesn’t do much good for the state’s future.

Political veterans know the public has generally shown a short attention span and doesn’t seriously undertake any significant evaluation of candidates, if at all, until the last few weeks before the election.

Knowing what we know now, however, should inspire Arkansans to get into the political arena early. This will be a big political year with many major elective offices on the ballot at all levels of government. Plenty of candidates have already announced their plans. Filing for the May 20 party primaries will get under way Feb. 24 and wrap up by March 3. For county, state and federal offices, we’ll know at that point who is “in the game.” Municipal filing periods come later.

Although we will hear a lot about it, filling all of these offices will not boil down to this: Are you for or against Obamacare?

A massive swath of Arkansans does not care for President Obama one bit nor do they like his plan for health care. But when it comes to governor, state senators and representatives, lieutenant governor, justices of the peace and aldermen, do we need to get fixated on a federal law?

Darr got elected by spouting an anti-Obamacare message but he’s been unable to do a single thing about it from the lieutenant governor’s post.

Then there’s the fact President Obama has only two years left after 2014. Why elect people in 2014 based on a distaste for a president who’s time in office and effectiveness are simultaneously winding down?

In electing our state officials, particularly, no voters should allow any candidates to waste time hyping the good or evil of Obamacare. How about ideas on advancing agriculture in a state that relies so heavily on meat production, tree harvesting, rice, cotton and other crops?

What are their plans for supporting education, from public schools to the state’s colleges?

Do they have ideas to spur the creation of good-paying jobs?

How would they promote an environment friendly to small businesses?

What should the state do to make its prison, parole and probation systems work better?

Decades after the mentally ill were tossed into an inadequate community treatment paradigm, what can the state do to more effectively identify those in need of treatment and provide the services necessary to keep them and those around them safe?

How does Arkansas move forward on its current tax revenue? Should cuts be made or is there a rational need for higher taxes?

This election year cannot be about Obama and Obamacare if the needs of the state of Arkansas are to be addressed fully in the years ahead. Voters must hold candidates accountable for real answers to the challenges and opportunities facing the state and her people.

GREG HARTON IS OPINION PAGE EDITOR FOR NWA MEDIA.

Opinion, Pages 5 on 01/27/2014

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