The state of Arkansas:
A Shakespearean Drama
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark," a quote from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" insinuating corruption or impropriety. Jumping from Hamlet to the present and substituting Arkansas for Denmark sets the stage for some Arkansas legislators who would seem to be both inappropriate and corrupt.
First, since I am just a common taxpayer, I don't always understand all the business of the legislators, so here's what I have surmised: It seems legislators get a big pot of taxpayers' money from the state's General Improvement Fund to help worthy projects in their districts. Apparently, the grant-giving system has little accountability, no audits, no follow-up, no summary of spent money. The 2015-16 amount was $20 million; $70 million in 2013-14. That's a lot of money not to be accountable for. And so the drama begins.
If our legislators wanted what was best for the constituents in their districts and they reviewed every grant and selected the recipients for the greatest impact the money would have on the largest number of Arkansans, we could all rest easy. Alas, we are dealing with some humans who do not always take the high road. And so the rot begins. Shakespeare calls "a politician ... one that would circumvent God."
There is some irony in that quote. In 2013-14 Ecclesia College, a small Christian College/Church in Springdale with 178 students was given $400,000 by two legislators who are no longer legislators. One has pleaded guilty to receiving a kickback and the other is momentarily MIA.
In those same years, other grant recipients like Big Brothers/Big Sisters received $5,000, Elkins Police Department $9,993, Arkansas Health and Economic Research $4,198, Springdale Lions Charities $11,239. Single Parent Scholarship Fund $5,000, etc. The Democrat Gazette listed all 2013-14 recipients in the January 15, 2017, issue.
So why did one tiny unknown Christian college that has 178 full-time equivalent students get all that taxpayer money, a grand total of over $600,000, and the other organizations and municipalities that serve thousands of Arkansans get a fraction of that amount? Furthermore, why are some of our legislators giving taxpayer money to religious organizations? Isn't there separation of church and state in Arkansas?
"I smell a rat," and so does the press, which continues to uncover this unraveling of misappropriations as well as, perhaps, our governor, who is not appropriating any General Improvement Funds this year. I fear there are more acts to follow such as why did Berryville get $25,000, who sits on the Ecclesia board, why did Shiloh Christian athletics get $10,000, who paid the bribes, etc.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave ...
Connie Crisp
Fayetteville
Democrats who skipped inauguration like children
I have resided on this third rock from the sun now for 73 years and other than during my childhood have not seen such a display of immaturity and pettiness as that displayed by 68 Democratic members of the House of Representatives who elected not to attend the inauguration ceremony. It's like that kid on the playground who because he/she doesn't like the rules decides to take his/her ball and go home. Maybe these House members ought to follow suit -- resign their seats and go home. They won't, of course, because then they would lose all their congressional perks.
The presidential inauguration is not a Republican or Democrat event; it is an American event. It signifies and celebrates the peaceful transfer of power from one party to the other. These petulant infants who boycotted the event need to grow up and work within the system to champion the causes they believe in.
That's what mature, rational adults do.
Pete Rathmell
Garfield
Commentary on 01/27/2017