OPINION - Editorial

EDITORIAL: Elusive cordiality

Them aren’t fighting words (for once)

It may seem that discussing American politics without the need for Kevlar is nigh impossible in the state of our society. But it only seems that way. Civility does exist, still. There are groups in Arkansas that prove as much. They're called the Political Animal clubs (one group in central Arkansas and another in the northwest corner). But if these animals/clubs/brotherhoods aren't extinct, they are endangered.

We moseyed into the Northwest Arkansas Political Animals meeting last week--moseying being our preferred way to saunter. This particular meeting took place at a restaurant in Fayetteville called Mermaids. We didn't see any such watery creatures there, but another rarity called civil discourse was on full display.

Democrats and Republicans--along with the occasional Libertarian and Independent--can indeed have lunch together and discuss the events of the day without screaming or pointing fingers.

No, really.

Before getting everything started, Circuit Judge John Threet, that card, invited first-time attendees and those running for office the opportunity to stand and say their names and where they're from. Sorta like an AA meeting. Any time a candidate started to say a little more than that, our favorite judge ribbed them for not following the rules. (He had to do that a lot last Friday.)

On the menu this day: Doyle Webb, chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas, and Michael John Gray, chairman of the Democratic Party of Arkansas.

To decide who spoke first, Judge Threet asked the guests some trivia questions. They missed the first two, then the judge asked where Jim Bowie's original knife, the one forged by James Black, was crafted. Mr. Webb correctly answered Washington, Ark., and was given the right to choose who spoke first. He awarded that honor to Mr. Gray. And off we go! Or went.

The Democratic chairman said our country is in an interesting time. No arguments there. He urged attendees to pay more attention to local races because those will be important and have great impact on everyone's lives.

His message wasn't wrong. Voters can argue about President Trump or whatever they saw on cable news that day or night, but local elections still have a big impact, from schools to property taxes.

In turn, the GOP chairman let everyone in the room in on a little secret: He and Mr. Gray apparently get along just fine. He even called Mr. Gray a good friend. See? A little civility goes a long way.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties in Arkansas have reached an equilibrium, Mr. Webb said. Each side can gain or lose a few seats, but right now Republicans have a super-majority in the Legislature and most constitutional offices. So, he claimed, Republicans would continue to work on keeping a record unemployment rate and to make government more efficient.

Our favorite moment from the GOP chairman was a story he told about his wife, Barbara Womack Webb, who is running for Arkansas Supreme Court. The story went like this: One day while Mr. Webb was serving in the state Senate and "feeling his oats," he came home to Mrs. Webb, who was working as a prosecutor in Saline County, and said, "We can set your salary."

Without missing a beat, the prosecutor told her husband, "I can indict you." Guess we know who won the argument.

And if watching state senators get indicted over the last couple years has taught us anything, it's don't mess with prosecuting attorneys. They wield serious power.

Judge Threet opened up the room for questions. One member of the audience asked if the two supported jungle primaries.

The GOP chairman said he doesn't like jungle primaries. And Mr. Gray's answer left something to be desired. Most political watchers found out years ago that blanket primaries aren't much good when Edwin Edwards was winning multiple elections down in Louisiana. So-called nonpartisan primaries are partisan enough in that they put the two most extreme candidates into runoffs, and a body politic ends up with a Gov. Edwards the First in office. (Not to be confused with Gov. Edwards the Second, who seems to be doing a good enough job south of the state border.)

The odd couple at the Political Animals lunch was asked about a proposed 2020 ballot initiative to remove redistricting powers from elected officials such as the governor and attorney general, and instead give an independent commission the power to draw districts. Michael John Gray said taking politics out of the process (a process he admitted Democrats had controlled for quite some time) would be a win. Doyle Webb said the proposal raises some red flags.

When it came to our turn, we asked about bringing online voter registration to Arkansas. The majority of states have it, and we should, too. Having a paper mail-in form as the only option is antiquated. You can't even fax the thing into the right department.

Mr. Gray agreed, and said he also supported automatic voter registration and same-day voter registration, too. The GOP chairman said he had concerns about verifying information and fraud. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Except . . . we can pay bills online, do our taxes online, renew our driver's license online (thanks, Gov. Hutchinson) and more. If our information can be verified for all that, it can be verified for voter registration.

Someone asked about the sudden dropout of Josh Mahony, the former Democratic challenger to Tom Cotton, and Mr. Gray said he doesn't have all the facts yet, but the DPA is looking into all the legal mess of replacing the candidate.

Mr. Webb said Mr. Mahony's dropout came after the filing deadline, and Arkansas law is specific on replacement requirements. "You've got to follow the law," he said.

Not long after that, the clock struck 1 p.m., and Judge Threet informed everyone that it was time to adjourn. Back to the dungeon for inky wretches to write about what we've seen. We are proud, and a bit surprised, to report: A good time was had by all.

Which, as always, brings us back to something H.L. Mencken once said, on the sport of political arguing. The old sage of Baltimore always did put things plain, especially when he was attempted civility:

"What I admire most in any man is a serene spirit, a steady freedom from moral indignation, an all-embracing tolerance--in brief, what is commonly called good sportsmanship. Such a man is not to be mistaken for one who shirks the hard knocks of life. On the contrary, he is frequently an eager gladiator, vastly enjoying opposition. But when he fights he fights in the manner of a gentleman fighting a duel, not in that of a longshoreman cleaning out a waterfront saloon. That is to say, he carefully guards his amour propre by assuming that his opponent is as decent a man as he is, and just as honest--and perhaps, after all, right."

Editorial on 11/20/2019

Upcoming Events