The Koch brothers' latest target.
The Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity is spending roughly $1 million in Arkansas this year, which seems rather strange given that the state isn't competitive at the presidential level, has no gubernatorial or U.S. Senate races on the ballot, and no major U.S. House contests.
So why bother? Because Arkansas is the only state left in the South with a Democratically-controlled legislature -- and the Kochs apparently consider that unacceptable.
Republicans need to flip just a handful of those spots to turn the chambers red for the first time since the end of the Civil War. If they succeed, it will be another death knell for Southern Democrats and perhaps the beginning of a new Solid South -- of the 11 states that made up the Confederacy, only Arkansas still has a Democratic chamber.
Using a bus tour across the state, AFP is making its case for smaller government. It is fighting tax increases and curbs on development and is leading the charge against the creation of a state health insurance exchange, a key part of President Obama's health-care law. [...]
Drawn by robo-calls and a promise of free barbecue, the crowd stood outside a gas station and a motorcycle-themed restaurant, next to a big green bus with two-foot-high lettering: "Obama's Failing Agenda Tour."
There's a fair amount of irony to the AFP's attacks. For one thing, Democratic state lawmakers are being targeted for moving forward with a health care exchange as mandated by federal law, with the attack ads making this look like "cooperation" with "Obamacare." But if the state legislature didn't act, Washington would create Arkansas' exchange for them. These Democrats are discouraging, not inviting, more federal control.
For another, Arkansas is one of the few Southern states that has a surplus and a record of job creation over the last few years -- suggesting the Koch brothers' offensive has nothing to do with conservative principles and everything to do with partisanship. (Remember, Americans for Prosperity is ostensibly a "non-partisan" outfit.)
Regardless, when an outside group invests seven figures in state legislative races in Arkansas -- a state with very affordable advertising rates -- it makes a significant difference, and the Koch brothers' goal of buying the legislature for Republicans may very well work.
Butch Wilkins, one of the targeted Democratic legislators who represents part of Jonesboro, told the Washington Post, "I call them Americans for Their Prosperity. They're not interested in prosperity for Arkansas, but they're interested in someone's prosperity."
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Enrich the rich: Vote Republican.
What's that Jenna Jamison said?If your rich you need a republican Pres.
I appreciate your observation that this group is pushing a partisan agenda - not an economic one. Wish more people would see it this clearly.
And hopefully Arkansas voters will see thru this deception. Then again how informed are Arkansas voters? The 1% selfish, greedy, morally bankrupt, and corrupted by their own hubris!
You ever driven through Arkansas outside Little Rock? It makes West Virginia look like part of the 21st Century.
Do the Waltons know the Kochs are playing with their things?
I would think that the voters in Arkansas would dislike the idea of out of state people meddling in their affairs. The local Dems should go after AFP and the Koch Bros. because they are outsiders. If Dems keep banging the drum about these people, it will get attention and that is something the Koch Bros. do not want to become the issue.
Bill Moyers & Company had an informative show on ALEC, http://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/10/11782/moyers-company-alec-expos%C3%A9-features-cmd , which describes how corporate interests are taking over state legislatures. Special interests are now targeting the state governments as a way to enact anti-collective bargaining (e.g. Wisconsin/Ohio), voter suppression, anti-abortion (per the segment on Rachel's show), etc. State elections are a lot cheaper to influence than federal/national and receive less scrutiny. Most of the legislative members of ALEC are Republicans.
It's more than a local Democrat problem and does deserve the attention of the national party, if not the nation. Do moderate Republicans care about how their party is so strongly influenced by these special interests?
If ALEC can cause this much concern with voter suppression for this election, what could they do 4 years from now as they refine their techniques and work to expand their reach? While all eyes are now riveted on the presidential/congressional elections, perhaps more attention/effort needs to be directed to state as well, particularly in swing states.
Another example of a quieter movement impacting our political machinery: Robert Draper has a piece in the Atlantic on redrawing congressional districts: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/10/the-league-of/309084/ . (I first heard about it on NPR). Both parties are known for working to rework the districts to be solid strong holds of their parties; however the article discusses primarily the Republican map making operation and some of the impact on minority voting. The downside of these party stronghold districts is that more extreme candidates make it through the primaries and in turn, help create the polarized gridlock we have today in Congress.
While I don't believe in vast right-wing conspiracies, what looks like regional/local political efforts are having a huge impact nationally. There's another post in the Maddow blog about prognostication. For those on the Democratic side, if we start looking at ALEC, the outside funding of state races, and redistricting, where could we be in 4 years compared to what we're facing now? Just synthesizing...
Pity the rich as they struggle to buy and steal what they can never have--a soul.
I would love to be wealthy myself but at what price?Would wealth cost me my humanity?Would wealth make me strive for power over others? Would I have to trade in my goofy smile for an evil smirk?
Humbled by the fact that no matter what I yearn for I am incapable of putting my desire for it above the comfort I get in knowing I am capable of humility.
Such is life.
The austerity Bros. only want their share, and that is All of it!
What we saw today during the debate was the actor Romney. The Romney that the GOP image maker scripted. Agreeing with everything, denying all he said during the campaign to his wealthy contributors behind close doors, but the Romney, acting his part, lying to the middle class and the working poor promising what he does not know how to give. How can he make his wealthy contributors do in the first day of his fake presidency what Bush couldn't do during his eight years. He gave them all tax cuts and not one living wage in the US came out of that. All the jobs, 9 million of jobs, went to China and India. He lied 2his base.
He did not lie to me because I know he lies. PBO forgot that Romney is not a gentleman. He is allowed by his religion to lie about his plans.
Its not going to be a close race. People saw Romney during the campaign. They will see the recordings over and over again. So what he said during the debates we ALL KNOW WERE LIES. His promises have no basis on truth. They are just empty gesture.