I had a chance to hear the new Arkansas Congressman Tom Cotton speak at the statewide Arkansas Electric Coop meeting. In my opinion he is a very smart young man. His concern with the Mideast is impressive. Without a script he named all the leaders in place over there, in what I call the sand piles, and what their bone of contention is. I liked his father who had a livestock farm in central Arkansas. We can all stand behind a person who knows our part of the business and the problems we have. There are of course lots more city congressmen, so a voice to represent us is always good.
Tom represents about all of Arkansas south of I-40 and Madison County. That is a huge area to cover from the cotton fields in the delta to the paper mills in western Arkansas to the poultry houses in the Ozarks. He has to get on a fast horse to answer all those folks. But besides being a lawyer, he joined the army. He said he went in an Army recruiter’s office in central Arkansas and said he wanted to serve in the army. The recruiter looked him over and asked what he did in life? Tom said he was a lawyer. The noncom shook his head, “You know what you will make in the army?”
Tom said he did. The recruiter shook his head again. “You must be a damn poor lawyer.”
Tom joined the army out of respect and concern that they needed him. He’s a reserve officer now. He’s been and seen military action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not a bad experience for a man who is going to be voting on these issues.
Elections will change things. Arkansas has a Republican majority in both the House and Senate; the first time since the civil war. It will be interesting how the Republicans will get along with the Democratic Governor. We do have some good things, like our balanced budget law. Few states in the U.S. can say that. You can’t go forward when out spending your states’ income. That part keeps things in balance. But all states are facing much higher costs under the Obama Health Care and the states will have to administrate it. Sixteen states have bowed out so far. Personally I don’t think it can work without them. For the federal government to set up an agency in each one of those states will send the costs skyrocketing.
People with employees face even more red tape and costs. Jobs will be lost. More people will be placed in part-time jobs so employers don’t have to pay those added costs. It was not a very well thought out legislation in a time when our economy hangs in the balance.
But I am glad I live in the land of the free and the brave. America spoke in November at the polling place; we can’t change much for two more years. In four years we will have a new president and we’ll see how he or she does at the job.
Think about those poor people on the east coast and include them in your prayers over the holiday season. Many of us have been in ice storms and tornados, we know there is no one to listen to our woes. God bless America and you. Have a fantastic year.
Western novelist Dusty Richards and his wife Pat live on Beaver Lake in northwest Arkansas. For more information about his books you can email Dusty by visiting ozarksfn.com and clicking on ‘Contact Us’ or call 1-866-532-1960.
