The Tolbert Report

You may have noticed a change in some of the callers lately on your favorite conservative talk show. Republican Princella Smith who is running for Congress recently noticed this when she on Arkansas’ KARN talk radio “The Dave Elswick Show.” When they opened up the phones, a flood of callers lined up. Although the message varied some, the main theme was criticism for her not supporting the federal health care bill. This was quite unusual for KARN’s normal very conservative callers.

It appears that this could be part of a larger effort for President Obama’s grassroots organization Organizing for America. The organizaion has begun an effort to encourage members to call in to primary conservative talk show and support Obama’s health care plan. From the website.

“The fate of health reform has been a focus of debate in living rooms and offices, on TV and online — and on talk radio. And since millions of folks turn to talk radio as a trusted source of news and opinions, we need to make sure OFA supporters are calling in with a pro-reform message.”

The website give you a clickable link to listen to a variety of talk shows across the nation, direction on how to call in, and even talking points to read while on the air.

h/t Poltico

I wrote a few weeks back that it would be good to have a boring fiscal session. So far, I have gotten my wish. Which is good, but has given me very little to blog about. Today the legislature had a little splash of excitement. Well, not really but for a political junkie like me it was at least a couple things worth noting.

The Senate today failed to pass a largely procedural resolution that would have allowed them to consider the Revenue Stabilization Act during the session. They will eventually have to consider the bill but in a technical sense the bill requires approval of two-thirds (24 of the 35 Senators) to allow the non-budget bill to be considered. Once this resolution received the two-thirds vote of both chambers, it then needs only a simple majority to pass. In this way, approving the resolution is similar to the cloture vote to end debate in the U.S. Senate, which requires 60 votes instead of a simple majority.

So why all the gamesmanship over a procedural vote? The explanation of the Senators voting present is that they want to see the bill before approving the resolution. Sounds fair. But my sources also tell me that some Senators want to see axactly what happened to their General Improvement Funds that were cut before letting the process pass this first hurdle.  The vote today was the best chance to hold up the bill and shake down a few dollars for their district.

Some interesting discussion also took place down the hall in the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee. Apparently, the Committee narrowly approved recommending some additional rules clarifying who is in charge of the security of the lottery.

UPDATE - The excitement was short lived. On Thursday, the Senators were satisfied after a sneak peak at next year’s budget details and approved allowing a vote on the Revenue Stabilization Act with 32 votes out of 35. And the House decided against consideration of additional lottery legislation.

The Joint Budget Committee hearings began this morning in what marks the beginning of real work for the first fiscal session. Technically, the fiscal session does not start until the Arkansas General Assembly convenes in February but most of the details are done in Joint Budget.

The biggest buzz among the state legislators was the major cuts expected in General Improvement Funds (GIF,) which is funds that our divided up between the legislators for projects back in their home districts. In the previous session, roughly $60 million in GIF were spilt between the House and Senate to be used over the next two fiscal years. For the first year, $45 million or 75% was awarded while $15 million or 25% was held back in case revenues fell. As revenues have declined, this $15 million was not included in the budget proposal released this morning.

House Chairman Rep. Bruce Malloch (D-Magnolia) said this morning that there may be a possibility of some one time money if revenues improve but he was actually pleased to see that this was not included in the initial budget proposal as it was obvious cuts needed to be made. However, grumbling has already begun from some state legislators who value the ability to bring these funds home for projects in their district. These funds could be a point of contention as the fiscal session unfolds.

Most of you saw the news yesterday regarding the court ordered assembly of the Winter Solstice display on the state capital grounds. The display is sponsored by an atheist group called the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers. Since obviously atheist do not celebrate the birth of Christ, this group decided to virtually make up a holiday so that they could spread their message next door to the nativity scene on the state capital grounds.

When I saw the news that Federal Judge Susan Weber Wright overruled the decision of Secretary of State Charlie Daniels to deny the solstice display, I not help but find it ridiculous that this atheist group was being allowed to make a mockery of Christmas with their pseudo-holiday display. So I decided to file my own request for a made up holiday display from the world of television, a Festivus Pole.

NBC’s long running comical show Seinfeld gave birth to the holiday of Festivus which actually was a long running family joke of one the writers. On the show, Frank Costanza, George’s dad, came up with the idea for a “Festivus for the rest of us” after fighting over a doll in crowded store full of Christmas shoppers. This fictional holiday has taken on a life of its own on the internet with one retailer selling the traditional “Festivus Pole” which nothing more than an undecorated six foot aluminum pole.

So I asked the Secretary of State’s office if it would be alright for me to display a Festivus Pole on the state capital grounds as well. They handled the request in a professional but skeptical manner wondering how I could possibly be serious, but yet guiding me through the simple paperwork and requirements to get approval. In the end, I decided against actually putting up the Festivus Pole because  – one my wife strongly discouraged the idea for fear of being known as the lady married the crazy guy with the Festivus Pole and - two the lack of the time and expense needed to build and erect an aluminum monument for a made up holiday to simply prove a point.

The Winter Solstice display is now up at the capital and is certainly a monument to how far free speech can take us. However, if you do drive by to take a look at it, I hope you will think about the Festivus Pole which could be standing next door and then perhaps think about the true meaning of Christmas, that two thousand years ago God humbled himself to take the form of man so that through Him all the world might be saved.

UPDATE – Mrs. Tolbert Report weighs in on the Festivus controversy on Facebook…

“I am so sorry to tell you the Tolberts will not be putting up the Festivus Pole,” says Mrs. Tolbert Report. ”The blame can be placed on none other than myself. I refuse for our hard earned money to be used on providing said pole since we celebrate Christmas in such a way that the airing of grievances is still accomplished. I also refuse to be known as the wife of a politcal blogger AND the wife of the guy who put up the festivus pole. Either one or the other and I don’t see the blogging coming to a stopping point anytime soon. Sorry.”

Gerard Matthews over on the Ark Times reports that the state capital display will get a bit more crowded as Federal Judge Susan Webber Wright orders Secretary of State Charlie Daniels to allow the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers to put up their winter solstice display. Not sure exactly what this will look like but the Freethinkers’ website says they are “devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society.” They also have a section of the website devoted to “The God Virus – How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture.”

Although I am sure this display will make us all feel warm and cozy, I can’t see very many Christmas Holiday card pictures taken in front of this one. But what I want to know if when is Frank Costanza going to get to put up his festivus pole. I mean fair is fair – right?

When reached for comment on the story, Costanza yelled, “I got a lot of problems with you people!”  When I inquired what in the world that means, he just started chanting “Serenity now. Serenity now.”

UPDATE – I have written the Secretary of State office for permission to put up a Festivus Pole for display at the state capital.  I will let you know what they say. 

I hope you will all join me in this important campaign to see the proper recognization of Festivus in Arkansas.  After all – it is a Festivus for the Rest-of-us.

Americans for Prosperity is bringing in another speaker to Arkansas in their efforts to defeat the health care reform bill. This Saturday morning, they are flying in conservative columnist and blogger Michelle Malkin to speak at 11:00 noon at the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Little Rock.

Malkin has made a name for herself as one of the leading critics of Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Recently she has chronicled the criticism of Huckabee’s role in the Maurice Clemmons release and subsequent shooting of four Washington police officers but this is just a continuation of her constant criticism during the 2008 Presidential primaries hitting particularly hard on his role in the pardon of Wayne Dumond as well as his stance on illegal immigration. In one post discussing Huckabee’s possibility as a VP candidate, Malkin referred to him as the “GOP immigration drag queen.”

Still, Americans for Prosperity thinks Malkin is the best spokesman to follow up last month’s appearance from Dick Morris. “Michelle Malkin is renowned for her no holds barred style of journalism, and we are elated to have her join us in Arkansas,” said AFP Arkansas director Teresa Oelke. “I think Arkansans will be surprised to find how laden these bills are with special interest pay-offs, pork barrel spending, and Michelle Malkin will hold nothing back in her assessment of the corruption in the debate,” stated Oelke.

For information, click here.

The Pulaski County Quorum Court is scheduled to meet Tuesday evening at 7 pm in what proves to be a showdown on several issues in their budget. Notably the budget includes a four percent pay increase for quorum court members shortly after receiving a four bonus in October. In addition, the travel budget for the quorum court proposes a marked increase from $3,300 this year to $15,000 next year.

Will there be fireworks at tonight’s meeting? Well, it appears that Bob Porto is in the process of organizing the Pulaski County Tea Party to protest the budget action. They have encouraged their members to contact their Justice of the Peace to oppose these increases. In addition, conservative JP Phil Sowers is spearheading the opposition to the measures as well.

It will require a supermajority of 10 out of the 15 JPs to approve the budget. We will see what happens.

UPDATE – I usually don’t cover JP races as there are so many in the state that it is difficult to get to them all but this one fits this story.  Little Rock realtor Mark Leggett announced today that he plans to run for for the quorum court in district 2.

“The county has a history of spending money negligently on things that we can’t afford, while short-changing the jail and public safety,” said Mark Leggett in his press release. “I will work to fix the jail problem so that criminals are not back out on the street before our law enforcement officers get done with the paper work.”

I asked Leggett about the meeting tonight and he told me that he does oppose the increases in salaries and to the travel budget and he plans to be there tonight.  “We are in a recession with high levels of unemployment and unfortunately some people (county employees, private sector alike) cannot be afforded a payraise,” Leggett tells the Tolbert Report. “While some departments might warrant raises, I cannot see how every department does – especially on the heels of a 4% one-time bonus just passed.”

The Republican National Committee has a video out this morning on the Senate vote to move along the health care reform bill over the weekend. On our own Sen. Blanche Lincoln, they said she “voted for the bill, when she said she would oppose it.” In fairness to Lincoln, she still has time to vote against the bill again, after first voting for the bill that she opposes.

The Washington Post had an interesting summary of the pork that some of the moderate Senate Democratd received in exchange for their vote.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) won a promise from Reid to support his plan to expand eligibility for health insurance. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) got Reid to jettison a provision stripping health insurers of their antitrust exemption. Landrieu got the concessions for her money. And Lincoln won an extended, 72-hour period to study legislation.

You mean Louisiana got $100 million $300 million and all we got was more time to read a bad bill? Somehow I feel kind of ripped off.

Press Releases regarding Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s vote on the Health Care Bill are coming in faster than a politician can spend money so I will post this on this thread and keep the top thread open for developments in Sen. Lincoln’s vote.

From Republican Candidates

Conrad Reynolds – Lincoln’s Next Payback Vote

Fred Ramey – Regarding Health Care Debate currently in Senate

Buddy Rogers – Rogers Calls for Lincoln to Reject Senate Health Bill

Curtis Coleman – A Call on Sen. Lincoln to Vote for Arkansas

Other Groups

National Right to Life Committee Rejects Reid Abortion Funding Language as “Completely Unacceptable,” Calls for Enactment of Stupak-Pitts Amendment

From Bob Porto on the Tea Party announcing a candle light event at Senator Lincoln office Friday at 6:00.

This does even begin to touch the number of emails encouraging me to call Sen. Lincoln.