What Senate candidates say about debt, Social Security

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Tom Cotton, Hallie Shoffner, Jeff WadlinWhoever wins this year’s U.S. Senate race in Arkansas will take the oath of office amidst unprecedented fiscal challenges. 

The national debt has surpassed $40 trillion, equal to about $117,000 for every American. The government is spending more than $2 trillion more than it is collecting this fiscal year. 

Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office projects that Social Security’s retirement trust fund will become insolvent in mid-2032. This will occur before the end of the senator’s upcoming term. The result could be 26% benefit cuts for recipients unless Congress takes action.

What do Arkansas’ three U.S. Senate candidates – Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, Democrat Hallie Shoffner and Libertarian Jeff Wadlin – think about these issues? I asked them, and here’s what they said.

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Voters to decide if Issue 3 is the right tool for economic development

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Tiffany Wright, Henderson State, Trump dividend, Issue 3Texarkana, Texas, is booming. Texarkana, Arkansas – not as much. Supporters of Issue 3 say that’s because Texas, along with 47 other states, has tools Arkansas lacks, and they want voters to change that.

Opponents of Issue 3 say it’s the wrong tool.  

Issue 3 is one of three constitutional amendments on this year’s ballot – the others pertaining to noncitizen voting and gun rights. It would let cities and counties create economic development districts that provide developers incentives to improve them. 

Under Arkansas’ Constitution, local governments can incentivize industrial and corporate headquarters but not housing, retail and other developments. Only Arkansas and Arizona cannot do what other states can do. Continue reading →

Where Sen. Tom Cotton, Hallie Shoffner, and Jeff Wadlin stand on Iran

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Tom Cotton, Hallie Shoffner, Jef WadlinThe United States’ conflict with Iran continues, with gas and diesel prices a continual and rising reminder. 

What do Arkansas’ three candidates for U.S. Senate think should be done?

Sen. Tom Cotton has long taken an aggressive stance regarding Iran. He opposed President Obama’s nuclear deal in 2015 that placed inspectors in that country. Cotton argued that it would allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons and help it fund terrorism. He then advocated for military action in 2019 after Iran attacked two oil tankers. He supported President Trump’s strikes last year against Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities.

The day this year’s war started on Feb. 28, he told CBS News that President Trump had successfully laid out the mission’s objectives. Those were: thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions; destroy its missile arsenal; and dismantle Iran’s terrorist network. 

As Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, Cotton has access to highly classified information. 

Given his position, I asked him Sept. 1 when he visited Henderson State University in Arkadelphia what hope he could provide that the conflict would work out OK.

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About those $5,000 ‘Trump dividend’ checks

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tax, taxes, debt, deficits, spending, trillion, State of the Union, deficit hawks, balanced budget amendment, Jonathan Bydlak, immigration, $98.8 trillion, $970 billion, Social Security cutArkansas’ members of Congress reacted cooly to President Trump’s proposal to send a $5,000 “Trump dividend” to every adult American if Republicans retain their congressional majorities this November.

None of the five who answered questions explicitly endorsed the proposal, though they avoided directly criticizing it. 

In the Senate, Sen. Tom Cotton’s spokesperson said he “wants to put money back in the pockets of working Arkansans by continuing to lower taxes.” Sen. John Boozman’s office said he is “certainly interested in helping keep as much money in the American people’s pockets as possible” and looked forward to hearing more details. 

In the House, Rep. French Hill said the focus instead should be on implementing lasting policies such as his recently passed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act along with Republican-passed tax reforms. Similarly, Rep. Bruce Westerman supports longterm policies encouraging business growth, good wages, reducing bureaucracy and regulations, lowering taxes, and reforming health care. Rep. Steve Womack said he had not seen the full proposal but had “concerns.” Rep. Rick Crawford did not respond to a request for comment. 

All of those but Boozman are up for re-election this year. Of the five, Cotton and Hill have the most competitive races.  Continue reading →

Henderson State comes back from the brink

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Tiffany Wright, Henderson StateIn 2019, Henderson State University in Arkadelphia was within a week of having no cash on hand. Today, its finances have recovered, its enrollment is up, and it’s looking for ways to distinguish itself from other schools. But it won’t be paying anyone to play football.  

Those were takeaways from a conversation with chancellor Dr. Trey Berry on the HSU campus Sept. 1.

Berry came to Henderson on Jan. 1, 2024, after serving as president of Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. He had grown up on the HSU campus, where his father, Clyde Berry, was a head football coach and baseball coach. Continue reading →