Category Archives: Business and economics

CNBC ranks Arkansas 33rd overall in business survey

Arkansas ranks first in the cost of doing business in a new CNBC survey but 33rd overall, one worse than last year.

The state ranked first in the cost of doing business and fourth in cost of living but fared poorly in the usual suspects: 45th in quality of life (I beg to differ); 44th in technology and innovation (sounds about right); 44th in business friendliness, meaning its legal and regulatory environment (GOP, this is your chance to help the state); and 40th in infrastructure and transportation (not going to fix that one this year).

Virginia was ranked first while Texas was second, so get ready to hear from the Legislature’s Rick Perry caucus.

Here’s the link to the story.

Yarnell’s – It’s my Mom’s fault

Within hours after Yarnell’s announced it was closing shop, the Republican Party of Arkansas was ready with a press release blaming the Democrats.

This, of course, is what politicos do – play the blame game, and the Democrats are no different.

But really, it’s not Beebe’s fault, or the Republicans’ fault, that this Arkansas institution is shutting down. It’s my Mom’s fault.

Mom told me last weekend that she didn’t buy Yarnell’s for a simple reason: She didn’t like its fat-free flavors. She likes Blue Bell – you know, that Texas company.

Mom is one of millions of consumers simply making choices in a free market economy. It turns out that a lot of them – in fact, too many of them for Yarnell’s to survive – chose of their own free will to purchase another brand.

Certainly government can enact policies that make it easier for regional independents like Yarnell’s to survive – mostly by NOT enacting policies that favor big corporations. But this never-ending blame game really doesn’t solve anything.

To read more about Yarnell’s – and my mom – check out my Arkansas News Bureau column here.