Category Archives: Politics

Stealing from our grandkids

tax, taxes, debt, deficitsBy Steve Brawner

Be warned: Elected officials in Washington will try to buy your vote with your grandchildren’s money.

If recent history is any guide, they’ll do that by cutting  taxes without cutting spending by at least the same amount, increasing the national debt. And a big reason why they would do it is because they cannot seem to do anything else. After failing to repeal Obamacare, they think they’ve got to do something.

The details of the proposal released by President Trump and congressional Republicans Sept. 27 are still vague. But among the highlights are, it would reduce the number of tax brackets from seven to three, the highest being 35 percent instead of the current 39.6 percent. Congress would have the option of creating a fourth, higher tax bracket for the wealthy. (Don’t hold your breath.) To offset some of the lost revenue, it would repeal many itemized deductions. (Lots of lobbyists will fight this one.) It also would end the estate tax and reduce the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent. Continue reading →

Christian bakers and gay weddings: It’s probably up to one justice

Christian baker gay weddingBy Steve Brawner

Can a Christian baker decline to bake a cake for a gay wedding? If so, it may be based on freedom of speech more than freedom of religion, and it all may come down to one Supreme Court justice.

That issue will be decided in what could be a “historic” term, said John DiPippa, interim dean of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock law school.

DiPippa spoke at the Clinton School of Public Service Monday, the same day the court began its new term. With him was Associate Dean Theresa Beiner.

DiPippa said the short-handed and divided Supreme Court declined to hear many controversial cases last year because it had only eight members after Justice Antonin Scalia died. The Republican-controlled Senate refused to hold hearings on President Obama’s nominee, which left the court in limbo. This year, the Senate quickly confirmed President Trump’s nominee, Neil Gorsuch. DiPippa said he will vote much like the conservative Scalia.  Continue reading →

Arkansas Week – Sept. 29, 2017

This week’s Arkansas Week on AETN: Wes Brown with Talk Business & Politics, Jacob Kaufman with KUAR, and Steve Brawner  join host Steve Barnes to discuss health care, Arkansas’ low unemployment rate, the Alabama Senate race, and the Little Rock mayoral race.

 

Raise taxes? Yes, say some voters – for schools

By Steve Brawner

Who wants higher taxes? In at least 13 Arkansas communities, the answer Sept. 19 was, “We’ll pay them, for our local schools.”

That’s how many school districts voted to increase property taxes during the annual school elections. Voters chose to erase all or much of the tax cuts provided by Gov. Asa Hutchinson and the Legislature during the past two legislative sessions. Meanwhile, voters in eight districts said no to millage increases.

The increases occurred in communities across the state, from Berryville in the state’s northwest corner to Dumas in southeastern Arkansas. The largest increase was 8.4 mills at the Cutter Morning Star district around Hot Springs for a new high school and arena. Fifty-nine percent of voters approved raising their taxes by $168 a year on a $100,000 home. In DeQueen, 61 percent said yes to a 4.9-mill increase to replace the crowded high school. The 50-year-old building was designed for 60-80 students per grade; they’ve since grown to about 200. The district, which is 63 percent Hispanic, had the state’s lowest millage rate before the vote.  Continue reading →

Why Trump may be the best thing for the dreamers’ hopes

Trump, DACA, dreamersBy Steve Brawner

Ironically, American presidents sometimes have extra freedom to do the opposite of what they made their name talking about. For that reason, President Trump might – emphasize “might” – be the best thing that could have happened for those DACA kids to gain legal status or even citizenship.

The two most obvious examples of this dynamic are Presidents Nixon and Reagan. Nixon was a fervent anti-communist, but he was the one who opened the doors to a relationship with communist China. Reagan was the Cold Warrior who increased defense spending, called the Soviet Union the “Evil Empire” and told Mr. Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. Then he negotiated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Gorbachev, destroying 2,692 missiles between the two sides.

Nixon and Reagan were able to do these things because no one could doubt their intentions. Nixon could befriend the Chinese because everyone knew he wasn’t soft on communism. Same for Reagan and the Russians. Can you imagine a “make love, not war” president trying to sell the INF Treaty to Congress and the American people?

Continue reading →