By Steve Brawner, © 2023 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

“Congressional “ and “action” are two words that aren’t used together much these days, but that’s what University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek was hoping to help make happen June 7.

Yurachek was scheduled to travel to Washington, D.C., as part of a group of Southeastern Conference leaders seeking to create a uniform NIL national standard. 

For non-sports fans, NIL is the newfound reality where college athletes can be compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness, although that compensation can’t come from the university. It has opened the doors for college athletes to be paid big bucks to endorse products and engage in other activities.

How big? The website On3 calculates the valuation of Bronny James, son of LeBron James, at $6.8 million. That doesn’t mean the incoming University of Southern California freshman basketball player is being paid exactly that, but that’s what the site says he’s worth. The second highest valued athlete is LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne, who is valued at $3.4 million. Third is incoming University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning, nephew of Peyton and Eli. He’s valued at $2.8 million. 

The top ranking Razorback is running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, who is 48th with a value of $750,000.  Continue reading College sports: Pay’s the American way →

By Steve Brawner, © 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

What has been expected is now pretty much official: the federal government will spend $1 trillion more this year than it will collect, and it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Whose fault is that? Everybody’s, according to Rep. Steve Womack, who represents Northwest Arkansas in Congress.

The $1 trillion forecast – equal to about $3,000 in red ink for every American – came from the Congressional Budget Office Tuesday. The CBO said Uncle Sam will spend $4.6 trillion this fiscal year while collecting only $3.6 trillion in taxes.

That $1 trillion will be added to the cumulative national debt, which has reached $23.2 trillion and counting, or about $70,000 for every American. Continue reading ‘We have all, on both sides of the aisle, failed’ →

By Steve Brawner, © 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Arkansas’ two senators will inevitably vote the same way on impeachment – against it, if they haven’t already done so by the time you read this.

Their approaches and rhetoric leading up to the vote has been as different as they are. While Sen. John Boozman has made it clear where he’s headed, his tone has been measured. Sen. Tom Cotton, on the other hand, has been all over the airwaves blasting Democrats and defending President Trump.

But the results will be the same and will come as no surprise, just as there will be no surprises coming from virtually all the other 98 senators. In the final vote, the only questions will be whether any Democrats – maybe Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia – vote to acquit, and whether any Republicans vote to convict, which is highly unlikely. And then we’ll see how it all plays out in this year’s elections. Continue reading Change the oath, and impeach less often →