Free Republic

Democrats may be making their last stand in Arkansas. At the beginning of the cycle, Democrats touted a dream ticket that could help rally the party back to relevance after a series of stinging losses in the state. They cheered Sen. Mark Pryor’s (D) centrist profile and strong family name. In the governor’s race, they hoped former Rep. Mike Ross’s long string of successes in conservative southwest Arkansas would boost him. But months later, Pryor has trailed freshman Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) for much of the summer in the Razorback State and former Rep. Asa Hutchinson (R-Ark.) has had a...

Well, if this isn't a burgeoning political headache for the party of “tolerance” and “inclusiveness,” I don't know what is. An Arkansas Democratic gubernatorial candidate has filed two complaints against state organizations affiliated with the Democratic Party. She claims Arkansas Democrats snubbed her at a dinner by refusing to let her speak, and on a separate occasion, referred to her primary opponent as “the next governor of Arkansas”…as she sat and listened. From ABC’s affiliate KATV: Arkansas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Lynette Bryant has filed a complaint against the Democratic Party of Arkansas and the Saline County Democratic Party...

Arkansas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Lynette Bryant’s complaint against the Arkansas Democratic Party was rebuffed as “misguided” by Democratic National Committee Chairperson Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla). Dr. Bryant took exception to her primary opponent, Mike Ross, being described by Democratic Party officials as “the next governor of Arkansas.” She also protested being barred from speaking at Saline County’s Jefferson Jackson Dinner. “I can understand how Dr. Bryant—an African-American woman—might feel frustrated and belittled by the way she’s been treated,” Wasserman Schultz offered. “However, we need to focus on the big picture. The message of the Democratic Party is that...

Former Republican Congressman and Drug Czar Asa Hutchinson (at right) holds an eight-point lead over his Democratic rival for governor, former Democratic Rep. Mike Ross, D. The two men are vying to replace Gov. Mike Beebe, D, who defeated Hutchinson for the job in 2006 but cannot run again due to term limits. The Conservative Intel poll of Arkansas, whose Senate results were released yesterday, was conducted by Harper Polling and surveyed 587 likely voters in the state...

Reprinted from PeaceandTolerance.org. “This is alarming, but I’d need to see a smoking gun.” That’s what a Boston Rabbi said after we’d spent an hour in his office walking him through mounds of evidence that linked the leaders of the Islamic Society of Boston (ISB) to terrorism and hate speech against Jews and Christians. He wouldn’t speak publicly about the radical leadership of the ISB mosque, he explained, for fear of giving offense, for fear of breaking with a certain understanding about these things, for fear of being labeled a bigot. For 10 years, this reluctance to speak honestly about...

Just received the call. He will announce his candidacy Wednesday in Prescott at 7:45 a.m.

The House approved a rule governing debate for the Republicans' Repeal of Obamacare Act on Tuesday. Members voted 240-182 in favor of the rule, which sets up five hours of debate that will take place Tuesday and Wednesday. Democrats strongly oppose the bill, a sentiment reflected in the rule vote. Only four Democrats supported the rule, and every voting Republicans favored it. Democrats voting for the rule were Reps. Dan Boren (Okla.), Larry Kissell (N.C.), Mike McIntyre (N.C.) and Mike Ross (Ark.). The vote came after a debate that seemed to raise the question of why five hours of debate...

Army veteran and management consultant Tom Cotton has won the Republican nomination for a south Arkansas congressional seat. Cotton defeated Beth Anne Rankin and John Cowart in Tuesday's primary for the 4th Congressional District. The 35-year-old from Dardanelle raised more than $1 million in his bid for the seat and had racked up endorsements from leading national Republicans and conservative groups. Rankin is a former Miss Arkansas who worked as an aide in former Gov. Mike Huckabee's administration. She was the party's 4th District nominee in 2010. The district is Arkansas' only U.S. House seat occupied by a Democrat. Congressman...

But if people have a choice to keep their current policy or select Medicare, all other things being the same, nobody would take Medicare except those who have no insurance, and, voila, everybody is covered. The big caveat, of course, is whether all other things like taxes on employer benefits stays the same. While I would not favor a massive expansion of Medicare, it forces the Dems to explain why this proposal doesn't provide choice and competition, while insuring everybody.

Did the August town hall protests have an effect on Congress? Enough so that at least one Blue Dog Democrat admitted it convinced him to oppose the public option in the health-care overhaul bill. Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR) announced his opposition this morning, crediting his constituents for his moment of clarification: Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), the Blue Dog congressman who battled with Democratic Party leaders for much of July before reaching an agreement on health-care reform legislation, said Tuesday that he could no longer back the government-insurance option included in the bill he voted for before the congressional recess. “I...

Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) said on Wednesday that providing healthcare to uninsured Americans is "not what this healthcare reform debate is about."In making his comments, Ross, who is the centrist Blue Dogs' health reform point man, questioned one of the primary healthcare goals of the White House and Democratic leaders. "That is a side benefit to healthcare reform and an important one," Ross told the Arkansas Educational Television Network. Instead, the fifth-term congressman said the bill should focus on "cost containment."The Energy and Commerce Committee member reiterated that he wants to pass a health reform bill by the end of...

Health Bill Hinges On Blue Dogs' Vote But Few Bite So Far By DAVID HOGBERG AND SEAN HIGGINS August 14, 2009 Blue Dog Democrats are being chased by both sides in the health care debate. But the opposition may have the inside track, based on an IBD survey of these moderate-to-conservative House lawmakers. There are 256 Democrats in the House, 52 of whom are Blue Dogs. Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama, who's not a member of the pack, has said he won't support HR 3200 in its present form. That means Democrats need the support of at least 15 Blue...

Here is video of Blue Dog Arkansas Democrat Mike Ross receiving a standing ovation at a Town Hall Meeting because he said he "stood up to President Obama and Nancy Pelosi" and won a delay on voting on the Health Care Reform legislation until at least Sepember. Ross was mostly applauded by the crowd for delaying action on the bill. He advocated letting people speak, even shout if they want to, because "this is America." This has to be a disturbing sign to President Obama and other Democrat leaders. Here is a Democrat touting his "standing up to Obama" when...

AUGUST 14, 2009 Arkansas Rep. Ross Faces Restive Crowd on Health Care STEPHANIE SIMON ARKADELPHIA, Ark. -- Arkansas Democratic Rep. Mike Ross has been getting an earful on health care from his constituents for months – at the supermarket, at church, even when he's out deer hunting. More than 700 people crammed a university auditorium here Friday to continue that conversation. And it was a restive crowd, shouting at the congressman -- and often, at each other -- interrupting questions and drowning out speakers with jeers and boos. Mr. Ross, a former drugstore owner, has emerged as a key figure...

One of the so-called 'conservative, blue-dog' Democrats has been caught red-handed in a bare-faced lie concerning the healthcare bill a House committee approved just prior to the August recess. These guys must now be taking lessons from Nancy Pelosi, which is odd, given that Pelosi's approval numbers are dismal.

The two telephone town halls will begin promptly at 7:10 p.m. CDT on August 13 and August 27. Any resident throughout Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District can connect into the telephone town hall by dialing the following toll free number and using the included PIN code: Phone: 1- 877-269-7289, PIN: 14573. Anyone may listen to the call and specific instructions will be given to callers if they would like to ask Congressman Ross a question.

Link to video footage of the Vic Snyder and Mike Ross poorly scheduled townhall meetinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVpa5IoiF_g Another video link http://keeparkansaslegal.blogspot.com/2009/08/healthcare-townhall-meeting-httpping.html

KTHV-TV reports: The forum was led by democratic congressmen Mike Ross and Vic Snyder. They say health care costs are growing at twice the rate of inflation and health insurance will reach a point in the next 10 years were employees and employers won't be able to afford it, they say doing nothing isn't an option. Audience members accused them of supporting a government-backed health plan that would take away Americans' personal choice and freedom.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An unruly Little Rock crowd heckled and shouted at two Arkansas Democratic congressmen Wednesday, accusing them of supporting a government-backed health plan that would take away Americans' personal choice and freedom. At one point, U.S. Rep. Mike Ross sat with his head in his hands while the crowd shouted. He and fellow Democratic Rep. Vic Snyder told audience members at a forum at Arkansas Children's Hospital that they wouldn't support a completely government-run, single-payer health insurance plan.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An unruly Little Rock crowd heckled and shouted at two Arkansas Democratic congressmen Wednesday, accusing them of supporting a government-backed health plan that would take away Americans' personal choice and freedom. At one point, U.S. Rep. Mike Ross sat with his head in his hands while the crowd shouted. He and fellow Democratic Rep. Vic Snyder told audience members at a forum at Arkansas Children's Hospital that they wouldn't support a completely government-run, single-payer health insurance plan. "But that's what Obama wants!" an audience member shouted, leading to more heckling. Ross, who represents south Arkansas,...