Dear editor:
The American historian, Thomas Frank, author of "What's the Matter with Kansas?" (2004), began observing and writing about American politics as a Republican college student, but later changed his political affiliation to the Democratic Party. Frank says in his book, "The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule" (2008), that "bad government is the natural product of rule by those who believe that government is bad."
It doesn't take much political savvy to see that the ultra-conservatives now in control of Arkansas' government have masterfully played on the baser feelings of many of Arkansas' electorate. They redirected the attention of voters from what is best for their own economic well-being to social hot-button wedge issues that anger a great many people. Pandering to these baser instincts, they use these wedge issues to swing elections, trusting voters won't know they were being used. What makes it so sad is that these angry people helped elect the ultra-conservatives to office. Many of the wedge issues used repeatedly by the far-right have already been ruled on by the judicial system, with one, gay marriage, to be decided within the coming months.
Recently, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, now seeking the Repubiican nomination for president, actually came out for the "nullification" by the states of federal judicial decisions. In 1832, President Andrew Jackson called nullification of federal law "treason," saying that if South Carolina went through with its nullification ordinance, he would "Hang the first man of them I can get my hands on to the first tree I can find." Does the former governor actually believe that if a federal judicial decision upholding a federal or state law is declared null and void by a state legislature, nothing will happen? Mr. Huckabee, you had better rethink your "nullification" theory and be thankful that "Old Hickory" isn't here today, because he would be ready for you with rope in hand.
While Arkansas voters were being redirected in last year's elections toward those hot-button issues, they forgot about their own economic well-being, education, etc., and voted for people who can do nothing to change these issues except produce hot air. The biggest redirection pulled off by the ultra-conservatives all across the U.S. was getting voters to vote against the current president, who wasn't even on the ballot. Only one other president has faced more nationwide vilification than our current president, and that was Abraham Lincoln.
It was Lincoln who set America's face toward "positive liberty," giving the national government a larger role in our society. The American people ended up building monuments and spreading his name all across the country, not remembering that when he was elected, he was the most hated president in American history. Could it be that President Obama, whom the ultra-conservatives now vilify for his "positive liberty," will someday have national monuments built for him and places named after him? We'll see.
John S. Polk
Hot Springs
Editorial on 05/22/2015