Roundup of recent false or deceptive claims in Arkansas legislative races.
Here is a roundup of some recent campaign ads and statements that are false or deceptive. First we will highlight some deceptive statements by individual candidates. Then we will reveal the deceptive way several candidates are trying to dodge the issue of supporting Obamacare Medicaid Expansion.
SENATOR EDDIE JOE WILLIAMS sent out an ad saying “Honesty and Integrity Matter”. He then claims he Opposes Obamacare which we will address in the second part of this article. Next he claims he opposes Common Core. Guess he must oppose Common Core only in his heart because his actions have been the opposite. He voted to:
- Authorize the State Board of Education to impose Common Core on schools,[i]
- Mandated the use of Common Core in English Language Arts and Mathematics testing,[ii] and
- Authorize a Common Core based pilot program in arts infused education.[iii]
REPRESENTATIVE LANCE EADS, who is running for Senate, claims his campaign is not funded by special interests. Odd? What about the twelve Political Action Committees (PACs) listed on just his last campaign report.
Eads also said he is NOT “supported by groups who feed off your tax dollars through government contracts and subsidies.” No need to mention the PACs supporting him. Isn’t it ironic that he is the cosponsor of the proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to allow himself and his employer to benefit from your local taxpayer money! If approved by the voters the proposal removes the Arkansas Constitution’s PROHIBITION against cities giving money to private groups like the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is his employer!
SENATOR JANE ENGLISH… oh my gosh. Her recent mailer is chocked full of fantasy and deception. She made the outrageous claim that her opponent voted to close nursing homes, etc.[iv] Not only is it not true, she voted the same way on the appropriation bill back in 2013. Senator English’s mailer is so ridiculous on so many points we address it in a separate post. (Here is the link)
CANDIDATE TALKING POINTS ON OBAMACARE MEDICAID EXPANSION. These candidates use the same deceptive talking points to try to avoid criticism on their Obamacare Medicaid Expansion votes by REFRAMING the issue to something different:
- Senator Jane English (opponent Representative Donnie Copeland)
- Senator Eddie Joe Williams (opponent R.D. Hopper)
- Representative Lance Eads (opponent Sharon Lloyd)
- Representative Rebecca Petty (opponent Debra Hobbs)
- Representative Jana Della Rosa (opponents Randy Alexander and Jana Starr)
- Representative Sue Scott (opponent Austin McCollum)
- Representative James Sturch (opponent Phillip Finch)
Here is an example of the talking points. In a Facebook post Representative Rebecca Petty said: “I did not vote to expand ObamaCare. I voted to end the private option medicaid expansion and form a task force to consider all possible solutions to the health care crisis facing Arkansas which was forced upon the state by the federal government.” Representative Jana Della Rosa used the same talking points in a Facebook post but presented it as a conversation with a constituent in which she won the day.
Their talking points use deception to pretending the criticism is different. They all claim to oppose Obamacare (as in the total Obamacare law). Whether they have negative feelings about the total Obamacare law is irrelevant. The issue is whether they voted in support of the continuation of Obamacare Medicaid Expansion in Arkansas. They did. And, yes the continuation of the Obamacare Medicaid Expansion does support the overall Obamacare plan.
Another element of their talking points is to say they voted to end the “Private Option.” This too is deception. The bill, SB96, DID NOT shorten the Private Option by even one second. The bill even acknowledged the Private Option was already going to end at the exact same time. New legislation was going to be needed anyway to extend Obamacare Medicaid Expansion past 2016, and that is why the bill they voted “FOR” created the task force WITH THE DUTY to recommend how to continue Obamacare Medicaid Expansion. At best they voted to end the NAME “Private Option” but to worked for the continuation of the Obamacare Medicaid Expansion program in Arkansas.
In addition to the 2015 vote, Senator Eddie Joe Williams and Representative Sue Scott served in 2013 and voted to adopt Obamacare Medicaid Expansion. Senator Jane English also served in 2013 but began her support in 2014 when she voted to fund it after trading her vote for funds for a program she oversaw when she was a state bureaucrat.
[i] SB283 of 2011 Sec 14(b)
[ii] SB814 of 2013
[iii] HB1689 of 2013
[iv] SB101 of 2015