

A Weak Argument Against “Stand Your Ground”
Under what circumstances should an Arkansan be able to use deadly force in self-protection? This question will be discussed in the...

advancearkansas
Jan 3, 20192 min read


House Democrats Prioritize Bill to Restrict Free Speech
The new House of Representatives takes office tomorrow. What is the first major order of business for the Democratic majority? They plan...

advancearkansas
Jan 2, 20193 min read


The Human Cost of Cosmetology Licensing
It should come to no surprise to the readers of TAP that sometimes people use the political system to rig the game in their favor. While...

advancearkansas
Dec 28, 20183 min read


Will Arkansas Embrace Free Range Parenting in 2019?
Depending on the whims of a police officer or a state worker, the types of activity that used to be normal for children a couple decades...

advancearkansas
Dec 27, 20182 min read


More Evidence for Medicaid Work Requirements
After years of disagreement, and a change of direction at the federal level, Arkansas finally has a work requirement for a portion of its...

advancearkansas
Dec 20, 20182 min read


Is Tom Cotton “Undermining” the President?
Senator Tom Cotton waged a fierce battle against criminal justice reform in the Senate. When the votes were counted, however, only 11 of...

advancearkansas
Dec 19, 20183 min read


Want to Learn about Free Speech?
Free speech for me, but not for thee. That is how Nat Hentoff once described what many (most?) people think about free speech – they like...

advancearkansas
Dec 18, 20182 min read


Rep. Westerman Rightly Focuses on Forest Management
The fires in California and throughout the West may have subsided, but they will be back. Rep. Bruce Westerman has a plan that would help...

advancearkansas
Dec 14, 20182 min read


What Will Legislators Be Considering in 2019?
Legislators are gearing up to return to Little Rock on January 14. The 92nd session of the Arkansas General Assembly starts on that day,...

advancearkansas
Dec 13, 20182 min read


An Absurd Idea to Regulate Social Media
The 92nd session of the Arkansas General Assembly convenes next month. Even though legislators haven’t yet met in Little Rock, I may have...

advancearkansas
Dec 11, 20183 min read


Fixing Corporate Welfare in Arkansas
Can corporate welfare (or, if you prefer, “economic development”) be improved in Arkansas? The answer is clearly “yes,” but what would...

advancearkansas
Dec 8, 20182 min read


The Cost of Corporate Welfare
While they disagree on a lot, both Democratic and Republican elected officials seem to believe that economic development incentives are...

advancearkansas
Dec 6, 20182 min read


The Economic Benefits of Low Taxes
It seems likely that 2019 will be the year of tax reform in Arkansas. The members of the Tax Reform and Relief Legislative Task Force are...

advancearkansas
Dec 5, 20182 min read


Who Controls Spending — the Supreme Court or Legislators?
When legislators look for a little transparency in state spending, they should be rewarded. After all, the people deserve to know how...

advancearkansas
Nov 30, 20183 min read


Crying Wolf on the Environment
In the past, I have compared occasional op-ed writer Richard Mason to the Lorax, a character from Dr. Seuss who supposedly speaks for the...

advancearkansas
Nov 29, 20184 min read


Lee Disputes Cotton’s Stance on Criminal Justice Bill
The lame duck session of Congress is underway. One of the bills under consideration would reform the federal criminal justice system....

advancearkansas
Nov 27, 20182 min read


Where Does the Arkansas Delegation Stand on Saudi Arabia?
The U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia is in the news a lot recently. The killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, coupled with the Saudi...

advancearkansas
Nov 21, 20183 min read


Consider the Cases of North Carolina and Kansas Tax Reform
Tax reform may be coming to Arkansas in 2019. Whether the tax changes follow what Governor Asa Hutchinson proposed or what legislators...

advancearkansas
Nov 20, 20182 min read


Obamacare is Failing
Why do people say that Obamacare won on Election Day? One reason is that three conservative states expanded Medicaid to conform to what...

advancearkansas
Nov 16, 20182 min read


Criminal Justice Reform May Be Coming to Congress
There is not much upon which Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree. However, even in these polarized times, there does appear to be...

advancearkansas
Nov 15, 20183 min read


A Plan to Improve Health Care?
I think most people would agree that, regardless of where you stand on the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), the U.S. health care system...

advancearkansas
Nov 14, 20183 min read


Occupational Licensing’s Harms are Real
Who wants to help workers and consumers? The recent election featured a lot of politicians who said that’s what they want to do. Every...

advancearkansas
Nov 9, 20182 min read


How are Other States Reforming Occupational Licensing?
The elections are over. It’s time to move from politics to policy. A good way to unite people who have been divided by this partisan...

advancearkansas
Nov 8, 20182 min read


Consider the Trade-Offs of a Minimum Wage Hike
Voters will go to the polls shortly and decide, among other things, whether to increase Arkansas’s minimum wage. While advocates for the...

advancearkansas
Nov 5, 20182 min read

