Fair deal for Arkansas

Stock markets and corporate profits are booming, but the boom does not reach most of us here in Arkansas. And when we don’t have money, we don’t go to restaurants, buy new cars, renovate our houses, or start new businesses. Which means that the economy in Arkansas stands still while Wall Street and Silicon Valley race forward.

Sadly, though, our congressional representatives insist that giving tax breaks to coastal CEOs will somehow benefit the people of Arkansas. Apparently their one idea is cutting government investments in school lunches, roads, health care, and veterans so the rich can pay less tax. Period. No other ideas.

But it used to be different. Back in the day, politicians represented the people of their states, not just their campaign contributors and party leaders. In the past, Arkansas voters sent people to Washington to collect taxes from the few wealthy, powerful people profiting the most at the national level, and invest those federal dollars in the regular people back home. Voters used to ask their congressional delegation, “What federal money are you bringing home to Arkansas?” And elected officials used to photograph themselves cutting ribbons on new schools, highways, and veterans training programs. Voters simply didn’t re-elect the ones who came home empty-handed.

It was a fair deal for Arkansas that worked well for generations. Let’s try it again. CHERYL WOODARD Little Rock