What one knows, doesn’t know does matter

I know there are a lot of people asking questions of themselves out loud these days in regards to politics.

Many times, human nature will tell us to talk it out — and hopefully sometimes we can answer our own questions.

Well there is a lot we know. … And even more, it seems, we don ‘t know.

For example: I know that our current President of the United States sure does love to send out divisive messages over his Twitter account.

What I don’t know is does he write these screeds himself or with professional help?

I do know that “hurtful words,” and “false accusations,” often crop up in some of the president’s messages.

What I don’t know is does the president realize these are “hurtful words,” and “false accusations,” that really can’t be proven as true, and fill these many, many messages from our nation’s leader.

I do know that the 2020 election cycle is well underway.

I don’t know if the American public is really ready for all the gyration of both political parties at present.

I do know that a recent poll in state showed a low rate of interest in Sarah Huckabee Sanders running for Arkansas’ governor in 2022.

What I don’t know, as of yet, is if these early polls really matter if she decides to run. (Polls have never seemed to matter to her dad, former Gov. Mike Huckabee).

I do know that the slow, but deliberate, roll out of medical marijuana in Arkansas has been a success.

I don’t know if the elected officials who seemed so scared of this “people’s mandate” at the polls realize how strong the voter reaction to all this foot-dragging has been.

I do know that the first several months’ revenue figures, released by the state, for the popularity of Medical Marijuana in Arkansas, has far exceeded other states in a similar roll out for the amount of tax monies earned.

I do not know if the man on the street realizes that Medical Marijuana will soon be a reason the state can further cut individual income taxes and possibly continue to balance Arkansas’ state budget when other state’s without such a cash cow will struggle to finance state government.

I do know that the “push” for recreational marijuana in Arkansas is real.

I don’t know if the rank and file politicians — all the way from the governor’s office down to the local quorum courts — can tell that if the public will pass this as easily as the medical marijuana.

I do know that these recent guilty pleas for corruption within state government are not entirely over.

I don’t know who will be the next to be indicted.

I don’t know who will be in the next Arkansas governor’s race.

I do know there are at least two viable candidates within the constitutional officers, who are looking at the race.

I do know there will likely be another “surge” of women candidates filing for seats in the Arkansas legislature.

I don’t know if anyone else has seen the difference these women can and did make in the most recent session.

I do know that more and more local newspapers in Arkansas are scaling back, being closed and being less local these days.

I don’t know if the public can see the dangers to finding out what is going on down in Little Rock if the local press goes away.

I do know there will be fodder for a column next week — even with the unusually hot weather.

I don’t know what it will be until then . ...

— Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at maylontrice@yahoo.com. The opinions expressed are those of the author.