Back to Kansas?

Dear editor:

Kudos to Kansas. When the Supreme Court effectively overturned Roe vs. Wade, saying in effect it was a states’ rights issue, Kansas took them literally. They actually sent the issue to the voters, rather than a handful of legislators. And on Tuesday night, in this predominantly Republican, Midwestern state, the voters answered. Almost 2-1, they said they preferred to leave the medical and health care decisions of a woman to, well, that woman. Overwhelmingly.

In contrast, in 2021, our state Legislature passed SB6, a draconian “trigger law” bill that pretty much bans abortion in Arkansas, with no exceptions for rape, incest, viability of the fetus, or concern that the pregnancy could endanger the life of the woman. Our four local legislators, Sens. Alan Clark and Bill Sample, along with Reps. Bruce Cozart and Richard Mcgrew, voted in favor.

So for some context, Kansas allowed their taxpaying, registered voters to decide the issue. Locally, we had four white, middle-aged male business owners make the decision for around 50,000 Garland County taxpayers. As a whole, the Arkansas Legislature, which is so “pro-life,” hasn’t found a pro-gun piece of law they didn’t like over the past decade.

I’m sure we can all rest easy, though. With Sarah Huckabee Sanders slated to be our next governor, her and all these legislators certainly have a plan to implement the additional funding for Pre-k program, free lunches, health care, HUD housing, welfare, and all the other coming needs of these forced pregnancies.

Anthony Lloyd Hot Springs