I'm gonna say this out loud--Sarah Huckabee Sanders is going to just give fodder to the people who claim women shouldn't be in control of anything. She's clearly incompetent and prone to getting hysterical over meaningless bullshit. Her record is proving she's incapable of running a lemonade stand, let alone a whole state. She's doing the Sisterhood down.
Of all the adjectives I would use to describe that backwards, dystopian, Christo-fascist, bigoted, dumpster-fire failure of a state, "normal" is definitely not one of them. I wouldn't set foot in it on a bet and can barely imagine how awful and miserable it would be for the people stuck living there. There is a good reason it's a "flyover state".
We were behind a car with Arkansas plates, displaying the slogan "The Natural State." My buddy supplied the capline, "...where life is nasty, brutish, and short."
The top five states with the highest overall health system scores include Massachusetts, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The states scoring the lowest were Mississippi, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas.
So, here is my response to many of the posts here criticizing the state of Arkansas and all of its inhabitants.
Like many states, Arkansas has a LOT of problems. Corrupt government officials, bigots with WAY too much power, a largely ignorant (not necessarily 'stupid', rather uneducated and misinformed) electorate. There is much to rightfully criticize.
But there are also many, MANY people fighting hard to make changes here. Why do we do it? Why don't we just move somewhere that already has won those battles (or never had to fight them at all)?
Because conceding an entire state to hateful bigots doesn't help ANYONE. It just allows them to consolidate power and maybe spread their hatred elsewhere. And MORE importantly, there are many people who CAN'T move. Kids whose parents love it here or have great jobs, people who simply can't afford to move, and so many other reasons.
And about those kids, I'm an assistant coach on my kids' mountain bike team, and I get to know a lot of really great kids. Some of these kids are LGBTQ+, some of them are great athletes, some of them can barely ride the easiest trails, some are shy, some are super-chatty, all of them are unique, and all of them are amazing. I'm not going to abandon them.
NICA, the organization that runs the mountain bike league here in the state (and many other states) is one of the most inclusive and equitable organizations I know of. It will, no doubt, fall under scrutiny and attack at some point, due to its open minded policies. We have already agreed to ignore the state's mandate that trans kids not be allowed to participate in sports as the gender they identify as. Eventually some bigot is going to pick up on that.
If we leave, who is going to stand up for these kids? Who is going to model another way of living and loving one another? Who is going to actually run for office and vote for progressive values if we all just give up and leave?
And persistence DOES pay off. I helped one life-long republican who was a Never-Trumper go from "I guess I'll support the 3rd party guy because I can't stand SHS" into a die-hard, maxed-out Democratic donor by introducing him to Chris Jones, the Democrat who ran against her and has now started an organization in Arkansas to recruit, train, and help fund progressive candidates.
In conclusion, by all means do NOT move to or visit the state if you don't wish to. Each of us has the right to spend our money and time where we want to. There are countless beautiful and interesting places to visit on this little planet of ours. But maybe offer some moral support for those of us trying to make a difference in the 'shitholes'. Maybe give a little to some of the progressive causes in these states if you have dollar or two to spare.
Thank you for reading. Now everyone enjoy what's left of the weekend!!
How do you cut all those taxes on "rich people" in Arkansas and still fund the government? Or is that the actual point, to starve the state of anything that might help its citizens and push them (further) into the right's anti-democracy worldview?
Being cruel to trans kids, because they're not only different but also tiny in number (so presumably her ossified, asshole supporters presume they've never met one) is electoral paydirt for Republicans. They can also be easily able to stoke the whole patriarchical women-as-our-precious property bit (because it's always "men playing women's sports" and never "women playing men's sports.")
It's sad but if people like this get votes throughout the country in places like this, they'll continue to have power and influence on politics at every level. And this is by design in the USA. Civil rights are entirely conditional and that's where it's always imperative to get people serious about voting.
It is kind of ironic, don't you think, that a female governor would be stoking the whole patriarchical women-as-our-precious property bit? Rethug voters would never notice the irony, of course, because that would require thinking.
And she hid her special podium. Lulz.
I'm gonna say this out loud--Sarah Huckabee Sanders is going to just give fodder to the people who claim women shouldn't be in control of anything. She's clearly incompetent and prone to getting hysterical over meaningless bullshit. Her record is proving she's incapable of running a lemonade stand, let alone a whole state. She's doing the Sisterhood down.
The one thing I admire about the Republican Party is the ruthless way they crush any attempts to establish political dynasties.
Of all the adjectives I would use to describe that backwards, dystopian, Christo-fascist, bigoted, dumpster-fire failure of a state, "normal" is definitely not one of them. I wouldn't set foot in it on a bet and can barely imagine how awful and miserable it would be for the people stuck living there. There is a good reason it's a "flyover state".
We were behind a car with Arkansas plates, displaying the slogan "The Natural State." My buddy supplied the capline, "...where life is nasty, brutish, and short."
"I’m not trying to drag Arkansas as a place."
I think it's ok if you do. I have no qualms doing that for Florida after all.
Vapo Bobo is going to be looking for a job soon.
She'd be a great Sex Czar.
Vapo Bobo is going to be looking for a job soon.
She'd be a great Sex Czar.
Vapo Bobo is going to be looking for a job soon.
She'd be a great Sex Czar.
For Arkansas
A woodwind? Yeah, ok. I could see that.
🤣🤣🤣
Who's Vapo Bobo?
That's a funny name 😅
Lauren "hand jive" Boebert
The top five states with the highest overall health system scores include Massachusetts, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The states scoring the lowest were Mississippi, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas.
So, here is my response to many of the posts here criticizing the state of Arkansas and all of its inhabitants.
Like many states, Arkansas has a LOT of problems. Corrupt government officials, bigots with WAY too much power, a largely ignorant (not necessarily 'stupid', rather uneducated and misinformed) electorate. There is much to rightfully criticize.
But there are also many, MANY people fighting hard to make changes here. Why do we do it? Why don't we just move somewhere that already has won those battles (or never had to fight them at all)?
Because conceding an entire state to hateful bigots doesn't help ANYONE. It just allows them to consolidate power and maybe spread their hatred elsewhere. And MORE importantly, there are many people who CAN'T move. Kids whose parents love it here or have great jobs, people who simply can't afford to move, and so many other reasons.
And about those kids, I'm an assistant coach on my kids' mountain bike team, and I get to know a lot of really great kids. Some of these kids are LGBTQ+, some of them are great athletes, some of them can barely ride the easiest trails, some are shy, some are super-chatty, all of them are unique, and all of them are amazing. I'm not going to abandon them.
NICA, the organization that runs the mountain bike league here in the state (and many other states) is one of the most inclusive and equitable organizations I know of. It will, no doubt, fall under scrutiny and attack at some point, due to its open minded policies. We have already agreed to ignore the state's mandate that trans kids not be allowed to participate in sports as the gender they identify as. Eventually some bigot is going to pick up on that.
If we leave, who is going to stand up for these kids? Who is going to model another way of living and loving one another? Who is going to actually run for office and vote for progressive values if we all just give up and leave?
And persistence DOES pay off. I helped one life-long republican who was a Never-Trumper go from "I guess I'll support the 3rd party guy because I can't stand SHS" into a die-hard, maxed-out Democratic donor by introducing him to Chris Jones, the Democrat who ran against her and has now started an organization in Arkansas to recruit, train, and help fund progressive candidates.
In conclusion, by all means do NOT move to or visit the state if you don't wish to. Each of us has the right to spend our money and time where we want to. There are countless beautiful and interesting places to visit on this little planet of ours. But maybe offer some moral support for those of us trying to make a difference in the 'shitholes'. Maybe give a little to some of the progressive causes in these states if you have dollar or two to spare.
Thank you for reading. Now everyone enjoy what's left of the weekend!!
Right on. We’re on the front lines in these southern states.
Babs_MD, you are my hero.
Awww, thanks!!
This. Generalizations aren't helpful to those of us in red states trying to make a difference.
Even after all these years I'm still amazed the Rethugs pretend they don't know what taxes are for.
How do you cut all those taxes on "rich people" in Arkansas and still fund the government? Or is that the actual point, to starve the state of anything that might help its citizens and push them (further) into the right's anti-democracy worldview?
Interestingly, Arkansas has a balanced budget amendment. They will HAVE to cut spending, and that will NOT be popular.
Is it just journalists that can't FOIA her, or anyone?
Her real daddy wasn't ignorant, disgusting, and abusive enough. She had to seek out Donald Trump as a surrogate.
Fine Republican, that one.
Being cruel to trans kids, because they're not only different but also tiny in number (so presumably her ossified, asshole supporters presume they've never met one) is electoral paydirt for Republicans. They can also be easily able to stoke the whole patriarchical women-as-our-precious property bit (because it's always "men playing women's sports" and never "women playing men's sports.")
It's sad but if people like this get votes throughout the country in places like this, they'll continue to have power and influence on politics at every level. And this is by design in the USA. Civil rights are entirely conditional and that's where it's always imperative to get people serious about voting.
Because bigots ALWAYS vote.
It is kind of ironic, don't you think, that a female governor would be stoking the whole patriarchical women-as-our-precious property bit? Rethug voters would never notice the irony, of course, because that would require thinking.