Carter’s Top Ten Reasons Why He Is Not Running For Governor
by May 17, 2013 5:05 pm 168 views
On Friday, Republican House Speaker Davy Carter delivered a light-hearted speech at the central Arkansas Political Animals Club that also tackled a few issues that he felt were important for the future of Arkansas politics. Carter announced earlier in the day that he had decided not to run for Governor after wrestling with the decision for several weeks. Sounding almost relieved to have the decision settled, he even remarked that the great thing about not running for office is “I can say whatever the heck I want.”
He kicked off the speech by poking fun at almost everyone including (or perhaps primarily) himself with a “Top 10 reasons why he is not running for Governor” (ala David Letterman’s nightly list).
Number 10: I did not want anyone to find out that I am the ghost writer of Nate Bell’s twitter account.
Number 9: I heard that there are now job openings at the NRA and Southwest Power Pool.
Number 8: I am going to start a blog… about bloggers…(an allusion to Kramer’s coffee table book about coffee tables.)
Number 7: During RSA, I realized that I’d have to negotiate with the House and those people are NUTS.
Number 6: Gabe and I are starting a band, and we need time to get fiddle lessons from Jason Rapert.
Number 5: I have landed a sweet gig singing with Governor Darr at Dugan’s Pub on karaoke nights.
Number 4: I am officially announcing an exploratory committee for Mayor of Higden in 2018.
Number 3: I want to focus 100% of the next 18 months on an interim study regarding the pros and cons of an Arkansas vs. Arkansas State football game.
Number 2: Governor Beebe and I are secretly working with Johnny Allison, the federal government, Michael Moore, George Clooney, and the former KGB, to take our “conspiracy tour” around to the other 49 states to secretly implement Obamacare across the nation under the “disguised” and “clever” cover name of Private Option.
And the Number 1 reason why I am not running for Governor: I’m just getting too old for this stuff!
Carter was also serious in discussing what he hoped for the future of Arkansas saying it would be the state in which his three young children choose to grow up, go to college, get jobs, and raise their families. He was complimentary towards his fellow state legislators who he said had the courage to tackle three “monumental” issues – health care, tax reform, and the steel mill superproject.
“Everyone – Republicans and Democrats, the Senate and the House, and the second floor (Governor) and the third floor (legislature) – all worked together for a better Arkansas,” said Carter. “And that is one of the things that makes Arkansas unique.”
Carter also discussed his desire to see changes made to Arkansas’ term limit laws and to the way the state conducts political primaries.
“Something has got to change,” said Carter on term limits, which he says forces constant turnover in the House leadership position. “No business would turn over their key management position every two years.” He discussed the complex issues and labor intense process of legislation and the fact that it is difficult to find good people who are able to run. He encouraged support for the proposed constitutional ethics amendment, which will – among other things – allow state legislators to serve 16 years in total regardless of whether they serve in the House or Senate.
He also came out in favor of changing the primary system to be open primaries, which occurs in some states. In this system – often called a nonpartisan blanket primary – all of the candidates would appear on the primary ballot and candidates with the top two votes would advance to the general election regardless of party. This system has been used in Louisiana since 1976, in Washington state since 2000, and was recently passed in California as well.
“This would allow for more elected officials from the middle and less from the fringe,” said Carter who said he was tired of the influence of the fringe of both parties. Carter experienced some the push back from the tea party element within the Republican Party during the debate over the private option in this session.
Carter certainly appeared to be a man liberated by his decision to return to the private sector, but he also said he is leaving the door open to return to public office in the future, just not right now.