by - May 13, 2015 9:41 am
John Burris: Exploring The Huckabee Machine
Former pastor and governor Mike Huckabee has kicked-off his second run for the White House. He’s doing so because, according to him, he is best equipped to take on that…
Author: John Burris
by - May 4, 2015 7:38 am
John Burris: Famous Quotes With A Modern-day Application
Winston Churchill said, “It is good for an uneducated man to read a book of quotes.” Over the years, I’ve written down interesting quotations and words of wisdom I come…
by - April 27, 2015 11:01 am
John Burris: Kudos For Auditor Andrea Lea
I’ve been thinking that someone ought to say some nice things about Andrea Lea, our Republican Auditor of State. She’s done much over the years but is easy to forget…
by - April 20, 2015 7:08 am
John Burris: The ‘Great And Good’ John Paul Hammerschmidt
John Paul Hammerschmidt, often referred to as JPH, passed away on April 1st at the age of 92. He outlived most of the people who were qualified to speak about…
by - April 13, 2015 9:49 am
John Burris: 90th General Assembly Accomplishes A Lot, But Plenty Remains
The 90th General Assembly has ended, at least the part of it that occurred in the regular session. There’s probably not a more unique feeling in the world. It’s just…
by - April 6, 2015 6:55 am
John Burris: Doling Out Credit In The RFRA Debate
A debate engulfed our state last week. It’s faded now, as quickly as it came. We argued over an acronym that most of us could not have accurately spelled after…
by - March 30, 2015 5:40 am
John Burris: Common Sense, Not Emotion, Needed In Religious Freedom Debate
Truth is void of emotion. The debate over HB1228, or the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” (RFRA), is mostly void of common sense and level heads. Emotion is abundant. The past…
by - March 23, 2015 7:42 am
John Burris: State Budget Changing Slowly And In A Good Way
Change is hard to see while it’s happening. I don’t know how my hairline got so high and thin. I just know I looked up one day, and there it…
by - March 16, 2015 8:01 am
John Burris: The ‘Surprising’ Tom Cotton Is Not Really Surprising
United States Senator Tom Cotton last week wrote a letter to the Iranian Ayatollah, stating that the President’s on-going nuclear negotiations with the terrorist state are ill conceived and non-binding….
by - March 9, 2015 8:24 am
John Burris: The Measure Of Legislative Success
How do you measure the success of a legislative session? Is it what gets done, or how long it takes to do it? That’s the question that starts getting asked…
by - March 2, 2015 8:54 am
John Burris: Insights From Andy And Frank
I’m more of an Andy Taylor man. I’m not so much of a Frank Underwood man. These two political characters – separated by decades between The Andy Griffith Show and…
by - February 23, 2015 1:54 pm
John Burris: All You Really Need To Know You Learned In The Pre-K Debate
Our state hasn’t increased funding for pre-kindergarten programs for almost a decade. It’s an important policy, but I don’t understand the current outrage by some Democrats at this inherited problem….
by - February 16, 2015 9:17 am
John Burris: Avoiding ‘Rage Without Focus’
The 90th General Assembly – thus far splendidly absent notable drama – is reaching its halfway point. Debates over taxes and healthcare are temporarily suspended, creating an opportunity for other…
by - February 9, 2015 6:43 am
John Burris: Hand-wringing Over The Second Amendment
I try to understand the perspective of others, specifically those with whom I disagree. If you can’t explain both sides of an issue, you don’t fully understand the issue. You’re…
by - February 2, 2015 8:34 am
John Burris: Asa Makes A Budget Statement
Governor Asa Hutchinson has now released his budget and two things stand out. He’s proposing a 1% cut to most agencies and he’s also not including in the schedule any…
by - January 26, 2015 9:15 am
John Burris: The Big Moment
Last week Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced his plans for the future of healthcare in Arkansas. In summary, he’ll allow the “Private Option” insurance experiment of premium assistance for the poor…
by - January 21, 2015 7:54 am
John Burris: Premature Judgment
Innocent until accused is not the rule. In an oftentimes heartless political world full of people who love to watch other people fall, it is the rule. That’s what’s happening…
by - January 15, 2015 8:41 pm
John Burris: The Ten Commandments Of The Capitol
The Legislative session has begun, and for the 90th time a large group of Arkansans will be interacting amongst themselves in an effort to shape our public policy. I served as…
by - January 5, 2015 11:12 am
John Burris: Fixing A Leaky Roof
There’s an old joke about a man with a leaky roof. When it rained, he said he couldn’t fix the holes because it was raining. When it wasn’t raining he’d…
by - December 15, 2014 1:25 pm
John Burris: Asa And Cool Hand Luke
The leadership of the Arkansas House of Representatives convened all new members last week for the Legislative Institute. It’s a weeklong series of events meant to prepare for the approaching…