by - October 5, 2014 7:43 pm
Raising the tax code Titanic
As elections approach, we hear much about what candidates and potential office holders will do when they arrive in Washington, D.C. One of the constant themes is the need to…
Guest Commentary
by - October 5, 2014 7:38 pm
Positive policy development
For too many years, when Arkansans talked about the price of their health insurance, good news was rare. For decades, costs have increased annually, hurting working families and leading to…
by - September 28, 2014 4:51 pm
Economic engines
In Arkansas, economic development manifests itself in many ways. In the past 10 days, we've seen a constant stream of announcements that will bring good jobs and new opportunities to…
by - September 22, 2014 4:25 pm
A population problem
“Population growth drives about half of all economic growth,” according to Thomas Piketty, the author of the bestselling book Capital in the 21st Century. If population growth accounts for about…
by - September 14, 2014 2:54 pm
A primer on Iraq’s troubled history
My last post, which I wrote soon after the troubles began in Iraq, noted that the treasure and blood we poured out into the sands of Iraq had not brought…
by - September 8, 2014 10:17 pm
Telling stories so we never forget
Thirteen years ago this Thursday our world changed. The unimaginable happened. We will never forget that morning: where we were, who we were with, what we saw, what we said,…
by - September 7, 2014 9:48 pm
Science and technology necessary for jobs
With every passing year, science and technology grow more and more important to economic success. It is research that fuels technology's advances and creates opportunities for tomorrow. Therefore, one of…
by - September 3, 2014 7:59 pm
A wrong approach to student loan debt
As the former director of the Arkansas Employment Security Division (now the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services), and a professor of human resources development for Webster University, I have long…
by - September 2, 2014 8:44 pm
The reason why beef prices are so darn high
About a year ago I wrote an article entitled “Cattle markets move past summer lows.” The title of this article reflects how far we have come and serves as a…
by - September 1, 2014 9:36 pm
Get unstuck
Business owners are trained to think about the future. There are seminars on goal settings, business planning, and budgeting. There are books on management succession, strategic planning and disaster recovery…
by - September 1, 2014 8:08 pm
Another Pryor commitment
Dear Senator Mark Pryor: Successive survey data and most political handicappers suggest that you would have a tougher time getting re-elected this coming November than you have ever had in…
by - September 1, 2014 8:04 pm
UTeach participants needed
Another academic year is underway, and we are one step closer to 2020. That is the predicted date when three-fourths of the jobs in Arkansas will require advanced skills in…
by - August 24, 2014 1:14 pm
What is your default future?
Most people can predict and foresee their future. Granted we can’t see specific things like the date of our death or what the Dow Jones average will be in on…
by - August 17, 2014 10:51 am
Presidents, war and the ‘requisite skills’
In my last posting I wrote about the constitutional power of Congress in the act of taking the nation to war. The founding fathers seemed adamant on the idea that…
by - August 3, 2014 4:57 pm
‘Borrowing’ money from employees
Sometimes a business will find itself in a cash crunch and in need of quick cash. While many business owners go to the bank and borrow for their short term…
by - July 28, 2014 11:58 am
Lessons learned from the fall of Rome
In his book “The Collapse of Complex Societies,” anthropologist Joseph Tainter examines why civilizations such as the Roman Empire fell apart. Rome was powerful and seemingly invulnerable to decline, at…
by - July 27, 2014 4:51 pm
Seeking international investment
This past week, I returned from what is likely to be my last international trade mission as Governor of Arkansas. The journey to three European countries showcased the full range…
by - July 20, 2014 7:50 pm
Why are we waiting on people to die?
Saturday I was in a clothing store talking with the gentleman who, like me, was born and raised in Fort Smith. The conversation was casual, so naturally it wandered over…
by - July 14, 2014 8:24 pm
New EPA rules will hurt Arkansas
On June 2, the Environmental Protection Agency announced its most sweeping rulemaking yet, one that will affect every American but disproportionately affect every Arkansan. By restricting the use of coal,…
by - July 13, 2014 1:17 pm
Faith and politics
A new twist occurred July 1 in the U.S. Senate race between Congressman Tom Cotton (R- Dardanelle) and Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark). In giving his reactions to the U.S. Supreme…