Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

Lt. Gov. Darr Questions Ethics Reform Motives

Lt. Gov. Mark Darr, a Republican, said Thursday he questions the motives of those pushing a proposed ethics reform ballot initiative.

Declaration of Independence On Display At Crystal Bridges

A rare copy of the Declaration of Independence is on display through Sept. 17 at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.

FY2012 Arkansas Lottery Sales End $10 Million Higher

The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery ended the fiscal year more than $10 million ahead of its previous annual sales.

AG McDaniel Announces $2 Million Medicaid Settlement

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel announced a $2 million Medicaid settlement with pharmaceutical manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline.

Brawner: Thinking About Health Care

Stephens Media columnist Steve Brawner takes a stab at the health care decision rendered by the Supreme Court.

Auditor’s Office Returns $8.7 Million In Unclaimed Property, Up 26%

Auditor of State Charlie Daniels says his office returned $8,722,422 to owners of unclaimed property in fiscal year 2012, an increase of 26% over the total claims paid in 2011.

Beebe Inclined To Expand Medicaid Under Federal Law

Gov. Mike Beebe said Monday that he’s “inclined” to expand the state’s Medicaid rolls under a provision in the federal law that was ruled constitutional last week.

Surgeon General, QualChoice CEO Say ‘Value Proposition’ Has To Change To Improve Health Care

QualChoice CEO Michael Stock and Arkansas Surgeon General Joe Thompson think health care reform in Arkansas and the U.S. needs more “skin in the game” from consumers before changes might improve efficiencies, costs or delivery.

Lt. Gov. Darr Says Online Checkbook Will Hold Government Accountable

The state’s online checkbook opened to the public this weekend and its biggest cheerleader, Lt. Gov. Mark Darr, says it will strengthen accountability to the public.

Weekend Digest: John Roberts, Hillary Clinton And Marco Rubio Make The Rounds

There was no shortage of political drama at home and abroad. A round-up of this week’s most interesting stories for our weekend political readers.

Brawner: An Oath And The Pledge Are Enough

Steve Brawner writes in his latest Stephens Media column that pledges to never raise taxes or never cut Social Security are pushing party leaders to the point of no compromise.

Arkansas Elected Officials React To Health Care Ruling

The historic U.S. Supreme Court decision on health care ignited a firestorm of reaction from federal and state elected officials in Arkansas.

U.S. Supreme Court: Health Care Individual Mandate A Tax

In a historic decision anticipated for months and impacting hundreds of millions of Americans, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the individual mandate – the cornerstone of the federal health care law – is allowed as a tax for people not having insurance.