Time to Make State Regulations More Transparent
As long as government has existed, regulations have, too. In the modern age, regulations cover nearly every aspect of our lives. Wouldn’t it be nice if the state made it easy for Arkansans to know what...
View ArticleThe Governor’s Good Move on Freedom to Work
Arkansas ranks high when it comes to tying up its workers with red tape. Governor Asa Hutchinson has begun a process that could lead to a little more freedom for Arkansas workers. Readers of TAP should...
View ArticleUtah Set to Legalize Free Range Kids
“Free Range” parenting is likely to be legal soon in Utah. It’s time for Arkansas to follow suit. What is “free range” parenting? It’s what used to be called, simply, “parenting.” That is, giving your...
View ArticleAsking “How High?” When the Feds Say “Jump!”
The federalist system we have in the United States makes a lot of sense. The national government takes care of the big issues, like defense, which are broad in scope; the states and local governments...
View ArticleStop Subsidizing Wind
A proposed wind farm being built by SWEPCO in Oklahoma is causing controversy in Arkansas. Whether you support this proposal or not, I’d hope that TAP readers would agree that one thing should not be...
View ArticleMoving People into Work
The federal government is vast. It has a lot of programs aimed at tweaking nearly every aspect of our society. No one should be surprised that these initiatives can, at times, work at cross-purposes...
View ArticleTime for Arkansas to Embrace Occupational Licensing Reform
More than almost every other state, Arkansas requires workers to obtain government permission before starting work. That needs to change. Arkansas has the third-highest occupational licensing burden of...
View ArticleArkansas Lagging in Occupational License Reform
Arkansas is a national leader in requiring licenses for workers looking to find jobs in a variety of occupations. Unfortunately, it is not a national leader when it comes to reforming its occupational...
View ArticleEvidence Mounts that Licensing Laws Harm Workers
When the government mandates that you must have a license in order to work, it stands to reason that this may hurt people looking to find a job. Occupational licensing laws – requirements that you must...
View ArticleWill Wind Catcher Be Good for Arkansas Consumers?
In early May, the Arkansas Public Service Commission concluded that an Oklahoma wind farm would be in the public interest of Arkansas. It is certainly trendy to support renewable energy sources. Solar...
View ArticleTime to Move on Yucca Mountain
Where should the waste from Arkansas Nuclear One (and every other nuclear power plant across the U.S.) be deposited? That question has been debated in Washington, D.C., since the early 1980s. Thanks to...
View ArticleArkansas Delegation Takes a Stand on Farm Subsidies
The House of Representatives recently debated (and then failed to pass) legislation governing federal agricultural programs. Representatives offered a series of amendments to this bill that touched on...
View ArticleArkansas House Members Support High-Skilled Immigration Reform
Immigration is in the news again (of course, when hasn’t immigration been in the news during the Trump Administration?). This issue may be one that features the sharpest divide in Washington. However,...
View ArticlePolitics at Play in Military Widow Amendment
As a member of Congress, Rep. Steve Womack is going to take votes that make people upset. That is the nature of the job. But a recent vote by Rep. Womack is causing some unwarranted criticism from...
View ArticleDon’t Dump Your Plastics Yet
Richard Mason is worried about plastic. Mason is a geologist and past chairman of the Department of Environmental Quality Board of Commissioners, and he bemoans our use of plastic straws and other...
View ArticleThe Need for Occupational Licensing Reform
Arkansas may be on the path to reforming its burdensome occupational licensing laws. Governor Asa Hutchinson formed a Red Tape Reduction Working Group that is set to issue a report later this year...
View ArticleFeds Weigh in on Occupational Licensing Portability
The state has erected a lot of barriers for Arkansans looking to work. Thankfully, Governor Asa Hutchinson recognizes the problem with these occupational licensing laws. He convened a working group to...
View ArticleGoing Further to Reform Occupational Licensing
What should states do to advance worker freedom? My last blog post discussed a recent Federal Trade Commission report that outlined some steps that states could take to reduce the burden that...
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Minimum Wage Hike Will Have a Big Impact
On Election Day, voters will have a chance to decide if Arkansas workers will be prohibited from accepting a job that pays less than $11 per hour. That is the essence of the ballot measure to increase...
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Some Problems with a Minimum Wage Hike
Soon Arkansas voters will be deciding whether or not to increase the state’s minimum wage from $8.50 an hour to $11.00 an hour. Those in favor of Issue 5 have been touting studies that ostensibly show...
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