It’s not fair to blow up a quotation of a state legislator, even adding context to show that he or she probably did mean it the way it sounded. But when remarks fall into your lap, courtesy of alert journalists, who can resist?
I have written previously about opposing the repeal of Arkansas charging sales tax on grocery items. Groceries and other necessities in an ideal world should not be taxed, just luxuries, but we are so poor we need, somehow, more revenue, not less. We are accustomed to sales tax.
No Arkansas has gone without a loaf of bread for want of 6 to 9 cents on the dollar and starved a miserable death. The loudest people opposing the grocery tax are the simpletons who hate all taxes and nearly all the services they fund. Poor? Nah.
All the Northwest Arkansas state senators — even those who aren’t very enthusiastic about it — signed on this week as co-sponsors of a bill that would cut the state sales tax on groceries by half.
Sen. Dave Bisbee, R-Rogers, was among a number of senators who became co-sponsors of a bill to halve the sales tax on groceries. But, reports the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, he is not enthusiastic.
‘The people really believe they want it, and I don’t guess I got elected to protect the people from themselves,’ Bisbee said.”
Actually, Senator, the purpose of nearly every law you can think of serves “to protect people from themselves.” -30-
