{"id":5487,"date":"2016-11-04T23:46:52","date_gmt":"2016-11-05T04:46:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/?p=5487"},"modified":"2016-11-06T07:06:28","modified_gmt":"2016-11-06T13:06:28","slug":"cloakroom-talk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2016\/11\/cloakroom-talk\/","title":{"rendered":"Cloakroom Talk"},"content":{"rendered":"

Endorsing Conner Eldridge for U.S. Senate<\/h2>\n

Let’s leave the 2016 presidential race a moment. It’ll continue without us. Let’s consider Congress. From an Arkansas view.<\/p>\n

\"Conner<\/a>
Conner Eldridge
Source: Wikipedia<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Republican Party has had majorities in the House and Senate the last two years. The party has worked hard to oppose most of the Democratic president’s agenda for both of his terms. Yet, these bodies for legislation (to pass new laws and fix old ones), have failed to put forward much of their own agenda. What’s the problem?\u00a0They have over 50 percent representation.<\/p>\n

In the nearly eight years of the Obama administration, Congress has overridden a presidential veto once, only\u00a0weeks ago. Oddly, GOP leaders regret doing so, according to\u00a0USA Today<\/em> Sept. 30,\u00a0“White House: Congress Has ‘Buyer’s Remorse’ after Overriding Obama Veto.<\/a>”<\/p>\n

Our federal government runs on checks and balances. The judicial branch needs all nine justices. Every time the Senate advises and consents on a president’s choice, opposition makes its voice heard and sometimes quashes a nominee. Reasonably astute judges always have been\u00a0approved to fill\u00a0the Supreme Court bench within\u00a0few months.<\/p>\n

The GOP leadership promises, however, it will continue to blockade even the most respected, middle-of-the-road candidates if a Democratic president nominates them. The Grand Old Party plans similar tactics elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Obstruction of the judiciary is irresponsible. Especially if the legislative branch isn’t working on laws itself.<\/p>\n

Steve Womack first was elected to represent the Third District (Northwest\u00a0Arkansas) in 2010. He faces no Democratic opposition, just a Libertarian. Womack likely will keep his House seat, but let’s send him a message, “We are watching you.”<\/p>\n

We warn him, not by\u00a0skipping the marking of this ballot, but voting for the other guy, Steve Isaacson. We must do this even though Isaacson does not care for his party’s Johnson-Weld presidential ticket but supports Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Representative democracy isn’t checkers but more chess.<\/p>\n

John Boozman is completing his first six-year term as U.S. senator from Arkansas, following five two-year terms serving our Third District. He has drawn opposition from the state Democratic Party: a confident, young (39) attorney William Conner Eldridge Jr. He\u00a0was born here in Fayetteville but grew up in east Arkansas. He most recently was U.S. attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, earning a reputation as a tough prosecutor.<\/p>\n

Eldridge’s positive ads emphasize his good character and imply moderate political stances. His negative marketing vividly show Boozman being more a foot soldier than a leader while enjoying the perks of office and sponsoring essentially no legislation in the Senate.<\/p>\n

Details? See their campaign websites:<\/p>\n