"We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
--Elie Wiesel
If it wouldn't be too much trouble, if it's all the same to everybody, if nobody's gonna miss something more important, perhaps our lawmakers at the state Capitol these days could vote.
Just vote.
Even if they vote the wrong way, and against the interests of Arkansans, it'll put them on the record. But to just sit by and watch as the session rolls on? Aren't they being paid enough?
Several times last week we noticed that the math didn't add up in the news stories. There was a bill to curb high-cost lenders that failed in the state House of Representatives 48-18 early in the week. But there are 100 members of the House.
The bill was proposed because payday lenders by another name have been creeping back into the state. They were all but thrown out years ago, but some outfits here and there have been getting around the state limit on interest by calling its charges "fees."
"It's loan-sharking plain and simple," says the well-named Doug House of the House.
But what, the state's representatives worry about this loophole? Even when the bill eventually passed and was sent to the governor, it passed 68-6. Where was the other, oh, quarter of the chamber?
The same week, another vote was held in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. The committee voted 9-6 to get out-of-state companies to collect taxes on online sales and turn over the much-needed revenue to the state. But the committee has 20 members, and legislation needs 11 votes to go to the full House. Five committee members didn't vote on this important issue.
Do those members even want to be on the House Revenue and Taxation committee? It sounds like one of the more important committees in the House. Or are our betters neutral between (a) doing right by their state and their constituents and (b) continuing to allow faraway companies avoid the taxes local merchants pay? (The bill eventually passed late in the week, but on a voice vote. So who knows how many sat out the vote that time as well.)
We understand that some votes are more difficult than others. We noticed that the bill to designate a state duck caught lawmakers' attention this same week. When the session first started, which seems like forever ago, both chambers passed a bill naming an official state dinosaur--unanimously.
Sometimes the votes are more difficult. That doesn't mean our public servants should skip them without good cause such as emergencies and health problems. (We somehow doubt that one-third or one-quarter or even one-tenth of our state representatives had emergencies last week.)
If you'll remember, Dante didn't have enough respect for milksops to give them a special place inside hell. Instead, he had them running around outside the gates. Those who never saw good in this life and called it good, and never saw bad and called it bad, were chased around by bugs and generally hassled. At least they were moving. Which was more than they ever did while on this side of the River Styx.
We send our lawmakers to represent us in Little Rock. If they find voting too difficult, they should sit out the next election and let somebody else take a turn--and a stand.
Editorial on 04/02/2017