It's easy to become depressed if one focuses on politics and government. At the state Capitol, the Know Nothings controlled the legislative session, just as was the case during the previous regular session in 2021. They seem obsessed with sex rather than legislation that might help Arkansans and raise the state's per capita income.
In 2021, Arkansas at least had a moderate, pragmatic governor in Asa Hutchinson, who acted as a counterweight to the Know Nothings from his own party. Unfortunately, the state's long tradition of moderate governors that dated back to 1967 when Winthrop Rockefeller took office appears to have ended.
Gov. Sarah Sanders seems more interested in being a national political figure than governing Arkansas. Why on Earth is she still tweeting about Joe Biden and divisive national issues when there are so many issues in Arkansas to worry about? Why was she sending out fundraising appeals within minutes of finishing the GOP response to the State of the Union address when she's not going to be on the ballot again until 2026? It's all quite discouraging.
Even as a person who rarely writes about politics these days, I have to remind myself that there's so much more to life than politics. The actions of business and civic leaders will have far more impact on the future of Arkansas than governors and legislators. That's why I write about these leaders a lot more than I write about politicians.
I found a reason for optimism back on Fat Tuesday when the scions of the state's best-known families participated in a political discussion at the Clinton Center in Little Rock. Those on the panel were Steuart Walton of Bentonville, Annemarie Dillard Jazic of Little Rock and John Stephens of Little Rock. The moderator was the publisher of this newspaper, Eliza Hussman Gaines, a fourth-generation publisher.
I sat at lunch during that Rotary Club of Little Rock meeting with Win and Will Rockefeller, who also could have been on the panel. They're grandsons of this state's greatest governor.
The panelists are among the richest people in the country (in the case of Steuart and his brother Tom, they're among the richest in the world). They could live anywhere and do anything. All have chosen to live in Arkansas, have no plans to leave the state, and are investing in various ways.
Walton, who graduated from the University of Colorado and has a law degree from Georgetown University, worked in London before returning to Arkansas. Through their Runway Group, he and his brother are investing in real estate, hospitality and other businesses.
Stephens, who received his bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Columbia University, has worked for his family's Stephens Inc. in Houston, London and New York. He is now a senior vice president of the company.
Jazic, who was named the outstanding student in the School of Entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California, lived in Los Angeles before returning to Arkansas. She is vice president of e-commerce and digital marketing for Dillard's Inc.
Walton said the first reason he came back to Arkansas was to be close to his family (he's the grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton). The second reason was the opportunity to have significant impact on a state he clearly loves. He wishes Arkansans would treat the state's low rankings in various quality-of-life categories as "a fire underneath our tails."
Walton and his brother have invested millions of dollars in their quest to transform Arkansas into the cycling capital of the country. They're also bringing world-class restaurants to the state. These are the kinds of things that attract and retain young, talented residents. Steuart and Tom have expressed to me their goal: Make Arkansas for the central third of the country what Colorado is for the western third--a place where educated, high-income people come to escape crowded, expensive metro areas.
Walton said his parents taught him the power of re-investing in the state, shaking off its past and setting goals for a bright future. He said the progress of the past few years have led him to view Arkansas "as a place that can lead the conversation nationally on how you prosper in the 21st century."
Stephens said he decided to come back from London when his wife Mary Olive was expecting their first child. The couple is investing in an upscale Italian restaurant known as George's in the Heights neighborhood of Little Rock. The highly anticipated restaurant will open later this year. Stephens said they have bought additional property and hinted what may go there, saying he came to love the "pub life" in London.
Asked what's needed to move the state forward, Stephens mentioned education improvements, a quality system of health care, the arts, and protection of the state's natural attributes. The other panelists smiled, seemingly on the same wavelength when it comes to Arkansas priorities.
Jazic, who spent 13 years in California, said she expected to live in Dallas after leaving the West Coast. But her husband, a former professional soccer star, saw things in Arkansas he liked; things she had taken for granted while growing up here. Jazic said she's now a "cheerleader for Arkansas" in her business travels around the world. She spoke of her anger when she hears people call Arkansas a flyover state.
I like the fact that these folks already know each other and want to work together. I especially like it that they've cast their lot with Arkansas. I'm an Arkansas optimist despite what's happening at the Capitol.
Senior Editor Rex Nelson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He's also the author of the Southern Fried blog at rexnelsonsouthernfried.com.