State Senator Gilbert Baker of Conway is the former chair of the Republican Party of Arkansas. This session, he's also sponsoring part of the Attorney General's ethics package. Baker's ethics bill would require a one-year "cooling-off" period for outgoing lawmakers and top state officials before becoming lobbyists. Baker has also been the Senate point person on budgeting and worked on bills for transparency in higher education.
If you have questions for Senator Baker about ethics reform, the state's tight budget, or any other legislative issue, post them here all day Tuesday, March 17.
Senator Baker will answer as many questions as his time allows.
Why can't the members of the legislator recognize that the lack of tight ethics and rules with meals paid by the lobbyists, the free use of lobbyists credit cards, and the fast track from the legislature to the lobby firms just confirms that we are getting the best legislators that money can buy. The latest bill which removes those with mineral leases from being able to hold the oil/gas companies resoponsible for getting the best price again shows who actually owns you. It is time for the Wal-Mart rule (as much as I dislike the company) to remove all possibilities of leg members being bought.
As described above, the bill seems terriby inadequate. I worked for the ethics amendment during Bill Clinton's administration, thinking it would solve our many ethics problems. It didn't. We need a bill to stop all gifts to legislators--ALL of them, lunches/dinners, use of credit cards, ALL gifts. I worked for the federal government, and we couldn't even take a coffee mug. How can we help make this a better bill and get it passed?
It seems time for the people of Arkansas to write and get passed the strongest constitutional amendment possible with no leeway for the kind of "criminal" activity that goes on among Arkansas legislators, probably the most dishonest people in the nation.
Can you please comment on the possibility that you will be running against U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln next year. I know there are people out there who would like you to.
I believe we have had some vigorous debate in this sesson relating to taxes, annual sessions, higher ed accountability and use of surplus funds. We will continue to speak aggressively for a conservative approach to state government. Gov. Beebe has pushed for some tax cuts that we have supported, grocery tax cut, increase in the energy sales tax exemption. We have opposed on other issues.
Gilbert Baker
State Senator Gilbert Baker of Conway is the former chair of the Republican Party of Arkansas. This session, he's also sponsoring part of the Attorney General's ethics package. Baker's ethics bill would require a one-year "cooling-off" period for outgoing lawmakers and top state officials before becoming lobbyists. Baker has also been the Senate point person on budgeting and worked on bills for transparency in higher education.
03/17/2009 5:33:10 PM
