Curtis Coleman: Business Leader for Arkansas Governor!

Years ago, Arkansas license plates did not say, “The Natural State” as they do today.  Years ago Arkansas license plates proclaimed “The Land of Opportunity.”  Somewhere along the way, the state simply decided there was not much opportunity left and changed the motto.  Curtis Coleman most likely did not approve of that change.

Anyone spending five minutes with Curtis Coleman will learn two things quickly about the man; first, he is passionate about Arkansas and second he has a natural ability for business leadership.   Curtis is not the “politician as usual” Little Rock is used to seeing.  In fact, politicians around the state are telling him that approaching the work of the governor with a business mind will not work.  When told his business approach will not work, Curtis is quick to respond with the words “watch and see.” 

Whoever said that knowledge is power, must have been thinking about the passion that Curtis has for Arkansas.  He has jumped into information about Arkansas’ history, tax code and ability to compete with both feet.  Curtis has traveled and compared Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Louisiana’s approach to taxes and business growth to that of Arkansas’.  Curtis’ findings are simple.  Arkansas does not compare.  Someone listening to Curtis can hear a voice of concern when he states “Arkansas is the second most regulated state in the nation.”  Curtis knows that those strict regulations have hindered economic growth.  Curtis’ voice rises as he notes that Arkansas has a huge tax code.  Curtis goes on to note that surrounding states pay an average worker $138 more a week than the average worker in Arkansas.  Like many Arkansans, Curtis simply does not understand why Arkansas cannot compete on a national, if not global level.  He points out that Arkansas is a state of abundance with more food, fabric, timber, and water than the population of the state can use.  The passion that Curtis has for Arkansas pushed him to run for Governor at a time in life when most people are thinking about retirement.  Why?  Curtis has children.  Curtis has grandchildren.  Curtis knows that someday all of our children will inherit the Arkansas our generation leaves behind.  Frankly, Curtis does not like what is going to be left behind.  He wants to leave behind a state that can prosper beyond the limitations currently imposed on the state.  The passion Curtis has forced him not to look at retirement, but instead to travel hundreds of miles within Arkansas and hundreds of miles outside the state.  He has built the strongest grass roots campaign in the history of Arkansas politics.  He built it from the border city of Texarkana to the far reaches of the northeast Arkansas in Blytheville.  County groups have come together and seen the passion that Curtis presents and they have said, “Yes, Arkansas can prosper.”

Unfortunately, for the politicians that will face Curtis in the political arena, they simply have not had to face someone like him before.  Not only does he have the passion for the state unequalled by others, he has an ability to lead in business.  Normally business leaders are out making money and politicians are out making rules to regulate the business leaders.  This time things are different.  Curtis is intent on taking his brand of business leadership into the political area and the sacred halls of the Arkansas capital.  As Governor Coleman, Curtis will force the rank and file politicians to answer the tough questions like, “Why does Arkansas have 587 failing schools?” or “Why do skilled workers have to come from other states to Arkansas and work?” and ultimately, “Why does Arkansas have a tax code bent on business destruction?”  Curtis will lead and if the politicians doubt that, then they only need to stop and look at the grass roots campaign group that continues to grow.  They need to listen and look at the people falling in line behind Curtis.  Curtis is pulling support from Republican and Democrat business leaders.  He is pulling support from families, moms, dads, students, workers, and business owners.  Curtis is pulling support from people who are not saying, “Here’s a $50 check, do what you can,” instead they are saying, “Here’s a $100 check that’s a payment toward my contributions…. I’m sending more next month.” 

You will meet Curtis in the coming months.  You will have an opportunity to see him in a meeting, or at a fundraiser.  You do not have to give money immediately, just go talk with him.  Go spend a minute with him, shake his hand, listen to his vision, share your story, and watch the sparkle in his eye.  When you see that sparkle light up as Curtis talks about how Arkansas can prosper, you will know for yourself that there is passion for Arkansas and leadership for Arkansas.  More importantly, he will give you a reason to believe a Governor can be a business leader that will make you see that Arkansas can be the land of opportunity again.

Curtis Coleman in Texarkana February 5

Open Letter to John Boozman and Tom Cotton

I would like to remind our friends in Washington, Tom Cotton and John Boozman, that we elected you to stand up for our rights. As new gun control legislation is being considered, you each need to remember that the 2nd Amendment states "shall not be infringed." Any legislation that attempts to ban, remove, on hinder legal gun ownership by law abiding citizens is an infringement on the 2nd Amendment. If an infringement is allowed on any single one of our Bill of Rights, then it opens a door for further infringements on any and/or all rights guaranteed to the people of the United States. Gun control is a much larger issue than simply one amendment to the United States Constitution. If you stand by while one amendment of our important Bill of Rights is violated, can we trust you not to stand by while all of them are violated? Our campaign rallies, fundraisers, support, work, donations, and ultimately our votes carried you each to Washington to fight for the fourth District. More importantly though, we sent you there to uphold the Constitution, the rights, and the core of the freedoms that make up the United States for everyone in this country.

Why Romney Lost and Obama Won

It only takes a few moments to glance at the electoral map and realize why Mitt Romney lost.  While he clearly had more red across the nation than Obama did, he did not have red in key areas.  Mitt lost because he failed to do what successful Presidential candidates before him did.  He failed to connect to people.   He did not lose because America wanted Obama; he lost because America could not connect with Romney.

Consider the key facts –fair warning here Republican diehards, this will not be something you will love to hear, but we need to face it nonetheless.  The facts are simple, Obama connected where it counted the most and Romney did not:

Obama connected with large unions and showed support for them. / Romney informed large unions that he would shut them down – he lost the electoral votes in heavily union areas.

Obama, despite the rumors, has done nothing major against gun owners. /Romney as governor put more restrictive gun laws in place than Obama has ever considered.

Obama promoted Obamacare. / Romney opposed Obamacare, but as governor Romney instituted a health care program very close to Obamacare.

Obama grew up in a middle class family home, raised by his grandparents and basically considered poor by many standards. /Romney grew up privileged and has remained well above what is considered poor all his life.

Obama drew close to people considered poor. / Romney openly talked about the negative aspects of having poor people using government services.

Obama looked to the “Clinton Years” for reference. / Romney tried to distance himself from previous Republican Presidents.

Obama tried to connect with the working class.  / Romney tried to connect with business and was associated with it through Bain and even the slogan “I did build my business”.  Unfortunately for Romney, there are far more workers voting than business owners.

Obama connected with minority voters.  / Romney and Ryan both failed to connect with minority voters.

In the end, Obama connected (barely) with more voters in key areas than Romney did.  The Republican Party must find a candidate in the future able to reach across cultural lines, economic lines, and even political lines and meet the America people where they want to be met.  American’s don’t want to be met simply on the campaign trail in key campaign battle grounds.  American’s want to be met on a level field of play.  They want to be met on a level that says, “I understand and I’m with you.”  Ronald Reagan was called the Great Communicator because he could transcend the cultural, economic, and political lines.  When he came on television to talk to America, he talked with each American.  He talked directly to each American watching about the problem.  He addressed Americans from his office, or from his ranch in a tone that said, “Welcome to my home.  Have a seat and listen for a minute.”  He did not look to the reporters and anticipate their questions, or how to handle them because when he spoke he looked directly into the camera and right out into America.  When the Republican Party finds another candidate like Reagan who says, “I’m with you America.  I’m one of you and we’re all in this together,” then the party will return to its home.