A rally denouncing Arkansas’ Congressional delegation, all of whom are Republicans, drew a crowd of Arkansans to downtown Little Rock Tuesday night. Shouts of “do your job” rang out in First United Methodist Church as speakers called on Rep. French Hill and Sens. Tom Cotton and John Boozman to respond to their demands in a town hall.
The three members of Arkansas’ congressional delegation that were invited to attend the event, but did not appear. Instead, speakers took turns speaking on recent cuts to government services led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Jones hosted the event.
“Doing the right thing is not partisan,” he said, describing Musk as an “unelected, unintelligent, chainsaw-wielding billionaire.” Jones also called on the absent politicians to show “accountability.”
The event brought together a coalition of different advocacy groups including the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, Arkansas Citizens First Congress, the League of Women Voters and the Young Democrats of Arkansas.
One of the speakers was Hallie Shoffner. She had begun the process of selling her Newport farm after six generations of working the land.
“We made the heartbreaking choice to avoid financial strain,” she said, adding farming has become unfeasible in the modern era with the high cost of planting crops.
Boozman chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee. Shoffner called on him to pass a Farm Bill, something she says he has promised for two years.
“I don't care if you have an R or D next to your name,” she said. “I am sick of politicians playing dress-up in cowboy boots and saying they care about farmers and then do nothing in our hour of need.”
Other speakers focused on cuts to public land grants, Medicaid, medical research and foreign aid, as well as a crackdown on immigration. Col. Marcus Jones, Hill’s Democratic opponent in the 2024 election, talked about veterans’ benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs is greatly downsizing, losing tens of thousands of workers, the VA suicide prevention hotline and health benefits.
“All this has resulted in a lower standard of care and longer wait times,” Jones said, emphasizing that he swore an oath when he joined the military.
“Part of that bargain is the government will take care of us,” he said.
Social worker and therapist Allison Sweatman talked about services for her two disabled children that could be harmed if planned cuts go forward.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote an op-ed for Fox News calling for the Department of Education to be abolished to “give power to parents.” Sweetman said losing the Department of Education could be “devastating,” especially for students with disabilities.
