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John Brummett

John Brummett

Arkansas Online

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Opinion: Hill taking a side in Arkansas' Medicaid mess thanks to Trump? Nah.

Opinion: Hill taking a side in Arkansas' Medicaid mess thanks to Trump? Nah.

I was wondering if the state's Republican congressmen, who helped give us the big, ugly bill that made steep cuts in the state's health-care...

latest 1

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

On Wing and Arkansas PBS payers

On Wing and Arkansas PBS payers

I asked Carlton Wing if he had any reply to the guest column in this paper from former first ladies Barbara Pryor and Gay White. It called for...

latest 8

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Hill taking a side in Arkansas’ Medicaid mess thanks to Trump? Nah.

Hill taking a side in Arkansas’ Medicaid mess thanks to Trump? Nah.

I was wondering if the state's Republican congressmen, who helped give us the big, ugly bill that made steep cuts in the state's health-care...

thursday 10

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Cassidy’s capitulation a waste of lame-duck freedom

Cassidy’s capitulation a waste of lame-duck freedom

There's no crying in kowtowing to Donald Trump. Or there shouldn't be. If you're going to kowtow, then at least be a strong-voiced adult about it.

12.08.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

To win in November and 2028, Dems need finesse on ‘socialism’

To win in November and 2028, Dems need finesse on ‘socialism’

Bernie Sanders, the guru of modern-day Democratic socialism in America--having been socialist when socialism wasn't cool--explained it well enough in...

11.08.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: GOP ballot blockade means Arkansas got snookered again

Opinion: GOP ballot blockade means Arkansas got snookered again

The state Constitution vests the ultimate power in the people. The state's motto is that the people rule. That loftiness of principle sounds...

09.08.2026 8

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

Good news for Arkansas Dems? Maybe … but maybe not

Good news for Arkansas Dems? Maybe … but maybe not

To hear Arkansas Democrats tell it, it was a banner week for Arkansas Democrats.

09.08.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

With Blanche confirmation apparently sure, DOJ rebrand on track

With Blanche confirmation apparently sure, DOJ rebrand on track

It appears that Donald Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche, will be confirmed as attorney general, formalizing the Justice Department's rebranding as a...

06.08.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

GOP ballot blockade means Arkansas got snookered again

GOP ballot blockade means Arkansas got snookered again

The state Constitution vests the ultimate power in the people. The state's motto is that the people rule.

05.08.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

“Big beautiful bill” one big ugly mess for Arkansas

It was merely the finest example of good governing politics and policy that I'd seen in decades. And it happened in Arkansas. And soon it will be...

04.08.2026 10

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: Democrats need an intervention and an election strategy

An interesting article in The New York Times the other day reported that the Democratic National Committee was in arrears from anemic donations to the...

02.08.2026 20

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

Ruminations on Fauci, liberty, and masks

Before delving into today's important subject--which is that conservatives seem hellbent as a matter of principle on not protecting us if we get...

02.08.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Democrats need an intervention and an election strategy

An interesting article in The New York Times the other day reported that the Democratic National Committee was in arrears from anemic donations to the...

30.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

A rift between Arkansas’ Righteous Brothers

The crusty old editor told me decades ago that the newspaperman's motto is "let's you and him fight." It's a variation of a Bob McCord/Mike Beebe...

29.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Jeremy Hutchinson’s road-to-Damascus moment

Jeremy Hutchinson went to federal prison in 2023 on an eight-year sentence for blatant political corruption, and should have.

28.07.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: Still a chance for the SAVE Act to suppress votes

Despite recent indications of erosion in the congressional Republican obeisance to President Donald Trump, we cannot yet say for sure that the...

26.07.2026 20

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

Paul Berry and a pitch-perfect friendship

Please allow me the honor and pleasure of telling you about Paul Berry, newly and sadly the late.

26.07.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Farewell, Jim Lindsey: As puredee Arkansas as they come

It was a highlight of the summer. A woman at the gas station told me that Rex Nelson and I were "puredee Arkansas." She said it like it was a good...

23.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Still a chance for the SAVE Act to suppress votes

Despite recent indications of erosion in the congressional Republican obeisance to President Donald Trump, we cannot yet say for sure that the...

22.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Sour notes in Trump whine on election fraud

The president of the United States appeared Thursday night on the few national television networks that deigned to endure him in his spiraling state...

21.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: On Medicaid, costs of war, politicians need to come to grips with math

A guest column in this paper the other day under the byline of assorted serious Arkansas people--including a former state Supreme Court justice and a...

19.07.2026 30

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

Arkansas is churchiest in the land … so what?

Today let us ponder something that doesn't matter. I will write on Gov. Sarah Sanders' announcement of a finding that Arkansas has the most gloriously...

19.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

On Medicaid, costs of war, politicians need to come to grips with math

A guest column in this paper the other day under the byline of assorted serious Arkansas people--including a former state Supreme Court justice and a...

16.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Judge’s ruling a blow to Trump dictatorship

It was with a heavy heart that, on May 24, I proclaimed after due deliberation that my president was a dictator--outright, no longer merely the...

15.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Trump hissy fit over housing bill all for naught in the end

There were the usual weekend outrages with Donald Trump. They were hardly worthy of note. But one of them was local this time, so let's look at that.

14.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: As Platner hopes die, Dems can't win for losing

Republicans grow more deeply concerned about a blue wave in November as Democrats struggle to ride that wave. One of their leading surfers just wiped...

12.07.2026 20

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

How did Democrats wind up with Platner?

Politicians are always running their last race, particularly if it was a loss. They want to undo everything that worked against them last time. That,...

12.07.2026 20

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

As Platner hopes die, Dems can’t win for losing

Republicans grow more deeply concerned about a blue wave in November as Democrats struggle to ride that wave. One of their leading surfers just wiped...

09.07.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

America and the bully

Democrat-Gazette online

08.07.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Despite scare tactics, ballot issue a win for direct democracy

Only one of the three progressive ballot-issue campaigns submitted petitions by the deadline Friday bearing a number of signatures that, if validated,...

07.07.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: In Arkansas governor debate, Libertarian wins the round

They had a governor's debate Friday at the Arkansas Press Association convention in Eureka Springs. I didn't attend. The following critique...

05.07.2026 30

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

Nation bruised, battered, but not all the way out

This is not about the book, which I have stopped reading because I pretty much knew all that already.

05.07.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

The sad ballad of the betrayal of French Hill

You might have heard a common refrain about U.S. Rep. French Hill. It's that he knows President Donald Trump is reckless and destructive but believes...

02.07.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

In Arkansas governor debate, Libertarian wins the round

Democrat-Gazette online

01.07.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

A memo to Democrats who want to win again

There was a brief but scintillating social media exchange during covid-beset 2020 between a cornpone guy from Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, and a young...

30.06.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: Time for Senate to defy Trump, but incrementally, pragmatically

In times of uncommon recklessness in presidential leadership with narrow congressional division in a major election year--by which I mean enduring a...

28.06.2026 20

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

It’s a different world as Razorback Stadium gets new name

Things just get differenter and differenter, don't they? People call it growth. They also call it life. They also say get over it.

28.06.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

PBS news shows take the hit in Arkansas, thanks to Wing

Are you weary of reading about this fellow Carlton Wing and his messing around with PBS programming on Arkansas educational television even as...

25.06.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Time for Senate to defy Trump, but incrementally, pragmatically

Democrat-Gazette online

24.06.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Arkansas expose shows the vital work of newspapers

Let's talk about what your state newspaper did and what your governor did, in that order, meaning from the great deed of the newspaper down to the...

23.06.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: Trump spinning loss, pat on head, in war into a win

Donald Trump was done with his failed war on Iran and ready to move oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

21.06.2026 40

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

On Father’s Day, memories of Dad resurface

Editor's note: This award-winning column was first published on Father's Day 2010. It hasn't been re-run in a few years.

21.06.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Wing: Arkansas TV not a hostage to extremists in Legislature

Carlton, I said to my good buddy Mr. Wing, it seems to me from that article on the front page Monday that you are running Arkansas public television...

18.06.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

War games: Trump spinning loss, pat on head, in war into a win

Democrat-Gazette online

17.06.2026 30

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Wariness on Little Rock data center advised

I used artificial intelligence for this column. I think it's all right this one time.

16.06.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: Arkansas members of Congress, others, finessing dictatorship

I declared last week the existence of a Donald Trump dictatorship because the Republicans in Congress wouldn't stand up to him.

14.06.2026 30

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett

Shoffner preaching to choir, but it doesn’t mean she has no chance

She was conducting a town hall for her choir. The questions largely were like-minded, friendly, and outright set-ups. That doesn't mean she didn't...

11.06.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Arkansas members of Congress, others, finessing dictatorship

Democrat-Gazette online

10.06.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Maine offers lesson in looking beyond tribalism

Current American politics tends to think of party before country, emphasizing the aims of the tribe over the qualities of the individual.

09.06.2026 40

Arkansas Online

John Brummett

Opinion: Arkansas' direct democracy idea good while it lasted

Ernie Dumas, a venerated Arkansas political journalist, has an opinion essay and historical essay -- that's the same piece -- in the latest...

07.06.2026 50

El Dorado News Times

John Brummett