Our View

Our View

Government at its best…

The question is often asked lately, why are so many people so cynical about our government, the politicians and the bureaucrats that run it?

There are many reasons there is this attitude or state of mind regarding such distrust and a general lack of faith in our politicians and here are just a few examples.

In just one printed edition of a Little Rock newspaper the other day there were these headlines: “Audit questions travel costs of labor director. His resignation raised by two legislators”, “Medicaid over-biller told to pay or go to jail”, “Audit of ASU sent to prosecutor. Agency raises concerns over dealings of ex-chancellor, wife,” and “State Medicaid backlog persists. 27,882 cases still unresolved.”

There is hardly a day that goes by that we don’t hear, read or experience government at all levels dealing with similar issues and circumstances.

Let’s take these stories one by one and reveal why there is such cynicism. Regarding the story about the audit questioning travel costs of the labor director.

Here we have Director Leon Jones being questioned about him traveling at least five times out of state between January 2015 and Sept. 1, 2016, without any beforehand approval at a cost of $5,918, and some expenses being questionable or totally unrelated to his job.

On two of the out-of-state trips,, the audit shows that Jones scheduled personal trips and then subsequent business-related meetings. Jones didn’t properly record his sick and annual leave, and if Jones had, this would have resulted in an annual-leave balance deficit of 68 hours and a sick-leave balance of 80 hours instead of a higher balance.

Jones also was absent from work for 57 additional hours, and auditors were unable to determine whether the absences were for business-related purposes or should have been recorded as annual or sick leave.

Now then, moving on to the story about a 56 -yearold former counselor who stole from the Arkansas Medicaid program and ordered to pay $25,000 in fines and restitution or face up to 20 years in prison.

So seems Al Gregory Dodds of Camden had been the highest-paid licensed counselor in the Medicaid mental- health program when authorities discovered the extent of his crimes in July 2015.

He had been paid $706,524 between Jan. 1, 2012 and July 24, 2015.

Then there is the story about a former Arkansas State University Chancellor Tim Hudson and his wife being investigated regarding their involvement in the Jonesboro campus’ study-abroad program, which was run by the chancellor’s wife, Deidra Hudson; two study-abroad trips, and a third-party vendor.

And finally, the story about the state Department of Human Services officials telling lawmakers they still have a backlog of overdue Medicaid applications and other paperwork related to about 28,000 people.

Lawmakers have also been questioning other Human Services Department officials about the cost of providing free medical care to more than 324,000 “poor” Arkansans. Bear in mind folks, there aren’t but 3 million people in Arkansas.

To clear this backlog, the department has allocated $8.4 million, including $7.4 million that it is paying to a Reston, Va.-based private company to provide what they call a “surge” of 250 temporary caseworkers.

Stories such as these aren’t uncommon and it no wonder why there are so many hard-working taxpayers completely disgusted with the government and those politicians and bureaucrats that run it.

BIBLE VERSE

Amerry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

15:13-17

Proverbs