6o Seconds with Bill Halter

Talk Business interviews Bill Halter

Hear Bill and read the transcript

Halter Raises $500,000 in 10 Days

KARK, a Little Rock Television station, has reported that Bill Halter has raised $500,000 in 10 days. An incredible start! It just goes to show how many people want a Democrat like Bill to win this race. Thanks to everyone I know who supported Bill. Keep spreading the word.

Why I Care About The Arkansas Governor Race

The question has come up - if I live in California, why do I care about the Arkansas governor race.

I care because I'm an American. I want a better America and I think Arkansas is one part of making that a reality. I am sick and tired of Republican's taxing my children with huge deficit spending. If you add up all the current taxes and add in the future taxes required to pay down the deficits, the Republican White House and Congress have increased your taxes.

The Democratic Party will not get back to the White House without Arkansas, Florida or Tennessee's support and I would like to see a Democrat back in the White House. We need a fiscally responsible Democrat with values to win.

I think we have the best shot at making that happen by producing strong southern Democratic governors. And Arkansas is the best place to try to make that happen. The Florida race is big, complicated and I have no insight into who should be supported. Tennessee has a sitting Democratic governor, so he should have a good chance of getting re-elected.

Every Democrat who cares about getting back in the White House should care about what happens in Arkansas. It's a place where the race is close and supporting the right kind of Democrat can make a difference.

I have known Bill Halter for 26 years. He has strong values and believes in balancing a budget. He's the kind of Democrat every state needs.

We Need Bill to Help Win Back the South

As I have looked into the Southern Governor situation, I have become much more convinced that supporting my friend, Bill Halter, for Arkansas governor is important.

Arkansas is one of two battleground southern states without an incumbent governor holding elections in 2006, the other being Florida.

I think Bill has best chance of winning in Arkansas and keeping Asa Hutchinson from being governor.

Background Analysis on the Southern Governor Situation

Winning back part of the south will be critical to any future democratic presidential candidate. Looking at previous elections there are only a few southern states that stand out as being truly competitive - Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, West Virginia, Louisiana and Missouri. Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri stand out as having picked the winner every time since 1972 or before. http://www.thegreenpapers.com/G04/President-1972-2000.phtml

Three of the states with the closest presidential race in 2004 (Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas) are electing governors in 2006. These three states are important battle ground states up for contention - shown here in order of the closeness of the race.

• Florida - Kerry/Bush 47%/52% - 27 electoral votes


• Arkansas - Kerry/Bush 45%/54% - 6 electoral votes


• Tennessee - Kerry/Bush 43%/57% -11 electoral votes

Winning the governors office in these states has three benefits:

• We get another Southern Democratic governor as a potential presidential candidate


• There is one fewer Southern Republican governor as a potential presidential candidate


• A working governor political operation is estimated to be worth an additional 1-2% (perhaps more) in the national election - given the closeness of these races in the past this might be the difference.

The current status of these governor races is

Florida

• Republican governor termed out


• Democrats- U.S. Rep. Jim Davis of Tampa, former state Democratic Party chief Scott Maddox of Tallahassee and state Sen. Rod Smith of Gainesville -- have raised a combined total of $1.8 million.


• Republicans - Attorney General Charlie Crist and Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher are already breaking money records. According to the last contribution report in mid-July, each has raised more than $3 million for the primary battle that culminates on Sept. 5, 2006.

Arkansas

• Republican governor termed out


• Democrat


• Bill Halter


• Ran the Social Security Administration under Clinton


• Senior Advisor in the Office of Management and Budget (They balanced the budget during his tenure)


• Economist for the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress


• Chief Economist for the United States Senate Committee


• Best chance Democrats have to beat Asa Hutchinson


• Mike Beebe


• Attorney General


• Never faced opposition in an election


• Strong links to lobbyists


• Unlikely national candidate


• Projected to lose to Hutchinson


• Republican


• Asa Hutchinson


• Prosecuted Clinton impeachment trial


• Bush appointee to undersecretary for Border & Transportation Security in the Department of Homeland Security


• Three terms in congress - reelected twice without opposition

Tennessee

• Democrats - First term governor Phil Bredesen up for reelection


• Republicans - Candidates not clear yet

Run, Bill, Run

My friend, Bill Halter, is thinking about running for Governor of Arkansas. I hope you will support him as I do.

Since graduating from Stanford, Bill has served our country well and done all of us the favor of helping to balance the federal budget, thereby reducing the hidden tax on our children.

Bill has served as

• Acting Director of the Social Security Administration


• Senior Advisor in the Office of Management and Budget (They balanced the budget during his tenure)


• Economist for the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress


• Chief Economist for the United States Senate Committee.

Bill is running as a Democrat, but for those Republicans among us, please consider the person and not the party. Bill is a moderate and believes in balanced budgets. If you dislike the taxes deficit spending imposes on our children, you should consider supporting Bill. Bill is smart and he cares about good government. As governor, I believe he will serve his state well and make significant contributions to our country.

Political parties do not contribute to primaries. He needs our support for this primary.

Bill has spent his career serving our country and as you all know government pay will not make you wealthy. The primary will require millions to pay for advertising and campaigning.

If you believe that our government needs good people, you should help by contributing to Bill's campaign.

Please support Bill. Checks can be made payable to: “Halter for Arkansas” and sent to Post Office Box 94399, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72190. You can also contribute online at http://www.halterforarkansas.com/.

Arkansas limits are $2,000 per person, per election ($4,000 for the primary & general together). A couple can give a total of $8,000. I hope that you will be as generous as possible.

Bill on the Radio

Bill was interviewed by WAI Radio. You can hear the interview at http://www.wairadio.com/PAT10060503-BILLHALTER.MP3