LINCOLN -- Former Gov. David Pryor, who held four political offices during his career, visited Lincoln last Wednesday to speak to Kiwanis Club members and guests.
Lynn Thomas, president of Kiwanis, turned the program over to Gary Lunsford, member and pastor of Central United Methodist Church.
Lunsford introduced Pryor in two ways. First he gave a list of the offices Pryor had held -- state House of Representatives, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator and Arkansas governor. Next, he said ..."and he had the courage to marry my sister [Barbara]. If anyone wants to know anything about Arkansas, talk to David Pryor. He is one of my favorite people."
Pryor stepped to the podium and told the full room at the Community Center it was an honor to be in Lincoln.
"I'm an old politican and I feel like I'm in a straightjacket because I can't talk politics," Pryor said. "Kiwanis doesn't allow it. I feel a little like Col. Sanders who attended a meeting and couldn't talk about chickens. So I'll make some observations about what is going on in our state and country."
Pryor then went on to talk about politics in general and mostly the changes that have occurred since he was in office.
"Change hasn't been all for the good though it isn't all for the bad, but it has changed," Pryor said, adding a story about he and former Gov. Dale Bumpers visiting a nursing home and meeting 100-year-old lady. They asked her about all the changes that had come about during her lifetime.
"She told us, 'Yes, and I've been against every one of them.'"
Pryor said when he went to the U.S. Congress in 1967, no one had heard of fax machines, email, Twitter or Facebook.
"This is the age of technology," Pryor said, adding he was told by a salesperson at a store where he went to buy a new television that the technology on TVs keeps changing every nine months."
Pryor segued from technology and its changes into many of the recent changes in the political community.
"There has been more money spent this year on political advertising in the state of Arkansas than in all other elections put together," Pryor said. "This is thanks to the Supreme Court and their ruling on Citizens United, where political action committees can be disguised so we don't know who is giving to campaigns."
Pryor said the Arkansas Democrat Gazette and other newspapers used to print where the donations to politicians came from when there was more transparency in elections.
"You can go on the Internet and find some of today's donations but not all of them," he said. "There are enough anonymous dollars going into campaigns now and I think it's awful. We need more transparency again. I hope it changes."
Pryor said all the news today is about gird lock in Congress, and about elected officials in Washington going home for breaks.
"This has all happened in the last 10 years," he said.
"Civility has been lost, good will and trust has broken down," he said. "When I was a senator, we would have pot luck dinners on Sunday night -- both Democrats and Republicans would get together. We would take about issues and talk about what we could do for the country."
Pryor said he talks frequently to former Missouri Sen. John Danforth, a Republican.
"He's a friend and we talk about why they can't talk and get along in Washington," Pryor said. "Jack told me they have forgotten how to laugh. They sit up there all puffed up and looking like they've been eating persimmons. And they don't eat together any more."
Pryor said today Democrats meet together and Republicans meet together but they don't get together with each other.
"We traveled together," he said. "In those days we had to have an equal number of Democrats and Republicans before we could go any where. We got to know one another on those trips."
"We don't listen to anymore," he said. "We've got to get some of this poison out, start listening to one another if we're going to help this country.
Pryor told the high school students attending the meeting that compromise had become a dirty word and yet it was compromise that passed Medicare, Social Security, the G.I. Bill and the Marshal Plan that helped Europe get back on its feet after World War II.
"We've go to listen to other people's point of views and learn to compromise again," he said. "Today we think in terms of red and blue states and never the two shall meet. For this country, it has got to be red, white and blue. We've created divisions that should be changed."
Pryor also talked about 9/11 and how everyone could remember where they were when the twin towers in New York City were hit by terrorist in control of passenger jets.
"One thing came about the day after 9/11," Pryor said. "Democrats and Republicans all marched in front of the Capitol and sang, God Bless America. If we're going to make this experiment, Democracy, work we have got to do more of this."
Pryor, pointing to the mid-year election, said more people need to vote in this year's mid-year election.
"Elections define us as a people and this is something we must ever forget," he said. "We can't give up. We Americans have always believed we are different, because we believe the best is yet to come. It takes all of us to make this come true."
Pryor wrapped up his speeck with praise for the city of Lincoln. "I love the new library and the new high school. This says something about this town, about how this community works together."
Thomas concluded the Kiwanis meeting by telling Pryor he "is an Arkansas treasure" and "we're grateful for all you've done for us."
General News on 09/03/2014