Lincoln: pro Third Way

Sen. Blanche Lincoln addresses Arkansas sheriffs in Eureka -- Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln takes a moment with Chuck Lange, executive director of the Arkansas Sheriffs' Association (ASA) at the its yearly convention last week at the Inn of the Ozarks. Also attending were the State Drug Director, Secretary of State, and the Attorney General along with personnel from the Governor's office, the Arkansas Department of Corrections, and State Emergency Management. Some 240 registrants and 58 vendors joined 55 sheriffs and their families from around the state for three days of presentations, training, tours and activities. Photo by C.D. White

In town to address the Arkansas Sheriffs' Association (ASA) at a luncheon, Senator Lincoln graciously invited the Citizen to tag along and ask a few questions.

In fact, graciousness was the word of the day as Lincoln talked with each person queued up to speak with her after the address, even though she was shortly due to catch a plane for an early vote on the Hill the following morning.

Most of the comments and questions had to do with the needs of sheriffs' departments from various counties around the state. Lincoln listened with attention to each and was often heard to say. "I'll see what I can do about that."

What she can do about those local problems will probably be an easier solve than what she can do for the country in the face of Republican opposition.

Lincoln, as was Bill Clinton, is a proponent of Third Way politics. The Third Way is generally seen as a political position which tries to reconcile right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating a synthesis of mostly right-wing economic and left-wing social policies.

An alternate description has been to call the Third Way radical centrism.

"No," said Lincoln, "it's not in any way radical centrist. There are too many extremes in government. I don't think Americans are extremists.

"Right now the mode and platform of the Republican party is just to say 'No' and that solves no problems. In many instances we didn't even get a response from the Republicans [in our efforts to work together ... and it's not only Republicans."

How does she expect to overcome such an obstinate stance?

"We need a fighter who will work hard and show people what we've done, what we've fought for and won; including the good things for Arkansas," she replied.

Among those good things, Lincoln plans to keep fighting for FEMA to pay some of the $22 million owed to Arkansas for disaster relief.

"We need to put some of that money into local counties to reimburse them for disaster expenses. The problem is, FEMA is currently broke," she said.

Getting back to the reason she was in Eureka Springs, Lincoln added, "People underestimate the value of our county sheriffs' departments. They are asked to cover huge territories and deserve the best support, training and equipment we can give them."