The Delta Grassroots Caucus (DGC) is a broad coalition of grassroots leaders in the eight-state Delta region. DGC is also a founding partner of the Economic Equality Caucus,
which advocates for economic equality across the USA.

Forum on Economic Equality for Presidential Campaigns, Aug. 16, Arkansas Capitol

Posted on July 18, 2016 at 12:20 PM

The Delta Grassroots Caucus will hold an event on economic equality issues on August 16 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Arkansas State Capitol that will include Sen. Joyce Elliott (D-Little Rock) speaking in favor of Hillary Clinton, and Bud Cummins (R-Little Rock), Chairman of the Arkansas Presidential campaign for Donald Trump, speaking for Mr. Trump.

We will have another segment of the meeting featuring experts on economic equality and related issues.

The Republican and Democratic Presidential nominees will be given equal opportunities to state why they support their candidate on key issues like job creation, economic equality and growth, investments in transportation and other infrastructure, health care, hunger and nutrition, and economic, racial and gender equality.

This will naturally include attention to Arkansas issues since we are meeting in Little Rock, but will mostly focus on national issues due to the context of the Presidential election. This is bipartisan and we want to hear from both sides equally.

Bud Cummins is a former US District Attorney, former chief legal counsel to Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Republican Congressional nominee, attorney and chairman of Donald Trump’s campaign in Arkansas.

Sen. Joyce Elliott is a distinguished educator, senior member of the Arkansas Senate, former Democratic Congressional nominee, and surrogate speaker for Secretary Hillary Clinton’s campaign in Arkansas.

The event begins at 9 a.m. with a series of nonpartisan, substantive speakers on key economic and community development issues. They are from Arkansas organizations, but the issues are mostly common to the entire 8-state Delta region.

Speakers from about 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. will include:

–Bo Ryall, CEO of Arkansas Hospitals Association, speaking about the nationally recognized Medicaid expansion program in Arkansas;

–Rich Huddleston, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, speaking about poverty issues in Arkansas;

–Danny Games, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Executive Vice President, Global Business, on job creation at good wages**;

–Kathy Webb, director, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, on the child nutrition, SNAP and other nutrition programs;

–Mireya Reith, speaking on education based on her role as Chairman of the Arkansas Board of Education, and issues for the growing Hispanic population in Arkansas in her capacity as director of the Arkansas United Community Coalition;

–Rep. Lane Jean (R-Magnolia), Chairman of the Arkansas Interstate 69 Legislative Caucus and veteran leader in the I-69 Coalition. Rep. Jean will speak about the need for transportation investments across the state and nation to create jobs and improve our deteriorating infrastructure, with particular emphasis on I-69. We need transportation improvements all over Arkansas and the Delta, but in particular we want to urge the next President and Congress to finally complete the Interstate 69 Corridor, which would be a major national transportation artery from Mexico to Canada, extending through the heart of the Delta in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.

After the nonpartisan substantive speakers, we will have the Trump and Clinton speakers from about 11 a.m. to noon.

Please RSVP as soon as possible: This event is free, but to gain reserved seating at the vast, majestic Arkansas Capitol Rotunda you need to RSVP to Lee Powell beforehand by email to leepowell@delta.comcastbiz.net

There is limited space in the reserved seating section.

Getting an accurate numbers count is essential for our planning. To gain a reserved seat just send an email to the above mentioned email address stating that you definitely plan to be there on August 16.

When meeting at the Arkansas Capitol Rotunda, it is always open to the public and people can come in and either sit farther away from the speakers or stand and listen, but you will be able to hear better and close enough to ask a question if you are in the reserved seating section close to the podium.

This is open to anyone in the Delta region or the Washington, DC area, although this is much shorter than our previous two-day conferences, so as a practical matter most of the turnout is likely come from people within driving distance of Little Rock.

On the other hand, if you would like to combine this event with a visit to Little Rock, the capital has many attractions including the Clinton Presidential Library, Heifer International headquarters, the Little Rock River market area, and scenic parks and walks along the Arkansas River. So you might want to travel to Little Rock from a longer distance to come to this event and see the sights of Arkansas’ capital.

There will be another brief event in the northern Virginia/Washington, DC area in October, again to emphasize economic equality issues in the context of this year’s historic Presidential race. That will include partners from our national affiliate, the Economic Equality Coalition.

We hope you can join us on August 16 at the Arkansas Capitol Rotunda. Lee Powell, Delta Caucus and Economic Equality Coalition (202) 360-6347