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Gov. Mike Beebe addresses the AAC delegation as the lead-off speaker at the 44th annual Conference in Spring- dale. Chris Villines, AAC executive director, looks on while Beebe talks about troubling trends in Washington, D.C., and about Medicaid expansion. Beebe said he hasn’t made up his mind about Medicaid expansion in Arkansas, but he is weighing all the facts and trying to encourage Arkansans to have an educated conversation.
AAC Conference speakers shine at Springdale
By Scott Perkins County Lines Editor
Lenny Eliason, National Association of Counties past president, talks about his president’s initiative, “Healthy Counties.” He said Americans should live healthier life- styles and break the trend of little or no exercise.
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Gov. Beebe told members that the American form of government is still the best on the planet during the opening general session on Wednesday. He spoke for several moments about the trends in partisanship in Washington, D.C., and he specifically shared “food for thought” on Medicaid expansion. “We don’t need to get caught up in Arkansas in the same kind of stalemate and rhetoric that is going on in Washington. I’m not calling any specific names and I’m not blaming one party or another. I think there is enough blame to go around for everybody in terms of the lack of cooperation … the lack of civil- ity and the lack of accomplishments that we see in Washington, D.C.,” Beebe said. “Tat’s not going to change people until the voters require it to change. Because as bad as things are, ultimately the people are still the boss. Ultimately, we will get the government that the people decide we’re going to have.” Beebe explained that Medicaid expansion would add about 200,000 to 230,000 people in the “working poor” demographic. He talked about the ad-
T COUNTY LINES, FALL 2012
he 44th annual AAC Conference was peppered with educational, insightful and entertaining speakers from a wide variety of back- grounds. As usual, Gov. Mike Beebe gave a rousing speech that was met with numerous rounds of applause.
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