#53 Clarke Tucker, AR state senator and attorney, 10-6-23, Part 1: OTOH episode 53

Glen and April sit down with Clarke Tucker, an attorney who currently serves as the Democratic Senator in the Arkansas Legislature from Little Rock, District 14. In this first part of our interview with Clarke, we learn how he serves in government out of a strong sense of obligation, given the many privileges he has been blessed with in his life. As we explore his view of politics in Arkansas and nationally, he explains how he sees the changes in recent years as "partisan, not political." He also provides insightful background into the nature of the legislative process in Arkansas these days, which is "grueling" in terms of the required fundraising and the strong pressure to "run with the party." Despite the realities of that current system, he tries to work for the people in his legislative activities. He believes that how one responds to that balancing act reveals the true nature of the politician. There are those who try to do honest work for the people of Arkansas, but too many are "posturing for re-election" and are only in it to win, seeing the process as merely a game.