Our founding father’s drafted the constitution and our forefather’s ratified it based on what they were told it was supposed to do – protect and preserve our freedom. This proposed constitutional amendment, backed by the same old special interests and the nursing home industry, is another attack on the unsuspecting citizens of Arkansas. If you believe yourself to be a patriot, conservative, or against big government, this proposed amendment should offend you. For example, if you believe in:

• "Pro-life." It devalues the lives of the unborn, children, and stay at home moms or dads by capping the value of their lives at $250,000 minus fees and expenses, whereas the life of someone who makes a six figure income is valued much higher.
• "Family values." It punishes anyone who chooses family over career by arbitrarily placing a lower value on their lives.
• "Free enterprise." It removes the ability of private citizens to enter into arm’s length contracts for legal services. While hospital and nursing home owners and their insurance companies have no such restriction.
• "Against big government." It allows the state to dictate the terms of contracts for legal services. The state dictates what a jury can and cannot do in individual cases. This is big government out of control.
• "Local control." Nothing is more local than a jury. Juries set community standards. By dictating what a jury can and cannot decide, local control gives way to special interest and the power of big government grows.
• "Personal responsibility." By severely restricting punitive damages, grossly negligent wrongdoers are allowed to escape responsibility. By arbitrarily capping compensatory damages, wrongdoers are not held fully accountable. That isn’t justice.

People of Arkansas must take a stand against the special interest who seek to take away our liberty. Our legislators need to hear from the voters in their districts that we will not allow our bill of rights to be bargained away. If you agree, please call your Senator today and urge him/her to vote against SJR8. The main number at the Arkansas Senate is (501) 682-6107.