Excerpted from the Aug. 11th edition of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette Editorial page

...All of which brings us to the race for lieutenant governor in Arkansas. On the very day the Hispanic population story appeared on the front page, this story ap peared on 1B:
Holt, Halter wrangle on services for illegals
   In a battle of dueling press releases, the Republican in the race, Jim Holt, rapped the Democrat, Bill Halter, for being insufficiently mean.
   Jim Holt, state senator and demagogue-in-training wants to deny ILLEGAL ALIENS! state services that aren’t required by the feds. Like what? Like prenatal programs, for starters.
   What kind of far-seeing leader—what kind of person—would withhold money for pre-natal programs? Lord have mercy. Has anybody told Jim Holt that once these little suckers are born they’re going to be full-fledged, pure-Dee, native American citizens—even if their parents aren’t? And if these kids are born sickly, they’ll need more taxpayer-paid health care services. Quite aside from the Christian charity of it, pre-natal care is one of the best investments a provident nation can make.
   Jim Holt’s website says he’s pro-life. Hmmm. How can he be pro-life but antibaby? Or is he just anti-healthy baby? Or is he just anti-healthy Hispanic baby?
   Surely not. Jim Holt may be one of those strange ideologues all wrapped up in his own theoretical world (he does tend to ramble on) but he can’t be that cruel. Does he think pretending to be will improve his chances of beating Bill Halter? (A recent poll by a TV station shows him trailing his opponent, 48 to 39.)
   In our story, Senator Holt noted that the Department of Health and Human Services (note: Health and Human Services) had underestimated the cost of a pre-natal program for ILLEGAL ALIENS!, and that Arkansas is only one of nine states to have such a program. He also noted that Arkansas ranks 49th in per-capita income.
   Jim Holt didn’t note that Arkansas is projecting a surplus in state coffers along the lines of $721 million. And that last year, the pre-natal program cost the state all of $6.5 million. Can you think of a better expenditure, or one with a more satisfying return? As for us, we love to see healthy little babies gurgle and smile and grow stronger by the day. Every one of them adds to this state’s, and this nation’s, promise.
   Is $6.5 million too much to ensure that these future citizens are going to be healthy future citizens? How much more do you think it’d cost to deny them prenatal care, then send them to doctors and emergency rooms and specialists for problems that could’ve been prevented with a little care—and love—before birth?
   Let’s not find out.