Indiana

Another Day, Another Poll

Posted on September 30, 2008
Survey USA is reporting Governor Mitch Daniels with a 16-point lead over Democratic challenger Jill Long Thompson.  The survey of 687 likely voters showed Daniels leading  53-37.   The poll was taken Sunday and Monday of this week. What’s interesting about this poll is that Daniels is leading in all areas of the state...

It?s A Dirty Job?

Posted on September 29, 2008
Okay, let’s all be honest, no one is crazy about writing a check for $700 billion to bailout a bunch of people who made bad decisions.   However, the problem is what would happen if we did nothing.  As much as I would love to see a lot of people get their up-comings, someone has to [...

Biggest Disaster?

Posted on September 29, 2008
Okay, it’s quiz time!  Which was the bigger political train wreck today? The stock market losing nearly 700 points because of no financial bailout? John McCain taking credit for the bailout coalition right before it fell apart? Jill Long Thompson’s campaign talking about the Governor’s travel using incomplete records and an incomplete statute on the day stocks fell [...

What?s $700,000,000,000 Between Friends?

Posted on September 29, 2008
In case you were wondering what you could do with the $700 Billion that’s going to bailout the nation’s financial industry, here are a few thoughts courtesy of Time magazine. You could give every poerson in the United States $2,300 or give every household $6,300...

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We?re Back

Posted on September 28, 2008
Your favorite political pundit is back after spending several days in Montana.  Believe it or not I actually rode a horse up a mountain.  I was there as part of a conference sponsored by the Liberty Fund.  I got some interesting ideas which I will scribble down over the next couple of days...

Try Montana

Posted on September 25, 2008
I’m getting on a plane this morning to spend a few days in Montana for a conference.  You may now dispense with the Blazing Saddles and “Brokeblack” Mountain jokes. I don’t know if I’ll have Internet access yet.  If I do, I will try to post from afar...

Quick Draw

Posted on September 24, 2008
I had some problems with my DVR last night so trying to watch the second Gubernatorial debate was a little difficult, but it really didn’t matter because nothing changed all that much.   Both Mitch Daniels and Jill Long Thompson were a little more aggressive and Andy Horning was still Andy Horning...

Ballard?s Balanced Budget (Part 3)

Posted on September 23, 2008
Sixteen Republicans and one Democrat helped give Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard his first budget.  The Mayor says the $1.1 Billion spending plans provides more dollars for public safety and closes a $26 million shortfall and still spends less than last year...

The Great Debate, Part Deux

Posted on September 23, 2008
I’m teaching class tonight so I won’t be watching the gubernatorial debate as it happens, but luckily God invented the DVR so Mitch, Jill and Andy will be sandwiched somewhere between my Justice League Unlimited and Reno 911. As far as the candidates go, here’s what I’ll be looking for...

WWJD

Posted on September 23, 2008
That stands for “What Would Julia Do?”  I recently ran into Sam Carson, the son of the late Julia Carson, and asked him about his support for Governor Mitch Daniels.  He said he’s known the Governor for a while and thinks he’s good for Indiana...

Stupid Joke of the Day

Posted on September 22, 2008
How do you start a small business in the 21st Century? Start a big business and then you wait.* *Of course you could always get a government bailout and then go back and continue the bad behavior that got you in the financial mess in the first place.

Them Dems

Posted on September 22, 2008
I wish City-County Council Democrats would get their act together and start acting like the loyal opposition as opposed to the Keystone Cops of the Council. With tonight’s budget vote pending, Democrats held a news conference complaining, once again, about the Ballard administration failing to hire 100 police officers and wondering where the money went...

Sunday Morning Posts

Posted on September 21, 2008
I have some follow-up to a few items from yesterday. I hope you find them interesting… Local Stadium Bailout? If anyone is looking for the state to help bailout the new Lucas Oil Stadium and its operation costs, forget about it for now. Governor Mitch Daniels says it unlikely the state will get involved...

Saturday Morning Posts

Posted on September 20, 2008
Apparently there were quite a few things that happened since yesterday.  Here they are. The Marion County Property Tax Board of Appeals will vote Friday on approving about $63 million worth of tax appeals.  One property owner say a $9 million decrease in his original assessment...

Gotta Bail

Posted on September 19, 2008
I have a major project to work on today, so there won’t be much blogging.  In the meantime, share your thoughts on the massive government bailout and take over of just about every bad mortgage and loan in America. I really wish my parents hadn’t taught me to be so responsible...

?Tied? In Knots

Posted on September 18, 2008
Just to keep everyone on the same page, here are the latest polls (all out in the last 48 hours) regarding the Presidential race and the State of Indiana. McCain - 47, Obama - 43. (MoE - 4%) Big Ten Battleground Poll Obama - 47, McCain - 44. ( MoE - 4%), Indy Star...

Bond Bank On It

Posted on September 18, 2008
Marion County taxpayers will save more than a million dollars due to a reduction of fees over at the Indianapolis Public Bond Bank. Bond Bank Executive Director Kevin Taylor says the agency has been charging excess fees to local governments for floating bonds and it was time to lower them...

The Great Debators

Posted on September 17, 2008
I watched the gubernatorial debate three times in the last few hours to try to do a thoughtful analysis.  To do this right, I graded the candidates the way I do my students in my speech classes.  They get grades for style, content and delivery. Mitch Daniels Content - A...

And the Winner Is?

Posted on September 16, 2008
I’m working on some post-gubernatorial debate analysis.  In the meanwhile, in your opinion, who won the night?  Why?  And what do the losers have to do for next time?

Campo Kicked Out?

Posted on September 15, 2008
7th District  Republican congressional candidate Gabrielle Campo says she was kicked out of an eastside  community event by a supporter of Democrat Andre Carson. Campo says she was at the Far Eastside Family Fun Day at 36th and Mitthoeffer.  The event is sponsored by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service...

Ballard?s Balanced Budget (Part 2)

Posted on September 15, 2008
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard and Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson have reached a budget agreement that both sides say will fund public safety and allow the city to live within its means. The Sheriff originally asked for $111 million, but later reduced that request to $92 million...

Opportunity Missed

Posted on September 15, 2008
With my very busy schedule, I always try to make the most of my time by doing two or three things at once.  I did it again today.  I did laundry and covered a news conference by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson.  After separating my whites from my colors I walked around the corner [...

Food for Thought

Posted on September 15, 2008
Check this out. Off all the IMPD Officers who’ve been getting in trouble lately, it looks like half of them are from the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, eventhough former Sheriff’s law enforcement officers only make up about 20 percent of the entire force...

Ballard?s Balancing Budget Act

Posted on September 13, 2008
The Ballard administration says it will pass a budget on September 22 that forces the city to live within its means, even though the budget may not quite look the way it was introduced. Nearly $2.6 million was added for the township assessors.  Originally, funding was going to eliminated based on a November referendum, however Councilors [...

It Ain?t Over Until?

Posted on September 12, 2008
To put it mildly, Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson has not had the best of weeks.  As a matter of fact when you really put the rubber to the road, her biggest moment has been winning the May primary and you could argue it’s been all downhill from there...

Double your pleasure. Double your standards.

Posted on September 12, 2008

My 9-11 Questions

Posted on September 11, 2008
Here are my 9-11 questions of the day. Are we safer? Is 9-11 becoming a distant memory, as opposed to a real event? How do you think it will impact George W.’s legacy as President? What’s the best way to win the war on terror? Feel free to pontificate after taking a moment to reflect on those who lost their [...

A Few Questions for Frank

Posted on September 10, 2008
Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson takes his budget before the City-Council Public safety Committee. Anderson will likely argue against proposed cuts today, saying they will harm public safety and result in early releases from the jail. Of course this is also the same Sheriff whose original budget request was $111 million...

Anderson Cuts $19 Million From Budget Request

Posted on September 10, 2008
Saying he wanted to “trim the fat and cut to the bone,”  Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson tonight submitted a new budget request to the City-County Council, $19 million smaller than his original. Anderson’s original budget request was more than $111 million...

The Art of the Matter

Posted on September 09, 2008
After sitting for an hour and listening to the arts community cry bloody murder about proposed cuts in funding, I decided to go check and see how much they actually get from the taxpayers.  Back in May the City-County Council passed an ordinance giving the arts groups more than $1...

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