Lawrence Losers

The losers are all of us taxpayers in the City of Lawrence. On Monday, five Republicans approved a salary increase of $11,000 to Mayor Paul Ricketts. Unfortunately, the Mayor went back on a pledge of cutting the budget five percent in non-public safety in order to fatten his wallet at taxpayers' expense.

This obvious abuse of power is just another reason why Deb's Democrats and Ricketts' Republicans should be run out of town on a rail. There is no good option in Lawrence, and when the voice of reason appears, it's dismissed as radical. Sometimes radical is reality, and the reality is is that there is no difference if an R or a D runs the city.

Will Time Tell?

I was reading Charles Krauthammer's column online via the Detroit News, and he brought up an interesting, albeit slanted, thought. Is George W. Bush the next Harry S. Truman? I say perhaps in time, but only if he's eventually vindicated on Iraq. If not, he could be the GOP's two-term Jimmy Carter.

What do you think??

Sunday Shenanigans

I'm sitting here watching the Chicago/Tampa Bay game with my wife, checking my fantasy football scores, and if I wasn't working tonight, I'd probably enjoy a couple of cold ones over the course of the day. I don't want to go to a restaurant or tavern to do it, I want to just kick back at home and have a frosty beverage. It's unfortunate that I would have had to gone out last night to get my supplies for today.

The liquor laws in this state are a bit asinine to say the least. On Sunday, if you want a cocktail and have none at home, you have to go out and have it, then drive home, risking your safety and the safety of others. I don't understand what the problem is if you want to get a six-pack and go about your day around the house.

Has Enough Been Enough?

Yesterday in Coral Gables, FL at a rally, Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) was chanted against by protesters holding signs that read "Blacks Against Obama" or "Obama for Abortions." Another sign mentioned his candidacy was supported by the Ku Klux Klan.

My thing is that the Democratic party uses minorities the same way they used the immigrants a century ago. They would have you think they have your best interests at heart because your one group or another. All they have done is conspire at all levels of government to erode your freedoms. Sometimes of their own volition, sometimes in concert with Republicans.

These freedoms are many, from property rights to economic liberty to name only a couple. Democrats aren't the only party doing this though. Republicans have made it a point over time to grow government their way into more of a Norsefire than compassionate conservatism. The Patriot Act and nationalizing AIG are two of the glaring examples of this activity.

If you're tired of feeling like you're being taken for your finances or your freedom, vote Libertarian. They represent every minority, the individual.

Are You a Socialist or a Socialist?

In the wake of an unprecedented bailout by the Fed, I am now convinced that there is NO difference between Republicans and Democrats on the fiscal level. Socially, there is a dichotomy, but when it comes to matters of economics, there truly isn't a dime's difference anymore, and that's a shame. I thought deep-down that the GOP would return to its small-government roots not be a player in the private sector. I can wish in one hand and crap in another and I'll tell you which one fills up first.

Today is a dark day for America. The American dream is quickly becoming a nightmare, and few seem to notice.

BOHICA 2008

I know a lot of people love the new Lucas Oil Stadium. It's state of the art, has a retractable roof, it got Indianapolis a Super Bowl...so on and so forth. The Kenny Chesney concert over the weekend was atrocious from people I've personally talked to, poor acoustics, no leg room, and lack of toiletries were the primary complaints from the concert-goers.

Now Brendan O'Shaughnessy from the Star wrote the annual deficit may be TWICE as bad. Now it's $20 million to maintain the facility that the city doesn't have. The staaste is starting to assist, and the Colts, with all the revenue they generate rent-free are playing the "a contract is a contract" card.

I call bullshit, Irsay was quoted saying it's the people's stadium, well if it is the people's stadium, why are there no tickets directly available, why only to season ticket holders? If it's the people's stadium, why do you Mr. Irsay get all revenues from Colts games, and up to half of non-Colts events at the stadium? If it's the people's stadium, why lie about the cost of the monstrosity, and then have no way to fund its maintenance? Why would you, Jim Irsay, give a flying flip? You got your millions of dollars in naming rights from Forrest Lucas, your new home free, paid for by the taxpayers, and the sweetest deal this side of the Sudetenland.

Mr. Irsay, I hope for your sake the Colts win five more Super Bowls, or the court of public opinion may find you guilty of gross misconduct.

Broken Promises

Last year, I was the Libertarian nominee for Mayor of Lawrence. The winner, Republican Paul Ricketts ran on a platform of reform and responsibility. I ran on fiscal discipline and transparency. At the candidates' forum, I spoke of a cut of five to ten percent on all non-public safety departments. A week later, a mailer went out by Ricketts saying he was for a flat five percent cut. Ricketts won the election.

Fast forward to February 08, he was to receive a $15,000 raise from the Water Department. However, a state law disallows any pay raise in a current budget. This week, the Lawrence Common Council looked into a raise in the next budget for the Mayor, again from the Water Department.

I went on record as saying I would cut my own salary in order to help public safety. Granted it would've been only $3,250-$6,500, but if you vote for the lesser of two evils, instead of someone who brings a real , you reap what you sow.

My friend Mike Kole said it best, "I'm sick of Republicans who campaign like Libertarians and govern like Democrats."

A Failing Grade

On Saturday, the two major party presumptive nominees got together and talked. Both spoke their pieces, and made their points, for the most part. When it came to the issue of abortion (no fence sitting here), Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) went over like a lead balloon. Claiming to not know the "specificities" of when life begins, he said that went beyond his pay grade.

Nationalizing health care, it's in his pay grade. Defending our borders, in his pay grade. Robbing from evil oil companies and their 10% profit margin (compared to the government's 30-40%), in his pay grade. Standing up for those that truly have no voice?? Not his problem.

I thought the modern Democratic party stood for those that had no voice in anything, and rallying behind them. Even Obama supporters had to groan a little bit. My thing is very simple, state your position, and stand behind it, good, bad, or indifferent. I can respect your honesty and your stance without supporting it. Obama stands for nothing, and this simple statement is an absolute endorsement of it.

Energy Independence??

Sounds like people are starting to come to their senses...in 1999, I could remember seventy cents a gallon gas...now it's hovering around four dollars...an almost sixfold increase in a decade. President Bush signed an order ending to the ban on offshore drilling...I'm only hoping that Congress will follow suit and allow for drilling for the relief in our pockets and the small businessmen that run the gas stations.

Public Safety??

I know, I know, people are grumbling of a corrupt police force and pointing fingers at Mayor Ballard. Now, Mayor Ballard took office in January, and took control of the police force shortly thereafter. When it comes to the recent rash of police improprieties and homicides, I'm of the turn the other cheek mode. Mayor Ballard is a decent man trying to pick up the pieces left by the Peterson administration, and every naysayer is looking for an excuse to give him heartburn.

Personally, I think Mayor Ballard has done a good job given the circumstances, and look forward to the first budget HE submits before I go Chicken Little on him. No blaming Peterson or Sheriff Anderson, that's just unfair and out of line. However...if he starts cutting public safety in the name of a pet project, then the gloves are off.

I Deserve It…

I heard of some of the rumblings of those hit hardest by the flooding in southwest-central Indiana. They got "only" $1,000 or $2,000 from a charitable trust run by their employer. The thought they "deserved" more was appalling to me. If I were in that situation, I wouldn't be saying give me money because I "deserve" it. I'd be saying, "OK, I'm up a creek (no pun intended), now what can I do to get out of the situation?"

What needs to come into focus is the mentality of some that look to Big Brother for everything, financial support, housing, medical assistance, etc. Now as a Libertarian, I despise most of those concepts. However, as a human being, I get that sometimes government should help those that can't help themselves for a short term. Nothing more than a year, or else the helpless individual starts to become addicted to the taxpayers' dime.

The moral of the story here is when people get used to the morphine of government money, the withdrawals can be painful.

Careful What You Wish for…

The Star is reporting that several drug cases are going out the window because of the arrests of two Narcotics officers gone bad. Proof that throwing more money at the problem only grows the problem, it doesn't solve it…now if we can only get on that whole property tax and health care situation…

From the "What the..." Files

Everyone knows now that Doris Minton-McNeill (D), a City-County Councillor, was arrested for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. She replaced Andre Carson, who was elected to
Congress. He replaced Patrice Abduallah, who served one district, yet lived in another, in violation of the law. Do you see the common thread?

The Democrat precinct captains, in my opinion, are not thoroughly vetting their candidates. It's more about keeping the seat (which Republicans rarely contest). More often than not, no matter what part of the political spectrum, if you knowingly select and elect undesirable candidates, you get what you pay for in the end. As if Mike O'Connor needed anymore headaches.

Grand Old Goofup

Jon Elrod is either a smart guy or a pansy, depending on your thought process. He lost a special election in March to Andre Carson for the late Rep. Julia Carson's seat, won the primary in May, now with only a few days before the filing deadline, he withdraws his name for the congressional race. He now wants to retain his Statehouse seat which was not contested in the GOP primary.

What this tells me is that, as much as I don't want to admit it, Greg Garrison is right. As long as the district is drawn as it is, Democrats will win the congressional races here. That's a given, as many credible Republicans have come and gone against the Carson machine. I just never thought that one of them would throw up the white flag before it even started.

Remembering Russert

Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert passed away yesterday of an apparent heart attack at the age of 58. It really shocked me and reminded me dearly of my parents who are of the same age. Russert, like my father an Irish Catholic, wrote the bestsellers Big Russ and Me and Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons.

The book's talk of fathers (the first by Russert on his father) resonates with many (including this blogger) of a father who did whatever it took to support and raise his family. I, personally, did not always appreciate as a younger person what my dad did, but it shaped me into who I am today, and I couldn't be happier. My dad is a great man who gave of himself freely for his family, and that is something I will never forget.

Tim Russert will be missed in many political circles, but the stories of father and son will live on for generations. If that is his legacy, then Tim Russert is a better man. May the angels say to him upon his arrival to Heaven, "Cead Mile Failte."

The Revolution Will Be Recognized

Last year, Andy Horning helped make headlines for his property tax rally on the Fourth of July in front of the Governor's Mansion. That was only the beginning. This year, if you want a government that applies the Constitution as it is written, not as it's "interpreted"...join Andy and other like-minded individuals on Independence Day at the Governor's Mansion to hold our elected officials accountable for themselves and their actions!

Dodging Common Sense

The Toll Road lease has been one of the most polarizing projects in the state of Indiana. All of northern Indiana reviles the governor for "selling out." The governor counters with the billions of dollars brought into the state's coffers. It's been this way for a few years now.

In government, sometimes legislators are offered perks. Maybe a dinner here, a game there. It's called lobbying. The latest perk is a bit much and arrogant. According to the Indianapolis Star, Cintar-Macquarie, the Spanish-Australian consortium responsible for the operation of the Toll Road, gave the iZoom transponders to all legislators in northern Indiana, then offered them to all legislators. The transponders charge vehicles at the original rate, whereas the rates at toll booths have gone up considerably.

In the spirit of equity, most legislators rejected the perk, saying they're no better than their constituents, especially with gas at $4/gallon. I said most legislators. Reps. Dick Dodge (R-Pleasant Lake) and Chet Dobis (D-Merrillville) have gone on record saying they will use their transponders, basically telling their constituents to go fly a kite.

How out of touch are these fellas...jobs are leaving the region (I know, I lived in South Bend as a child, until my dad got a better job in Indy. His old job in SB was gone in two years), gas is going up, and nothing new is going there. Voters up there should give both of these guys the boot in the fall.

Finally...

Finally can mean many things. Finally, the Stanley Cup finals (Go Pens). Finally, it stopped raining. In this case, finally means we have our prizefight contenders from the R's and D's. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has been the presumptive GOP nominee for some time now, laying back and quietly going about his business. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has enough delegates and convention superdelegates to clinch the nomination.

The question I'm asking now is, who's number two? No not the quiet man with an eyepatch who runs the legitimate side of things, but the VP slot? Sen. Clinton (D-NY) seems to be eyeing the veep position, but I ask my liberal friends how can you support a candidate who is running on a platform of change then have a running mate who ran her campaign on experience?? Not only that, but the thought of having four more years of President Bill Clinton around the White House is a bit unsettling, for more than one reason.

As for the GOP side, I'm betting either former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA), or current Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) get the spot for the Republicans. McCain is more known as a maverick, not what the "conservative" GOP might really want. Either Romney or Jindal bring those credentials to the convention, but Jindal would be better served because he would balance the ticket in the South, and honestly, if I were Romney, I'd lay low for four years, knowing that McCain probably won't win, and he can run in 2012 as the "true conservative."

Since there are no concrete running mates, where do you weigh in?

Presidential Prospects

The primary season is almost over. We have the Democrats and Republicans...let's size them up.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)'s campaign is on life support waiting for the universal health care to cut it off. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) disowns a man he says he could disown no more than he could his racist white grandmother, then says Rev. Wright wasn't really a spiritual adviser.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was a "foot soldier" for President Reagan, then was considered a maverick on the Hill, now he tries to carry the conservative mantle for the GOP. I never met a conservative that is for global warming legislation, campaign finance reform, and forced cooperation from the private sector.

Neither party really has a candidate that is for freedom and liberty, both personal or economically. One side wants to take away your opportunity to choose your own doctors, double your taxes, and remove your individuality. The other side wants to limit your speech, monitor your lives, and tell you who you can and can't be with.

Libertarians believe in a smaller, friendlier, more efficient government. If you want sole dominion of your life and your wallet, the Libertarian Party may be for you!!

Barr/Root for President, and Other Thoughts

It's been a week now and I've heard people both for and against the ticket chosen by the national convention state why it's either a good or bad idea. Proponents say this brings national name recognition and a "balanced" ticket (Rep. Barr from Georgia, Root from Vegas), as well as giving true conservatives one more legitimate reason to not vote for Senator McCain. Opponents say it's a move to become GOP lite or a more socially conservative LP, selling out the idealist soul of the party for a higher vote total.

I think that while we have the "north pole" libertarians, we have to be willing to accept the people that want liberty and freedom that come from other parties. Not everyone is a Libertarian at birth, Lord knows I wasn't. I came from a family of a fairly liberal mother, and a conservative-leaning father. I was a Democrat through the Clinton years, then when I went on my own, I realized that taxes were just insane, etc. I didn't vote Republican because of the Religious Right hypocrisy on the death penalty. I became a Libertarian because I agree 90% of the time, only one real issue I have, which I won't discuss in this forum.

I think Rep. Barr is still very socially conservative, but he's realized that government can't legislate morality (my big thing), and that Root, for the Reagan Republican he was raised, is bent on getting government out of the lives and laptops of people.

All in all, Mary Ruwart was a good candidate, but some of her past statements could marginalize the party in November. Rep. Barr has a gravitas and name recognition that resonates with conservatives and libertarians alike. As for Root, anyone that listens to sports radio knows his voice as well. I like the ticket overall, and I think those that want to be a freer society, this ticket is their best bet.