Category: Indiana Writers Group

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. In his book, “Profiles in Corruption,” Peter Schweizer documents abuses of power among key national Democratic politicians. He calls them “progressives,” but the targets also include those who are generally considered “moderate” among those on the Left. Even so, his focus is motivated by their common desire to greatly expand the size…

by Leo Morris Finally, I understand why Thoreau was such a contented man in his little cabin at Walden Pond. He had made himself safe from the deadly scourge of a virus attack. I do wonder how Henry David would handle COVID-19 and the resulting social distancing and near-mandatory self-quarantining. Would he still be delighted…

Editor’s Note: Although Indiana’s price-gouging law refers only to the price of gas during a state of emergency, Gov. Eric Holcomb, reacting to reports of high prices for certain items in high demand during the Chinese coronavirus epidemic, is urging citizens to file a complaint with the attorney general about unexpected price increases. We think the…

by Jason Arp Recently, our city council had its first somewhat regular meeting since the beginning of the great coronavirus panic. Something that night struck me as odd. The schools have been closed. Restaurants, bars and entertainment venues have been shuttered. All “non-essential” businesses such as hair salons and music shops have been closed. Landlords…

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. COVID-19 is causing all kinds of trouble — for physical, mental and economic health. Policy-makers are trying to limit the pandemic’s spread while dealing with its implications for individuals, companies, and the economy.  For individuals, Congress and President Trump have chosen a dual approach. They’re mailing checks to everybody, and there’s assistance…

A FRIEND PASSES ALONG a heartfelt plea from the editor of my city’s corporate newspaper. The editor is asking us, with information on the Wuhan flu being so critical, to pay for a digital subscription and thereby help “save journalism.” The friend was inclined to respond favorably. First, though, he wanted to think a bit…

by Leo Morris It is worth noting, in the thick of our great national quarantine, that we have gone in a heartbeat from an ordinary civil society to a step short of martial law. That’s something worth thinking about. And worrying about just a little. As the War on Terror was being rolled out –…

by Norman Van Cott, Ph.D. The Black Death ravaged Europe, starting in Italy, in the middle of the 14th century. Substantial percentages of entire populations died — estimates range between 30 and 60 percent. Maybe 75 to 200 million people. Would it have made any difference for overall living standards if Spain could have tapped…

IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS, with pretense stripped away, the truth can strike like a lightening bolt. That was the case at a recent meeting of my City Council. When the governor shut down restaurants and bars in advance of the Wuhan flu it was made clear that what we had been told was economic…

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. You may remember Andrew Yang. He was a Democratic candidate for President who had a surprisingly successful run. He didn’t have any political experience. And unlike most of his competitors, he brims with joy and thoughtfulness about policy. His most intriguing (and popular) proposal is to give every American $1,000 per…