2012 Resolution: No More ‘Pork’
For release Jan. 4 and thereafter (670 words) A mile down the street from my home, construction is set to begin on a $15-million parking garage and retail center. Its purpose is to relieve congestion in a trendy Indianapolis bar district called Broad Ripple. Citizens are subsidizing the 350-space garage with $6.3 million in parking-meter Read the full article…
A Case Study in Competitiveness: Ask Albert Pujols to Mow Your Lawn
For immediate release (679 words). When I teach the economic elements of competitiveness, I use the case of a professional athlete like Albert Pujols, long-time slugging first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals who will be playing for the Los Angeles Angels next year. The skills that make Pujols such a tremendous baseball player — Read the full article…
Gambling: An Institutional Disaster
(Jan. 1, 2011) — The thinking here about what is wrong with this Legislature has centered on gambling. That is gambling not in the gestalt but in the specific — state sanctioned, licensed and taxed. And no, this is not a sermon. Moral concerns are only part of it. A citizenry putting its faith in Read the full article…
Smoking: An Issue of Freedom and Personal Responsibility
For immediate release (446 words). Every day each of us makes choices that influence our own health: what we eat, how much we exercise, whether we take our medications. These are by nature private choices and private responsibilities. Some health choices, however, are collective. Outdoor air quality compromised by industrial pollution or mosquito control are Read the full article…
Lit Up for the Holidays? CF, Diode or Incandescent?
Editors: Next week’s column is released early to accomodate holiday publication schedules (546 words) Light is a central component of the religious holidays that we celebrate this time of year. As the days shorten and the cold weather comes upon us, our faith traditions pay homage to the divine light that affirms our highest hopes. Read the full article…
School-Board Change Is First Step to Reform
For release Dec. 21 and thereafter (670 words) Changing the selection process for the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) board is no silver bullet, but it is an essential step toward transformation of the state’s largest school system. The elected board has had decades to shake things up and failed. It’s time to give the mayor Read the full article…
