Indiana at 200 (52): Railroads Transformed Indiana
by Andrea Neal Study a map from the late 19th century and it’s easy to see how Indiana became known as the Crossroads of America. Like spokes on a bicycle wheel, railroad lines extended from Indianapolis in 12 directions. Tracks crossed the state from Lake Michigan to the Ohio River, Terre Haute to Richmond and Read the full article…
King: Political Parties Overwhelmed by Interest Groups
by Stephen M. King, Ph.D. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (LGBT) and its supporters are looking with anticipation to the Supreme Court’s expected favorable ruling on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage sometime in late June. Previous court rulings have danced around the issue of the constitutionality of same-sex marriage. The upcoming ruling is Read the full article…
The Outstater: The Dukes of Democracy
“Be thankful we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.” — Will Rogers MEMBERS OF THE COFFEE GROUP are discouraged by the announcement that their senator will retire after only a single undistinguished term. The members, several of whom worked hard on this guy’s earlier campaigns, are searching for a better way to manage Read the full article…
The Outstater: Goodbye Indy Star, et al.
“Even though I made (donations to the Clinton Global Foundation) strictly to support work done to stop the spread of AIDS, help children and protect the environment in poor countries, I should have gone the extra mile to avoid even the appearance of a conflict.” — George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America” IT IS OBVIOUS Read the full article…
Huston: Indiana’s Two-Faced Tax System
by Tom Huston Indiana has developed a two-tier tax structure that reflects a political ingenuity that only money could buy and only George F. Babbitt could rationalize (from the book “Babbitt” by Sinclair Lewis). The word “Babbitt” means a “person and especially a business or professional man who conforms unthinkingly to prevailing middle-class standards.” The first tier Read the full article…
Indiana at 200 (51): Lew Wallace
by Andrea Neal Upon the death of Lew Wallace, The New York Times struggled to sum up — in a single headline — the 77-year-old Hoosier’s accomplishments. “Won fame in many ways,” it declared. Wallace, his 1905 obituary noted, “achieved widespread distinction as a lawyer, legislator, soldier, author and diplomat” and was a man of Read the full article…
