Letters to the Legislators: ‘An Un-Thanks’
State Rep. Jeff Espich Chairman, Appropriations Committee The Indiana Statehouse Dear Chairman Espich: Ellen DeGeneres had a funny bit ready for her acceptance speech at last night’s People’s Choice Awards. She read from a list of “peoples” that she expressly wanted to “un-thank” — a nasty letter-writer from Topeka, Kan., a fourth-grade detractor on her Read the full article…
Is Rube Goldberg Managing State Pension Funds?
For immediate release (659 words). Goldberg, Rube (1883–1970) U.S. cartoonist; creator of the comic strip character Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts (an inventor of complex mechanical devices to achieve simple tasks). It wasn’t mentioned in his State of the State message, but Gov. Daniels will leave for his successor a frustratingly complex and under-performing pension-management system. Read the full article…
One Man’s List of Government Disasters
For immediate release (792 words) As want-to-be hippies of the Baby Boom now leaning toward a classical liberal persuasion, my generation has its weak moments. There are times we look to government for an answer. On hurried grocery trips, for instance, I have found useful the federally mandated “total carbohydrates” line item on food labels. Read the full article…
Outstater: Madarins ‘of the First Pin’
“Hoosiers might never see an automatic taxpayer refund that is unexpectedly near its trigger under a bill filed by the Senate’s fiscal leader (Republican Luke Kenley).” — Jan. 6, 2012, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette I fight it, but more and more I think of my public officials, elected or not, as mandarins. The comparison has Read the full article…
The Right-to-Work Debate: ‘Devil at Our Doorstep’
For immediate release (579 words) As the 2012 Indiana Legislative Assembly convenes, January will represent a tipping point for all Hoosiers’ individual freedoms as politicians and big-labor bosses draw battle lines to determine if Indiana will become the 23rd right-to-work state. Common sense should make the outcome of such a battle obvious, as right-to-work ensures Read the full article…
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…
