by Craig Ladwig Mad Hatter: “Why is a raven like a writing-desk?” Alice: “What’s the answer?” Mad Hatter: “I haven’t the slightest idea.” ONLY FOOLS AND THE CORRUPT say democracy in itself will save us. Like a bad riddle, the question of why today’s political representation, even at the most local level, is unresponsive to the average citizen bedevils the political discussion. It is discouraging that the question has to be asked at all. It is…

“Weighing Third Term, Emanuel Relies on Campaign Donors Who Get City Hall Benefits” — Sept. 8. Chicago Tribune, Jeff Coen and Bill Ruthhart  by Jason Arp Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is receiving attention this week after an investigation by the Chicago Tribune found that over 60 percent of the millions raised for his re-election bid come from vendors to the city of Chicago. While it may not be shocking news to Hoosiers that there are foul…

by Fred McCarthy We’ve written all too frequently about the outrageous financial agreement the Capital Improvement Board (CIB) has with the local basketball team. The team claims inability to operate in the black, despite favorable circumstances wildly surpassing the dreams of almost any other business owner. Team management comes before the CIB and, as nearly we can tell without presenting any valid backup paperwork, makes its claim and receives additional millions of taxpayer dollars. The CIB…

by Maryann O. Keating, Ph.D. Most agree that similar legal entities be treated fairly. Note, however, in Figure 1 below that the number of U.S. corporations is in decline as compared with other firms; this raises a serious concern regarding bias, but, more importantly, about the flourishing of U.S. corporations at home and abroad. The combined U.S. Federal and State corporate tax rate (38.9 percent on average) is the highest among developed countries. This “highest”…

I LIKE TO IMAGINE how my city’s mayor, a proudly average fellow who has pinned his intellectual reputation to the environmental movement, would have governed New York City in 1900. It inspires gratitude that today he can do so little comparative damage. The mayor recently joined other Indiana mayors at the second annual Climate Leadership Summit in Indianapolis. They decided — you guessed it — that they needed more state money to convince businesses and communities to embrace…

Editors: This essay is offered in advance of Constitution Day, Sept. 17. An earlier version was published in the July 4 Observer of New York.   by Ann Votaw When our new president swore on two Bibles he would “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” a revolution stirred in my heart. As a New York City Democrat who loves her conservative Hoosier family, I wanted to hold him to his promise without…

Take advantage of $36 ticket prices for the Christmas seminar. Details and registration are HERE. by Craig Ladwig “If I had my druthers, the city government would determine every single plot of land, how development would proceed. And there would be very stringent requirements around income levels and rents.” — Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City We used to joke here about the occasional politician who seemed to wish that he commanded a…

As a regular reader of our articles we especially want to see you at the annual seminar, Dec. 1-2 (attend one or both days). Seats go quickly, so please reserve your place at the members price of $36 for the Saturday lunch. The No Name Tag dinner the previous evening is a pay-your-own-way event and doesn’t require a ticket, but please register so we know you are coming and can arrange seating and service. Click HERE for details and…

by Craig Ladwig Men’s fashion is unconcerned with appearance so much as the projection of accomplishment — sports and warfare being the historic drivers with employment status a distant third. Everyone knows that the brass buttons on a blazer were designed to keep a Napoleonic soldier from wiping his nose on his uniform sleeve. And the buttons on your shirt collars are there to keep them from flapping in your face during a spirited chukka of polo. Your…

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. Most people think that “The Founder” is a good movie — well-acted and well-produced, a compelling story on a topic of cultural interest. But it’s a terrific movie if you’re into business, economics, ethics and entrepreneurship. When I’ve asked people about it, they say it was good, but it left them feeling ill. They didn’t like Ray Kroc and they felt sorry for the McDonald brothers. But it wasn’t nearly as bad…