by David Penticuff Those of us with a conservative bent carried a vague image in the back of our minds of how sweet life might be with Republicans in power and able to do all they campaigned about doing. Common sense would mean something, trains and buses would run on time, divorce and child abuse would decline, prosperity would surround us, freedom would grow and simple justice would reign. I would add that the seas…

by Leo Morris The census-citizenship-question sideshow seems to have ended, and thank goodness. Now, we can concentrate on what is really important about our decennial body count. That’s not to say citizenship – particularly the illegal-immigrant component – is not an important issue. It is, but the federal government has ducked it for decades. If a solution were desired, one could have been found, especially during periods of one-party monopoly in Washington, such as in…

WE JOURNALISTS have never been known for our courage. That’s why Murray Kempton said of us that in history’s great conflicts we are the ones who ride down from the hills after the battle to shoot the wounded. It is even more true today in news organizations where the individual journalist cannot count on his corporate managers to back him up should he run afoul of the popular will. Thus there should be sympathy for…

by Leo Morris “Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal who wishes to replace them with others.” – Ambrose Bierce I unflinchingly claim conservatism as part of my political philosophy, and I am happy to live in a conservative state. In fact, I even wish Indiana would take the lead in trying to foster a conservative revolution in this country. And “conservative revolution” is not an oxymoron.…

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. My family and I saw “Shazam” in the theater a few weeks ago. It’s a fun little movie from the DC Comic universe — a combination of action, magic, some drama and a few larger themes. Maybe it’s because I’m a nerd and a labor economist, but beyond the entertainment three things struck me as particularly interesting. First, the movie was really nice on “family.” Most obviously, as Shazam, Billy Batson…

“This agenda remains focused on what will make us stronger, with practical and people-centered solutions. I look forward to working with Hoosiers, lawmakers and other stakeholders as we team up to achieve these priorities.” — Gov. Eric Holcomb explaining the strategy behind his “Next Level” economic-development program for 2019 ERIC HOLCOMB IS A NICE MAN, maybe a good man, and, for all anyone can tell given the quality of statehouse reporting, a competent public official.…

by Leo Morris This will be on the honor system, so tell the truth. Let’s have a show of hands from all those who’ve heard of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. OK, looks like a lot of you, a solid majority, in fact. Now, how many of you have heard of the explosion of the SS Sultana? Anyone? Still waiting. Oh, there it is, one hand raised in Muncie. Such are the whims of…

by Mark Franke Benjamin Carter Hett. The Death of Democracy: Hitler’s Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic. (Henry Holt and Company, 2018). The most fascinating book I read in high school was William L. Shirer’s “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany.” I chose it due to my awakening love for military history but I was most affected by Shirer’s story-telling of how the Nazis…

“We should call out hypocrisy when we see it. For a party that associates itself with Christianity to say that it is OK to suggest that God would smile on the division of families at the hands of federal agents, that God would condone putting children in cages has lost all claim to ever use religious language again.” — Peter Buttigieg, the Washington Times, June 28, 2019 by Craig Ladwig “Hypocrisy” — it’s been a…

by Leo Morris Nobody likes a heretic. They have always been shunned and always will be. That is simple human nature, which is immutable, no matter what social or cultural upheavals it must navigate. The group is our sanctuary, and the barbarian at the gate must be repelled. It can sometimes be tricky to clearly define the group and correctly identify the dissident threat, but the dynamic is timeless and universal. For example, where do…