PETE BUTTIGIEG, the pluperfect modern avatar-like demographically fashioned hero, is making a credible run for president of the United States partly on his frequent mention of the courage and character needed in a combat zone. There is a strong inference of combat experience. Fortunately for those interested in the facts, the South Bend mayor’s military service is reviewed in this week’s Wall Street Journal under the headline, “Buttigieg’s War and ‘The Shortest Way Home.’” Let’s…

by Leo Morris Another year gone, another reset of the calendar, which means it is time to take stock of where we’ve been and where we’re going. The usual changeover rituals are too limited in one way or another. “Top 10” lists usually consider only the best or worst of the 12 months just gone by. New-year’s-resolution exercises consider only the personal failings we hope to correct in the coming 12 months. We need to…

by Steve Williams, J.D., CPA While other sports provide seedings and other advantages to favored participants (e.g. NFL playoffs, NCAA tournament), the Indianapolis 500 has demanded equality of opportunity, not crony capitalism. With few exceptions since 1911, the 33 fastest qualifiers start the race in the order of their qualifying times, no starting positions having been guaranteed to drivers, teams or sponsors despite their pedigree or connections. This month, Roger Penske will finalize his purchase…

by Leo Morris To the Fort Wayne police officer who stopped me on Bluffton Road the Saturday before Christmas: A belated thank you. I wish I had thought to say it at the time. It’s not that I was belligerent, the way some drivers are when they get pulled over. I wasn’t rude or impatient, nervous or defensive. I remained relatively calm and, if I may say so, perfectly polite. And you were not obnoxious,…

by Mark Franke I have this rule to avoid books that use either profanity or obscenity in their titles, with good cause. They generally double down on the offensive language once inside, no doubt to cover up the writing and thinking deficiencies of the authors. But I made an exception to this rule, and I am quite glad I did. “Socialism Sucks: Two Economists Drink Their Way Through the Unfree World” (Regnery Publishing, 2019) by…

by Andrea Neal Indianapolis taxpayers are out millions for the city’s relentless effort to force motorists to give up their automobiles. The demise of electric car-sharing service Blue Indy, announced with a whimper on Dec. 20, comes as no surprise to anyone who has studied the urban transit landscape. Give the equally-trumpeted Red Line Rapid Bus a few years to meet a similar end. What began five years ago with a highly-publicized deal between the…

by Norman Van Cott, Ph.D. Among economists’ insights over the last almost 250 years, one of the keenest is that one can do good while doing well. The idea traces to Adam Smith. It means capitalists’ and entrepreneurs’ pursuit of profit can have favorable consequences for the community at large — and not just for capitalists and entrepreneurs. It applies equally to landowners and workers pursuing their own interests. The following are two of Smith’s…

“(Gov. Eric Holcomb) isn’t too concerned heading into a re-election year, saying that maintaining momentum is just as important as starting it. ‘Here in Indiana, whether it’s bold or not or controversial or shiny, I’m fine not being part of the food fight,’ he said.” — “Holcomb Confident in Bid for Second Term,” Niki Kelly in the Dec. 22 Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. by Craig Ladwig Angelo Codevilla of the Claremont Institute knows who will…

by Leo Morris I’m such a cynic sometimes. The superintendent of our school district is retiring, and local education officials are making a big deal about considering public input in the naming of her replacement. I hate myself for it, but I find myself doubting their sincerity. For one thing, they’re using a prestigious firm to conduct a nationwide search, which means they’re already pretty sure of what they want, and for another, they’re convening…

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. My wife and I have a friend who has worked at a large retail store as an elf with Santa. She has told us some great stories about the wide variety of Santas and customers she has experienced. She has nicknamed some of the Santas she encountered. I had heard of “Dirty Santa” before — one of the names for the gift-giving and gift-stealing game we like to play among adults.…