by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. Death and taxes may be inevitable, but there’s no need to make them any more painful and unjust than necessary. Taxes are required to finance government spending. (The types and the extent of government spending are important too, but those are topics for another day.) Revenues can come through various taxes. The winds of change are blowing for federal income tax reform, so let’s focus our attention there. (Corporate income taxes…

(For the use of the membership only; not for publication, distribution or reproduction.) “As Indiana universities tout their diversity awards, initiatives and inclusiveness, some black faculty members are bringing lawsuits saying they were denied opportunities because of discrimination. — Dwight Adams, the Indianapolis Star THE STAFF of the Indianapolis Star in connection with its ongoing campaign “End the Hate” is intent on an ever-more-refined definition of “diversity.” Please know that these are well-meaning men and women,…

In this media frenzy it is not certain who elected or appointed Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts and one of the princes of the National Football League, as the philosophical interpreter of American exceptionalism. The appointment has been made, nonetheless, and his words must be taken seriously;  indeed, they must be compared with other philosophical work. Here is Irsay’s dictum on this weekend’s “taking of a knee” at NFL games and how it defines…

 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…