THE CONCERN that a shift in the form of media ownership would change the nature of Indiana’s public discussion is realized in the Indianapolis Star. The newspaper, since its purchase by a widely held national corporation, has gone from a trusted statewide arbiter of that discussion to a myopic collection of digital headlines lecturing Hoosiers on their failings as citizens. In his book, “Coloring the News: How Crusading for Diversity Has Corrupted American Journalism,” William…

by John Pickerill Some claim that the Constitutional system (the Electoral College) for selecting the President. It was never the intent of the Constitution, however, for the President to be elected by direct popular vote — and for good reason. Part of their confusion is due to today’s state law code and how it circumvents the original purpose of the Electoral College. The intent was for Indiana voters to go to the polls in November…

by Andrea Neal Whatever the potential benefits of Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan, this much is clear: It would kill Indiana’s coal industry and devastate our economy. Indiana gets 84 percent of its energy from coal, an abundant and affordable natural resource that — when burned — emits carbon dioxide that is blamed for global warming. “The Clean Power Plan,” an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that takes effect Dec. 22, envisions a low carbon…

by Andrea Neal He was the A. J. Foyt of the harness racing world. During a 10-year career, Dan Patch broke records and raked in prize winnings. His appearance at events drew fans by the thousands. Through it all, he never lost a race. Sportswriter Charles Leerhsen calls Dan Patch “the most celebrated American sports figure in the first decade of the 20th century, as popular in his day as any athlete who has ever…

by John Kessler There has been a trend recently in economic development circles to encourage public-private partnerships. In this kind of partnership the government partners with a private business to pursue some sort of project. Typically, the government gives taxpayer money directly to the business as a subsidy to pursue the project or they guarantee a loan to help finance the project. To the politician and business, this kind of partnership is a great idea…

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. Although the United States is famous for being a “melting pot,” immigration has often been a contentious topic for us. In recent decades, illegal immigration has brought the issue back to the forefront. And since 9/11, worries about terrorism now mix with concerns about economics, culture and politics. Immigrants have come to America for centuries and they seem to have been a big net plus for the country. But as is…

by Cecil Bohanon, Ph.D. I think it was Mark Twain who said there are lies, damn lies and statistics. Of course, unlike a mere opinion a reference to a number gives an objective aura to a specific claim. It is no wonder that op-ed writers, this one included, love to pepper their writings with statistics from reliable sources. We must all be careful, however, to consider the context and format of the statistic. As I…

by Barry Keating, Ph.D. The tallest and most prominent building in South Bend is the Chase Tower. The tower is also known for inoperable elevators and a crumbling façade; the occupancy rate is about 50 percent. The Summit Club, once located on the tower’s top floor, was considered the most elite restaurant in town. Now the building is only a sad reminder of a better past, but soon it could be an even more painful…

“People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.” — Adam Smith by Craig Ladwig Our foundation’s seminar this week focused on Indiana’s expanding business leagues, the various Chambers of Commerce, economic-development departments, regional partnerships and amalgamations thereof whose members maneuver for government grant and favor. The seminar leader, an economist, expertly deconstructed the…

by Tom Charles Huston Land-use regulation is the means by which communities self-segregate by race and class. Through the use of zoning and subdivision control ordinances, regulators establish housing price points and those prices determine who can live in the community. The Obama administration has set out to upend this process by using “disparate impact” analysis to establish violations of federal fair-housing laws. Municipalities that admit that they discriminate against low-income housing on the grounds…