Comments on Advance Indiana™: Is Daniels Pushing Privatization Too Far?

I've played the TN-Lottery, but got tired of never...

2006-12-24T12:27:00.000-05:00

I've played the TN-Lottery, but got tired of never winning any money, but now I've better my chances of winning the lottery by playing e-lotto. I've already won more than a couple of times, but nothing big yet. Happy Holidays everyone.

Nice blog. If you are feeling down a smile is just...

2006-12-20T21:20:00.000-05:00

Nice blog. If you are feeling down a smile is just a click away.

Let's hope the Governor is getting us warmed up to...

2006-12-16T04:01:00.000-05:00

Let's hope the Governor is getting us warmed up to the idea of a much needed future of privatizing every possible function of government. State and federal government (because of its inherent bureaucracy) runs at about 40% overhead, while private business, in competition, operates at around 18% to 22% overhead.

Currently the government has a "monopoly" on many services (including tax funded education) that be performed easily, more efficiently, and with higher quality within the competitive private sector. Let parents and children decide who they want as educators and let government oversee the minimum standards. I predict in this model most schools will far exceed minimum standards because they will be competing for the tuition tax dollar controlled by the individual parent and student.

I suspect our Governor already understands that the only salvation for education lies in privatization. My dream is that he will push it during his current term, if not I possess every hope he will make it his legacy for Indiana.

If every child in this state had a choice of where his/her government guaranteed education took place, I am sure over the next couple generations we will see a substantial decrease in crime and the beautiful actualization of meaningful contribution from a greater number our youth.

One upon a time our politicians served not as career, but as duty to give a few years of service in their prime to their country. Sadly, many politicians use their elected positions to gain personal wealth and power. That is not what our founding fathers intended.

Much is telling by the fact that our Governor performs his role so boldy on his small salary of $98,000 from the taxpayers of the entire state. In comparison Sheriff Frank Anderson draws more than three times that amount from the taxpayers of Marion County.

The State lottery used to put its proceeds into th...

2006-12-15T15:20:00.000-05:00

The State lottery used to put its proceeds into the "Build Indiana Fund" to fund capital expenditures not operating costs such as education.

What ever happened to the "Build Indiana Fund" after lawmakers got caught with there hands in the slush fund cookie jar?

US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings wants...

2006-12-15T09:47:00.000-05:00

US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings wants a national dialogue on the accessibility, affordability, and accountability of higher education.

Indiana should join this discussion before supporting Mitch Daniels plan.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6146394

In Washington, where Money-bags Mitch got his trai...

2006-12-14T10:40:00.000-05:00

In Washington, where Money-bags Mitch got his training as a borrow and spend conservative, he learned that it is actually called Piratization.

Isn't it time for Jeff Espich and his Moe haircut ...

2006-12-14T06:06:00.000-05:00

Isn't it time for Jeff Espich and his Moe haircut to quit already? He's been there 30 years.

I don't like much of what Mitch proposes but this idea deserves a hearing.

The lottery was never intended to fund education. In fact, promsies to the contrary were made at its outset, but Gov. Bayh vetoed those ideas.

My thought at the time, which hasn't changed, is that Indiana needs to step up and find legitimate ways to fund educational needs. We're always looking for the easy way out, and our public schools and universities go from biennial budget to budget scratching for money.

It's a lousy way to advance the state's status as a job magnet.
The rest of the country understands what we're doing. SHortchanging our future.

Because the agricultural-industrial interests who dominate our budget-writing process want it that way.

It's stupidly against their best long-term interests, but look back at history. It's not changed one iota.

"Irregardless" isn't a word. The American Dad's St...

2006-12-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

"Irregardless" isn't a word. The American Dad's Stan Smith learned this from his geeky son, Steve, in Sunday night's episode.

I'm not ginog to ilnust you by cmopanirg you to semonoe esle hree that mkeas a hbiat of croercnitg gmraamr and slepnlig.

[something I read online - the human mind can decipher misspelled words as long as the 1st and last letters are correct and have all the letters just jumbled up.]

"Irregardless" isn't a word. The American Dad's St...

2006-12-13T19:47:00.000-05:00

"Irregardless" isn't a word. The American Dad's Stan Smith learned this from his geeky son, Steve, in Sunday night's episode.

I was under the impression the boats paid the subs...

2006-12-13T19:27:00.000-05:00

I was under the impression the boats paid the subsidy to the horse tracks.

Irregardless I'll echo Mr. Kenley's sentiments and say I'm skeptical about this plan. We shall await the details.

I haven't really kept up with the lottery lately anyway (don't play it) until this week with Mrs. Densborn being named director. The lottery proceeds go to the Build Indiana fund (what isn't being pilfered by Regionaires), auto excise tax "cuts", and teacher pensions, what else?

Perhaps he really wants to follow through on the O...

2006-12-13T18:51:00.000-05:00

Perhaps he really wants to follow through on the OMB suggestion of eliminating the $25+ million subsidy the lottery pays to money loosing horse tracks around the state every year. The lawmakers have been protecting this stupidity for years.

P.S.
Interesting that Church Hill Downs sells Hoosier Park horse track to a Indiana investor group today with the transaction to close in March.(After the lawmakers session is complete)