Comments on Advance Indiana™: House Democrats Dive Into The Dark Pit

I understand Democrats want to preserve local offi...

2009-03-15T03:55:00.000-05:00

I understand Democrats want to preserve local offices they control, but it's funny that the Star so easily dismisses the notion of "local control" without also blasting Republicans for their hypocrisy on governmental layering in its own right.

Many Republicans said they hate the federal government deciding for us; it's too far away. Let the states decide! Then at the state level, they say, "We hate the bigwigs in Indianapolis deciding for us. It's too far away. Let the counties decide!" But apparently you can't say you don't want the counties deciding?

Seriously, are Republicans really the party of decentralized power, or has that always been a bunch of results-oriented crap?

I mean, Republicans have always said, "Let the states decide key issues" and then they passed a federal law to make sure gay people married in State A can't get recognition in State B. They said, "Let the states decide!" But then they enacted federal tort reform. They said, "Let the state's decide." But then they enacted a federal education bill (No Child Left Behind...which only left the money to fund itself behind). They said, "Let the states decide," before the president used his executive order to stop stem cell research EVERYWHERE.

Now, on the state level, it's the same thing. County judges used to control what services they ordered for families and juveniles. Under HB 1001, we said, "Sorry, we can't trust you county judges to do what's right, so the Governor's office is cutting the checks now."

I guess my question is what exactly IS the magic number of constituents that one must have before he/she becomes non-responsive according to Republican orthodoxy? Don't township officials serve more constituents than city-county councilors? Why don't we just disband the council and let the mayor run everything? That would save us a lot of money that the Mayor could give to the Pacers (tongue-in-cheek, of course).

Anyone remember J. Roberts Dailey? Drunk on power...

2009-03-13T07:32:00.000-05:00

Anyone remember J. Roberts Dailey? Drunk on power, ruled the Indiana House with an iron fist...lost his seat. Even the voters in his hometown got fed up.

How about Bob Garton? Drunk on power, ruled the Indiana Senate with an iron fist...lost his seat. Even the voters in his hometown got fed up.

See a pattern?

That new hair piece he got at the beginning of thi...

2009-03-13T06:42:00.000-05:00

That new hair piece he got at the beginning of this session must have really emboldened him, Paul.

A previous Star article quoted Bauer's response to...

2009-03-13T06:33:00.000-05:00

A previous Star article quoted Bauer's response to the Taxpayer Reform Rally as 'almost beating a dead horse'. Not only do Bauer's own words show contempt for Hoosiers, but his utter disdain for due process when Hoosiers are hurting reflects more about his protectionism of government than the citizen. Coupled with the scathing editorial, one wonders if he views himself as the most powerful political figure in Indiana politics.