In Porter County - Dems hold the reigns

In a brief article on the last decade of Porter County Politics, Times says:

Until November 2004, Porter County was considered a Republican stronghold, at least when it came to county officeholders. That changed when in the November county elections the balance of powers shifted, giving Democrats more seats in county government as 2005 arrived.

In the County Council race that year, Democrats edged Republicans, winning four of the seven seats on the council. In the commissioners race, a win by Democrat Carol Knoblock, a former County Council member, shifted the balance of power on the three-person board to the Democrats.

By the end of the decade, Democrats increased their presence in county government by holding all but one seat on the council and commission.

What will the next decade hold for Porter County?

• How will Republicans deal with a surge in genuine conservatism in the county, a surge that has caused some Republican leaders to look like tax and spenders.
  
• How will Democrats deal with a surge in fiscal conservatism in their own elected ranks? When the unions called for a vote for another regional organization, they couldn't even deliver a meager 25% vote in favor ... and elected Democrats for the most part stood against any new regional taxing authority.
• Is there ever going to be such a thing as a third party? Tea Party, Libertarian, Socialist, Green? We hear sometimes of third party statewide candidates, but seldom of any stepping up locally to run a legitimate campaign.
  
• What will be the long term impact of problems in tax collections, the former Porter Hospital moving out of Valparaiso, anti-growth regulations in construction, the circuit breaker, proposals for elected official consolidations? Thoughts or predictions?
  

My Thoughts on the FED

The Federal Reserve System. Founded in 1913 “in response to prior financial panics and bank runs, the most severe of which being the Panic of 1907“, was founded on an ungrounded belief that capitalism was to blame for financial disasters. Many of us that read/write for/comment on this site probably shake our head at this comment, and I’m one of them. I don’t believe that the creation of the Federal Reserve was necessary, and was created mostly for political reasons. Not necessarily to “control the economy” (I don’t adhere to that theory), but instead to use as a political stunt to show that the government is supposedly doing everything possible to help the people.

The current responsibilities of the FED include (list from Wikipedia):

•To address the problem of banking panics
•To serve as the central bank for the United States
•To strike a balance between private interests of banks and the centralized responsibility of government
•To supervise and regulate banking institutions
•To protect the credit rights of consumers
•To manage the nation’s money supply through monetary policy to achieve the sometimes-conflicting goals of
•maximum employment
•stable prices, including prevention of either inflation or deflation[33]
•moderate long-term interest rates
•To maintain the stability of the financial system and contain systemic risk in financial markets
•To provide financial services to depository institutions, the U.S. government, and foreign official institutions, including playing a major role in operating the nation’s payments system
•To facilitate the exchange of payments among regions
•To respond to local liquidity needs
•To strengthen U.S. standing in the world economy
Now, in theory, I agree: the Federal Reserve wasn’t needed to accomplish these things. However, my main argument against the elimination of the Federal Reserve is that it is far too late for such a thing to happen. At this point, the FED is so ingrained into our system that ripping this bureaucratic nightmare leech could result in fatal blood loss (to use a less than flattering analogy). Will I concede that the FED has, in many cases, caused more harm that good? Absolutely. However, let’s say that tomorrow the Federal Reserve System ceases to exist (not realistic in the least bit, but lets pretend for a moment). The panic that it would bring amongst investors would see the stock market crash to almost nothing. Suddenly, businesses that are relying on the FED to keep interest rates artificially low would close down over night, and massive lay offs and unemployment rates would finally slam that nail into our coffin.

Do I think that the FED should be held accountable for their mistakes? Absolutely. In fact, I have an entire Economic Bill of Rights that I believe should be passed. Not only would such legislation be more realistic than the elimination of the FED, it would accomplish what many of us on here want (accountability and transparency) with out completely demolishing the economy. The Economic Bill of Rights, which I found in the book “Common Sense Economics” and fell in love with, are as follows:

a. No government shall use its regulatory powers to take private property, either partially or in its entirety, for public use without paying the owner the full market value of the property taken.

In recent years state and local governments in particular have used regulations to take or control private property without compensation, even though the property owner had violated the rights of no one. The courts have generally allowed them to do so as long as a legislative body deemed that the action was “in the public interest” or that the taking did not deny the owner all uses of his or her property. This is an open door to abuse that must be closed.

b. The rights of individuals to compete in a business or profession and/or buy and sell legally tradable goods and services at mutually acceptable terms shall not be infringed by Congress or any of the States.

The freedom of individuals to compete in business and engage in voluntary exchange activities is a cornerstone of both economic freedom and progress. Price controls, business and occupational entry restraints, laws restricting the exchange of goods and services across state boundaries, and other government regulations that restrain trade should be prohibited.

c. Congress shall not levy taxes or impose quotas on either imports or exports.

The U.S. Constitution already prohibits the imposition of these trade restraints on exports. This prohibition should also be extended to imports. The freedom to trade is a basic human right, just like freedom of speech and freedom of religion. There is no reason why Americans should no be permitted to buy from and sell to whomever will give them the best deal, even if the trading partner lives in another country.

d. A 3/4ths approval of both Houses of Congress shall be required for all expenditure programs of the federal government. At least 2/3rds approval of the legislative branches of state government shall be required for the approval of expenditures by state governnments.

Remember, if a project is really productive, there will always be a method of finance that will result in everyone gaining. Thus, the super majority provisions need not eliminate projects that truly increase wealth. They will, however, make it more difficult for special interests to use government as a tool for plunder. They will also help keep the spending activities of governments as the local level where competition among governments provides a stronger incentive to serve the interests of all citizens.

e. A 3/4ths approval of both Houses of Congress shall be required before the federal government is permitted to borrow any funds to finance a deficit in its annual budget.

This will reduce the inclination of Congress to spend beyond its means.

f. A 3/4ths approval of both Houses of Congress shall be required for the federal government to mandate any expenditures by either State governments or private business firms.

If this provision is no included, Congress will use mandated expenditures to escape the prior spending and borrowing limitations.

g. The function of the Federal Reserve System (FED) is to maintain the value of currency and establish a stable price level. If the price level either increases or decreases by more than four percent annually during two consecutive years, all Governors of the FED shall be required to submit their resignations.

This provision would make it clear what the FED is supposed to do. If the FED establishes monetary stability, it is doing its part to promote economic stability and progress.

Now, would even this be quite the undertaking? Of course. However getting something like this passed as opposed to the elimination of a humongous bureaucratic machine is much much more realistic. So there you go, my thoughts on the FED. Lets have some constructive comments, shall we? Yes, I do in fact have a brain, and with that brain I think for myself instead of following the leader. I haven’t heard one other person with this particular viewpoint on the FED or economic policy, and while I know it’s not perfect, nothing ever is. Non-constructive comments will not be addresssed.

Cross-posted at www.ktracy.com and linked at www.mattersofopinion.net

Post - Stop Bob Harper

Communities in Porter County should join together to stop any attempt by County Commissioner Bob Harper to consolidate appointments to the county's tourism board.

It's merely another attempt by Harper to increase his political control in the county ... It's not about accountability. It's about power.

And if this move sounds familiar, remember that Harper disbanded the animal shelter advisory board so the commissioners would control decisions there.

The pattern is clear.

And unless Porter County elected officials -- those at the city and town levels as well as commissioners and County Council members -- don't act to stop Harper now, he'll set his sights on more targets in the future. (Post Tribune)

I'm not sure if this is a current article, or from a few weeks back. Frankly the Post Tribune site redates the articles so it's not always easy to know when it was originally posted. But, I think it came out today ... again a few weeks after the original attempt by Commissioner Harper to bring the issue to the table.

If I recall the details, the lion's share of the county bed tax comes from Valparaiso and Portage. The county then takes these tax dollars, roughly $1 million, and about 80% is used for overhead at the visitor center at the Dunes. Some of the remainder is used to support some county owned facilities. There have been conversations about tourism money staying with tourism and not being diverted to other facilities. There have also been conversations about why $800,000 is being used for overhead which is probably not gaining us any room nites, conventions, or tourists.

When we were all agreeing that property tax caps should be made constitutional, to limit the power of local governments to recklessly increase our tax burden ... the Commissioner stopped by this site to leave a comment. In this case I've probably shown my cards, and the fact that I disagree, but I still hope he'll stop by and state his case for consolidation of this board to central control.

Auditor Jim Kopp to run for re-election in Porter County

Porter County Auditor, who took attacks from both Republicans and Democrats over the last couple years regarding property tax bills, announced his desire to run for re-election.

Some intrigue of course surrounds this announcement, since Democrat leaders were seemingly endorsing Vicki Urbanik for this same seat when she announced last month. In one conversation last night a political observer noted that it's entirely possible that Kopp will win his primary, under that theory that Democrats don't knock off their own incumbents historically.

Keeping this trend in mind, and perhaps some research to see if this is correct, I wonder aloud if Ms. Urbanik will move her announcement to County Assessor, since she did obtain some training for that position. Also, isn't it interesting that the County Assessor, John Scott, was present in endorsing Ms. Urbanik for Auditor ... wasn't he the one that did such a bad job assessing that the state had to come in and do the trending for hiim?

Maybe I'm thinking too much?

Who I Won’t Support For President and Why Series: Ron Paul

Now before anybody starts to jump the gun on this one, let me explain a couple of things.

More than 90% of the Republican contenders being spoken about for a Presidential run in 2012 will make this list. The only reason that Ron Paul is the first that I am going to write about is that, for Christmas, I received his book “Revolution”. I’m not entirely done with the book yet (being under 200 pages, I’m about 3/4 the way through) but I’ve already read through the chapters that talk about the things that I disagree with him on. The rest of the book is on economic issues, which I agree with the man on many of these issues.

This will be something like the Green Series that I did (and am continuing to do, I just haven’t been in much of a mood to do the necessary research on other “green” forms of energy and would hate to write a half-arsed piece) only it will be my own personal feelings on each Republican Presidential possible for 2012. I’ve wanted to start on this for a little while, and decided the best way to do it is, well, to sit down and do it.

Ron Paul, the Republican Congressman for the 14th District in Texas, is of a much more libertarian, state-rights mindset than most candidates, and there are some issues in that realm that I am in support of. However, more often than not I feel that he takes the ideas a step too far. A perfect example would be the “Audit the FED bill”. I do support this idea. Transparency is great, and there is no reason that the Federal Reserve can’t show what they’ve been doing and when and why. Open up the books and lets all take a look. However, Paul’s latest book (which I have yet to read, however is titled “End the FED”), which deals with the elimination of the Federal Reserve, is a touch too far for my liking. At this point, the elimination of the Federal Reserve is not only unrealistic but dangerous. The idea that America could possibly go back to the gold standard is absurd. On top of that, if we are to audit the FED, it needs to happen soon if at all. By auditing our Federal Reserve, we risk other countries (and our own people) losing complete faith in our economic structure (not that there is much faith now, but regardless). If we wait to pass this bill until the economy is back on the upturn, we run the risk of putting out the match before it has a chance to fully light. Right now is the time.

I do agree with him that the campaign against earmarks wasn’t enough. A couple million here and there compared to a humongous budget is like spitting into the wind.

Now, the things that I strongly oppose: his objection to our countries foreign policy. I’ll be the first to say that we should certainly think twice before picking and choosing winners in conflicts across the globe, but to become complete non-interventionists is, again, unrealistic. We have eyes and ears (as pointed out by Paul) in over 160 countries currently for a good reason. Part of the reason that we don’t have 9/11 type attacks more often is exactly because of those eyes and ears.

Also, I don’t personally have a problem with “nation building”, if it is done correctly. I know this is very unpopular with a lot of different people, and Paul isn’t the only person that will make this list that will be opposed to the idea, however history has shown that no two democratic countries have ever been at war with each other. The more countries that are democracies, the better we are as a planet.

Since Paul has become a major political face, he has acquired quite the cult following, with his supporters calling him “Dr. Paul”. The problem, however, is that others call him “Dr. No”, because he specifically won’t vote on something if he thinks that it is unconstitutional. I’m sure on a great many things, I would agree with him when it comes to those decisions, however to me it’s one thing to say “I don’t agree with this bill or that bill and will therefore vote no” and another to label EVERYTHING “unconstitutional”. There are several different ways to view the Constitution, and while I’m a bit more traditional in the viewpoint of the Constitution as well, not EVERYTHING is unconstitutional.

If he could reel back a notch or two on economic policy and change his mind a few notches on foreign policy, I could support him. On social issues I have very few objections, since he is conservative on those issues but believes, like I do, that the best way to handle those issues are to make them state issues. As it stands, however, I can’t cast a vote in his favor for President.

Cross posted at www.ktracy.com and linked at www.mattersofopinion.net

Splitting the baby

I had a conversation yesterday with a friend. Since my conversation yesterday I have pondered many scenarios with the up coming election year.
Conservative hmmm what does that mean? Different people have different opinions of this is any ONE definition only the correct one? I mean I am a conservative I believe for many different reasons than a few of my friends. To me conservative means that I believe that instead of always raising taxes that we must find ways to live within our means. I do not believe in abortion. I believe if people are out there making hundreds of thousands of dollars they made it and it belongs to them to share as they please and while I envy them I hope to strive to reach them not bring them down. I also understand that for progress to be made that it must be paid for some how. We all like public services fire, police, tranportation etc... well some how this has to be paid for.
I don't always agree with every choice that even my favorite politicians make but I look at the alternatives. I sat at a meeting and was sitting right next to a friend that voted against the RTA and he knew that I had voted for it, he did not accuse me of not being a conservative republican he said hey to each their own.
I guess that is the point I am making here we are not all going to agree on every single issue and are we willing to split the baby for the sake of saying we each got our way? Remember by splitting the baby the baby is dead and no one wins. We all know who wins in that case the most liberal candidate. Isn't it ok to not like every issue with a candidate but know that candidate is the most like what we would want in a candidate?

A republican announces - for Porter County Council

From Northwest Indiana and Beyond - past the halfway point on this rundown of news here's the quote, was also run in Post Tribune, I missed the news earlier this week when Jim posted to his facebook profile.

James Polarek has announced his plans to campaign for the 4th District seat on the Porter County Council. A member of the Morgan Township Board, Polarek said he has stepped aside as the District 4 GOP Chairman as to prevent any conflict of interest.

From Polarek’s news release:

I have made service to my community and country a corner stone of my life. From the years of my youth in Boy Scouts, to my years of service in the United States Army, a current Cub Scout leader and little league coach, to my current position on the Morgan Twp Board.

I have given this a great amount of thought and feel that our county is in need of new leadership that places people over politics. Our citizens deserve a representative that can bring Republican small government, low taxes and accountability to the table. The citizens of Dist 4 have been under served for over 10 years and I am going to change that!

Yesterday I informed the Porter County Republican Party Chairwomen (sic), Joyce Webster, of my intention to temporally step aside as District 4 Chairman as to prevent any conflict of interest. Retired Porter Twp Trustee Bob Wichlinski has agreed to fill in as Dist 4 Chairman, and Andy Vasquez as his Vice-Chair, until after the Nov 2010 elections.

At that time I will resume my duties as the Dist 4 Chairman.

Porter County Elections 2010 Update: Porter County Elections - Daily update

Christmas isn't all that political ... right?

I couldn't resist, even though I know you will all be spending time with family and unwrapping presents ... so no one will have time to read this political site ... right!

Christmas is a bit political isn't it? (See Christmas Story on Blueletter) If you believe, as I do, that Jesus is actually God incarnate, born of the virgin Mary, in a stable in Bethlehem roughly 2,000 years ago. If you believe that this birth and his eventual crucifixion and resurrection make up the perfect trifecta of prophetic implication, such that humans can have contact with the only Holy deity. Then Christmas is a lot political, and makes people around you cringe. Words we don't use much in post modern society aren't they? Words that can make a conversation go mighty quiet, and people walk away uncomfortable that anyone would be so rude to talk about religion or faith. It's so much easier to pretend about Santa Claus or gaze at a lit tree, but to push faith in Jesus that's going too far.

It's not that faith is uncomfortable, it's that a faith of specifics and a faith in a specific truth like Christ is uncomfortable. In this culture we celebrate the fact that everyone has their own beliefs ... yet the downside is that we've lost the ability to truly debate which of those beliefs are right and which are just plain hogwash. It's even become rude to suggest that one has a belief that is true, since this assigns "false" to another belief. Let's be frank, truth exists and all other beliefs are false, even if that hurts someone feelings.

Please enjoy your families, pray for peace in Jerusalem, remember Jesus' birth in the lowly manger, give gifts of joy, worship with hearts of grace and mercy ... Merry Christmas Northwest Indiana.

Filling some political chairs

From the Times: "Lake County Recorder Mike Brown became the first black Lake County clerk Saturday when Democratic precinct committeemen voted for him." This continues a series of musical chairs in Lake County, including Philpot and others who are also running for offices in 2010.

Marylyn Johns (D) was elected to fill Porter County Councilman Mike Bucko's seat in a caucus yesterday, defeating Brian Roeske on the 2nd ballot. On the first ballot Roeske has the votes but didn't have a majority with John Greaves on the ballot. On the second it would appear both of Greaves' votes went to Johns. Mike Bucko takes over as Treasurer on January 1st in Porter County.

Check out: Porter County Elections - Daily update

Court Issues Judgment in Absentee Ballot Case

Indiana Lawyer Article

The Marion Circuit Court has outlined the required procedures for dealing with the county's absentee ballots following a suit that accused the Marion County Election Board of not following statute.

Among the findings:

1. An equal number of clerks should be appointed by both major political parties.

2. The Election Board shall retain the power to determine the validity of absentee ballot envelope signatures.

3. The Election Board shall maintain and provide to the major political parties a list of all noted absentee ballots.

4. An absentee ballot may only be placed into the ballot box after the absentee voter's application is properly executed.

5. Placement of a name on a home foreclosure list or a voter getting an eviction notice isn't a sufficient basis for a challenge.

6. The election board is also required to give to challengers and precinct board members written instructions before any election.

I will post an update to this article as soon as the full-text of the decision becomes available.

Cross posted at Northwest Indiana Lawyer

Lake County - Council v. Commissioners

In a possible showdown, the Lake County Council asked the Commissioners to agree to a study for $35,000 to look at county courthouse efficiencies. The County Commissioners once again voted against the study saying the timing just wasn't right. (Must not be a good time to save money?)

The most interesting part of the story thought to me is where Council President Blanchard suggesting he has been advised the Council can hire the study without the approval of the Commissioners. Is this an opening, a possible break in the current stranglehold by the Commissioners?

The question has left county officials divided and bitter. County Attorney John Dull said the 16 county judges have the ultimate authority about whether the courts should move or stay. He said the judges should express their opinions publicly to end the debate.

"They need to vote and give the media the results of the vote so people can't hide behind cloaks," Dull said.

Blanchard said he has received legal advice indicating the council has the authority to hire a consultant to do the study, without the commissioners' approval, but he prefers to have them on board. Two branches of county government want to move in this direction. I'm not giving up, but I'm not going around them either," he said.

Porter County and tourism politics again

It's interesting that so few of us are actually thinking about tourism in a community where our lakeshore is for the most part undeveloped, can't say I can think of a single resort on the water can you? But the argument Du Jour is tourism politics. (Times version)

What to do with roughly $1 million dollars that is raised by taxing hotels using a county "bed tax"? These hotels are mainly in Portage, Chesterton and Valparaiso. But the county enabled the tax and collects the funds and then an appointed board uses about $800,000 for overhead and gives the rest back to the county to support some local venues. Confused yet?

County Commissioner Bob Harper suggested that the governing board should be appointed mostly by the commissioners themselves, taking appointments away from Valparaiso and Chesterton (but leaving one with Portage for some reason) and letting the budget authorized Council appoint one. Although originally on the agenda for last nite's meeting, it was removed by Mr Harper at least temporarily. I would expect the issue to come back up soon.

Remember that the original political news from this same board was last year when some board members suggested that we might be better off spending less of the $1 million on overhead and staff and more on actually bringing in more hotel users ... and maybe that could be better accomplished in partnership with the Lake County tourism board. I'll let you the reader weigh in first with thoughts, but did find this comment on another site an interesting twist:

The revenue comes from the hotel tax (also known as the bed tax). The towns with the hotels bear the expenses for police, fire, inspections, code enforcement, everything! So why shouldn't they realize a bigger cut of the action? More importantly, it was their community that made the decision to permit the hotel to build in their town in the first place, NOT THE COUNTY!

What's astonishing is that while the hotel operators are forced to collect this tax, they're not paid ONE CENT for their effort. Imagine being forced to do the government's dirty work free of charge. How'd I find out? I asked the manager of a local hotel when I picked up a business associate staying at a local hotel.

The citizens of Porter County don't pay this tax, the businesspeople who stay in the hotels do. That's right, the businesspeople. The convention bureau has admitted that those visiting the dunes and the area festivals bring in very little of the revenue from the bed tax.

Given the visitor's bureau has been ineffective in increasing overnight stays and this has become nothing more than a "county slush fund" I say we abolish the tax entirely. That's right, GET RID OF IT! Which would give our hotels a competitive advantage over Lake County hotels drawing in more businesspeople who will spend more money in Porter County and help our local businesses.

Now there's a fair, sensible, and reasonable solution. Doesn't help Harper's re-election prospects, but it gets the job done.

Pros and Cons of American Trials For Terrorists

Let me start off by stating my opinion on this. I don’t know much about the law side of this. I don’t know what constitutes military tribunals vs. criminal court, and I don’t care (at least when it comes to this post). So if you want to spout off some blithering crap about it, save it. As far as I am concerned, I believe that the terrorists at GITMO should be tried in military tribunals. After all, Obama decided to keep on the practice (to his credit), and who else would qualify if not Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (here after KSM, that is such a pain to type out).

The intention of this post is to sort through the pros and cons, since whether KSM and the other terrorists SHOULD be tried in civillian court or not is irrellavant, because its happening. Can’t change it, and so we analyze it.
The neutral aspect of this decision is the fact that these guys will almost 100% be tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Unless Johnny Cochran is their defendant (if the bomb vest doesn’t fit, you must acquit!) no New Yorker is going to let these guys walk. And if for some reason only Socialists are pulled for that jury pool, they would be torn to shreds outside of the courtroom.
So, the cons. The biggest con of all would be the precedent that this would set. From here on out, would we be charging prisoners of war right along with manslaughter cases? While this may be a bit of a reach, it certainly isn’t something not to consider. Also, what new breed of soul-less lawyers would this create? I joked above about Cochran, but I can bet there are at least a couple dozen men just like Cochran smacking their lips and drooling over the prospect of making their name as a defense attorney. After all, if you can get KSM down to a third degree murder charge, what a name that would give you! Also, the aspect of putting these guys into a prison on American soil. Do I think that the jail would become a prime terrorist target? I don’t know. I have my doubts, but then again I didn’t think planes would be flown into our buildings either.
The pros. The first and major pro is America showing that we are a more civilized country. By trying them and giving them their day in court, it is mostly symbolism. Obama flat out said that they would be convicted and killed (literally, he said those words), which does show some of what I had said above about no sane person NOT coming to that verdict, but it also shows that we can do things democratically with out stooping to the terrorists level. It shows that, as a nation, we aren’t blood thirsty for revenge. Well…I am, but that kind of leads me to my favorite pro.
And that is the HELL that the terrorists would go through while in American prisons. Can you even imagine it?! Rapists and child molesters are beaten, sodomized, and killed in prison on a regular basis, because even thieves and murderers have some kind of standard. A guy that planned the deaths of thousands of innocents? Ohhhh man. And don’t even say “Well, the guards won’t let that happen”, because I have news for you: the guards let that happen all the time. After a couple of these guys die because of vigilante justice, the rest will serve out whats left of their time in a hold somewhere far away from the other inmates. That would be a huge step down from their lifestyle at GITMO, and quite frankly that would make me smile.
So, those are only a few of the pros and cons I thought up. Any others, pro or con?

Cross posted at www.ktracy.com and linked at www.mattersofopinion.net

A Look at What the Health Care Bill COULD Achieve (although not likely)

As I’m sure everybody reading this knows, one of the proposed changes to in the health care atrocity is reforming Medicare so that people 55 and over would be able to opt into it, providing more coverage to more people on the government dole.

My knee jerk reaction is to loathe this idea (and in a way I still do, just bear with me). Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are all slated to be bankrupt by 2036 (and that is a low ball estimate). Technically, they’ll never go bankrupt, because no politician would seriously tackle the dismantling of this “beloved” weight around our countries neck. However, this got me thinking: how could I make this work in my favor?

Here me out now, I might get a little scatterbrained. If more people are able to opt into Medicare, and Medicare is a failing ponzi scheme that isn’t worth spit, then allowing people 55 and over to opt in might be a good thing. IF…and this is, admittedly, a HUGE IF…after the Medicare fountain runs dry, it isn’t replenished. This would mean some major future reformation on the Republicans end. It would mean we would need to count it out and MAKE SURE we had a Congressional majority as well as an R in the White House. In fact, if we were to achieve that, say, in 2012, we could even hurry the process along and make the bankruptcy a little less painful.

It would require the hiring of some more governmental employees (something I wouldn’t be to thrilled about) in order to keep the books right, but if we took the number of people on Medicare and the amount the average taxpayer payed towards that person, we could figure out how many people no longer had to pay for Medicare once an individual died. Lets say 5 people pay for one persons Medicare (I’m just guessing here, I picked 5 to make the math simpler). If a person died, the government could take the next 5 people at the top of the list in the 54 yr. old range, and they would no longer have to pay into the program that they would not see the benefit from. Granted, somebody like me, being 23, would probably be a little irked, but screw it. Somebody would have to get angry.

After about a decade, Medicare would simply be a memory. We could, obviously, do the same with SS and Medicaid (theoretically). The only problem, of course, would be the fact it would political suicide, realistically. And that’s where the problem lies, and why I’m still not in favor of changing the age to 55. IF what I proposed could become reality (note that is a big if) then it would be a fairly painless transition. It’s also important to note that there would have to be a cut off day, which would tick off many oldsters in the 54 yr. old category, but regardless, something needs to be done…and I’m not hearing many ideas about the reformation of Medicare on either side of the aisle, even though it is an impending big issue.

Of course this is all theoretical. I recognize that that pesky thing like reality comes around bites you in the butt, but still…something to think about.

Cross posted at www.ktracy.com and linked at www.mattersofopinion.net

Tourism and economic potential

This week we saw some political games involving the Porter County Tourism Board

The Commissioners suggested they might propose a change to the make-up of the governing board, which is comprised of appointees from the county and the municipalities. For some reason Valparaiso and Chesterton were singled out to lose their representation.

I'll let those that understand the politics of this proposal, which was scrapped at least temporarily, comment below on the details and philosophy. The Times was quick with an editorial Kill the Tourism Power Grab.

Team Hammond report on Tax Caps

SENATE & HOUSE AGREE TO FULL VOTE ON TAX CAP REFERENDUM: "Congratulations to Team Hammond, all the citizens of Indiana, and especially to George Janiec and Jim Premeske. Team Hammond's spokesmen departed the region at 4:00 A.M. on Monday, December 7th, braving an interstate covered with black ice, to testify in Indy on behalf of the citizens concerning the importance of putting a Constitutional Amendment to a referendum vote in November of 2010.

Although they were outnumbered in testimony, and were facing a House Committee dominated by Democrats, some quite hostile. They intrepidly made their points on the gift of property tax caps (1,2,3 %) which the General Assembly had approved none too soon.

The issue boiled down to: why now? Both the House and Senate membership changes biennially: it takes 26 Senators, 51 Representatives and most importantly a sympathetic Governor to bring change to Indiana. In the absence of a Constitutional Amendment complicating a return to Indiana's current out of control government the House Ways and Means Committee learned the necessity of expediency. Team Hammond pointed out the national average property tax rate is .96%; the highest ten counties in the U.S. average less than 3.5%, with median home values approximating Hammond's $100,000. Meanwhile in Indiana, Hammond taxpayers paid a rate of 5.66%, while Gary was over 9%. Examples were cited on how the property tax caps provided discipline that was previously lacking, especially in Lake County! The ways and means vote was deferred until Dec 14th.

Because of the weather, there was no question that Team Hammond's spokemen would spend the night in Indy pending the Tuesday afternoon convening of the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee.

Team Hammond's Senate Committee testimony was similar to that at the House chamber. Premeske provided copies of the tables he cited to interested senators. The odds were still against us; and when Senator Lonnie Randolph (D-East Chicago) began a detailed cross-examination of Jim Premeske concerning the sacrifices endured by local government it drew every committee senators attention. Point after point Senator Randolph probed for a weak spot in Team Hammond's defense of the tax caps. Example after example was shot down as it was pointed out cutbacks had feasible alternatives which local administations bypassed. Jim's conclusion was that the citizens need not be penalized because they supported needed tax relief.

Finally a vote was taken with nine senators voting for sending SJR1 to the full Senate for a vote leading to a November referendum with three Democrats (including Senator Randolph) dissenting.

On Monday, December 14th the House Ways and Means Committee took its vote. The outcome was 21-3, with several Democrats crossing to vote with the Republicans.

With committees in both chambers agreeing to have their entire body vote on a people's referendum (vote) in November of 2010, Team Hammond is off to an excellent start for the new year. But the real battles are yet to come; Mayor McDermott and his ilk will be out in full force trying to preserve Waste, Fraud and Abuse. Anticipate they will multiply the efforts of their lobbyists against the citizens. It is now more imperative than ever to keep the pressure on our senators and representatives.

Thanks to Team Hammond for the update

Not a bad year 2009 in Porter County

Over the last couple months we in Porter County have found quite a few things to agree about:

• The need for new leadership in the jobs of Assessor and Auditor - both Republicans and Democrats have agreed it's time for a change. Democrats have proposed two new candidates and I hear rumors that Republicans have announcements coming soon.
  
• The near unanimous referendum against the formation of the Regional Transportation Authority and a possible new income tax to pay for regional bus and rail consolidation. This referendum failed and there will be no RTA or new tax.
  
• A very strong level of agreement that we need to make the property tax caps from HEA 1001 permanent in the form of a constitutional amendment. If this passes in the House and Senate, then there will be a referendum in November.
  

Granted quite a bit of disagreement on some other important issues:

• We aren't all in agreement on whether the Regional Development Authority is worth the $3.5 million per year we're sending them from our income tax. So we've sent this to the courts to help us decide.
  
• There will be lots of contested primaries and general elections in 2010, causing untold numbers of new issues to rise in contention.
  

We haven't talked much about national issues here on this site, and due to the overwhelmingly conservative nature of many Porter County residents, I would bet there is much agreement on these as well. Where do you stand? Let's talk.

• Should TARP monies that are repaid to the Federal Government be used for more Stimulus or deficit reduction?
• Should Stimulus Bill be halted, reduced, maintained, or increased?
• Do you support or oppose the proposed national health care reform bill?
• What should be done with terrorists caught overseas, where should they be tried or imprisoned?
  
• One word - Afghanistan ... surge or leave?
  

Sad news in Schererville

The Lake County GOP is saddened to have to announce the passing of Schererville Town Council President Perry Ferrini. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.

From the Times today:
"Schererville Town Council President Perry Ferrini died Sunday from medical complications while being treated at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, town officials confirmed Monday morning.

"This was just a terrible surprise," councilman Hal Slager said of Ferrini, was about two weeks shy of completing his first year as president of the council. "We certainly didn't expect it to go like this."

As vice president of the council, Slager will assume Ferrini's responsibility as president. No further discussions have been made about how Ferrini's council seat will be replaced.

Ferrini, a married father of three and avid White Sox fan, was the recipient of a heart transplant in August 1998."

Put On Your Tax Caps - Indiana Barrister

Put On Your Tax Caps - Indiana Barrister predicts caps will pass the legislature and go to the referendum in November of 2010.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that in 2010, Indiana lawmakers will pass putting property tax caps on the ballot for the November election.

“Wow, Abdul, you really did go all out on that one!” Tell me about it.

Seriously though, I base this assumption on some new data from the State of Indiana concerning property taxes. The average Hoosier property taxpayer pays about 30% less in property taxes than he or she did in 2007.

I agree with Abdul, and feel that Speaker Bauer is trapped and will have to allow a vote. Any legislator voting against the caps will be immediate target material for elimination in 2010 elections. Democrats can't afford to lose that many seats, or they lose the ability to control redistricting in 2011. We had a small debate here this week on the issue, and I'm sure it will re-surface again over the next couple months.

Actual Status of Porter County Tax Bills

After some political posturing by Porter County Democrat Auditor this week, I thought I'd do a bit of digging to get to the data behind the easily mis-construed headlines. (via NWI Home Finders Blog)

Auditor Jim Kopp, who has been roundly denigrated by community leaders and even some elected Democrats in Porter County, announced that 2010 tax bills will be sent out on time. Times article. Just so we're all on the same page, Porter County was the 60th county to certify net assessed values in Indiana, not exactly setting land speed records. But it is a start.

The actual target date for net assessed values to be certified is August 1, 2009 and until last week Porter County was one of only two counties, including LaPorte County that were having their trending studies completed by the state. If you recall the assessments were deemed so poorly conducted that the state had to step in this year in Porter County. And in LaPorte County the DLGF has asked the County Prosecutor to remove the assessor from office for doing such a poor job.

Although some accolades for getting Porter County closer to the goal, let's be honest about the performance of the offices of Auditor and Assessor in Porter County. It's time for competent new leaders in both offices, we're all a bit embarrassed by years of poorly conducted assessments and overdue property tax bills. The law states that properties should be valued at market value, and that we should have bills due and payable May 10 and Nov 10 each year. That's the job of these two officials. For two years we've been an entire year behind, and this year's bulk one time bill has created havoc for mortgage lenders and homeowners.

Some have suggested that electing these two officials will never result in competency, since politicians make poor auditors and assessors. If this is the case, and I might be persuaded to agree, where is the outcry for county reorganization from both parties and elected officials? It seems very quiet ...

Related Porter County Indiana Posts:

• Porter County Elections - Daily update
• Cal Township Assessor ordered to repay funds
• Reporter to run for County Auditor

Working vs. Stay at Homes

My wife made a Facebook post the other day regarding her happiness of being a stay-at-home mom.

Sounds innocent enough, doesn’t it? However like every other online posting, whether it’s this site, my site, or anybody out there’s site, people twist words to mean other things, and it started up a pretty good discussion regarding stay-at-home mothers vs. working mothers.

I come from a family where my mother was not only a working mother, but worked two jobs (three when you consider raising the children) and always had dinner on the table and clean clothes for us to wear. Was the house always immaculate? No, but then again, when me and the other two rug-rats got old enough that wasn’t a problem (I didn’t use a broom to hit dogs, just clean up dust). The biggest argument came from a friend of my wifes’ that works, goes to school, has a baby, and isn’t married. I encourage each of you applaud at this. She could easily have aborted the child, but she chose to keep and raise him, and the struggling of single mothers is nothing to life your nose in the air about.

However, where she was off base was when my wife commented that she didn’t like to leave Gage with anyone (he’s seven months old and we’ve only left him with my parents maybe 3? 4 times?) because she feels like shes “dumping” him off somewhere instead of taking care of him. I feel that way too, by the way. He’s my child, my responsibility, and most of the time that me and my wife are out without Gage, we’re talking about how much we miss him and wondering how he is doing. This feeling stems from us trying to prove my generation wrong. Far too many young parents let THIER parents basically raise the child, and go out partying with out a second thought (the Casey Anthony story recently in the news is a prime example of this). Are we over-thinking this? Perhaps. But we still avoid dropping him off for anyone to babysit unless we absolutely CAN NOT take him with us.

Luckily, Sandee doesn’t HAVE to work for us to maintain our finances. Would the extra cash be helpful? Sure! However Sandee and I made the decision before Gage was born that until he is in kindergarten she wouldn’t work. For two reasons: one, she wants to be able to spend time with Gage while he’s a baby and see all of his “firsts” (something I do, on occasion, get jealous of). Second: I implore all of you to ask yourself how much your child is worth to you. If the answer is 10 gajillion dollars, then I ask you this as well: who would you trust to watch 10 gajillion dollars for you? Very few.

We aren’t the type of parents that could drop our child off at the baby sitter everyday. Just aren’t. Is that baby sitter doing drugs around my baby? Is she having sex in front of my baby? Is she instilling the values that I believe into my child? We just don’t know!

Of course, as I wrote above, I acknowledge and am sympathetic to those who have no choice, and I suppose I understand them getting a little defensive. However, why be defensive about it? I’m just stating facts here combined with how I feel about the situations. I’m sure every mother would love to be in my wife’s position, that’s no reason to speak badly of children whose mothers didn’t work. That doesn’t mean I have her run around barefoot and pregnant all the time. It doesn’t mean that I’m an overbearing husband who abuses her and don’t want her to go to work or college for fear that she’ll turn in a lesbian feminist (although it is possible…I kid, I kid).

The point here is that children whom have strong parental influences turn out better. The brat down the street? Parents divorced, mom works full time, no strong father figure to whoop his butt when he needs it. Cause and effect here people. Mothers: if you can, I implore you to stay at home with your children, be unselfish and put your careers second. The time that my wife spends with Gage will never be replaced, and Gage will turn out to be a much better child because my wife is there with him instead of some stranger.

Cross posted at www.ktracy.com and linked at www.mattersofopinion.net

Times article on development company

For some reason this specific article was chosen for no comments on the Times' website, I thought I'd help keep the conversation open and transparent. I don't know a thing about the story, who does? Update: Post Tribune article on same story, does allow commenting but only through the entirely unusable Plurk commenting system, the worst one online. Sorry to be negative, but with both the Times and the Post starting to listen lately, thought I'd see who was listening this weekend? (So far Chesterton Tribune, Michigan City Dispatch, and other smaller papers are non-entities for engaging)

A member of the group that recently settled a lawsuit with a New York-based company over a loan resigned Friday.

Allan Katz, a member of the Crown Point Development Corp. sent an e-mail to the corporation president Friday morning informing her of his resignation. In the e-mail, he outlined his displeasure with the handling of the Plasmatronics case and settlement.

"The matter is now in the hands of the federal authorities, who may recover additional funds for the people of Crown Point," Katz wrote.

Katz said he has been interviewed by the FBI about the loan and will continue to cooperate with the agency because it may help Crown Point gain additional funds.

Agent Wendy Osborne, spokeswoman for the FBI, said the agency does not confirm interviews or investigations.

Joseph Stalmack, Plasmatronics' attorney, could not be reached for comment.

The city's development group resolved a dispute over a $380,000 loan to New York-based Plasmatronics with a $125,000 settlement in October.

Last December, the corporation hired attorneys with Indianapolis-based law firm Ice Miller to recover the $380,000 in economic development money that the agency loaned Plasmatronics Inc. to locate in the city and manufacture its Plasma Drive Ignition system. Officials decided to attempt to recover the loan after the company terminated its relationship with the city.

At the October meeting where the corporation approved the settlement, it also voted to begin steps to dissolve the corporation. A meeting to vote on the dissolution was scheduled for Friday, but was rescheduled.

Dr. Fee-Love, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the tax cap amendment

Update: For same article on Facebook and related comments there

I think Steve Dalton might be having an identity crisis. For 10 years now, he and Commissioner Bob Harper have not seen eye to eye politically. But the day has come when 'you know what' has frozen over. Thanks to the tax cap bill at the state house, Commissioner Harper and Mr. Dalton have found at least one thing to agree on; a constitutional amendment that will permanently cap property tax rates. So, I agreed to take Steve up on his offer and provide a different perspective on the debate.

Call me what you will, but I really like the Porter County Public Library and am a strong proponent of neighborhood schools. So when I found out the library is anticipating a $600,000.00 budgetary shortfall this year and Valparaiso Community Schools is also anticipating roughly a million dollar shortfall each year for the next three years, the 1-2-3 tax cap amendment doesn't give me the same warm-fuzzy feeling it seems to give others.

These are the facts in the debate as I see it:

• The move from a property tax to a sales tax basis causes instability in funding sources. The sales tax basis is an unstable source of funding completely dependent upon the tempestuous purchasing nature of the Indiana consumer.
• There isn't an assessed value "cap" measure included in the bill, so assessed value can be whatever the DLGF decides "Market Value" means this year. And they are charged to re-define Market Value every single year.

And the proof is in the pudding:

• On Dec. 4th the Times online reported the State's November tax revenue came in $144 million below forecast, and that this is the 14th month in a row the sales tax generated system has come up short. This fiscal year alone the state budget is down $475 million, state employees are being asked to take "voluntary" month long vacations with no pay, many state employees have been cut from their jobs already, and $150 million is getting cut from the operating budgets of the state-funded Public Universities.
• Dollar for dollar, my property taxes have gone up. There is only one reason this can happen when the rate goes down, and it is because the assessed value goes up. Work with me here and go take out your tax bill. Look at how much you are charged this year, and ask yourself if dollar for dollar it is lower than 3 years ago? Now, do you see the line where it says "Supplemental HSC"? That credit will not be on your bill next year or ever again: so just go ahead and add it back in to your total bill. That is a one-time credit that is falsely giving Hoosiers a sense that the tax cap is legitimate.

Now take a look at this quote from the City:

"There's very little money in the budget for equipment purchases, and after last year (when the tax cap legislation was approved by the state legislature), there's even less," Costas said. "This has been a way to make up for that amount."

That is a quote from a January 15, 2009 article in the Times newspaper, reporting on City Council agreeing to let the Redevelopment Commission put $300,000.00 annually from 2009-2012 towards the purchase of equipment.

Also, the City suggested raising fees by charging VU a "fire fee", passed a 2010 budget with an expected $1.8 million shortfall, and now is proposing a fee increase to City Utilities bills that will bring in roughly $6 million a year starting in 2011. More fees, less revenue, more fees.

So Valparaiso and the rest of Indiana had better just get used to this because you are going to see a lot more of it to make up for the sales tax shortages. Creative funding through fees!

NWI Patriots Report - on GOP meeting in Valpo

After The Northwest Indiana Patriots threatened to "crash" the Center Township GOP meeting in Porter County last nite, the following article from after the meeting is much more hopeful of things to come, first the original email:

Hello Patriots,

If the blossoming of the Tea Party movement, the rallies in front of elected officials' offices and the contentious town halls last summer have shown anything, they've shown that people have had enough of politics as usual by both major political parties. We are willing to bet that disgust is part of why you have become involved with Northwest Indiana Patriots and other similar groups.

If you live in Porter County, you have an opportunity to break that cycle within the Republican Party. This Wednesday, December 9, 2009, at 7 p.m., the Porter County GOP Executive Board will meet at Buffalo Wild Wings in Valparaiso. The address is 212 East Lincolnway, Valparaiso, IN 46383-5691, phone 219-548-9464. This is not a general meeting; its purpose is to select precinct committee men/women. We are told that if you show up, you will get the job. The sole responsibility of precinct committee people is working the elections. The upside? You get to vote for the people who set the Porter County GOP's direction, such as the members of the Executive Committee. If you recall, the Porter County GOP's position on the RTA referendum was "We don't have a position," a disgraceful statement from the traditional party of small government.

We are told that if you go to the meeting you will need to ask an employee for the "party room" or "where the Republican meeting is." If all else fails, walk to the back of the restaurant, through the back door to an elevator. Take it to the third floor.

We think individual people can make a difference. Our Ship of State's course CAN be altered by political action at the grassroots level. If you agree, consider attending this meeting and becoming involved in an effort to get the Republican Party to straighten up and fly right. Your childrens' and grandchildrens' futures depend on it.

Sincerely,

Faith Jones, Bonnie Kuzminski and
Northwest Indiana Patriots Coordinators

And now the update from their website this morning, note that the meeting in discussion for a "crash" above was not an Executive Session of the GOP, but a Center Township precinct members meeting to discuss plans for 2010. It sounds like things were much more open and transparent than expected. Good news I guess for everyone.

The meeting of Center Township Republicans was a horse of a different color. There was housekeeping talk of precinct committee peoples’ duties, but there was also mention of having speakers for their organization on issues of national and local significance (apparently not a regular feature of this political organization’s meetings in the past) and of the planned use of internet social networking sites like Facebook to enhance the GOP’s dissemination of information and outreach efforts. The notion that these kinds of changes could spread through the entire Porter County GOP organization was part of the conversation and seemed to be received as being a desirable outcome. The atmosphere was that of a proactive group open to ideas, in search of a change from its past history. I found it informative and interesting.

But all the social networks in the world won’t be worth a thing if the Republican Party has nothing to say that voters want to hear. Will the Republican Party go back to its limited government, fiscal responsibility roots? Will the proactive openness I heard in the meeting materialize in fact, or will that wind of change blowing through the meeting room turn out to be a tempest in a teapot? I don’t know. Time will tell.

An Open Letter from Bob Harper

AN OPEN LETTER; From: Robert Harper, Porter County Commissioner:

Last year, I testified in Indianapolis in front of the House Ways and Means Committee. The testimony I gave the committee was in support of the 1% property tax 'cap' on real estate. (This cap was originally introduced by the Governor, but at this time, it has wide range bipartisan support).

Because I testified late in the day, I sat through an entire day of hearings listening to others testify regarding the proposed limit on Indiana property taxes. Most of those that testified were either local government office holders, such as county commissioners or county councilman, or members of varied lobbyist groups in Indianapolis.

With the exception of my testimony, and that of county council people of Allen County, the testimony that day was overwhelming against the legislature passing these caps. I have to say I was truly amazed at the pressure that was put on these lawmakers not to pass these caps.

I listened throughout the day to local officials across the state saying things to the effect that they stood to lose 30% to 50% of their police departments and patrol officers, and they could not continue to operate their governments if the caps were to pass.

Several years ago, Porter County lost approximately 17% of its operating budget when Bethlehem Steel went bankrupt. Massive cut-backs had to be made. Despite this, government survived and services continued to be offered to our citizens.

I want to see the State Constitution amended and these tax caps made permanent, and I know many of you reading this also want to see this happen.

Because so many individuals and lobbyist groups are downstate pressuring our senators and representatives not to pass this cap, it is vitally important that they also hear from you, the average taxpayer.

I encourage you to email your legislator and encourage him or her to back this entire tax package, including the Amendment to the Constitution. Only in this way can the whole story and all sides of this debate be presented to your legislators.

Thank You,

Robert Harper, Porter County Commissioner, Porter County Indiana

Let's talk about ACORN

Somehow I missed a guest commentary in the Times, one that strongly supports ACORN and it's efforts to assist low income voters in registration and apply for the low income tax credit.

See Full commentary Here: ACORN isn't an organization filled with nuts

What ACORN actually does on a daily basis is help struggling families with the Earned Income Tax Credit (whose benefits were expanded by both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton). It also helps those same working families avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes. ACORN receives a comparatively small amount of government funding -- $53 million in federal funds over the past 15 years -- while trillions have gone to Wall Street investment banks and billions of dollars have vanished in Iraq and Afghanistan, absorbed by private contractors such as Halliburton and KBR despite questions about the quality of their work and allegations of criminal activity by employees of Blackwater and other security contractors. Where were the concerned Republicans then?

So according to this author we're to disregard voter fraud and the sting videos showing ACORN employees giving advice on how to defraud the IRS. We are to do so because Wall Street got more money ... so ACORN is too small to worry about?

Update: See comment below, this was published in the Times but not as an editorial by Times staff, but as a guest commentary.

Northwest Indiana and Beyond - NWI Times

If you haven't taken the time to check out the Times' newest addition to online interaction, today is the day: In what's becoming a terrific daily post First Things First

A daily roundup of blog posts from our area, some right here in NW Indiana, and they've compiled a pretty good blog roll as well. Here's the challenge, have you set up your RSS reader yet? Come on today's the day to start using RSS to make keeping on on events faster and more automatic.

Go to Google Reader and set up an account (keep tab open)
(open new tab) Next go to the Northwest Indiana and Beyond Blog and copy the link in the orange box in your address bar (sometimes you can just click the orange RSS box and your browser will start asking where you are sending the code, choose google) The RSS link is here too if you want to copy if from here instead.

On your Google Reader choose "add subscription" box in left hand corner (see why it's nice to keep multiple tabs open?)
Paste the link code that you got here or on the the blog itself
Click "add"

You have now set up your first, hopefully of many, RSS feeds into your own private magazine or newspaper. Yes, there's a code on this page, and on many of the blogs and newspapers you read every day. But your reader gives you a one stop shop, one place to see the headlines to all your favorites in one place quickly. Google isn't the only one, there's a bunch of them, I just happen to use that one.

The Politics of Climate Change

From Chicks on the Right - one of my regular reads:

Is it just me, or is anyone else just dumbfounded by the people who are still convinced that we need to take any action, drastic or otherwise, to make an impact on the climate? If there is one constant certainty, it’s the CLIMATE FREAKING CHANGES. It always has. As the article points out, “From millennia before the Medieval Warm Period (800 to 1300), through the Little Ice Age (1500 to 1850), and for millennia hence, climate change is always a 100 percent certainty. Skeptics doubt that the scientists’ models, which cannot explain the present, infallibly map the distant future.”

From George Will (H/T again to Chicks for link)

Disclosure of e-mails and documents from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) in Britain -- a collaborator with the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- reveals some scientists' willingness to suppress or massage data and rig the peer-review process and the publication of scholarly work. The CRU materials also reveal paranoia on the part of scientists who believe that in trying to engineer "consensus" and alarm about warming, they are a brave and embattled minority. Actually, never in peacetime history has the government-media-academic complex been in such sustained propagandistic lockstep about any subject.

Consider the sociology of science, the push and pull of interests, incentives, appetites and passions. Governments' attempts to manipulate Earth's temperature now comprise one of the world's largest industries. Tens of billions of dollars are being dispensed, as by the U.S. Energy Department, which has suddenly become, in effect, a huge venture capital operation, speculating in green technologies. Political, commercial, academic and journalistic prestige and advancement can be contingent on not disrupting the (postulated) consensus that is propelling the gigantic and fabulously lucrative industry of combating global warming.

Crown Point Mayor - Weekly Radio Show

Via Times Staff

Mayor David Uran will address city residents weekly on the radio from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays on The Lakeshore WLPR-FM 89.1 and online at http://www.TheLakeshoreFM.com.

Listeners can call (219) 769-9577 with questions and comments, and discussion could include economic development, city services, city department updates, recycling, special events, parks, schools, historical preservation and health.

The city's one-year contract for the show was $20,000. (I guess that means the city is paying Lakeshore $20K for the on air time?)

The City of Crown Point website
Mayor Uran on twitter
And Mayor Uran's Facebook profile (note his facebook photo, with HillaryClinton.com on the podium, wonder if that means something that it's still up there?)

Post-Tribune reporter agrees to plead guilty to embezzling

Former union treasurer's plea agreement goes to judge
By NWI Times Staff

HAMMOND | Indicted Post-Tribune reporter Karen Snelling has admitted in federal court papers she embezzled $18,100 from the Gary Newspaper Guild when she was union treasurer.

In a plea agreement filed Wednesday in South Bend federal court, Snelling, 50, of Chicago, agrees to plead guilty to embezzlement. She also agrees to fully reimburse the union. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

A judge will have to accept or deny the agreement.

Snelling was indicted in September on accusations she used automated teller machines and an unauthorized stipend check to steal cash between 2004 and 2008 from the union that represents some Post-Tribune newsroom employees. She remains free on $10,000 bond that she will not have to pay if she appears at her court dates.

Union leaders have said the union will represent Snelling in any potential disciplinary action initiated by company managers.

Cross posted @ NWI Lawyer

Mitch swings the budget axe again

This morning the Governor ordered state universities to cut $150 million immediately after revenues came in much lower than expected for November.

Following the 14th straight month of lower than projected tax revenues, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels says the state will cut $150 million in funding for state colleges and universities.

Daniels also said Friday that other steps will be taken because revenues are missing their targets significantly.

Tax collections for November were $144 million below forecast, and for the first five months of the fiscal year are $475 million below target.

"We are taking steps to offset shortfalls as they occur," Daniels said. "The chance that revenues will suddenly begin to resemble the forecast seems highly unlikely."

United States Senate - Field widens for GOP

I was traveling yesterday and picked up this news on my blackberry early but wasn't able to take the time to write a good post. So today we'll let the other great bloggers in our our state tell the story in their words:

Race for the US Senate: Hostettler in against Bayh from Frugal Hoosiers. Let's be honest, Frugal Hoosiers is tightly aligned with Governor Mitch Daniels' campaign to retake the Indiana House in 2010. It was nice of them to toss out a token post for Hostettler, and even his video, but this race isn't on the target list for Mitch ... or he's happy with Marlin Stutzman and another entrant into the field didn't get his team to change their focus.

Suddenly a Crowded GOP Field Emerges Hoosier Access asks, "can any of these guys raise the $12 million needed to effectively compete with Even Bayh?"

A good article from Southern Indiana by Scott Fluhr of Hoosier Pundit, with some break out niche analysis of Hostettler's supporters ... suggesting that Ron Paul groups may like him best. Not good news for Behney of tea party resume, since the tea partiers in many communities have merged with Ron Paul groups.

Everyone posted the same video, so I'll let you check it out on their blogs. My analysis is forthcoming once we get some commenting going here. But in short I'd say my own guess is that Evan Bayh is safe so far, probably 52-48 over the Republican primary winner. So far!

County should study closing satellite sites

Post-Tribune Article

When Lake County government was founded long ago, the majority of the county's population was in Gary, Hammond and East Chicago.

At the time it made sense to have satellite county buildings -- particularly for the courts -- in the northern cities.

County government, by law, had to be headquartered in the county seat, Crown Point. And Lake Circuit Court also had to be in the county seat.

That was then. This is now.

The majority of the county's population now is outside Gary, Hammond and East Chicago. Gary, in fact, has barely half the population it did at its high-water mark.

Because of the change in demographics, coupled with the county's financial pinch, it is time to begin moving ahead with closing the county's three satellite offices.

While it has been talked about in recent years, it wasn't until recently that an agency of county government took a definitive stand.

The County Council passed a resolution suggesting that the county hire a consultant to look at the possibility of closing the satellite courthouses and moving the courts to a new facility in Crown Point.

Unfortunately, two of the three commissioners -- Roosevelt Allen and Frances DuPey -- killed the resolution. We suspect those were politically charged votes, in that DuPey (Hammond) and Allen (Gary and East Chicago) represent cities with satellite courthouses. We suspect the two are trying to protect jobs and not upset constituents.

Council President Larry Blanchard said the council members expected commissioners to stop the resolution. Yet, Blanchard said, the day is coming when the satellite courthouses must be closed.

"We are going to have to do something," Blanchard said.

Hiring a consultant is a good move, bringing in an unprejudiced third party to make tough recommendations. It's better to do it sooner than later.

Cross posted @ NWI Lawyer

Scarry days for corrupt politicians

Indiana Lawyer Daily gives an update, thanks to Northwest Indiana Lawyer for the notice, on a story we touched on briefly when Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced a lawsuit against former officials in Chesterfield Indiana who apparently walked away with $260,000 or more in fraudulently obtained monies.

• The reports I've seen suggest they defrauded tax payers by submitting false expense reports
  
• This most recent update suggests that once the state got the ball rolling, the Feds stepped in and are now indicting on Federal charges as well.
  
• I have to believe that falsifying expense reports is also an IRS violation, and would not be surprised to see yet another round of indictments
  

These types of stories have to cause some politicians to pause and consider their ways and means of administrating, Mr Zoeller is surely not done investigating local abuses.

Other Northwest Indiana Political Stories of note:

• Lake County - Calumet Twp tax problems
• Laura Blaney on the RDA (a very active debate in the comments)
• DLGF Audit of Lake County books
• Jerry Davich asks: Are region officials mistaking talking for action?
  

Bank of America tells government to get out

In a move that will probably be heralded as the success of the TARP program, Bank of America is buying the government back out so they can run their own company. Good for them, it's time for all the banks to kick the government out before they ruin the banking business.

BofA to Repay $45 Billion in TARP: "Update: Press Release from BofA: Bank of America to Repay Entire $45 Billion in TARP to U.S. Taxpayers

From CNBC: Bank of America Out of TARP, Says Gasparino (ht Mr. Mortgage)

CNBC’s Charlie Gasparino tells the desk that Bank of America is going to repay $45 billion and get out of the TARP program.

And they will raise capital over the next few days, he adds.

From the WSJ: Bank of America to Repay $45 Billion in TARP

The bank plans to raise about $20 billion in new capital ... a move required by federal regulators to ensure the bank has sufficient capital reserves and won't need to come back to the government for additional aid.

McKenna to run for Secretary of State

In related news - I noticed somewhere that another Democrat named Vop Osili has also announced for Secretary of State.

McKenna to seek 2010 Democratic nomination for Rokita’s seat (via the Times)

The former executive director of the Indiana Department of Commerce is launching his campaign to become the state’s Secretary of State.

Thomas F. McKenna, who served in the commerce department post for five years under then-Lt. Governor Joe Kernan, is announcing his candidacy for the Democratic Party nomination for Secretary of State in 11 cities across Indiana this week.

(Photo courtesy of official campaign Web site.)

Locally, McKenna will be in Michigan City and Crown Point on Wednesday.

Like incumbent Todd Rokita, McKenna has ties to the Region, though not as deep perhaps seeing as Rokita graduated from Munster High School.

For five years, McKenna was worked in human resources and labor relations for the Midwest Steel division of National Steel in Portage. He also spent five years as a member of the firm of Kenefick, Brennan & Gilmore in Michigan City and spent year as deputy prosecuting attorney for LaPorte County.

Inside Indiana Business and Blue Indiana have picked up the press release.

A copy of the news release is here, and you can find McKenna’s itinerary and links after the jump.

– Official Web site

– Blog

– Facebook

– Twitter

Cal Township Assessor ordered to repay funds

The State of Indiana Board of accounts continued in their pursuit of mis-use of funds case against Calumet Township Assessor Blumenberg and forwarded to the Attorney General a request to collect $16,800 of tax dollars that were used by the assessor to send out a mailing to residents. The mailing was "information" favoring keeping the assessor during the period leading up to the referendum last year. If you recall almost all assessors have been eliminated in Indiana, Calumet Township is one of only a handful remaining.

The State Board of Accounts has forwarded the $16,800 charge to the attorney general for collection.

"If I have to pay it, I'll pay it. But I don't think, under the circumstances, I'll have to pay it," Blumenberg said. "I don't think I did anything that was illegal." (via the Times)

One interesting side note to this story is the aggressive nature of those who are in elected office and seek to maintain that office, even if it is no longer of use to the taxpayers. I didn't see a single quote from this assessor about why the taxpayers are better served, merely quotes about why he felt he could legally spend the money and no one could stop him.