To the tune of the theme song to The Beverly Hillbillies!
"Come and listen to the story of a county, Lake
Where half the folks are real and half the folks are fake
Some do sing in tune and some miss notes
but they all have their eyes on just one thing-votes
Power, that is. Influence. Money, too!
Well my friends they tell me politics beware
They said stay at home with your wife and family
Cause there ain't no way you can beat the powers that be
Crooks, that is.
County jobs, shiny cars."
Oh yeah. So there are people with ulterior motives involved in politics? I am shocked, shocked!!!
Early Saturday morning an interesting cast of characters were gathered at the Board of Elections to deal with a specific complaint. It seemed that two fellows who will remain nameless for now (Oh, the papers will get around to it in a month or two) who took it upon themselves to print up a slate of candidates and allegedly stood in the lobby of First Baptist Church of Hammond at a Wednesday Night Service passing out a few thousand copies thereof were in attendance. Some have said that a slate was also passed out at Fairhaven Baptist Church a little farther down the road to the East. Also at that meeting with at least one other Lake County Republican office holder was a suitably unhappy candidate for Congress, one Rob Pastore, who had come armed with copies of the slate papers and a request that the alleged miscreants would cease and desist, as they had apparently violated the following:
IC 3-9-3-2.5
IC 3-14-1-3
IC 3-14-1-2
Other witnesses were present along with the two men charged with violating the law. Candidate Pastore simply wanted the two to admit their error and to cease and desist. The two although present let it be known that they were not officially notified of the hearing (and doubtless stop to have small talk at 8 AM each Saturday there?) Whether by their choice beforehand or not, the matter is now to be dealt with after the election and it may be that them two fellers may actually face charges for being unwilling to 'fess up at the time of the hearing.
An ominous side note? The First Baptist Church of Hammond is also listed in the complaint, Full disclosure- I once belonged to FBC and probably still know a very few folks who go there still. I am a Christian and not afraid to admit it. I do believe Christians should absolutely be active in elections, in every step of the voting process. But in no way does any church want to be promoting a slate of candidates and officially get into the candidate endorsement business. That way leads to loss of status as a non-profit organization dedicated to worship and fellowship and followship concerning Christ.
Another aspect of this particular case would be the names on the lists. No, I will not publish the lists and I did not publish the names of the men in question. But it is very interesting that certain names on both lists were candidates known to be favored by the Republican powers that be in Indianapolis and NOT particularly associated with local groups or the grassroots movement we have a tendency to call Tea Parties. The lists looked like they were variations of a slate of candidates selected by men of power and influence rather than a list based upon the candidate's adherence to a Christian worldview.
On the other hand, a few candidates listed were right in line with local grassroots support. So the mix and match nature of the slates make you think many things but certainly Rob Pastore, who had appeared four times at FBC knew one thing he thought - this is BOGUS! So he acted. Well, I am sure we want a Congressman who is a man of action and we want a Congressman who wishes to uphold the law so this does not make Rob Pastore look bad at all.
Most of us church folks believe in God and good deeds and family and marriage and the sanctity of life. We want freedom of religion and freedom of speech. We love the Constitution and we love the Bible and seek to be within the letter and spirit of the law. We believe in the Second Amendment, too!
We don't like mean and we don't like crooked and we don't like cheating and we don't like double-talk. Church folks are pretty good folks, generally. We also need to be SMART folks. It is perfectly right to talk about the candidates you prefer and talk about voting inside the church doors or outside. But no one church organization should be seen as endorsing a candidate or especially a slate of candidates! Just don't do it, not within those church doors. Put stickers on your cars and wear t-shirts and be for whoever you support, you are an American and you have your vote...but stay within the law? Yes?
Rob Pastore is the Hammond Chairman of the Republican Party, a dead-solid Right To Life guy and a regular vistor to First Baptist Church. But he was not on either "Church Slate." Gee, he is on facebook and twitter and has been working hard in Hammond, you would think Hammond would be his sweet spot? He was at the LCRTL.
"So now it's time to say goodbye to (blank) and his good friend,
and we would like to thank you all for reading about them
your all invited back again to this locality
for another heapin' helpin' of this strange activity
Politics that is. Take your shoes off. Sit a spell. You all come back now, hear?"
~
Now comes the odd case of Fran Katz. Katz is an accomplished scientist and businesswoman:
- Chief Operating Officer, American Society of Agronomists.
- VP of Research for American Maize for 15 years
- President Elect of that same Fortune 500 company
- MBA from the University of Chicago
Is it likely that Fran Katz received a questionaire from the Indiana Republican Party that would allow her to express her views on the issues and failed to fill in and return it? This is what is claimed by her opponents!
Fran Katz was not listed on either of those "Church Slates." She is a Right To Life supporter and although she could not attend the Lake County Right To Life (LCRTL) banquet this weekend her husband was there in her stead.
Eric Krieg is a young, energetic and motivated candidate for District Four of the Lake County Council. He is most definitely a Right To Life supporter and I had a nice conversation with him at the LCRTL. His name was not found on either "Church Slate."
Kevin Tracy is a wonderfully principled young guy who has been outspoken rather than politically correct and has wisdom beyond his years despite his valor-above-all tendency to tell people what he believes rather than what they want to hear. He is actually a Porter County Council District One candidate rather than Lake County but I just thought I would mention that he was not on the one list that included Porter candidates.
Oh, yes, and the man endorsed by more Tea Party and grassroots conservatives than any other candidate, the only Senate candidate to attend (with his wife) the LCRTL banquet and the only candidate endorsed by the Lake County Right To Life, Marlin Stutzman, longtime church member and dedicated Christian? He was not on either list.
Now there were some candidates on the lists I would and vote for and a few I actually support and that are in one way or another associated with grassroots...a very few. As a certain actor of Rowan and Martin television fame would say, "Ve-e-e-e-e-e-e-ery Interesting...but shtupid!"
Dedicated to Chubby Checker - modified version of Limbo Rock - sing with gusto!
Every limbo candidate
All around the limbo state
Gonna do the limbo rock
All around the limbo clock
Jack be limbo, Jack be quick
Jack vote Illiana quick
All around the limbo clock
Hey, let's join the voting block!
Limbo lower now
Limbo lower now
How low can you go?
First you spread hands out wide
Then you move to take a side
Limbo all around the vote
Win that race that all she wrote
Jack be limbo, Jack be quick
Jack vote in RDA quick
All around the limbo state
Hey, there limbo candidate!
la la la etc (instead of instrumental break)
Get yourself a limbo job
Give that hob a limbo nob
There's a limbo boss, a rep
You will fall in limbo step
Jack be limbo, Jack be quick
Jack go round his own ethic
All around the limbo clock
Hey, let's do the limbo rock
Don't move that limbo bar
You'll be a limbo star
How low can you go?
