Sunday, May 29, 2011
Thoughts and comments please
I won't post the entire article here, go to my original blog What Jobs will be the big Winners, to see the entire post and reasoning. Since the post isn't really political, that is until an argument over incentives and the role of government breaks out, I didn't post here.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Is Indiana getting tired of carrying a Lugar?
The battle for the Republican Senate Seat currently held by Richard "Dick" Lugar is getting national scrutiny. Lugar became pretty well known as "Obama's Republican" which in these times is akin to "Mud." Lugar's McCain-like compromising and record of forming coalitions suddenly looks like such a negative it takes away any committee clout his tenure has earned him. Some of us feel that Lugar has become a burden rather than an blessing to the citizens of the State of Indiana. Allow me to share this article from the online Commentary Magazine:
photo credit
Obama’s ‘Favorite Republican’ Backs Away From the President
Richard Lugar was considered a mentor and a friend to Barack Obama during their time in the Senate together, but with a tough primary fight looming for the Indianan next year as he seeks a seventh term, it appears that he has decided the last thing he needs is to be considered the president’s “favorite Republican.” With 2012 just around the corner, Lugar has become a frequent critic of the administration as well as a more loyal member of the Republican caucus.
Lugar is the senior Republican in the upper house and an old-school bi-partisan type as well as the Senate’s leading foreign policy “realist.” As Politico notes in an interesting feature on the Obama-Lugar breakup, in the weeks after the 2010 election when the Tea Party insurgency was riding high, Lugar made it clear he wouldn’t truckle to his party’s core constituency. He opposed a ban on earmarks and helped Obama push the START treaty with Russia through the lame duck Congress.
But with a popular Republican challenger seeking to capitalize on the unease about the senator’s establishment ways among the party’s grass roots, Lugar is now highlighting disagreements with his former Senate pal and even denying that they were ever close. Lugar blasted the president for not consulting with Congress over the conflict in Libya and even withdrew his co-sponsorship of the “Dream Act” because of his anger at Obama’s decision to engage hyper-partisan demagoguery on immigration. Even more interesting is the fact that Lugar voted with fellow Republicans 82 percent of the time in the previous Congress. This year the number is 97 percent.
Lugar has obviously come a long way since he actually served as sounding board on foreign policy issues for Obama prior to the Democrat’s presidential debate with John McCain (though he says he voted for the Republican) in 2008. But though Lugar now claims all the talk about his friendship with the president was an exaggeration, it’s more likely that his upcoming primary clash with Indiana state Treasure Richard Mourdock is what has concentrated his mind.
Democrats, who face an uphill challenge to hold onto to their slender majority in the Senate next year, are openly rooting for Mourdock to defeat. But just as Mourdock is not Christine O’Donnell, neither is red state Indiana comparable to blue Delaware. A Lugar primary loss would not necessarily translate into a November gain for the Democrats.
The Lugar re-election campaign will be an interesting test of the current state of the Republican Party as well as of how red Indiana really is. Though we can expect to hear a lot about how outrageous it is that GOP voters would even consider dumping a venerable institution like Lugar, after 35 years of his go-along-to-get-along style, it is hardly surprising that party activists yearn for a more forthright advocate for their beliefs.
~~~~~~~~
Richard Mourdock pic credit
Richard Mourdock isn't just a "Tea Party Candidate" but rather he is a well-respected Treasurer of State who is an accomplished speaker and well-versed on the law and history beyond the norm. He is a classic conservative Republican which means his positions are a fastball down the middle for Tea Party enthusiasts. Mourdock has been Mourdock throughout his tenure in office, a man who will take a stand for right over wrong no matter what the odds. By comparison, Lugar appears to have become a good-old Beltway Boy who needs to put on a conservative mask for about 18 months in order to get Hoosiers to keep him in office.
Some Hoosiers like the idea of having the old horse running in harness, able to use his experience and political capital to make a good deal for the folks back home now and then. Many of them remember the Lugar of days gone by, when he seemed to be a fairly ordinary Republican Senator who was normally on the conservative side of things.
Be ready for a steady stream of Lugar letters and emails in which he will attempt to paint himself with a new brush as a dependable conservative and a great asset to the people of Indiana. He will have accumulated all sorts of sources of income for a primary campaign that promises to be as tough as the general election.
However, if you only vote with the conservative side 82% of the time one year and suddenly you hit 97% the next year? Very few Hoosiers will believe that Lugar has suddenly had a change of heart but rather will see that he is trying very hard to appear to be a guy they want in office. But no Hoosier conservative worth his salt would have EVER voted for Elena Kagan to be on the Supreme Court! Seriously, Kagan had never been a judge of any kind on any level and had no qualifications for office other than Obama wanted her and she had bounced back and forth between the academic and political arenas. Elena Kagan represents a challenge to the first two amendments to the Constitution and is yet another judicial appointee willing to try to legislate rather than arbitrate the law. By that one vote, Lugar announced that going along was more important to him than getting it right. Kagan was not a first, as Lugar also supported Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Leftist activists all in a row.
Dick Lugar is out of touch and out of step with Hoosiers. In my opinion, of course. But I am not alone...as this post on Red State suggests:
~~~~~~~~
Richard Lugar would be well-served by retiring from office at the end of this term and thereby put a period on the paragraph that is his service in the Senate. There would be a "but" in the middle yet it would at least end gracefully. Lugar is 79 years old, has been in the Senate since 1977 and before that was Mayor of Indianapolis. Northwest Indiana voters could really use a Senator who knows we exist. This year Richard Mourdock came to the Lake County Lincoln Dinner even though Mike Pence was the guest speaker. He came to be a keynote speaker at the Lake County Fairgrounds during the last Senate primary battle. Mourdock has noticed that this very blue corner of Indiana is moving towards the Red. I know this, I have met and spoken with Richard Mourdock three times in the last two years at local events whereas I have never seen Richard Lugar at an event near me in all his years in office. I doubt that Richard Lugar has ever concerned himself much with us. Am I wrong, or does it appear that the long reign of Dick Lugar will end with a pratfall?
Lugar is the senior Republican in the upper house and an old-school bi-partisan type as well as the Senate’s leading foreign policy “realist.” As Politico notes in an interesting feature on the Obama-Lugar breakup, in the weeks after the 2010 election when the Tea Party insurgency was riding high, Lugar made it clear he wouldn’t truckle to his party’s core constituency. He opposed a ban on earmarks and helped Obama push the START treaty with Russia through the lame duck Congress.
But with a popular Republican challenger seeking to capitalize on the unease about the senator’s establishment ways among the party’s grass roots, Lugar is now highlighting disagreements with his former Senate pal and even denying that they were ever close. Lugar blasted the president for not consulting with Congress over the conflict in Libya and even withdrew his co-sponsorship of the “Dream Act” because of his anger at Obama’s decision to engage hyper-partisan demagoguery on immigration. Even more interesting is the fact that Lugar voted with fellow Republicans 82 percent of the time in the previous Congress. This year the number is 97 percent.
Lugar has obviously come a long way since he actually served as sounding board on foreign policy issues for Obama prior to the Democrat’s presidential debate with John McCain (though he says he voted for the Republican) in 2008. But though Lugar now claims all the talk about his friendship with the president was an exaggeration, it’s more likely that his upcoming primary clash with Indiana state Treasure Richard Mourdock is what has concentrated his mind.
Democrats, who face an uphill challenge to hold onto to their slender majority in the Senate next year, are openly rooting for Mourdock to defeat. But just as Mourdock is not Christine O’Donnell, neither is red state Indiana comparable to blue Delaware. A Lugar primary loss would not necessarily translate into a November gain for the Democrats.
The Lugar re-election campaign will be an interesting test of the current state of the Republican Party as well as of how red Indiana really is. Though we can expect to hear a lot about how outrageous it is that GOP voters would even consider dumping a venerable institution like Lugar, after 35 years of his go-along-to-get-along style, it is hardly surprising that party activists yearn for a more forthright advocate for their beliefs.
~~~~~~~~
Richard Mourdock pic credit
Richard Mourdock isn't just a "Tea Party Candidate" but rather he is a well-respected Treasurer of State who is an accomplished speaker and well-versed on the law and history beyond the norm. He is a classic conservative Republican which means his positions are a fastball down the middle for Tea Party enthusiasts. Mourdock has been Mourdock throughout his tenure in office, a man who will take a stand for right over wrong no matter what the odds. By comparison, Lugar appears to have become a good-old Beltway Boy who needs to put on a conservative mask for about 18 months in order to get Hoosiers to keep him in office.
Some Hoosiers like the idea of having the old horse running in harness, able to use his experience and political capital to make a good deal for the folks back home now and then. Many of them remember the Lugar of days gone by, when he seemed to be a fairly ordinary Republican Senator who was normally on the conservative side of things.
Be ready for a steady stream of Lugar letters and emails in which he will attempt to paint himself with a new brush as a dependable conservative and a great asset to the people of Indiana. He will have accumulated all sorts of sources of income for a primary campaign that promises to be as tough as the general election.
However, if you only vote with the conservative side 82% of the time one year and suddenly you hit 97% the next year? Very few Hoosiers will believe that Lugar has suddenly had a change of heart but rather will see that he is trying very hard to appear to be a guy they want in office. But no Hoosier conservative worth his salt would have EVER voted for Elena Kagan to be on the Supreme Court! Seriously, Kagan had never been a judge of any kind on any level and had no qualifications for office other than Obama wanted her and she had bounced back and forth between the academic and political arenas. Elena Kagan represents a challenge to the first two amendments to the Constitution and is yet another judicial appointee willing to try to legislate rather than arbitrate the law. By that one vote, Lugar announced that going along was more important to him than getting it right. Kagan was not a first, as Lugar also supported Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Leftist activists all in a row.
Dick Lugar is out of touch and out of step with Hoosiers. In my opinion, of course. But I am not alone...as this post on Red State suggests:
Richard Lugar Insults Conservatives, Indiana GOP County Chairmen
Yesterday, I received an interesting piece of spam from Richard Lugar’s campaign. I call it “interesting” because it indicates that Lugar apparently intends to court voters who might be contemplating a vote for Richard Mourdock by calling them morons. And then speaking to them as if they were morons:
Second, while I agree that O’Donnell and Angle were bad candidates (and strongly disagree on Buck), it’s ridiculous to claim that the GOP would have done better if it had nominated the candidates who were routed by the aforementioned bad candidates in the primary. This is the same line of thinking that posits that we lost to Obama because McCain was such a crappy candidate, and we should have instead nominated… one of the people who lost to McCain. Does not compute.
Third, math is apparently not a strong suit of Dick Lugar. The GOP currently controls 47 seats in the Senate. Adding three more seats (CO, NV, DE) would put us at 50. Thus, even supposing Castle would vote to repeal Obamacare, the best we could accomplish on an Obamacare repeal vote would be a tie, which would be broken by Joe Biden. Which is completely academic anyway, since a) the Democrats would filibuster the vote and b) failing all of that, Obama would just veto it. But, yeah, if those TEA Party people weren’t such morons, we’d totally have repealed Obamacare by now.
We’re not halfway through 2011, and Richard Lugar’s campaign already smells of desperation. The main obstacle to his defeat at this point is disunity among the many groups of people Richard Lugar is currently insulting.
Unfortunately, a large number of Republican County Chairmen have been duped into participating in the same failed scheme that resulted in Christine O’Donnell and Sharron Angle and cost us two crucial Senate Seats in 2010. (If the Republican parties in Delaware, Nevada, and Colorado had taken the Reagan “big tent” approach, we would have already repealed Obamacare.) Mr. Mourdock has hired the same consultants that brought us these unelectable candidates, and with Mr. Donnelly joining the race the pattern is complete.A few things. First, while a candidate might think voters are morons for not wanting to vote for him, it is generally a bad idea to say it out loud, on the off chance that some of those voters might be persuaded to come home.
Second, while I agree that O’Donnell and Angle were bad candidates (and strongly disagree on Buck), it’s ridiculous to claim that the GOP would have done better if it had nominated the candidates who were routed by the aforementioned bad candidates in the primary. This is the same line of thinking that posits that we lost to Obama because McCain was such a crappy candidate, and we should have instead nominated… one of the people who lost to McCain. Does not compute.
Third, math is apparently not a strong suit of Dick Lugar. The GOP currently controls 47 seats in the Senate. Adding three more seats (CO, NV, DE) would put us at 50. Thus, even supposing Castle would vote to repeal Obamacare, the best we could accomplish on an Obamacare repeal vote would be a tie, which would be broken by Joe Biden. Which is completely academic anyway, since a) the Democrats would filibuster the vote and b) failing all of that, Obama would just veto it. But, yeah, if those TEA Party people weren’t such morons, we’d totally have repealed Obamacare by now.
We’re not halfway through 2011, and Richard Lugar’s campaign already smells of desperation. The main obstacle to his defeat at this point is disunity among the many groups of people Richard Lugar is currently insulting.
~~~~~~~~
Richard Lugar would be well-served by retiring from office at the end of this term and thereby put a period on the paragraph that is his service in the Senate. There would be a "but" in the middle yet it would at least end gracefully. Lugar is 79 years old, has been in the Senate since 1977 and before that was Mayor of Indianapolis. Northwest Indiana voters could really use a Senator who knows we exist. This year Richard Mourdock came to the Lake County Lincoln Dinner even though Mike Pence was the guest speaker. He came to be a keynote speaker at the Lake County Fairgrounds during the last Senate primary battle. Mourdock has noticed that this very blue corner of Indiana is moving towards the Red. I know this, I have met and spoken with Richard Mourdock three times in the last two years at local events whereas I have never seen Richard Lugar at an event near me in all his years in office. I doubt that Richard Lugar has ever concerned himself much with us. Am I wrong, or does it appear that the long reign of Dick Lugar will end with a pratfall?
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Big Higher Education
I never let my schooling interfere with my education. - Mark Twain
God made the idiot for practice, then He made the School Board. - Mark Twain
Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school. - Albert Einstein
We had Eisenhower warn us about the military industrial complex, but not a single statesman on the way out of public service has bothered to stop at the door frame, turn around, and warn us about the ugly menage a tois between government, the banking system, and big higher education.
When my father began his adult working career, he didn't have two nickels to rub together. He had a bit of machinist training from Froebel High School which served him as a summer hire at the mill, but after his Army service, he hired back in general labor, then trained into pipefitter and plumber, learning on the job as he got paid. Today, to be hired in about any job that allows you to feed a family, you need to be able to whip out a degree. So you start out $40-60,000 in debt and have to work for years to get back up to zero.
A recent survey of college presidents shows that 63% feel that parents, and not grants, should underwrite higher education. Let's end the tuition problem by killing the student, making him and his family foot an incredibly inflated school cost that he had no hand in raising.
How did we get to this problem of putting a yoke of debt onto millions of necks by requiring a ticket punch that was not needed before 1980? Business offloaded the responsibility of teaching the workers they need onto higher education. I understand the need for university for rarefied professions such as medicine and law, but the mantra of "you're going to need a degree to pump gas or bag groceries anymore," which was meant as sarcastic hyperbole in 1980, has become hard, cold reality. Today, you need at least an Associates to qualify as a NIPSCO meter reader, and I had to spend $4000 on truck driving school of all things before I spent a month and change with a company driver/trainer. The idea of hiring in somewhere and making small intern/trainee pay while the old hand Fred over there gives you some tasks, sees if you'll wash out or catch on, then advance you to being his protege, then fully trained hire, are as gone as the analog TV. I wish I bookmarked it, but recently a CEO gave an interview where he said if he tried to hire in today and rise through the ranks, working while learning, he would never get hired in the door in the first place. And he emphasized that he would NOT have been interested in front loading a ton of education before starting a career he didn't know was the one he wanted in the end either, so he wouldn't know where he'd end up in today's workforce.
The road to hell was paved with a lot of genuinely good intentions; a GI Bill to reward returning vets, the Pell Grant to give the poor a bootstrap upon which they can pull, Guaranteed Student Loans to get banks to eliminate the fear of loaning money for the tuition of someone who has yet to prove his ability to be responsible and adult. It was meant to break exclusivity of higher education, to make those with the drive to be a doctor or lawyer be able to finance it. But now the banks have this chunk of their business from Sallie Mae that they'd like to grow, office holders do not want to be seen as against their voters' ability to get a well paying job, and universities want to continue to grow, so you have three powerful entities keeping Big Higher Ed growing, tuitions skyrocketing, and job entry prerequisites making the bar higher and higher for those trying to get that family feeding career in a Lake Woebegon world where everyone has to be "better than average" just to be Joe Lunchbucket.
Anecdotes are not data, but nearly everyone I know who entered the workforce up to the 1970's walked in young and dumb and offered a living body to the company or government, and rose to better positions while working and feeding a family, while from the 1980's on they needed a degree with some experience in the field with some other company before they could get considered by where they ended up working. And I've known my share who did the education without getting the brass ring.
I'm not a troglodyte against learning or an able workforce. I am against the government, banks, and universities making the sheepskin something that you need to indebt yourself without a guarantee of being able to pay it off, when an IQ test, a personality test, and maybe a routine physical exam and background check (along with live interview to explain things if you were a fitful lad or lass) are all you need to know if you want to train Joe to walk around Lake Station with the meter reading wand, or Wendy to get her in real estate training to get her Indiana blue card and list houses.
Shrinking the Pell Grant, like Congress is considering, is a horrible first start. It's like walking someone into a forest, taking off the blindfold, and saying, "Well, you were smart enough to follow me here; you're smart enough to find your way out on your own." How can government make a graceful exit or at least a reduction while getting companies to quit using the college degree as the new high school diploma and requiring it for every position? The Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Chrysler Building, and railroad beds 180 years old still being used without a rebuild are products of a few college grads designing something the other 99% of un-degreed workers putting it in place, and the past had jobs of great skill and wisdom that you trained into.
Bibliography
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Nancy Adams apologizes for DLZ plane ride
I'll let a classic liberal tell the story - even though I disagree with their glee - they did take the time to put in some good quotes. From a site calling themselves NWI Liberal.
UPDATE: Days after the Times revealed Adams violation of county policy, Adams has apologized via Facebook and has vowed she "did not think this through thoroughly" and in the Times claims she was unaware the county personnel policy manualprohibits elected officials from accepting and donors from offeringany gift, favor, service or entertainment under circumstances.
Commissioner Adams takes gift from DLZ and awards county contracts to DLZ in the same month
Porter Commissioner, Nancy Adams, and her husband were flown to a Republican dinner by DLZ. Earlier in the month she voted to award DLZ two county contracts worth $285,000.
The May 16th NWI Times article, detailing Adams actions, points out that "the county personnel policy manual prohibits elected officials from accepting and donors from offering any gift, favor, service or entertainment under circumstances in which it can be reasonably inferred the gift would influence special consideration by the official."
UPDATE: Days after the Times revealed Adams violation of county policy, Adams has apologized via Facebook and has vowed she "did not think this through thoroughly" and in the Times claims she was unaware the county personnel policy manualprohibits elected officials from accepting and donors from offeringany gift, favor, service or entertainment under circumstances.
Monday, May 16, 2011
2012 GOP Field Begins To Take Shape
Both Donald trump and Mike Huckabee have now announced that they will not be seeking the Republican nomination in 2012 for President. They join the "not going to run for President club" with New Jersey Governor Christie and Indiana's own Mike Pence, to name just a couple.
So who's running right now, and what are their hang ups (you know, hang ups, things from their past or present that would and could conceivably get in the way of winning)? It's important for Republican voters to recognize these; not because I want to trash any one candidate or sway people from voting for one person or the other (if I'm going to do that I'll save it for individual pieces or in private conversation, this isn't the piece for that) but because it lets us know what we're getting into. Also, its much better, in my opinion, for our side to recognize these "hang ups" first and address them; not only because it is good for the vetting process and assures the best candidates, but because it allows us to frame the debate and not let the left lead the Independents around by the nose with their takes on the problems with the candidates. Those that aren't of one party ideology or the other troll the internet for info, and the well informed ones (or rather, those reading this piece) recognize and appreciate the honesty that comes from supporters on our own side not blindly following, but rather proactively criticizing and keeping our own guys in line.
The announced candidates are:
Newt Gingrich: It'll be hard for him in the primary because so many conservatives are upset about him working with Pelosi and putting out the ad on global warming. Additionally, conservatives, independents, and liberals alike will be sure to skewer him about his infidelity, and the apparent hypocritical gesture of trying to impeach Clinton over his. He did do a good job while Speaker of the House though, at least I think so, so as long as he is able to move past the primary and keep his personal baggage checked he stands a chance, though not necessarily a great one.
Gary E. Johnson- While Johnson has a good track record as former Governor of New Mexico, he doesn't have much name recognition (which is a bit of a problem with many of the people on this list). He is also a libertarian, which will reek havoc on Ron Paul's already slim chance of winning the primary.
Ron Paul- As mentioned above, while Paul has a large libertarian following, and probably the best chance of winning the primary this year than any other, Johnson's candidacy will more than likely file away those better chances of winning. His recent comments about his positions on drugs and that he wouldn't have ordered Osama Bin Laden's assassination didn't sit well with a lot of people (both on the left and right) as well.
Tim Pawlenty- The former Minnesota Governor and self pronounced social conservative has two main hurdles: name recognition and his lack of exciting the grass roots base.
Herman Cain- The former Federal Reserve banker and CEO of Godfathers Pizza stands out as a black Republican, which excites those black conservatives that would like to see themselves better represented. While he certainly can tout business experience, again, lack of name recognition is a problem. Also, with many a person on the right weary of the Fed, he would have some problems getting the vote of farther right fiscally minded people.
Fred Karger- This candidate stands out to many moderate and libertarian candidates because he is an openly gay Republican. Like Cain, he could snag that segment of voters and shows that there is diversity in the party, but he will have trouble winning over social conservatives at the same time.
Mitt Romney- Two words: Romney Care. With the health care debate still glaring in the mind of many a Republican, Romney will have a hard time winning the primary. When it comes to the general election, polls have indicated that he can win over a lot of Independents and moderate Democrats, but I'm not certain there are enough clearly defined differences to energize Republicans and get them to the polls to beat Obama.
These are the officially announced candidates I've been able to find; by all means, if I'm leaving somebody out, message me or leave a comment and let me know. As other candidates join the club I'll be certain to write about them as well.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Unlawful Entry
So the Indiana Supreme Court, in all its infinite wisdom, decides that "We hold that there is no right to reasonably resist unlawful entry by police officers." (emphasis, mine)
I look at Indiana's constitution, and it says thus: "The right of the people to be secure in their possessions, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable search or seizure, shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the person or thing to be seized. Article One, Section Eleven of the Indiana Bill of Rights (emphasis, once again mine)
Well, there were a lot of Tea Party libertarian and Libertarian types holding marches and rallies over Obamacare and the cataclysmic deficit, and rightly so. And a States' Rights Tenth Amendment strain ran throughout, in which I am in agreement. I look at the above paradox, brought on by a court that does not even know what is in the Bill of Rights in its own Constitution, and I wonder what can be done to re-secure liberty, and I wonder if the big brains in the Tea Party can come up with a solution, for dumb ole I sure cannot. Get an amendment started? Why? The text saying the people have a right against unreasonable search or seizure in their homes is already in there! The question is whether the Constitution trumps a Supreme Court decision, or if the Surpeme Court makes law right along with the State Assembly. Which rides higher in our legal Book of Hoyle, a straight or a flush?
And don't go saying the US Constitution's Fourth Amendment covers us, so don't worry. It cover us in regards to FEDERAL units, not STATE.
In the meantime, I'd suggest seeing if you can get one of these from Target (Get it? A warrant mat for the armed officers with you as a target, from Target? More irony than you'd find in a battleship, it has).
17 May update: the Newton County Sheriff is more than happy to start going randomly house to house looking for bad guys. I have no problem with that, as long as he starts at his house first; with the bathroom mirror in front of him, I'm sure he will find his first bad guy under this new law.
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln
Bibliography:
The text of the Barnes vs. State of Indiana court decision.
The Indiana Constitution, Article One.
Target's "Come Back with a Warrant" doormat - made in the U.S.A.!
Newton County Sheriff's Opinion on the Matter
I look at Indiana's constitution, and it says thus: "The right of the people to be secure in their possessions, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable search or seizure, shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the person or thing to be seized. Article One, Section Eleven of the Indiana Bill of Rights (emphasis, once again mine)
Well, there were a lot of Tea Party libertarian and Libertarian types holding marches and rallies over Obamacare and the cataclysmic deficit, and rightly so. And a States' Rights Tenth Amendment strain ran throughout, in which I am in agreement. I look at the above paradox, brought on by a court that does not even know what is in the Bill of Rights in its own Constitution, and I wonder what can be done to re-secure liberty, and I wonder if the big brains in the Tea Party can come up with a solution, for dumb ole I sure cannot. Get an amendment started? Why? The text saying the people have a right against unreasonable search or seizure in their homes is already in there! The question is whether the Constitution trumps a Supreme Court decision, or if the Surpeme Court makes law right along with the State Assembly. Which rides higher in our legal Book of Hoyle, a straight or a flush?
And don't go saying the US Constitution's Fourth Amendment covers us, so don't worry. It cover us in regards to FEDERAL units, not STATE.
In the meantime, I'd suggest seeing if you can get one of these from Target (Get it? A warrant mat for the armed officers with you as a target, from Target? More irony than you'd find in a battleship, it has).
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln
Bibliography:
The text of the Barnes vs. State of Indiana court decision.
The Indiana Constitution, Article One.
Target's "Come Back with a Warrant" doormat - made in the U.S.A.!
Newton County Sheriff's Opinion on the Matter
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Indiana Humor
Working on finding a place for my startup's server when I tripped across this:
Somebody has a good sense of humor at Indiana's 21st Century Fund.
crossposted on Flit-TM
Somebody has a good sense of humor at Indiana's 21st Century Fund.
crossposted on Flit-TM
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
What Does Bin Ladens Death Mean Politically For Obama?
Well, it's been over a week since Bin Laden was shot in the head by a Navy Seal. The President did the right thing by ordering the death of Bin Laden, and he deserves kudos for a job well done, even though he's milking this thing for all it's worth (not that any other politician, Democrat or Republican, wouldn't, but it's still a little aggravating to watch). Over night President Obama's approval rating shot upward, predictably, until it hovered around fifty five percent, varying, obviously, poll to poll. Immediately many a pundit started asking that inevitable question; how will this play out politically? The President's numbers were beginning to sink lower and lower as the economy continued to stale and gas prices, so this boost in ratings was a pretty significant amount.
Certainly one can't argue that the death of Bin Laden will be a non factor in the 2012 elections; Obama will have this as part of his platform, as he rightly should, and it will probably sway some of the moderates that are very much foreign policy hawks. After all, this combined with the numerous drone attacks shows that Obama hasn't ended up being weak when it comes to the wars overseas. Also, he hasn't shut down GITMO yet (and probably won't, at least by the next elections) and though he has declared that the Iraq War is pretty much "over", we still have a lot of young men in that area training their troops. Aside from Obama not being willing to speak out about Attorney General Holder's plans to go after those that water boarded and interrogated terrorists (which, it has been said, got us the information to Bin Laden in the first place), he has pretty much followed Bush's game plans.
Ultimately, there will be two main factors in 2012 that will either make or break an Obama reelection. The first is the economy. If things don't begin looking up soon (and there are very few indications that they will), many a fiscally conservative Democrat and Independent will be voting against him, and it was the Independents and younger adults (who are having a hard time finding work after high school and college) who pushed him over the edge last election. The second main factor is who the GOP fields as a Presidential contender. Again, the economy will be a major factor with the primary race, and fiscal issues will take precedence over social ones; as long as the GOP focuses on this more than anything, and puts forth proactive ideas and policy options, an Obama reelection will be tough to achieve.
Monday, May 09, 2011
Are Progressive Tax Rates Really “Ethical”? And what are the other options?
The progressive tax rate (named for the progressing of the percentage that people owe in taxes as the amount of money increases) is lauded by its supporters as the “great equalizer”. Their reasoning is that those that make more money should pay a higher percentage amount in taxes in order to fund the government programs that they are more often than not against. This may seem fine for those that are favor of the progressive tax rate as a “more ethical” system and “more fair” way of dispersing wealth, but those that are on the opposite side don’t necessarily see what is “ethical” about taking hard earned money from one person at an unevenly distributed tax rate. Wouldn’t it, rather, be more ethical to have a flat tax rate across the board, in the spirit of fairness? What is ethical about a person who doesn’t go to college and gets a job working at McDonald’s flipping burgers for minimum wage and doesn’t end up paying anything at all in taxes because at the end of the year he gets a refund check being supported by a person who goes to school for 8 years, starts his own business, and is taxed out the nose and made to subsidize those that didn’t work hard to make something of themselves?
The biggest problem with the progressive income tax is that it actually stifles progress in general. Rather, it could be said that we have a “regressive income tax”, in that the higher taxes on those that make more money creates less money that works through our economy. For example, if a person that makes five hundred thousand is taxed at the higher “progressive” rate, then he/she isn’t going to spend that extra money to, say, purchase a new car. That new car would help out that car company, which in turn would need to hire more people, which would come from the lower income pool, supplying jobs and livelihoods. Additionally, service jobs in that region would benefit from having more people stop off to fill up their gas tanks, purchase everyday commodities like food and drink in that area, etc., etc. It’s a never ending cycle that benefits those that are on the bottom just as much if not more than those on the top.
On a similar, yet different example, the taking of more funds from those that make larger sums of money doesn’t allow those funds to be in savings accounts in banks. This is important because the banks need those pools of money to lend out to people who are starting their own businesses. Without the money to lend out capital to budding entrepreneurs (that inevitably end up competing with those that put their savings into the bank), the progressive tax rate that is supposed to save the livelihoods of the less fortunate ends up putting up an obstacle course for those that want to make their lives better on their own.
One would think that those that want to see the business realm become more “progressive” and “fair” would want to make sure that that competition is there to keep the larger corporations in check, as well. Without the ability to lend out capital to the small businesses, only major conglomerations would exist. This is not the way that it is supposed to work in a free market; there is supposed to be competition in order to make sure that there is no price gouging and to make sure that there is a “fairness” factor in every aspect of the market. The only way that real monopolies are able to happen is if the government enables them to happen.
All of the above scenarios are built around one concept: the economy is invariably tied together, and the government cannot take from one without affecting the lives of all others. This is the basic idea behind Adam Smith’s invisible hand; that people individually pursue their own selfish goals and end up helping out the whole. For example, a man needs to eat, and so he visits the butcher, helping to keep a job from disappearing. A man needs to have a place to rest his head, hence the housing industry, and etc. and etc. for innumerable amounts of goods. When a man has to limit his resources, it ultimately leads to a limitation on the resources of every other person that benefit from another man’s resources.
The argument for the progressive tax rates that refutes this thought process is that those people that may be hurt in a small way will still reap a higher benefit, or at the very least break even, by receiving the tax refunds and claiming the multiple deductions. However, this ultimately will lead to a downward spiral of sorts, with those that benefit from the rate needing more and more benefits, which drain resources from those that subsidize those benefits, and the spiral goes down and down. The ways to stop this spiral are jarring, unfortunately, for those that have been the benefits of the progressive tax system, but it is an inevitability that the system will have to be reformed in a major way in order to keep the entire system from failing.
On a different level, one looks at how ethical it is to each individual (rather than from a macroeconomic standpoint) to have a progressive tax system. What it comes down to is the issue of fairness. Those that are in favor of progressive tax rates use this word often to describe their support, and they justify it by using the usual points; it isn’t fair for the few to have so much while the many have so little, it is for the good of all society (which in the previous articles I’ve dissected and proved to be untrue), etc., etc. They believe that economic equality is an essential right that the people have, and that governments job is to step in and make sure that everything is “fair” (at least to their standards of what is fair).
Certainly it cannot be argued that the free market doesn’t have losers; it inevitably has losers because it is based on individuals work and effort more than anything (although there is a fair amount of luck that is always factored in). Most people don’t have an issue with helping out those that have lost under this system because they have been unlucky, also; though those that have lost based on their own negligence is a completely different story. The progressive tax system was put in place as a way to amend these losses, though hindsight being twenty twenty, as it always is, those on the lower wrung would benefit as much if not more under a flat tax or a Fair Tax than a “progressive” tax system that does not naturally enable them to help themselves.
Those that are against the progressive tax also think that it is unfair though based on a very different principle. They argue that it is not fair that people that succeed should be punished unequally for that success. One of the most pronounced voices over the years has been Ayn Rand, using fictional satire mixed with articles and expert opinion (some from the likes of former Federal Reserve Chairman Allan Greenspan). This group of people call themselves “collectivists” and argue that that it is indeed unethical to punish success and want of material goods and monies; people work hard for their wealth, and for the government to steal from them is not unlike any individual stealing any other good.
Really, from an ethical point, what is the difference? It is a bit of the “Robin Hood” theory; Robin Hood was justified because he was stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, in the opinion of many, but why is that right? What makes this stealing any more right than if the stealing is done the other way around?
For these reasons, many that are against the progressive tax are in favor of different tax systems. There are really three main schools of thought regarding replacement systems, and the first and most unrealistic is the complete abolition of the Sixteenth Amendment (which is the one that states that the government can impose a federal income tax) with the replacement of taxes on exports and imports (which is how America originally obtained it’s revenue) only. This is the most unrealistic, in my mind, because there is no possible way that enough could be made to make up not only our deficit, but our national debt. Granted, America has become a country that imports just about all of its finalized goods (like televisions, stereos, etc.), and so one would think that these tax revenues would and could be enough if governmental spending were reduced to minimal levels. However, the reality of this is that those spending levels would have to be reduced first, and everyone knows how hard it is to get the government to cut down on spending. I’m not saying that a reduction in spending isn’t needed, just that the amount that would be needed is more than is possible with this replacement option, particularly since there are so many other things that have to be taken into account that didn’t need to be back in 1913, when the Amendment was ratified. The positive side of going back to such a method, however, is that it would essentially FORCE politicians into reducing spending levels in a major way. Again, this is unlikely, but it is a fact none the less.
The second option, and much more possible, is the elimination of the progressive tax and the instatement of the flat tax. The flat tax is pretty much exactly how it sounds; it is an across the board tax of some percentage (many countries vary anywhere from 9 to 15%) for every person, regardless of income. This is the fairest way of distributing the tax, on an ethical level, because it does not discriminate in any way, shape, or form. Basically, whatever one makes, regardless of income, regardless of whether or not one has children, or has purchased a new car, or has kept all of his/hers receipts from work (if you haven’t caught on yet I’m talking about all of the deductions that are a part of the progressive income tax), they will still pay x amount of dollars. This will actually make those in the top one percent pay as much if not more than what they are already paying in income taxes, while not hurting the middle class people nearly as much as the progressive tax system does. Granted, this will mean that the lower wrung of people (on a scale with income, not personally) will actually have to pay taxes; this may be hard for many of them to swallow, but it is an inevitability if America is to ever get out of the debt that it is in.
The only problem with a flat tax is that it is primarily a Republican owned idea, which creates political struggles. Even if it is the best idea, Democrats more than likely would not allow it to become our countries new tax code because of simple politics. This means that a super majority would be needed in Congress, as well as a Republican President, and the odds of it passing, even then, are very slim. Most politicians (particularly of the conservative mind) don’t want to pass sweeping legislation that affects so many people.
The third, and probably most likely (from a political standpoint), is the Fair Tax. The Fair Tax is basically a replacement system of taxation, though instead of replacing it with a flat percent like the flat tax does, it collects its tax revenue at the retail level. This means that every person will receive 100% of their paycheck, except for state taxes. All taxes will be wiped clean on a federal level; Medicare tax, Social Security tax, Income tax, etc. Those will be replaced with a tax, at the retail level, of goods and services (a national sales tax of sorts). This tax replacement system has the highest likelihood of actually going through Congress and being signed by the President for a number of reasons. First, there is a built in “prebate” with this tax system that ensures that those that are on the lower wrung will receive a check in the mail that is about the amount that they would be paying in goods and services for normal everyday living. This tax replacement idea also puts a tax on all imports to help supplement any losses and to help promote growth in industries within the United States, which has been lacking because of the “progressive” tax system.
The first question many have about this tax replacement system is: How does this actually LOWER my taxes? It doesn’t, really. It is a replacement system, and what it basically does is bring in the exact same amount of income that is brought in right now, but it does it fairly (hence the name Fair Tax) per individual. If one doesn’t want to pay any more taxes, then, they wouldn’t buy any extra commodities that they don’t need. It puts the power of the tax into the hands of those BEING taxed. Sure, one could do that by not working as many hours under the tax code now, but that would punish that individual as much as it would punish the government; this way, that person could still make the money, they just don’t have to SPEND the money, if they so choose.
Additionally, since it does away with the current tax code (which harbors a LOT of taxes on businesses that actually trickle down to the consumer, since businesses don’t pay taxes, they only transfer the costs onto the people that purchase the goods and services) it ensures that businesses wouldn’t take advantage of this tax and gouge the consumer. Any individual who is remotely educated in this replacement system would know that all goods and services SHOULD go down due to the lack of extra taxes; therefore, they could gauge this fact when purchasing anything and make sure that the retailer that is offering the more reduced price (or the price that reflects the lack of excess taxes) is afforded their business. This competition is not only healthy for the economy, but it keeps each business honest with their prices. The only downside to the Fair Tax is that it would not, ultimately, lower taxation levels, which is a major issue with many a person who would ultimately support the plan otherwise.
There a lot of pros and cons with each alternative, but the end result would still be the same; it would make a more ethical taxation system become a reality, arguably. Taxation isn’t something that American’s (or human beings, in particular) much care for, but a system can and should be put in place to ensure that people aren’t asked to bear more than their fair brunt of the burden. Additionally, it should be a priority of the government to stop hurting those that want to help make this country more economically stable anymore than they are hurting any other group or sub group with the Draconian tax laws that are in place currently.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Cedar Lake Specific and Lake and Porter County general Voting resources!
1) Cedar Lake
2) Lake County
3) Porter County
1) Primary is Tuesday! The Republicans of Cedar Lake and Hanover Township have only one contested race and both of them are great candidates. First, if you do not know what Ward/Precinct you are in, the map links are below:
I made a copy but it won't zoom in like the one online:
The zoomable map is located here.
Marilyn Kaper - Ward 2 Town Council
John Foreman - Ward 2 Town Council
(Personal note: Within my family there is a split on this choice.)
Win/win no matter who comes out on top. Marilyn Kaper has been a devoted servant/board member/involved parent in Cedar Lake for somewhere in the vicinity of 30 years and has been an active part of the long, slow change from backwoods burgh to modern(izing) and growing community and certainly integral to making Hanover Central Schools one of the best school districts in the State of Indiana. John Foreman (who clued me in to the location of the map online) has been part of the recent developments in town as the incumbent Council member and is familiar with and works in hi-tech industry. John is a well-traveled professional in a highly specialized industry, Marilyn is also known to the town as her family's Cedar Lake Florist shop is a Lakeshore Drive fixture.
Running unopposed on the primary ballot:
Ralph Miller - Ward 4 Town Council
Patricia (King) Cassasa - Ward 6 Town Council
Gregory (Greg) Parker - Ward 7 Town Council
Amy Sund - Clerk Treasurer
The Cedar Lake Town Councilmembers each serve a term of four years. The terms of the Councilmembers are staggered. Wards 1, 3, and 5 are elected every 4 years in the even numbered years (2006, 2010, 2014, etc). Wards 2, 4, 6 and 7 and the Clerk-Treasurer are elected every 4 years in the odd numbered years (2007, 2011, 2015, etc).
Primary elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May. At this election, each party elects the candidates to represent their party. The election is always held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Officials elected in the general election take office the following January 1st.
A citizen of the Town may vote in Town elections if they are:
Note: Polls are open from 6 AM to 6 PM.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAKE TIME TO VOTE, YOU ARE AN AMERICAN!!!
3) Contact Information Porter County
219-465-3484 - 219-465-3486 – 219-465-3488 – 219-465-3487
2) Lake County
3) Porter County
1) Primary is Tuesday! The Republicans of Cedar Lake and Hanover Township have only one contested race and both of them are great candidates. First, if you do not know what Ward/Precinct you are in, the map links are below:
I made a copy but it won't zoom in like the one online:
The zoomable map is located here.
Marilyn Kaper - Ward 2 Town Council
John Foreman - Ward 2 Town Council
(Personal note: Within my family there is a split on this choice.)
Win/win no matter who comes out on top. Marilyn Kaper has been a devoted servant/board member/involved parent in Cedar Lake for somewhere in the vicinity of 30 years and has been an active part of the long, slow change from backwoods burgh to modern(izing) and growing community and certainly integral to making Hanover Central Schools one of the best school districts in the State of Indiana. John Foreman (who clued me in to the location of the map online) has been part of the recent developments in town as the incumbent Council member and is familiar with and works in hi-tech industry. John is a well-traveled professional in a highly specialized industry, Marilyn is also known to the town as her family's Cedar Lake Florist shop is a Lakeshore Drive fixture.
Running unopposed on the primary ballot:
Ralph Miller - Ward 4 Town Council
Patricia (King) Cassasa - Ward 6 Town Council
Gregory (Greg) Parker - Ward 7 Town Council
Amy Sund - Clerk Treasurer
2) By going to the Lake County Indiana webpage and clicking on the GIS link, you can see the precinct maps of all municipalities in Lake County, Indiana.
So once you know which precinct/ward that is yours, you then go to the voting site for that ward.
Election Information
The Cedar Lake Town Councilmembers each serve a term of four years. The terms of the Councilmembers are staggered. Wards 1, 3, and 5 are elected every 4 years in the even numbered years (2006, 2010, 2014, etc). Wards 2, 4, 6 and 7 and the Clerk-Treasurer are elected every 4 years in the odd numbered years (2007, 2011, 2015, etc).
Primary elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May. At this election, each party elects the candidates to represent their party. The election is always held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Officials elected in the general election take office the following January 1st.
A citizen of the Town may vote in Town elections if they are:
- A U.S. citizen,
- 18 years of age or older,
- A resident of the State of Indiana for 6 months,
- A resident of either Hanover or Center Township for 60 days,
- A resident of the precinct in which they live for at least 30 days prior to the date of the election,
- Registered with the Lake County Board of Registration.
Note: Polls are open from 6 AM to 6 PM.
| Precinct | Voting Locations |
| CL1 | Boys and Girls Club 13000 Fairbanks |
| CL2 | Cedar Lake American Legion 13050 Washington |
| CL3 | Knights of Columbus 13039 Wicker Avenue |
| CL4 | Cedar Lake Community Center (Park Office) 7408 Constitution Avenue |
| CL5 | Cedar Lake American Legion 13050 Washington |
| CL6 | Cedar Lake Town Hall 7408 Constitution Avenue |
| CL7 | Cedar Lake Town Hall 7408 Constitution Avenue |
PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAKE TIME TO VOTE, YOU ARE AN AMERICAN!!!
3) Contact Information Porter County
Kathryn Kozuszek, Democrat Director
Telephone: (219) 465-3484
Telephone: (219) 465-3484
Sundae Kubacki, Republican Director
Telephone: (219) 465-3486
Telephone: (219) 465-3486
155 Indiana Avenue, Suite 105
Valparaiso, Indiana 46383
Fax: (219) 465-3497
Valparaiso, Indiana 46383
Fax: (219) 465-3497
Hours:
Monday - Friday (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.)
Monday - Friday (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.)
2011 Primary Municipal Election – Porter County
2011 Primary Municipal Election – Porter County
ELECTION DAY: May 3rd, 2011
VOTING HOURS: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM at designated Polling Locations
EARLY VOTING: (ABSENTEE IN PERSON) Starts Monday April 4th, 2011
Early voting locations and times are as follows:
Porter County Government Center 155 Indiana Ave Ste. 105, Valparaiso
Monday thru Friday 8:30 AM –4:30 PM
North County Government Complex 3560 Willow Creek Rd. Portage, In.
Monday thru Friday 8:30 AM –3:30 PM
We will ONLY be open the last Saturday before the election April 30th at the Valparaiso location only. 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM.
***Absentee Voting In-Person ends at noon on Monday, May 2nd at both locations. Both locations will be closed Friday, April 22nd in observance of Good Friday.
In addition: we offer absentee voting by mail. Anyone wanting to vote absentee by mail may do so by calling our office to request the required application.
ELECTION DAY: May 3rd, 2011
VOTING HOURS: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM at designated Polling Locations
EARLY VOTING: (ABSENTEE IN PERSON) Starts Monday April 4th, 2011
Early voting locations and times are as follows:
Porter County Government Center 155 Indiana Ave Ste. 105, Valparaiso
Monday thru Friday 8:30 AM –4:30 PM
North County Government Complex 3560 Willow Creek Rd. Portage, In.
Monday thru Friday 8:30 AM –3:30 PM
We will ONLY be open the last Saturday before the election April 30th at the Valparaiso location only. 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM.
***Absentee Voting In-Person ends at noon on Monday, May 2nd at both locations. Both locations will be closed Friday, April 22nd in observance of Good Friday.
In addition: we offer absentee voting by mail. Anyone wanting to vote absentee by mail may do so by calling our office to request the required application.
219-465-3484 - 219-465-3486 – 219-465-3488 – 219-465-3487
The last day that this office can accept absentee ballot applications is
Monday April 25th.
Monday April 25th.
Voting by fax or email is offered to Military and Overseas Voters ONLY.
THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE OR MAKE CHANGES TO YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION FOR THIS ELECTION IS MONDAY April 4TH 2010.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in working on election day as a poll worker, please call 219-465-3484 to be assigned to a Democrat position or 219-465-3594 to be assigned to a Republican position. The pay range for the day is between $135.00-$110.00 plus a meal allowance. All poll workers must attend a training class.
THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE OR MAKE CHANGES TO YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION FOR THIS ELECTION IS MONDAY April 4TH 2010.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in working on election day as a poll worker, please call 219-465-3484 to be assigned to a Democrat position or 219-465-3594 to be assigned to a Republican position. The pay range for the day is between $135.00-$110.00 plus a meal allowance. All poll workers must attend a training class.
Early Voting Information
![[External]](http://www.porterco.org/fileadmin/templates/main/images/external_link_icon.gif "External Link"){kind=icon}
See also:
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Osama Bin Laden is dead
Osama Bin Laden has been killed!
Via FoxNews:
Sources said bin Laden was killed by a U.S. bomb a week ago. The U.S. had been waiting for the results of a DNA test to confirm his identity.
The announcement comes nearly a decade after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks which started a tireless hunt for the terrorist mastermind and Al Qaeda leader.
I don’t know about you, but I’m stunned. Simply stunned. Thank God he’s gone. And thanks to the many who sacrificed so much, including their very lives, to finally get to this point.
More to come as this develops.
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