Governor Daniels on Amtrak

No, he's not riding the train, he's in favor of ending the preposterous subsidies Amtrak receives. Daniels will not fight to preserve the subsidies. From the Indy Star:

"Amtrak costs Indiana taxpayers a fortune," Daniels said. "Every time someone gets on an Amtrak train it would be less expensive to buy them an airplane ticket and hand it to them on the platform."

My goodness, but that's a breath of fresh air! Less expensive still would be to allow transportation to be the concern of those using the transportation, but I'll refrain from nitpicking. Right on, Gov!

The downside in the immediate future is that the Amtrak facility in Beech Grove could be shut down without the continued subsidies. That's unfortunate for the workers and families at the facility. I know that they are skilled workers, so they should be able to translate those skills into jobs in other facilities.

The upside is that all residents of this state will be spared some measure of tax burden. This is big picture thinking, and for that, Daniels deserves credit.

Predictably, there are politicians who are looking small picture. US Senator Evan Bayh and US Representative Julia Carson are two have so announced themselves.

"The Beech Grove facility and Amtrak not only provide hundreds of Hoosier jobs but also help improve our air quality and cuts down on traffic congestion and similar problems," Bayh said in a statement.

Unfortunately, the hundreds of jobs that produce for no particular demand is a drag on all six million Hoosiers.

Moreover, the idea that Amtrak reduces traffic congestion is a myth. Most riders are leisure travelers who prefer the leisurely pace of the train. The one exception is the Northeast Corridors, where there is actual commuter demand. Here in Indy? People don't want to take the train. It's way too slow from a-to-b (4:50 by train, 3:00 by car) and still leaves the rider renting a car at the station of destination.

Proof that nobody rides? There is only one direct roundtrip train available daily. The other three offerings are BUS RIDES! This is from Amtrak's website! The current Amtrak fare for an Indy- round trip Chicago is $20. Twenty stinkin' bucks! When demand is low, so is the number of runs, and the prices follow.

Now, let us hope that Daniels, a Republican, can take this very logical position on subsidized rail and prevail on the various Republican regional leaders who are backing another subsidized rail boondoggle on the old Nickel Plate railroad, from Fishers to Indianapolis. Quoth Daniels,

"...the idea of downsizing Amtrak to places where people actually ride trains, as opposed to hitting the taxpayers of Indiana and America over and over for hundreds of millions of dollars to support a losing venture is not something I support."

It's true on the national scale, and true on the local scale.

Poker Results

My second evening of tourney play showed more improvement, as I finished 9th overall, which put me the points for the second week in a row. More on that later.

The most fun I had all evening was the first hand I won. It was a fairly unremarkable hand. There was an ace on the flop, I had an ace in hand, and I check-raised hard. The player making the initial bet correctly guessed that I had the ace, but asked me to tell him. That wasn't happening, so I trotted out one of my favorite Matt Damon lines from Rounders: "Sorry. Funny enough, I forgot".

He was pissed! He said something to the effect that he would get me later. I snickered and acknowledged that he might well.

I was eliminated on the last hand before consolidating the last two tables into the final table. My new friend was nowhere to be found. Again, in losing, there were lessons to be learned.

There are plenty of novices at the table besides myself, but in addition to that, since there is no buy-in, the players tend to be really loose and agressive in betting up lousy hands. What the heck, they aren't betting the rent. As a result, tight play can help a player survive as wild play takes several players out. I took this route. It helped me later, as players reacted to my larger bets assuming that I had the cards since I wasn't playing anything weak.

I discovered that I could bully anybody with a shorter stack of chips. If another player started the betting, so long as nobody else made a bet, and I could raise the bet to put the betting player all-in. Invariably, they chose certain survival over potential elimination. They would fold and I would rake in the chips. Best yet, I never had to show the cards.

I used this ploy successfully four times before being moved to a table where all of the players but one had greater stacks then I did. That one player had only a little more than enough to make the big blind, which she had to put up. She went all-in without even looking at her cards. I was on her left, and another player with a larger stack was on my left. After I called the big blind, he quickly went all-in, and I figured it was little more than an attempt to run her off the table. I believed that he probably didn't have much more than a K-Q or A-10, and with his full stack on the table, he would scare everybody else away. I had pocket 8s. A pair of Jacks showed on the flop. I went all-in, even though I couldn't cover his bet, which was over 1,000 chips. I had about 900. He was shocked that I called. We turned the cards over.

He had a Jack. So, he got much more than he bargained for, taking down two players at once and an extra 900 chips above what he had planned. The lesson is: stick to the game plan, especially when it is working. Two pair was a nice hand, but I was only in for 80 when he went all-in. I could have easily folded and kept the 900 chips, and more importantly, kept playing deeper into the tourney.

Now, as the tournament scoreboard goes, I was in the points both weeks- 50 points for best hand of the night last week, 100 points for 9th place this time. I'm going to need to do much more if I'm going to advance to the next round. In fact, I pretty much have to win a night. Only the top five in points will advance, and winning is good for 1,000 points. I'm guessing there will be five winners, so five players with at least 1,000 points. Points system.

LPIN Central Committee member Chris Ward and his girlfriend Beth did not fare so well this time. Still, with Beth's 4th place finish in the first week, she's in a position I would happily trade for.

See you at Barley Island next Thursday!

Poker Tonight

Join me for Texas Hold 'Em tonight in Noblesville, at the Barley Island Brewery. Nothing to lose- there is no buy-in fee, just a nice for-fun tournament setting. Registration is from 6-7pm, with play starting at 7:00.

Fellow LP leader Chris Ward will be there, too. Let's see if I can't outlast him tonight.

Another Distraction

With another recent post, I began to chronicle the difference between the issues the candidates were campaigning on and what they are bringing up as legislative proposals.

This time? Abortion.

Nobody volunteered positions on abortion after the primaries, when Republicans were trying to sort out there allegiences. Now, there are ten different bills circulating that address the topic.

There is a budget crisis in this state. I do not describe the abortion issue as a crisis. Abortion is still the law of the land, and should probably be revisited in debate at the Federal level. So, at the state level, I describe it as a distraction from dealing with the real crisis, which is the budget.

Observe this lengthy quote from the Indy Star story, where the circus-like, emotional gushing makes what seems to me the perfect distraction.

"During Wednesday's House debate, several lawmakers shared emotional, personal stories.

Rep. Bob Alderman, R-Fort Wayne and chairman of the House Public Policy and Veterans Affairs Committee, talked about his own rough childhood and how that shaped his anti-abortion views. Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, stormed out of the room in tears before returning to talk about the babies she lost during pregnancy.

Austin's story brought Rep. Robert Kuzman, D-Merrillville, to tears. Kuzman, who was adopted and who adopted a child of his own, has worked to improve Indiana's adoption laws.

Rep. Cleo Duncan, R-Greensburg, cried as she talked about how a near-abortion affected her family.

And an angry Vanessa Summers, D-Indianapolis, left the hearing after her vote and yelled to an anti-abortion proponent who approached her: "In the name of Jesus, get out of my face," before threatening to call in Indiana State Police troopers.

The Statehouse is turning into Bedlam. Please- Don't forget about the budget. It is still the real Number One priority.

Interesting Comments By A Conservative

George Will talks about something he calls "the church of true conservatism" in his most recent column. He mentions libertarianism, and clarifies that libertarianism is distinct from "true conservatism".

I couldn't agree more. What gets my attention is not the mere mention of libertarianism in his column. It is that Will, a highly respected and influential conservative columnist, describes Arnold Schwartzeneggar as a libertarian conservative, and says that, "his conservatism ... Is the point of the spear in conservatism's primary political challenge -- defeating liberalism's attempt to Europeanize America".

Libertarian purists might bristle Will's description of Arnold as a libertarian. However, Will cites thusly:

"His libertarianism extends beyond the theory of political economy he
encountered as a young man in the writings of Milton Friedman, and beyond the
exuberant entrepreneurialism of his life, to social issues. He favors abortion
rights, does not care if any state's voters endorse gay marriage, and has "no
use" for a constitutional amendment barring that."

It is the fiscal side that Gov. Ah-nohd is focusing on, and in that area, the Governor is a-ok. I like that Will has reminded conservatives of Friedman. They need that reminder. In fact, we could use a Governor here in Indiana much like him. Ironic that Mitch Daniels had the nickname 'The Blade' when in DC on the Bush Administration. Daniels' solution to budgetary shortfalls? A laughable 'temporary' tax on those earning $100,000 or more. Arnold, as a Libertarian governor would do, proposes cuts across the board. From Will:

"He proposes to cut spending across the board when the budget is not balanced,
and to adopt nonpartisan redistricting by a panel of retired judges. This latter
might pick the lock that the Democratic Party and its base in the public
employees unions have on the Legislature. Schwarzenegger's program aims to
curtail the distributional politics that drive government's expansion."

In fact, all of these could as easily have come from a libertarian governor.

I like that will credits Arnold's libertarianism. If the case of California is to be in the public eye, and Arnold is instituting libertarian solutions to the extent his state's legislature will allow it, let's make sure that libertarianism is credited when the successful outcomes arrive.

Google-O-Rama

I get a kick out of the searches that bring people to this page. Check out some of the recent ones, either Google or Yahoo searches:

On Yahoo, "the evil Mitch Daniels," this page turns up 5th from the top. I don't think Mitch is evil, but I do think that he could cut the budget 2% across the board.

On Google, "Nancy Pelosi's Makeup at 2005 State of the Union response", this page turns up 12th from the top. I have no idea why. I didn't notice a thing about her makeup in the response. Harry Reid, however...

Back to Yahoo for, "Mitch Daniels Sucks," this page turns up 11th from the top. Why all the Mitch hate? I don't think Mitch sucks. Actually, I admire his boldness. I don't agree with him on everything, especially when he proposes raising taxes, and I certainly would have preferred a Governor Gividen, but it beats a Governor Kernan so far.

On Yahoo, the #1 response for the query, "Facts on Atocha train station", is the Kole Hard Facts blog. I'm ahead of CBS, MSNBC, and other news agencies. Go figure that. I happened to be at Atocha station about six weeks before it was bombed last year, so I blogged my experience at the station. It's a wonderful station, or was, with luscious tropical plants and trees throughout the interior. I included a link to some of my pictures. Maybe that did it.

It amazing to me that since this is mainly a political blog, I get more hits on things non-political. The name "Victoria Snelgrove" still ranks as the highest bringing people to my site. She was killed in a crowd control effort after the Red Sox won the World Series. I might have thought that the word 'libertarian' would have been the top draw. Alas. What the heck- I'm glad for people checking out the site, and the libertarian politics, even if they were looking for other things.

Texas Hold 'Em Fun

I was delighted to get an email from LP Central Committee District Rep Chris Ward, asking me if I would join him at a Texas Hold 'Em tournament. You bet I would! Best part of all- no buy-in cost.

Barley Island brewery in Noblesville is hosting the event every Thursday in the hopes of drumming up some business. About 40 people played. The atmosphere was very friendly. After all, there was no buy-in, so nobody was losing the rent.

This was my first tournament play of any size greater than one table, so I was pleased enough just to not be the first thrown off the island. I made it past the first third of eliminated players, but not much further. Again, I was pleased.

I only had about five hands to really play, and fortunately, two of them were very good hands. The first was the opening hand of the night, so I was set up to play for a long time as long as I didn't get reckless. After the blinds were raised the first time, I was in with my table's chip leader for a big pot. I had the big hand, with a full house, Aces over 8's. That hand stood up as the best hand of the night. Where I did lose big was on a hand where I had a flush, but another player had a better flush. After that, the blinds ate me up.

Chris did very well, surviving into the final third of players. His girlfriend Beth did even better, finishing 4th. I think she knocked him out of the game, which should have made for some entertaining banter on the drive home.

I'll be looking forward to playing again at Barley Island next Thursday, but also to using Hold 'Em tourneys as fun team-builders in the campaign.

Priority Number One?

I was pretty involved with the campaigning throughout Indiana in 2004. As a county chair of a political party, I had my eyes and ears open on issues, looking for an angle to supply my candidates. As a secretary of a state political party, I often submitted letter and op-eds to newspapers across the state in response to positions taken by high-profile candidates, such as those running for governor. I even attended one of the two gubernatorial debates. Overall, I have a pretty good feel for what the candidates from any party were running on.

Here's my ranking for issues, as they were discussed on the trail.

1. State Budget.
2. Jobs.
3. Education.

These three were miles ahead of everything else. Here are the also-rans.

4. The extention of I-69.
5. Daylight Savings Time.
6. The future of the Indianapolis Colts.
7. Same-sex marriage.

Also, many legislators and legislative candidates took No New Taxes Pledges.

So, it has been fascinating to watch Governor Daniels make DST the first issue out of the gate; to watch the Legislature propose myriad new taxes; to watch same-sex marriage and the future of the Colts leap-frog jobs in terms of public discussion; to watch I-69 and education fade from discussion; and to watch the Legislature propose a slew of new traffic laws.

Traffic laws? Nobody even campaigned on this. Why is it now priority #1?

A Bill would allow the installation of cameras at intersections, designed to nab red light runners. Another would increase the speed limit. Another would ban the use of cell phones in vehicles. I'm missing some others.

Whatever happened to priorities? How about legislating in accordance with the campaigns? Is this too much to ask?

Report Card Is In

Governing Magazine issued report cards on the governments of all 50 states in their February 2005 issue. It is an interesting report, but prepared to take it with some minor grains of salt.

No state was given an overall grade lower than C-. No state was graded higher than A-. That's a pretty tight set of results. Shouldn't someone have gotten an A+ or an F? Grades at a glance.

But overall, the analysis looks very sound, especially in light of this highlighted sentence that summed up state government:

"Historically tight-fisted Indiana got in trouble when it continued spending as
if the recession hadn't happened."

Preach it! Indiana was graded an overall C+.

Notably, 20 categories were spotlighted and ranked "Strength", "Mid-Level", and "Weakness". Indiana was assessed "Weakness" in 10 categories, (including Long-Term Outlook, Structural Balance, and Budgeting Performance) and "Strength" in just one (Intergovernmental Coordination). More data and analysis.

So what are they focusing on in the Statehouse? Traffic laws, gay marriage, and smoking. Amazing. Pathetic.

Boredom Follow-up

The NFL's choice of a halftime performer was designed to reduce complaints to the FCC. Mission accomplished. According to Fox Sports:

"Last year, Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" resulted in more than
500,000 complaints to the Federal Communications Commission.

This year, Paul McCartney's halftime performance resulted in just two ...
by viewers who found the show to be far less titillating than last
year's."

Boring. Boring, dreadful, dreary, and awful. Last year's show was dreadful and awful, but at least it was interesting.

Lamest Ever

I've watched many Super Bowl broadcasts over the years, and I have to say that this one was easily the least interesting. The NFL has regained the rights to the moniker No Fun League.

It was the lamest close championship game I've ever seen, in any sport. New England is masterful in allowing a game to look close on the scoreboard without the oppostion, or any viewer, ever believing that a comeback is possible. There was no tension whatsoever.

The commercials were the least entertaining in the time I've been aware of them. Only once did I laugh out loud (the guy holding the cat in one hand, the knife in the other, and the red sauce on the cat and the floor). Not once did I go, "Ooh! Wow! Cool".

In an attempt to not repeat the Janet Jackson incident from last year, the Super Bowl chose Paul McCartney to perform. Amazing- in the 60s, the Beatles were the fore of the counter culture, unpredictable and daring. Today, McCartney is safe as milk, predictable and boring.

The broadcast team of Buck, Collinsworth, and Aikman make a graduate course in statistics seem exciting. The commentary might have been more exciting if stand-up comic Richard Wright gave his deadpan delivery. Only adding Pat Summerall could have made the team more dull.

That's four hours of my life I'll never get back. At least I got the laundry done.

You can't even hate the Patriots' dynasty, due to the austere, team-oriented nature of all involved. These aren't the evil Yankees or even the juvenile Red Sox. You almost want Tom Brady to brag that he's never lost a playoff game. It ain't braggin', after all- he's done it.

Way to go, NFL.

Most innovative use of lost time by a TV network: Animal Planet aired something during the game called the Puppy Bowl. It was merely a playpen for about 8 puppies, with six different cameras. The puppies played, and a different camera angle was shown about every 10 seconds or so. Cute and cheap to produce.

Ayn Rand's 100th Birthday

No book influenced my thinking more than Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. It was first recommended to me by a girlfriend's mother when I was 18. I couldn't bring myself to wade through 1100 pages in the summer before college. I picked it up again when I was 26, and I was transformed from a liberal Democrat to a Libertarian. My premises were largely the same, but for the first time I began to see economic issues in terms of individual rights in the same way I had seen issues affecting other areas of life. My premise was and is the right to self-determination. I had missed that economic issues should be applied in the same way.

There are many fine tributes out there, and I will not duplicate them. Reason Magazine dedicated the cover of the current issue to Rand's 100th, and columnist Cathy Young's tribute is the feature article. Fellow Hoosier Libertarian Al Barger penned a tribute. The Ayn Rand Institute is hosting Rand Centenary Conferences, that are a bit pricey, but interesting. There is even a Rand fan dating service. It surprises me that the male-female ratio is only 3:1.

As for my own more personal tribute, I will stay at my desk until I fall asleep working.

Nutshell State of the Union Review

I'm not so big on Federal issues as some. Obviously, they greatly affect our lives and matter enormously. Yet, the state and local issues are the ones dearest to me.

That said, it was impossible to avoid watching the SOTU speech, and the opposition response, following an election. The campaigning is over, and the question for me is, 'Lame duck or hard-charging policy maker/legacy builder'? Clearly, Bush is going for the latter.

Here's my idealism showing: I expect a SOTU speech to say, 'this is where we were, this is where we are, and this is where we are going'. I found the speech to be long on emotion and rhetoric, and short on the boardroom report. New Indiana governor Mitch Daniels gave me more of what I expect of these kinds of missives.

Alas, the State of the Union Address is a President's hour on the bully pulpit. He is free to talk about whatever he wishes, and for as long as I can remember, these speeches have sounded more like ongoing campaigning than the boardroom report.

I was amused by Nancy Pelosi's part of the Democratic response. I was quickly interested as she also noted the emphasis of rhetoric in her complaint, but then my enthusiasm vanished as she offered her own rhetoric as the Democratic solution.

The honoring of the parents of the slain Marine was the touching high point. The embrace of the mother with the Iraqi woman fresh off her first vote was a most effective use of props. I'm a pretty tough critic, but I was very moved by the scene, especially as the mother held her son's dog tag, and the chain tangled in the Iraqi's dress. That's the kind of symbolism the speechwriting team wishes it could have staged.

Since Iraq and foreign policy is where the President will eternally hang his hat, the bulk of the speech revolved around these issues. Again, this is a disappointment to me, due to my deeper interest in domestic policy. When will we get out of Iraq? The President was as vague as possible. Will this War on Terrorism become an eternal campaign? The door is certainly open for it, but no obvious plan was set forth.

On the domestic side, Social Security was discussed in more detail than anything was, and made for me the clear distinction between Republicans, Libertarians, and Democrats on the issue.

Democrats have been posturing towards leaving the system alone to run as is, despite the obvious train wreck awaiting this Ponzi scheme, as more people enter the receiving side then enter the contributing side. Libertarians prefer anything from a complete elimination of the program (it's your money, take it all home and spend or invest it as you see fit) to a complete privatization. Bush is proposing middle ground to these, with a very gradual shift in the allocation of a small fraction of the contributions into private accounts. Bush and the Republicans clearly continue to agree with Democrats that government is correct to mandate that a percentage of one's income must be set aside into retirement accounts.

Notable: The budget will continue to have a structural deficit that builds upon the existing deficit. It's amazing that this Administration can make Democrats look fiscally responsible. Freezes in spending in some areas is nice, but cuts across the board would have been more than refreshing- it is the right thing to do.

Campaign Photos

Big thanks to Bob & Cindy Kirkpatrick for their work on my campaign photos. Bob shot the pics, while Cindy helped me with poses and in keeping the mood light.

The Glorious Acts of Our Legislature, II

If you are a legislator, why deal with the budget and other things that really matter when you can seem suitably busy writing laws that appear to make our streets safer?

First it was House Bill 1508, that would ban the use of cell phones. Now, it's Senate Bill 570, that would install the eye in the sky cameras designed to catch those who run a red light.

Once again, on the surface, this seems laudable enough. Nab those who blow through red lights automatically. The camera captures the image of the offender, the license plate number is observed, and the offender gets the fine in the mail.

Think a little deeper, though. If I have a legitimate emergency with my son, and I'm not willing to wait for the ambulance, I'll blow through every red light in town to get to the hospital, and I'm going to have a thousand dollars in fines to deal with. I'll do this every time in order to get my son the treatement he needs in an emergency situation.

When in a rough part of town at 2am at a deserted intersection, and there are menacing young men approach the vehicle waiting at the red light, it's not uncommon to see drivers blow through the red light without endangering anyone, and in fact, taking themselves out of danger.

Then, of course, there are the considerations of the costs of the cameras, and of Big Brother. Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson has chimed in, so that we'll all understand. From the Star:

"What's the difference between having a police officer sit there at an
intersection versus having a camera do it?" Peterson asked. "Red-light cameras
will significantly reduce the number of people running red lights."

The difference is discretion. A human being on patrol upon seeing an infraction can quickly deduce the danger created by running a red light. The officer pulls over the driver and learns whether the driver is drunk, impatient, or has a legitimate emergency. The camera takes none of this into account. It doesn't care whether running the light created any danger or not. Pass too late, pay a price.

This proposal is just as unnecessary as the proposed cell phone law. If you get in a wreck because you used a cell phone or ran a red light, you are at fault, and you get the citation. If you do either and nobody is harmed, should you be penalized for the harm that wasn't caused?

There are studies out there on this topic. The wind-up is that longer yellow lights help give drivers more time to make the stop before red.

There is poetic justice out there, too. In several locations, the owners of vehicles were getting scads of violation notices with fines for running red lights. These owners were the cities that installed the cameras. After all, nobody runs red lights more than police, fire, and other municipal emergency vehicles.

The Glorious Acts of Our Indiana Legislature

I always have to remember to take a deep breath when examining the laws being proposed by our grand Legislature. I detest most of the new legislation on the table, but have to forgive our representatives in the House and Senate for it. After all, writing laws is what a Legislature does, and if they don’t write enough laws, it can begin to look like they’ve been loafing.

Call me strange, but I rather prefer a Legislature that goofs off and under produces new laws. I’m convinced we have enough of them already, and agree with Mark Twain, who famously said that no man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the Legislature is in session.

Mainly, that is because no lawmaker wants to look like a slacker, especially so soon after an election. It’s bad form. As a result, we get some hideous proposals that I would chalk up as an effort to hide behind some broad good intention while looking meaningful, or at least busy.

House Bill 1508 is a textbook case as one such proposal.

Representative Vanessa Summers, an Indianapolis Democrat, has introduced legislation that would prohibit the use of cell phones, making exceptions for hands-free devices and for emergency use. The proposed fine for violations of the law would be up to $25. Indy Star story.

The intent is to make our streets a little less hazardous. We have all groused at the idiot guilty of driving while in conversation that cut us off or made us miss a light, and we have cursed the driver and his cell phone. Summers’ proposal takes its cue from similar laws passed in New York and the District of Columbia. As everyone knows, these cities now have the safest streets in the world.

This law is rife with problems, from practical application to the higher concerns of individual liberty.

I know four friends, right off the top of my head, who would gladly pay up to $25 per call, as a cost of doing business. They think this highly of each and every one of their calls. $25 is no kind of deterrent for these people.

What is emergency use? I define emergency use of a cell phone as a frantic call to a friend because I suddenly had two tickets offered to me for a Colts’ playoff game, and I have to accept within five minutes, or the tickets will be passed on to a co-worker. My wife defines it as having found a deal on furniture, and she’s on her way home so I can look at fabric swatches. I’m betting that this is not what the Representative had in mind. Some revisions will be in order.

But why just cell phones? If the real intent of the law is to eliminate distractions from our roadways, why not ban them all? Summers could justifiably expand the proposal to include a ban on smoking in the car, adjusting the radio or inserting a Britney Spears CD, eating fast food, scolding the rug rats in the backseat, talking with your spouse, shaving or applying makeup, doing the crossword puzzle, using a laptop computer, using on-screen directions to Starbucks, and rehearsing your excuse that explains your tardiness to the boss.

Could we really ban Britney Spears CDs? I digress.

Before the law is done with revisions, no common person will be able to read and understand it, and mainly, drivers will just continue to take their chances.

This begs the significant philosophical question: Why bother?

Isn’t it sufficient that citations can already be issued if the use of a cell phone is the cause of an accident? Why pile on? No harm, no foul: If the use of a cell phone isn’t endangering anyone in the moment, why penalize for the harm that was not caused?

Ah, the law is to be a deterrent, to eliminate the possibility of harm. But won’t it also become more than that? How much of a stretch is it to envision police pulling over drivers who endanger nobody on a deserted road at 11pm, but who are guilty of making a cell call, just so the officer can meet his monthly quota? Isn’t that a harm all its own?

Say, if the police pull a driver over to the side of the road, isn’t that the sort of distraction that could cause an accident? It should be banned!

Let’s hope this Bill dies in committee. If it passes, Summers will run for re-election in 2006 on the basis of having produced this wonderful law… and of having been suitably busy.

The Latest From The Libertarian Writer's Bureau

Ah, the economics of disaster. While there has been much hand-wringing and accusation about the stinginess of American giving (bunk, of course), there is a correct place for accusation against American policy in one area: trade. Sri Lanka is a poor country. American policy on trade coming from Sri Lanka hasn't helped. From Dr. Eric Schansberg, and the Libertarian Writer's Bureau:

Worse Than Tsunami, Trade Protectionism Hurts Third World Citizens

by Dr. Eric Schansberg
Libertarian Writers' Bureau

Last Thursday, I was heartened to read the news that my church, Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY, had collected $732,000 from its members (beyond its weekly giving) for tsunami relief in Southeast Asia. That partially offset the news I had read the previous Thursday-- as reported in the Wall Street Journal-- that tariffs imposed on Sri Lanka were nearly $250,000,000 in 2003.

Nearly all of that amount was taxes imposed on the Sri Lankan textile industry. And the amount imposed on that one foreign industry exceeded all of the tariffs imposed on all trade with all six Scandinavian countries-- despite the fact that those countries export nearly 12 times more to the U.S., have about 10 times more GDP thanSri Lanka's, and have people whose per capita incomes are far higher than those in Sri Lanka.

Why does this occur?

The textile industry in this country is one of many special interest groups that benefits from having their competition restricted. They and their politicians find it favorable to impose discriminatory taxes on foreign producers and American consumers.

In contrast to the obvious benefits for politicians and the protected industry, the costs imposed are subtle. How many consumers know that they pay significantly higher prices for clothing because of these laws? How many voters care that foreign workers and investors in poor countries are impeded in their ability to sell product within the wealthiest market in the world?

Because Christians tend to pay almost exclusive attention to relatively few (albeit important) issues, they often ignore other important policies. The passions of the Religious Right flair on issues of social morality and abortion, but they rarely think about issues of economic justice. The Scriptures, especially through theprophets, give a more balanced picture. The interests of the Religious Left are centered more tightly around the fate of the poor.

But their policy attentions in that realm are relatively narrow, focusing mostly on welfare and foreign aid. Pragmatism would seem to warrant discussion of a wider set of issues. Christian Libertarians are excited about voluntary displays of charity, but saddened that political shenanigans can so easily swamp the efforts of compassionate people.

All that said, care for the poor and oppressed is not a strictly Christian exercise. And very few people-Christian or not-are informed about the primary and secondary consequences of significant policy issues. Although Southeast Christian Church can be pleased and honored to pay part of Uncle Sam's tax bill for the Sri Lankans,perhaps all of us should pay more attention to the larger issues of trade protectionism and the mechanics of economic justice.

Eric Schansberg
Professor of Economics
Indiana University Southeast
author of Turn Neither to the Right nor to the Left: A Thinking Christian's Guide to Politics and Public Policy

This is What You Want, This is What You Get

Worst fears have been confirmed. Governor Mitch Daniels is a Republican of the new mold- not at all a fiscal conservative, but something they self-describe as “fiscally responsible”.

In his State of the State Address tonight, Daniels begun to make good on the implied threat that he would raise taxes to balance the budget. His recommendation to lawmakers is that state income taxes should be raised 1% for those who earn $100,000 or more. Indy Star story.

Fiscal conservatives wanted a Governor who would cut spending at the least, and possibly even cut taxes. What they- and all Hoosiers- got was a liberal Republican, one who believes in the progressive income tax.

One line stuck out, and I was glad to see the Star report it: "The wolf is not at the door, he is inside the cabin," Daniels said. Actually, Daniels is the wolf, and the cabin is the Statehouse.

What is remarkable about this brainburst is that it Hamilton County takes the lion’s share of the credit for electing Daniels. County GOP Vice Chair Charlie White mustered over 700 volunteers in support of the Daniels' campaign. Some thanks White and Hamilton County gets for their effort. Hamilton County is also where a preponderance of those earning $100,000 or more live. Why not just stop by everyone's house to personally slap their faces?

Daniels had the incredibly bad form to recommend a temporary income tax. To paraphrase Will Rogers and speak common wisdom, there is nothing quite as permanent as a temporary tax increase.

This is obvious. It’s so obvious that even a Democrat from Gary could scoff at Daniels’ claim. From another Star article:

Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, "whoever heard of a temporary tax increase?"

Fiscal conservatives have been sold out at the top. The next question is: Will the legislature follow? You can tell that Republicans want to support their man Mitch, but know that promises have been made not to raise taxes.

Rep. Gerald Torr, a Carmel Republican whose constituents would be disproportionately affected by the one-year income tax increase, said he'd like to talk to Daniels about including a provision to refund the tax increase when the state's finances improve.

Torr, whose party took control of the House with 52 of its 100 seats in the last election, said: "There are a lot of us who aren't terribly excited about a tax increase."

Fiscal conservatives had pinned their hopes on Daniels and have been let down. When will you learn?

You need to vote Libertarian if you ever want a significant budget or tax cut. Republicans clearly lack the courage.

The Lighter Side of Flooding

Since most of Indiana has some measure of standing water covering it, and has for about two weeks now, it seems that many are throwing up their hands in realization that Mother Nature will need some time to run its course, taking water from the various streams to the White River, on to the Ohio, the Mississippi, and to the Gulf of Mexico. Ditto, obviously, California and the Pacific Basin.

Ergo, this joke. I wish I could give credit to somebody on it, but it's one of those making the rounds via e-mail without credit. Enjoy!


It was the year 2004 and Noah lives in the United States. The Lord spoke to Noah and said:

"In one year I am going to make it rain and cover the whole earth with water until all is destroyed. But I want you to save the righteous people and two of every kind of living
thing on the earth. Therefore, I am commanding you to build an Ark."

In a flash of lightning, God delivered the specifications for an Ark. Fearful and trembling, Noah took the plans and agreed to build the Ark.

"Remember," said the Lord, "You must complete the Ark and bring everything aboard in one year."

Exactly one year later, a fierce storm cloud covered the earth and all the seas of the earth went into a tumult. The Lord saw Noah sitting in his front yard weeping. "Noah." He shouted, "Where is the Ark?"

"Lord please forgive me!" cried Noah. "I did my best but there were big problems. First, I had to get a permit for construction and your plans did not comply with the codes. I had to hire an engineering firm and redraw the plans. Then I got into a fight with OSHA over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system and floatation devices.

"Then my neighbor objected, claiming I was violating zoning ordinances by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission. I had problems getting enough wood for the Ark, because there was a ban on cutting trees
to protect the Spotted Owl, and a substantial tariff on Canadian lumber.

"I finally convinced the US Forest Service that I needed the wood to save the owls. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service won't let me catch any owls. So, no owls. The carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Union.

"Now I have 16 carpenters on the Ark, but still no owls. When I started rounding up the other animals, I got sued by an animal rights group. They objected to me only taking two of each kind aboard. Just when I got the suit dismissed, the EPA notified me that I could not complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood.

"They didn't take very kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of
the Creator of the universe.

"Then the Army Corps of Engineers demanded a map of the proposed new flood plain. I sent them a globe.

"Right now, I am trying to resolve a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that I am practicing discrimination by not taking godless, unbelieving people aboard!

"The IRS has seized all my assets, claiming that I'm building the Ark in preparation to flee the country to avoid paying taxes. I just got a notice from the State that I owe some kind of user tax and failed to register the Ark as a "recreational water craft."

"Finally the ACLU got the courts to issue an injunction against further construction of the Ark, saying that since God is flooding the earth, it is a religious event and therefore unconstitutional.
I really don't think I can finish the Ark for another 5 or 6 years!" Noah wailed.

The sky began to clear, the sun began to shine and the seas began to calm. A rainbow arched across the sky.

Noah looked up hopefully. "You mean you are not going to destroy the earth, Lord?"

"No," said the Lord sadly. "The government already has. "

More How To Govern 101

The boldness of new governor Mitch Daniels is astounding. He hasn't taken a soft item yet. Everything is laced with controversy. I guess that 9-point victory over Joe Kernan is not merely interpreted as a mandate, but as holy writ.

First issue: Daylight savings time, with built-in 50/50 division.
Second issue: Severing the collective bargaining agreement with state employees, creating very interested opposition from the affected unions, and a sizeable percentage of the employees.

New issue: cutting Indiana Medicaid. Indy Star story. Expect to hear the wailing immediately. "Evil Mitch Daniels is taking aid away from the children!" That claim is fact. Medicade stats show that nearly 70% of recipients are children. "Those vicious Republicans are taking away from the poor!" Well, 92% of spending is on the disabled, elderly, and children. Mitch Roob is a human services aide to the governor. His comments in the Star story give all the ammo the opponents will need. Quoth the Star:

"Roob, who used to run Wishard Memorial Hospital, a county-run hospital in
Indianapolis, acknowledged that cutting Medicaid payments could limit access to
pregnant women and children, people with physical and mental disabilities and
seniors who rely on the state-federal program."

The problem with identifying individual programs for cuts is that their defenders pop out, decrying the action as unfair, and say that there are better targets for cuts. Raising taxes on millionaires is popular policy, since most people aren't millionaires, and nobody feels sorry for millionaires anyways. But pregnant women and children?

If you really want to cut a budget, you pretty well have to cut across the board. If this kind of cut is promoted, nobody can claim they have been singled out. No lobby can emerge and call it unfair. You can make it strictly economic and point to the dollars coming in and the current spending commitments, and show the difference.

I prefer a 10% cut across the board. If there is a surplus generated by this, put half in the emergency fund, and return the other half to the taxpayers in a refund check.

Believe in Self-Responsibility?

This week provides an excellent test for property owners across Indiana, what with the unusal high rains that have followed the run-off from melting accumulated snowfall. Do you believe in self-responsibility?

If your property is flooded, is it anybody's fault? It is entirely possible that the parcel your home of business is located on has always had standing water in flood events. Are you responsibile, or is your builder? Or your city? Or your county? Or your state?

If you bought the property, didn't you take it as acceptable as built? Caveat Emptor! Is the buyer completely absolved of the responsibility of due diligence?

I see it as a two-way street. Too many buyers of homes or business buildings, whether new or long established, fail to look at drainage or other more technical concerns. Home buyers look at the aesthetics, the proximity to the schools, to the parks and shops, and to the highway. They never notice drainage unless it is overwhelmed. They can buy a home next to a double-tracked railroad mainline that has stood since the Civil War and moves 100+ trains a day, and then complain about the noise! Buyers of business space look for square footage, proximity to the highways, visibility for drive-up business and signage, and tax rates. They, too, never notice drainage unless it is overwhelmed.

Sellers are very eager to part with any parcel in exchange for greenbacks. What is amazing to me is how many parcels are under six inches of water continuously in February, March, and April, and then sell at a real bargain price in August, September, or October. Come February or March (or January this year) the new owner is livid.

Did the seller conveniently fail to disclose? Did the buyer willingly overlook the disclosure in order to arrive at a bargain?

So, who is at fault? Unfortunately, that is one to be sorted out by legal teams. I do put onus, not necessarily fault, on buyers.

Investing in property is usually the largest investment most people will ever make in their lives. You will spend more time in your home than you will spend anywhere else. And yet, I've seen people spend more time planning a 7-day vacation than they spent examining the land surrounding their future home site. Shouldn't you make 2-3 dozen visits to the site to examine traffic patterns? It's amazing to discover where the landing and takeoff flight patterns are, even 20 miles from the airport. Shouldn't you ask next-door neighbors what happens in the area in storm events? Etc.

Too many buyers assume that everything has been worked out, and that any thinking beyond sale price is unnecessary. Well, you see the results of that approach.

Hopefully, you bought insurance. Those who believe in self-responsibility resent having to bail out those who refused to think.

Governor Daniels' Bold Start

I have to give the new governor a nod of admiration for his self-confidence. Either his self-confidence is at an astronomical level, or he is ignorant of Governing In Your First Week 101.

That latter course was most brilliantly taught by Professor William Jefferson Clinton, who, upon his inauguration, launched headlong into two controversial policy items- nationalized health care, and gays in the military- without first building political capital by executing some easy, popular tasks.

Daniels is following Prof. Clinton's example. Just two days into his term, Daniels has already made changing to Daylight Savings Time his top priority, and has ended the collective bargaining agreement with unionized government workers. Indy Star story on DST priority. Indy Star story on the CBA.

The latter was unavoidable. It had to either be renewed or let to lapse immediately upon the new term.

The clocks issue is just a political nightmare. If Indiana adopts DST, there are those who will wail just because a change has occurred. Since one corner of the state aligns with Chicago, and another side with Ohio, any change will leave one side grumbling. This is a policy that should have been put off for at least two months.

Still, a nod to his courage or boldness, or whatever it is. Just not A-1 strategy. It only bothers me in that I would rather have seen the governor spend political capital on cutting spending than on Daylight Savings Time.

Another Case for Tort Reform

The great thing about the TV is that when something on the screen offends, annoys, or just plain sucks, you can either change the channel or turn the blasted thing off.

If you are especially put off by the program, you can write the network and express your displeasure.

Unfortunately, you can also sue the network and the producer of the show. This is what one Austin Aitkin of Cleveland is doing in response to an episode of Fear Factor. Apparently, the contestants on the show were expected to consume a drink of rat juice from the blender. Per the AP:

Aitken, 49, said he wants to send a message to NBC and other networks with the lawsuit. He said he isn't concerned with winning a cash judgment in court.

"I just put any figure. You really think I expect to get 2.5 million?" he said.

Actually, my bet is not so much with expecting to get that money, but with hoping to get it.

I'd like to send a message to those who would place frivolous lawsuits on the docket: knock it off. The kind of reform that is needed would cause for litigants to pay a large docket fee, say $10,000 in cash, that would be returned to them with interest by the defendant in the event the plaintiff won the case. This large docket fee would require the would-be litigant to think twice before filing, considering whether or not the case had real merit.

Aitken's handwritten lawsuit contends the rat-eating made his blood
pressure rise, making him dizzy and lightheaded.

"I didn't see the doorway on route to my room," his lawsuit reads.
"I ran into it causing suffering, injury and great pain."

This is why I say the suit is unfortunate. People experience real pain that is caused by others. These victims should be able to sue those who brought them real pain. Didn't see the doorway? This makes one a moron, not a victim.

Asked why he didn't shut off his television before the rat-eating
segment, Aitken said he couldn't do it quick enough.

NBC responded with a brief statement: "We believe that the claim is
completely without merit."

Amen, NBC. Let's hope that the judge who gets this case dismisses it summarily. Another way to reform the system is for judges to find those who bring frivolous lawsuits in contempt and to fine them. Either way works for me.

Tiring of the Contest

The relief coming from all corners of the globe to help rebuild areas affected by the tsunami has been a source of mixed emotions for me. I am heartened by the support shown globally, by individuals and by governments. Politically, I'd rather not see governments use tax dollars this way, but we are in the system we're in, and if tax dollars are going to be spent to help people, this is one such use that it is hard to be cynical over.

Or you would think. There has been incredible cynicism shown in comments issued by those on the left and the right, questioning many donations as 'stingy'.

I think the phrase any observer should utter when considering anyone else's donation is "thank you".

Instead of "thank you", there have been insults hurled in all directions.

The left had heaped scorn on the US for its initial relief donation as too small and stingy. Increased to a significant level, the American relief is now scorned as embarassing because it is smaller than Australia's. The right has heaped scorn on Muslim nations for donations they believe to be too small and stingy, and on Hollywood types who have not given anything.

Enough. Stop the judgments. Nobody had to give anything. If you really believe in humanitarian aid, begin to take stock in the fact that there were no obligations, and yet, for the benefit of humanity, a great deal of wealth was given.

Thumbs Up To Pence

I love giving credit where credit is due. Today, Mike Pence (R-IN) gets heaps of praise from this Libertarian for wanting to scale back some of President Bush's initiatives. It's as if I had written them. From a CNN story:

• Change the prescription drug benefit passed recently by Congress from a "one-size-fits-all entitlement" to a benefit for those who need federal help to buy prescription drugs.
  
• "Reverse the expanding federal role in primary and secondary education, which conservatives believe is a state and local function."
  
• Begin to steer back to the goal of a balanced budget.
  
• Restore the First Amendment protection of freedom of speech by pursuing changes in new campaign finance laws.

His words are as if they were mine:

"The fate of the Republican majority ... will be largely determined by whether or not we rediscover those principles of limited government that more than anything else propelled us to majority status," said Pence, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a group of more than 100 conservative House members.

Thumbs up, Mike Pence!

Fading From The Radar

Normally, I view it as a bad thing when a Libertarian who introduced a policy matter or a legal challenge fades from view or has the limeline taken from them.

Today I cheer it, as presidential candidate Michael Badnarik's ill-advised challenge to the Ohio results has finally been taken over by the Democrats. AP story.

It had looked all along as though Badnarik was carrying water for the Democrats, with no discernable payoff in sight. So, why bother? If it was the matter of principle Badnarik was claiming it was, shouldn't the Democrats, the ostensibly disenfranchised, make their own case? They have the resources, and they should at the very least demonstrate the interest.

Now they are, and it will look foolish. Ah, well, better that the Democrats should look foolish for protecting their own interests rather than the Libertarians playing the fool for fighting on behalf of the Democrats.

On to more important things.

Quoth Twain

No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. -- Mark Twain (1866)

Well, the Indiana Legislature is in session, and my interest is in the property of all Hoosiers. In particular, I am interested in the preservation of the wealth of each individual.

Best case scenario: A balanced budget is adopted, and spending is cut by at least 10%.
Worst case scenario: This could be endless, but I'll keep it simple. A budget that increases the budget. Worse, a balanced budget that features higher taxes. Any higher spending levels.

Interested parties can keep an eye- or ear- on the proceedings. One excellent use of the State's website is to make a streamed signal available. Sadly, streamed audio is blocked by most employers, and this is one broadcast worth hearing.

Again, my hopes are for a balanced budget, and a 10% cut in spending. I don't think that's too much to ask of a state government dominated in all branches by Republicans, who at least used to be fiscal conservatives.

Great quotes on liberty are compiled on the Fort Liberty webpage.

Dismal Showing

You figure, Belarus has lost their previous games by a combined score of 19-4, and the US had beaten the teams that had beaten Belarus, so it should be a walk in the park.

Wrong. When you fail to play defense, you lose. The US dropped their game in the World Junior Tournament, 5-3. They slide to 2-1 in the standings, with a game against a very good Czech team tonight.

Still no word from ESPN on future programming for the Tournament. It probably depends on the USA's seeding.

Wide World of Sports

This is usually the most fun time of the year for sports viewing, but with the NHL still in their pathetic lockout situation, my fun is greatly diminished.

Fortunately, there is some hockey to watch, as the World Junior Tournament is going on right now. The US team has won their first two games, and plays Belarus tonight. ESPN2 will air the game at 9:30pm (EST), and I'll be in front of the set. Unfortunately, there aren't any other games scheduled yet. Maybe ESPN is taking a wait-and-see approach to scheduling more games. Hopefully, the ratings for this game will be high enough to bump a re-run of the World Series of Poker.

I like the World Series of Poker, by the way. Texas Hold-Em is a great game, and it's fascinating to watch the pros play. It's just that they've aired the 2003 & 2004 tournament to death.

The death of Reggie White was startling. He was only 43, and unlike jocks who die young due to substance abuse problems, such as Ken Kaminiti recently, this just makes you shake your head. He was playing in the NFL just four years ago. ESPN Classic will air a day of tribute on Friday. It's just another reminder that you don't know when your time will come, and to take advantage of every minute.

Less Blue

OK, I was a tad harsh on the Mayor with yesterday's post on the agreement with the Colts on a new stadium. Since the plan is clearly not going to be tax-funded, I will today give him credit for that. Good show!

On the other hand, I still think that the quest for funding could be done better than by using gambling revenue. The possibility of using gambling revenues as the source of funding is as troubling to some as using taxes is to others. Fortunately, three good options are available that are enormous civic pride opportunities.

1. Join a consortium of investors
2. Purchase shares of stock in the project
3. Purchase bonds in support of the project, a la WW2-era War Bonds

By using these three methods, the funding is achieve solely by the choice of the participants, and directly so, as opposed to the gambling funded method. People will choose to get involved because they believe in the project. They will have a stakeholder interest far beyond the guy who drops ten bucks on pull tabs and loses.

Civic projects can and should be a source of pride to as many people as possible. Using funding that people will be eager to provide is an excellent way for everybody to come out a winner.

Good so far. Make it better.


Notes:

Is the sale of stock in a stadium a good way to raise money? In 1998, the Cleveland Indians sold shares of stock in an IPO at the initial offering price of $15/share. This raised $60 million, selling out the stock in rapid fashion. That's not a huge percentage of the $800 million or so needed to be raised. No problem. Set the amount to be raised by this device to $150, with a higher initial offering price tag, and this can be achieved easily.

Will the stock be worth anything to the investor? Possibly not. There is always the risk of a crash when investing in the stock market. Many subscribers will be glad to simply buy the stock certificate as a piece of history and something to frame and hang in the den. The 1998 Indians stock certificate goes for $150 on collector sites. Others will treat it as a business and look for a dividend, or to sell if the price rises with the success of the complex. The story of the Indians stock had a happy ending.

War Bonds sold phenomenally well because the public believed in the cause. I think that enough people in Central Indiana would buy Stadium Bonds because they believe in it. Pie in the sky guess? I think $150 million could be raised from investors on this.

Wearing Colts Blue

So, Mr. Irsay got the City of Indianapolis to shell out some money to build him a new palace, so that he can make some more money, thus preventing (for the next 5-10 years) Colts from taking the moving van night express down the interstate, just as the Baltimore Colts did back in the early 80s.

I can't say I blame him for having asked. So many cities give the moon. City officials always cite jobs, but are also always certain to insist that the prestige of the city would dive if a major sports team left.

I'm a big sports fan, but I'm also a big fan of classic and exotic automobiles. I drive a 1997 Saturn, which is neither of these things, but it sure gets me from-A-to-B. It's a reliable car, and gets very good fuel economy.

Just the same, I'm thinking that I'd like to have a Rolls-Royce... and a Ferrari... and a Maserati. These would look really good in my driveway, and I would look and feel much better about driving them than I do about my Saturn.

I'm thinking that I'd like everyone on my block to pay for these luxury automobiles. Heck- it will improve the prestige of my neighborhood if out-of-towners were to drive down my street and see the Rolls. My neighbors will enjoy the benefit of this enhanced prestige, and it will only cost them each a little bit. They'll hardly notice how much it is.

I'm even thinking that about 10 to 12 times a year, I will allow my neighbors to take a spin with me in the Rolls or the Maserati. They can pay me admission to ride in my car, getting the direct benefit of having purchased the cars for me. Sometimes they can even ride shotgun. Of course, you don't always get to sit on the 50-yard line, so sometimes, my neighbors will have to ride in the trunk. Heck, though- the tickets are almost half price!

Maybe they can't afford the price of tickets for the whole family to ride. Well, they can stand on the sidewalk and watch as I drive by with those who can afford the price of admission. Still- they're getting the enormous benefit of having created a sense of civic pride and prestige for our neighborhood, thanks to my cars. Of course, I'll only let them stand on the sidewalk if I've sold out the admissions to all of the seats, including the trunk. I'm not kind of idiot who is going to let people watch for free from the sidewalk when I have empty seats!

So, hats off to Jim Irsay. He sold his bill of goods lock, stock, and barrel. I'm impressed with his moxie.

I'm less impressed with Mayor Peterson. He gave away the store and gets very little in return. He'll claim it was great leadership to keep the Colts here. Great leadership would have included a stadium that was fully privately funded.

This is not impossible. Look at the Brickyards or Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio for good examples of privately built arenas that were built with private funds and are thriving.

While the Mayor or Mr. Peterson may not have been able to locate a single source of funding, think of the extraordinary opportunity to build civic pride that was lost. They could have built a consortium of local business who would have invested in the project, thus taking a real stake in the success of the project. They could have sold shares of stock to Colts fans and raised a huge sum, rather like the Cleveland Indians did a few years back.

Nope. Easier to tax or to create a government monopoly casino to pay for it.

Maybe it's time to ask for that Rolls Royce.

LPIN Grows Today!

Excellent news for the Libertarian Party of Indiana, with the re-affiliation of Allen County. This county is home to Fort Wayne, one of the largest cities in Indiana, and traditional a power base of fine libertarian activism.

I am looking forward to seeing Allen County rival LaPorte, Monroe, Wayne, Hamilton, and others for #2 county status amongst the LPIN. It is conceivable that with the momentum they create today, they could have the second-greatest number of Libertarian candidates in 2006.

Of course, we here in Hamilton County will give them a run for their money. Watch us grow, while the other parties hibernate!

Telegraphing Future Disappointment

Well, my fellow fiscal conservative! You come knowing that it is a well-known fact that the state of Indiana faces an $800 million structural deficit. You are desperately hoping that spending cuts are the means to solving this problem rather than tax hikes.

Bummer for you: the Republicans lack the will to cut spending.

They do not lack the tools. The GOP inaugurates a governor next month and will usher in majorities in the both houses. There are the tools. They will sit in the woodshed while the spending tools will be used. From an editorial in today's Indy Star:

"Indiana's structural deficit stands at near $800 million. The state also owes schools and universities more than $700 million in deferred payments. The rainy day fund has been largely depleted, dropping perhaps to only $46 million by the end of this fiscal year.

Factor in eventually repaying the $380 million borrowed from the Pension Stabilization Fund to keep the state afloat for the past two years. Plus rising Medicaid costs, potentially another $300 million in additional spending. Plus $160 million the state will pay out in property tax relief.

It all adds up to what some legislators are describing as, in Kenley's words, "the session from hell." Tax increases certainly cannot be ruled out. Spending cuts are likely. Kenley, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, says he's preparing for a flatline budget -- meaning no extra money for schools. Others wanting more money likely will be turned away as well."

Tax increases cannot be ruled out? Why not?

Spending cuts are likely, yet Kenley is preparing for a flatline budget? Cuts and a flatline are two different things.

Instead of really cutting spending, this is how Republicans plan to close the gap on the deficit, per the Star:

"But there's also opportunity. It starts with reforming the maze of 74 agencies and 319 boards that is Indiana state government.

Gov.-elect Mitch Daniels has proposed a government reorganization plan that must be pushed forward at the same time Espich and other lawmakers are shepherding the budget through the Statehouse."

That's all very nice and commendable, and should serve as an excellent start towards fiscal health at the state level. The other very necessary component is a real cut in spending.

I am calling for a baseline 10% cut in spending. I'm not calling for a radical slash-and-burn. I'm calling for something that can be done without the usual accusation that the Libertarian solution will leave the state in ruins. I urge my readers to write the editors of their newspapers and their representative to urge a baselline 10% cut. Make sure to tell them that you are a fiscal conservative and that you expect this sort of action from a GOP majority, and that if you don't get it, you'll vote Libertarian in the future.

If the GOP proceeds as they plan to, this will indeed be the session from hell- not for poor Luke Kenley, but for fiscal conservatives across the state.

Planning To See Alex

My son Alex will be 13 this January. 13! I'm planning to visit him in Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain for his birthday. We visited there last year while he still lived in Rota.

I just discovered that I can upload pictures (duh!), so here's one of us there:

Alex & Dad walking the streets of Puerto de Santa Maria 

More Hockey Fill-In

As with last Wednesday, I enjoyed another replay of some old-time hockey with FoxSports Midwest's airing of a 1986 St. Louis Blues playoff game. With the NHL lockout appearing to be an endless proposition, these re-runs have been a welcome sight.

This time, the Blues won Game Seven of the Norris Division Finals, defeating Toronto 2-1. More observations on how the game has changed:

There were two fights... during power plays... in the first period! In today's NHL, you wouldn't see two fights in a playoff game at all, unless it was late in the game and something stupid inspired it. These were just de rigeur scraps.
The goalie equipment was so small! And the pads were brown leather! No team colors on the pads.
The games were desperately played, with an emphasis on offense. Today's playoff games only have that feel when it's a one-goal game and in the latter half of the third period.
A Sutter was on the ice instead of behind the bench.

FoxSports will show more games so long as the lockout continues:

2004-05 FSN Midwest Schedule of Classic Blues Games
Air Date Time (CT) Game Game Date
Wed., Nov. 24 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at St. Louis April 14, 1981
Wed., Dec. 1 7 p.m. St. Louis at Minnesota April 15, 1986
Wed., Dec. 8 7 p.m. Toronto at St. Louis April 30, 1986
Wed., Dec. 15 7 p.m. Calgary at St. Louis May 12, 1986
Wed., Dec. 22 7 p.m. Detroit at St. Louis April 16, 1991
Wed., Dec. 29 7 p.m. Detroit at St. Louis Jan. 23, 1993
Wed., Jan. 5 7 p.m. St. Louis at Toronto Nov. 29, 2000
Fri., Jan. 14 7 p.m. Dallas at St. Louis May 3, 2001

Missed that old Pens' game, when they still wore blue uni's, prior to the Mario Lemiuex era, but I won't miss that game with Calgary!

What's The Point?

That's the question I hear over and over again from my non-libertarian friends with regards to Michael Badnarik's involvement with the Greens in Ohio, requesting a recount.

What's the point? Kerry has conceded.
What's the point? It won't change the outcome.
What's the point? It won't move Badnarik any higher, so it won't bring the Libertarian Party of Ohio (LPO) the automatic ballot access it craves.

The point is, says Badnarik, is to make sure that every vote counts so that people believe in the system. This is an excellent principle, and a fine reason to participate. So who has complained that they feel left out? Not sure. The answer gets vague there, and that's a surprise. You would expect a whole lot of Democrats to be clamoring. But, they're not. Is Badnarik representing any constituency? It seems not. There are a handful of voters on the complaint, along with Badnarik and Green candidate David Cobb.

So Badnarik, who struggled mightily to raise $1,000,000 nationwide is now trying to raise $100,000 for a recount. It would have been far more valuable in my estimation to raise that extra $100,000 before the election, spending it on TV ads. The recount effort would be worthwhile if it were generating good will. It is doing the opposite, and reinforcing the idea that the LP is a bunch of kooks. We aren't even getting good press out of it from friendly sources. WorldNet Daily's article quotes the Green spokesperson, but not a Libertarian, which is typical of the articles.

I had the opportunity to interview Badnarik on the radio 10 days ago. I asked him if the recount effort was being done to support the LPO, who fights some of the toughest ballot hurdles in the country. His answer? "No." It seemed that it hadn't even occurred to him.

That leads me to ask, what's the point?

A Hockey Puck in the Desert

With the NHL in day 75 of its' lockout situation and the temperatures dropping, I've really begun missing watching hockey on TV. So, it was a very pleasant surprise to be channel surfing this evening and to happen upon a St. Louis feed to Fox Sports.

There, in fuzzy splendor was a re-run of an original CBC broadcast of Game Five of the 1986 Norris Division semi-finals between the Blues and Minnesota North Stars!

Egad, the players I hadn't seen play in ages- former NHL Cleveland Baron Dennis Maruk; young Dino Cicerelli and Brian Bellows; promising prospects that never emerged, like Brian Lawton and Doug Wickenhiser; future NHL head coaches Craig Hartsberg and Curt Giles; yeoman players that ended their careers in the minors such as Greg Paslawski and Scott Bjugstad; the coming-out party of Doug Gilmour, with a five assist game.

Thanks, FSN! I felt like a man in the desert who found an artesian well. I miss the NHL. I hope all involved come to their senses soon enough to salvage a season.

Wednesday Happy Hour Reminder

Hamilton County Libertarians will gather informally for happy hour tomorrow night to kick back and discuss sports, work, and oh, maybe a little politics.

Meet us at Barley Island right in the center of Noblesville, from 6 to 9pm... or maybe longer. It all depends on you. Everyone is welcome to join us- Republicans, Democrats, Marxists, independents, you name it.

A note on Barley Island. I come from Cleveland, home of the mighty Great Lakes Brewery, which is easily one of the five best in the world. That's no stretch. They have the medals to prove it. So, when I say that Barley Island's brews are pretty wonderful, you have something to base my compliment on. If for nothing else, stop in and have a pint.

Stand and Deliver!

On the surface, the analysis of this recently concluded election cycle is easy to cast. The Republican Party ran the table with victories high and low. From the Presidency to the houses of Congress, from the Governor's mansion to the Statehouse, Republicans enjoyed a November like few before.

New majorities have been borne of these victories, and with them come rare opportunities. Conservatives can look ahead to January, when a great deal of business can be accomplished through new legislation and policies. It is a safe bet that the opportunity will be taken advantage of.

This is not breaking news. Pundits have spent much of the last month making the case for pity on the sad sack liberal, who has only anguish and trepidation for the near future. Liberals will helplessly look on as conservatives chart the course of this state and of the country. While certain that bad policy will be the rule of the day for now, liberals can only dream about 2006 and 2008, and hope Democratic leadership crafts a winning plan.

This is the kind of pain that delights most conservatives. For now, the whole range of conservatives are smiling.

But, behind some of the grins, there is a group within the broad spectrum of conservatives that is gritting its clenched teeth behind a half-hearted smile. While excited for the possibilities Republican majorities bring, this group shares a great deal of the anxiety liberals have in anticipation of the first wave of new policy that will soon greet us. This group is the fiscal conservatives.

It was not a series of referendums on capping budgetary growth that swept George W. Bush to re-election. It was a series of referendums on gay marriage. It was not a promise of lower spending that Mitch Daniels gave Hoosiers in addressing the $800 million budget deficit he will inherit. It was... What was it? There must have been more to it than Joe Kernan's negativity. Was it really sufficient that Daniels wasn't a Democrat?

For most fiscal conservatives there is a precarious balance between three pressures. Fiscal conservatives trust Democrats to do one thing- to increase the size of government, so they can't vote Democrat. Most fiscal conservatives couldn't bring themselves to vote for Libertarian candidates for fear that Democrats might win. They want to vote Libertarian, but they just can't do it yet, especially because the possibility of a Republican majority was imminent. Their trust in the GOP is waning, but fiscal conservatives were willing to give them one more shot.

This thinking is rooted in the past. It used to be that Republicans grew government, but at a much slower pace than Democrats. This was still troubling for fiscal conservatives who wanted their government to shrink, but these days, as the Bush Administration has shown, Republicans actually grow government faster than Democrats. It used to be that Republicans said, 'Only we can cut the size of government. Just give us the tools!' Now?

Well, now they actually have the tools. Fiscal conservatives want to see the chain saws blazing and front end loaders scooping out pork, but are afraid they will only see the penknife and the tweezers, if they see any cutting at all.

This leaves fiscal conservatives with a daunting prospect. If there isn't any cutting, but only more public sector growth, where should fiscal conservatives turn in 2006?

There isn't even the slightest chance that disaffected fiscal conservatives will turn to the Democrats. If their wishes are ignored, fiscal conservatives may finally part ways with the GOP and turn to the Libertarians.

The Republican Party's largest base constituency is on the line. Since Ronal Reagan left office, fiscal conservatives have put up with a lot of disappointment in the quest for one last great opportunity for the GOP to prove its' worth to them. Is a 10% reduction in spending across the board too much to ask? Is it genuinely impossible to find the courage to find a few redundant offices and departments and to eliminate them with the power of majority on your side?

If Republicans won't do the job of reducing spending this year, with their majorities at home and in Washington, fiscal conservatives will know that it is time to look for a new political home. They will have no choice but to conclude that if spending won't be cut this year, it never will so long as Republicans are in charge.

I Rather Think I Might

I haven't watched CBS' Evening News for years because of Dan Rather. He's just always rubbed me the wrong way, with his biases pretty apparent, and not much to my liking. It isn't just Rather, though. I don't care much for Peter Jennings or Brokaw, either. I haven't watched 6 O'Clock news broadcasts for years, because these three men have anchored the broadcasts for years.

So, the welcome news is that Rather will soon be history, and the news will be presented by someone new. I'll be glad to check out his replacement to see if there is any appreciable change, along with Brokaw's replacement.

Oh! Canada?

Being a fairly rational person, I believe that the most pressing problems before a government should be addressed first. I know, that means heavy lifting now, but it means smooth sailing later.

I'm going to guess that a recent Royal Decree- yes, her Majesty in England is still the ultimate authority in Canada, with the assistance of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario- has not addressed Ontario's most pressing issue when She banned dwarf tossing.

Yes, dwarf tossing.

As Sheri Sharlow Conover points out to me, there is a gret flaw in this Decree. While it specifically bans dwarf tossing, I still appear to be free to toss midgets when next I am in Toronto, Sudbury, or Brantford, without the slightest threat of prison of a $5,000CDN fine.

On The Air Friday!

I've been itching to be behind the mic for quite some time now, so it's with great pleasure that I will sit in on Abdul in the Mornings on WXNT 1430-am this Friday, from 6:00-9:00am.

It's a one-day Libertarian takeover, with LP Political Director Brad Klopfenstein at the helm, Al Barger and myself as the supporting cast. Abdul is taking a day off.

It's all subject to changes based on the news that breaks between now and Friday morning, but the show should look a little like this:

6:00-7:00 Indiana elections recount-o-rama. Problems in Franklin & LaPorte Counties, and in Congressional District 9
7:00-8:00 Will the GOP be fiscal conservatives, social conservatives, both or neither in the upcoming legislative session?
8:00-9:00 Special phone-in guests. Big secret. Can't tell you. Have to listen to find out.

Be sure to listen and to call in on 317-228-1430!

Experiment Failed

I thought for sure that if I only dropped a few key words into the blog, I would get mega hits. So, about 20 minutes after Scott Peterson received his verdict, I posted an item dropping his name and others.

It didn't work. I was advised that I would have had some success if I used words like "Britney Spears naked", or "Paris Hilton naked", or, name any popular, young female entertainer and the word "naked".

In fact, I might start to get the hits now that I've done so! On the other hand, the blog could get screened as prono...

This is Only a Test

I've had a few conversations with bloggers over the nature of hits on the blog sites. It's always disappointing to see that some toss-off comment about some innocuous pop culture tidbit gets more traffic tot he site than anything else, especially in light of the fact that the blog is primarily about libertarian politics.

I would have expected that of all the key words that might have led people to this site, "libertarian" should rank way up there. It doesn't. Way up at the top is "Victoria Snelgrove". She wasn't a candidate for office. She was the unfortunate college student killed by police in an attempt at crowd control after the Boston Red Sox eliminated the New York Yankees from the playoffs about a month ago.

I'm not one to get too hung up on this issue. Sure, it's dismaying that more people were interested in some tidbit about an innocent bystander than, say, insider insights on a candidate for governor, but that's our culture. Most bloggers who've been around long enough have as their number one draw the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident. They may have said as little as, 'gosh, I don't know what all the fuss is about Janet Jackson's exposure on the Super Bowl'. The right words on a google search, and enough links to other websites, and voila! Your blog is at the top of the google search results!

Very well. Let me say the following with nothing more than an eye towards google traffic:

I don't give a rip about the Laci Peterson case. I don't care that Scott Peterson was found guilty yesterday. Don't get me wrong- if a man is guilty of killing his pregnant wife, I have a tiny feeling of satisfaction that the criminal justice system works. It's just that I find it incredibly dismaying that as many people were hanging on to the outcome of this trial as to the outcome of the Presidential election. I loathe the fact that so many people remained glued to the sets sufficient that CNN, Fox News, and CNBC have shown wire-to-wire coverage and analysis of these high-profile idiot cases, from OJ Simpson on to this wretched case.

Let's see what kind of traffic flows.

Feet To The Fire

The most significant bit of analysis comes out of counting noses. The GOP won going away.

New Governor: Republican Mitch Daniels
State House majority: GOP
State Senate majority: GOP

For years, Hoosiers have heard the following from Republicans regarding taxes and spending:

"Give us the tools, we'll do the job".

OK, you got the tools. Let's see what you can do, GOP.

My money is on the job not getting done. My bet is that nothing will be cut. Programs and bureaus will not go away. The Republican Party simply is not serious about being fiscal conservatives. Those Hoosiers who are will be sorely disappointed that their votes failed to bring the lower taxes they wanted.

There is only one true home for fiscal conservatives in Indiana: the Libertarian Party.

This will be proven over and over again in the next four years. Mark my words.

You Get What You Pay For

There is much analysis that has been running through my mind in the wake of the recent elections. I could blog the major party stuff, but why bother? It's all been done to death elsewhere. I'm happier to present analysis that won't be available elsewhere.

To wit, hadn't anyone in the Badnarik For President team ever seen the Austin Powers movies? One of the classic moments in the film is when Dr. Evil hatches his first crime plan after 30 years in the freezer. He looks for a ransom of, say it with me while raising your pinky finger to your lips, "one millllllllion dollars".

Team Badnarik made a big deal about their 'massive' fundraising hitting the 'magical' figure of, say it with me while raising your pinky finger to your lips, "one millllllllion dollars".

Throw me a frickin' bone! Had Team Badnarik been frozen for 30 years? The major party candidates for Attorney General in Indiana raised more than our presidential candidate. Crimony!

Team Badnarik did give us some excellent stats, though. They showed how much each candidate 'paid' per vote. From the Badnarik website:

Bush/Cheney $4.40 per vote
Kerry/Edwards $3.86 per vote
Nader $3.19 per vote
Badnarik $2.88 per vote

What you see is that the costs per vote are very similar. What you must deduce is that you get what you pay for.

If Badnarik raised $10 million dollars, I have no doubt that he would have received far more votes than the paltry sum recorded. It might not have been a direct correlation of 10 times more money = 10 times more votes. But heck, 10 times more money = 5 times more votes = a new record for votes for a Libertarian presidential candidate.

In 2008, it CANNOT be enough to nominate a candidate who simply wins the debate at the convention. It MUST be a serious focus that the nominee is committed to 21th Century fundraising, rather than 1960s level fundraising.

Questions for the Bush & Kerry Supporters

The presidential election is obviously going to be close. The polls have consistently shown Bush ahead in the popular vote, but as we've arrived at this day, that lead has been slipping. In the past day or so, polls have been showing Kerry ahead in the projected Electoral vote.

We could be facing a most interesting scenario should Bush win the popular vote, and Kerry win the Electroal vote and the Presidency.

After four years of Democrats wailing about how unfair it is that a man can become President via the Electoral College while losing the popular vote, can we expect:

1. Democrats would now say that the process works and is fair?
2. Republicans would keep their mouths shut after four years of telling Democrats that it was fair in 2000?

I'm afraid that the closer this thing is, the worse the country will be for it. I can't imagine either Bush or Kerry coming away with a whole lot of confidence from the people, let alone a mandate. No matter who wins, it appears that there will be lawsuits and bickering a-plenty. No matter who wins, the other side will say 'selected, not elected'. I see the printing of 'Re-defeat Kerry' stickers happening tonight, hitting websites tomorrow morning.

There was something honorable in Richard Nixon's withdrawl from the process in 1960 after John F. Kennedy defeated him by a razor-thin margin. Nixon backed away immediately, conceding to Kennedy on the grounds that a challenge would have been bad for the country.

I already know that it is too much to ask of either the Bush or Kerry camps to have as much honor as that. Yet another reason to do the King Solomon thing, and vote Libertarian!

The Wasted Vote Syndrome

Too often, I have been told by people that they really do agree with most of what the average Libertarian candidate says, but they just can't bring themselves to vote Libertarian because that candidate has no chance of winning, making it a wasted vote.

If every person who has ever told me that actually voted Libertarian, there would be some radically different outcomes, and you wouldn't see it as a wasted vote. You would wish you had done it sooner.

If you do largely agree with the LP, but are picking Bush or Kerry, Daniels or Kernan, or any Democrat or Republican instead of voting Libertarian because who you are picking is not his opponent, you will be sorely disappointed if your fall-back choice does win. Small-government voters who vote Bush instead of Badnarik will get bigger government anyway. Anti-war voters who vote Kerry will get war anyway. Etc.

Worse, you will have sent the message to the parties that they don't have to change a thing. They have your support, and the proof is your vote. In fact, the only way to tell them that they need to change is to vote Libertarian. In fact, the only vote that is truly wasted is one cast for a candidate you can only begrudgingly support.

Indiana's gubernatorial race is exciting for the object lesson that will come of it. Democratic incumbent Joe Kernan has stated his unwavering support for the construction of a new section of I-69, through new terrain, including wetlands. There are many voters who hold the environment as their number one issue, and they normally vote Democrat. These voters are deeply disappointed by Kernan's position. Some will waste their vote, and support Kernan anyway. Those who are disgusted enough by Kernan will vote for Libertarian candidate Kenn Gividen, the only candidate to oppose the new highway. The message will be sent to Kernan and the Democrats that environmental voters must not be ignored. When Kernan loses by 1-2%, and he sees that he lost 3% to Gividen, he and his party will get it. No longer will Democratic candidates for Indiana governor ignore the environment.

One thing to remember is that no matter if you are a Democrat, a Republican, or a Libertarian, you probably do not agree 100% with your candidates. Libertarians generally agree on principle, but that's no wonder, as there is a libertarian philosophy behind the Libertarian Party. Still, I will scratch vote rather than go straight ticket Libertarian. The argument for scratch voting is more compelling for liberals and conservatives, because the choices are less clear due to the great variety throughout the major parties. For instance, Democratic Senator Evan Bayh from Indiana is easily more conservative than Ohio's Republican Governor Bob Taft. Indiana Democrats can vote for Kerry and Bayh, but why would they? Heck- Bayh advertises how much he voted with the President! Actually, it's pretty easy to waste your vote going straight ticket Democrat or Republican.

Win or lose, voting isn't about picking a winner, although you hope your views are in the majority. Voting is about exercising your conscience.

To all of the people who voted for Al Gore in 2000? Was your vote wasted? You know that your candidate didn't win, so, would your vote have been better placed if it had been cast for Bush? Didn't think so. No, your conscience was with Gore. You made the right choice, even if it did end in defeat.

Vote your conscience. Let the results fall as they may.