Spin In Your Grave, Voltaire!

Famously, Voltaire was quoted as saying, "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Libertarians tend to carry the spirit of this quote as an underpinning to their philosophy.

For instance, I hold cigarette smoking in extremely low regard. Smoking is damaging to your health, and makes the air surrounding the smoker stinky, unpleasant, and harmful to me besides. That's why I choose to limit the time I spend in smoky bars. It's tough, too, because I love to play poker, and with poker the fad that it is, many bars host free-to-play poker tournaments as a way to draw traffic. But if you want to smoke, it's your life. Smoke away. I don't think it's smart or pleasant, but hey- have a nice day.

Because smoke is stinky and harmful is why I choose to not let people smoke in my house. It's my house, and I set the rules in my house. My house is my dominion. OK... it's our dominion. Ame and I agree on this.

But your house is your dominion. You set the rules there... unless you are a business in Indianapolis. Then, the City-County Council sets the rules in your house regarding smoking. As reported here last night, the City-County Council passed the smoking ban by a wide 18-9 margin. Indy Star story.

Proponents of the smoking ban were at once pleased and disappointed. They were pleased that the ban passed. They were disappointed that it didn't cover more areas of life. Proponents are calling the ban that passed 'a good first step', indicating that they do want to go further in the future.

It begs the question, "how far"? From the Star:

But Republican Councilman Scott Schneider, who voted against the ban, questioned whether -- in the name of health -- the city might someday ban fried foods.

"Where do we draw the line as a society?" he asked. "Where does this body stop?"

Today, my house is my house unless my house is a business. Will tomorrow's ban include my residence? Your car? We see that nanny laws already extend into the car.

Click It Or Ticket is a nationwide campaign to get people to wear their seat belts. Like the smoking ban, it is meant as a safety campaign. Like the smoking ban, it pits health and safety against liberty. Indy Star story.

Wearing the seat belt is probably the smart choice. Sure, there is the study that shows that when people wear seat belts, they fell safer, so they drive faster, resulting in more accidents. But, if you are in that accident, you are probably not going to die. Your car will need repairs, though, so that's probably why the insurance companies and auto body shops have always been in favor of the seat belt laws.

A big complaint with the smoking laws or with Click It Or Ticket is that the safety forces are diverted from their usual business in order to make a political demonstration. This is clearly not the best use of safety forces. From the Star on Click It Or Ticket:

"There will be zero tolerance. That's zero. None," Col. Larry R. Rollins, assistant superintendent for the Indiana State Police, said at a news conference Monday.

...

But Rollins and others dispute that notion, arguing that driving should be considered a regulated privilege, not a right.

"It's a political issue," Rollins said. "But I think that everyone in a motor vehicle needs to be restrained."

On smoking:

Councilwoman Marilyn Pfisterer, a Republican, questioned whether police officers should be taken away from more serious crimes to deal with the ban. She also questioned whether the Marion County Health Department, with its roughly 30
inspectors, was prepared to enforce the measure.

"The ordinance is virtually unenforceable," she said.

Maybe these energies would have been better spent in educational campaigns, showing people how better choices could be made. This would at least leave people liberty enough to make the choices that affect their lives, taking the results as their own, too. That way, police could chase murderers, rapists, and violent criminals rather than decent citizens who make choices some might not say are smart.

Wouldn't it make Indianapolis more attractive if it were a more tolerant place and less a place were busybody, know-it-all nannies micromanage the details of our lives?

Not Even Close

Deep down, I was pretty well convinced that the smoking ban would pass. Those of us who opposed it from the beginning, when it stood to be the most restrictive ban in the United States, are pleased to a minor degree that at least this law was beaten back to the extent it was. But, word was that this vote would be close. It gave opponents of the ban a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, the Council would vote in favor of liberty. Alas, the final tally was 18-9. Indy Star story.

However, this vote was every bit as much a referendum on the right of business owners to set their own policies within their own establishments as it was a public health issue. The way the authors of the law set it up, it really was an either/or proposition.

So, thank goodness I left Marion County just about one year ago to the day. Don't get me wrong- I don't smoke. I find it a detestable habit. In the spirit of Voltaire, I don't like smoking, but I'll defend the right to use the legal product tobacco. I don't care for smoggy bars, but I'll defend the right of bar owners to have that atmosphere, if they so choose. The City-County Council is not nearly so open-minded or tolerant as that, so they ban things. That is the atmosphere I am pleased to have left.

Show Up!

The Indianapolis City-County Council is expected to vote on the proposed smoking ban tonight. Indy Star story.

Take Woody Allen's advice: "90% of success is simply showing up".

Business owners have the right to set their own policies regarding the use of a legal product in their own private establishments. Most City-County Councillors do not accept this principle. The only hope of causing them to accept this, sadly, is with a show of numbers. People who support liberty need to be present. The Council members only know how to count.

The Curiosities of Campaigning

As I move further along the trail, I pick up my own curious observations. For instance: Did I ever think I would suffer a sore shoulder as a result of campaigning? Why, no. I did not, although I suppose I might expect that result from holding a bullhorn for 12 hours on end.

Saturday afternoon, the LP of Wells County hosted an event featuring target practice with a variety of firearms. I took aim at 10 clay pigeons, striking 5 with slugs from the 12-gauge shotgun. I was immediately dismayed that I only took 5. A few years ago, I would have gotten 9. When I got home, I was dismayed with the deep soreness in my right shoulder. That gun had some kind of kick!

Thanks to Chair Brandon Harnish and Wells County for hosting a fun, safe event. Harnish is a fervent supporter of the 2nd Amendment and a gracious host.

Smoking Ban Up For Vote

Indianapolis will at long last put the proposed smoking ban up for a vote, next Monday. Indy Star story.

Indianapolis residents opposed to the smoking ban are encouraged to attend the public meeting at 7pm in the Public Assembly Room of the City-County Building.

While the proponents focus on the health benefits they seek, libertarian opponents stand firm that this proposal is an offense to liberty and to property rights. We continue to assert the right of property owners- in this case, of restaurants, bars, and other entertainment establishments- to set their own policies in their own establishments, as involves the use of a legal product.

Fortunately, the Libertarian Party of Indiana has had an impact on this proposal, working to see it scaled back from what was the most restrictive ban in the country when first proposed. Chances are good that the compromise will pass and become law. If people of principle show up and speak up, maybe we can get this thing scaled back some more.

Hey, Look! A New Tax!

What? In Hamilton County? The most Republican county in the state of Indiana? Well, any more, that's precisely where I expect to find new taxes- where Republicans are involved.

The latest is a hike in property taxes in Fishers, where I live. Noblesville Ledger story. This will give a 5% bump to the schools. What's maddening about this is that the population growth alone should be sufficient to give the schools all they could ever want. As farmland converts to residential, the property tax collected skyrockets.

Here's the list of current tax hikes in the county that are soon to be voted on:

Countywide 1% food & beverage tax
Countywide wheel tax
Carmel 1% food & beverage tax
Fishers property tax increase
Fishers 1% food & beverage tax
Noblesville 1% food & beverage tax
Westfield1% food & beverage tax

Only Libertarian office holders will have a total commitment to keeping these taxes at bay. The Republicans are the ones who put them on the table.

Trump Reads Kole Hard Facts?

It makes me wonder. My proposal for the replacement for the World Trade Center was simply to replace the buildings as they originally were, except one story taller.

Donald Trump unveiled his plan, in an AP story:

Standing in the lobby of his Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, the developer turned TV star on Wednesday presented a model of his own envisioned towers, reflecting the original shape of the skyscrapers that fell Sept. 11, 2001.

The towers he advocates would be 111 stories tall - one floor taller than the lost towers.

Mr. Trump? You're hired!

Here is a link to my original post on Kole Hard Facts from Thursday, November 20, 2003.
Here is a link to my similar post on Blogcritics, with commentary, from September 10, 2004.

Latest From Libertarian Writer's Bureau

Sheri Conover Sharlow weighs in with applause for new BMV chief Joel Silverman, and observes how Silverman's cost-saving measures are decried by a prominent Republican.

GOP's Garton shows how self-preservation trumps Indiana's well-being
by Sheri Conover Sharlow

It's no surprise that the Republican General Assembly lacks the backbone to deliver the small government its party brags about. Even their own party members must work around these political invertebrates if they hope to just slow the rate of growth.

Here it is in a nutshell from a story in last week's The Indianapolis Star:

Senate President Pro Tempore Robert D. Garton, R-Columbus, called the planned license branch closings a "sneak attack."

Garton, the most powerful Republican in the Senate, said he believed the closings -- including one in Hope, about 20 miles from Columbus -- were deliberately timed to be announced after lawmakers left town last week.

Asked if he had been sneaky, Joel Silverman, commissioner of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, said: "Yeah. I'll be honest."

It's pretty pathetic that Silverman had to sneak around his own party's leadership to make necessary cuts.

Never mind that taxpayers must pay $1 million a year to keep open offices that locals don't care enough to use. License branches are doing less business because users have more attractive options that don't involve taking a number and waiting. We can buy license plates by mail or at the BMV web site, and renew our drivers licenses online.

Later in the Star story, Garton was quoted saying that government should not be run like a bottom-line focused business, but "government should be run for the customer. The citizens are the customers. It's different. I hope at some point, in what I hope is a short career in government, (Silverman) learns that."

Actually, it's Silverman who understands this, not Garton. The BMV chief knows that the real customers are those who pay the price. That's us taxpayers.

The mesmerizing part is that Garton is so terrified of the handful of constituents who use the Hope BWV branch in his district. His district is so rigged that Democrats haven't bothered to field candidates in the past election. He has won by 18,568 votes in 2002. Even if every one of the about 12,000 users the Hope BMV office voted against Garton, he's unlikely to lose.

Could it be that his only challengers – Libertarian candidates – have him scared silly?
If Republicans like Garton can't handle an easy yet necessary cut like this, how are they going to make the tough yet necessary cuts in Medicaid and education spending or stand up to those who want to extract even more money from Hoosiers?

Hint: They won't. And they didn't.

• They've refused to limit Medicaid coverage to only those items the federal government orders states to spend, meaning that those on welfare in Indiana have access to more comprehensive health-care coverage than those who work full time.
• They've refused to cut off colleges who build pricey and unnecessary new buildings, particularly in places where buildings could be leased for far less, forcing students to pay more for tuition.
• They've refused to say 'no" to corporate welfare for the Indianapolis Colts. Everyday Hoosiers will pay an extra sales tax to subsidize millionaires. They try to pass it off as 'just 1 percent" on a restaurant tab, neglecting how much every little tax and regulation on restaurants has added up into a huge burden, especially on small businesses. No wonder mom-and-pop restaurants give up.
• They've refused to stand up to the overpriced, unnecessary Interstate-69 project. The expensive new-terrain option will cost millions more, at the cost of upgrading and maintaining other federal roads throughout the state for at least a generation. It's even politically crazy: This project rewards a Democrat governor's supporters.

Republican legislators are afraid that the boogeyman of the moment – nasty Democrats, liberal interest groups, the media – will say something unkind to those who do the right thing.

They'd rather complain about the game being rigged. How rigged can it be? They're the majority.

Now we have proof that too many Republicans want leadership titles without providing real leadership, which requires doing the right thing. That's why Silverman deserves applause.

The game is actually rigged against us, the people who pay the bills. Taxpayers and voters must let them know that these so-called leaders will not stay in office if they refuse to cut spending. Don't discount impeachment or recall threats, no matter how impractical.

These guys are chickens and it obviously takes little to scare them.

Opinion Wanted!

OK, Hoosiers. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) wants to know what kind of a job you think they are doing. Are they a good value for the taxpayer dollars? Are they a black hole for dollars to disappear into? Are they part of the bureaucratic quagmire? Let 'em know! Questionaire.

I took the quiz and am darned proud to have participated as a citizen!

Taping Today

Huge thanks to the Libertarian Party of Allen County, and Doug Horner. Doug invited me to be interviewed on their cable TV show. It will broadcast to the greater Fort Wayne area.

The questions are in Doug's corner, but I imagine we will talk about my campaign for Secretary of State and issues related to that office, but also the role the Libertarian Party is increasingly taking and can take in Hoosier politics. I'll post an update with a schedule when I find out when the show will air.

Smoking Nannies Beaten Back- Again

The proponents of the Nanny State from both parties were dealt well-deserved disappointment yesterday when the City-County Council sent the proposed smoking ban back to committee, lest it be defeated outright. Indy Star story.

"I'm very unhappy," said Greg Bowes, a Democratic sponsor of the ban. "I think the community was all ready for this."

If the community is ready for it, how about taking the proposal out of the hands of the Council, and putting it on the ballot, so that the people really can decide. Didn't think so.

There has been one consistent opponent of the ban: the Libertarian Party of Indiana. The Chamber of Commerce is actually in favor of the ban. The restauarant and tavern interests have been somewhat soft on this, surprisingly. The owners of the restaurants and bars know who is on their side, and who isn't.

Be clear on this: No Libertarian I know is extolling smoking as a virtue or urging non-smokers to take up the habit. The basis for the opposition is the defense of business owners, who have the right to set their own policies, and who should be free from the heavy hand of government interference. If you don't like secondhand smoke, why not just avoid places that permit it? Is that too high-minded of me? To ask for a little tolerance of people engaging in behavior you don't quite approve of, in places that do not belong to you?

Libertarians have helped expose the fact that some of the money from the big tobacco lawsuit settlement, that was supposed to go for education, has instead gone into lobbying and into issue advocacy lobbying. From the Indy Star story:

At least one opponent -- Brad Klopfenstein, executive director of the state Libertarian Party -- questioned why government is spending thousands on an advertising campaign.

"I personally find it offensive that this money belongs to the state of Indiana," Klopfenstein said. "Suddenly, you have the state of Indiana lobbying other agencies to pass an ordinance."

So, the vote has been postponed. This had begun as the most restrictive law on smoking in the United States. With the help of the Libertarians, it has lost much of its authoritarian bent. It is assumed that the proponents will go back to the committee and pare the regulations down further.

We'll keep fighting to beat it back further. It's one thing for government to decree that smoking is forbidden in government owned place. It's another thing entirely to dictate to individual property owners on how to manage what belongs to them.

Speak Up!

I found it very rewarding to stand before the County Council and voice my opposition to the proposed wheel tax. I strongly urge opponents of new taxes, larger government, and more spending to do likewise, especially if you are a Libertarian candidate or official. It's an opportunity to let the councils know that there is real opposition, and that they could face continued opposition at the ballot box. The citizens who agreed with my positions came up to me after the meeting to shake my hand, and I talked about getting them involved with the Libertarian Party. Plus, a quote in the newspaper is always a possibility.

I've done the legwork for you. Here are some meetings coming to a Town Hall near you:

Monday, May 9, 7pm / Indianapolis / Smoking Ban
Monday, May 9, 7pm / Westfield / possibly, 1% Restaurant Tax
Tuesday, May 10, 7pm / Noblesville / possibly, 1% Restaurant Tax
Monday, May 16, 7pm / Carmel / possibly, 1% Restaurant Tax
Monday, May 16, 7pm / Fishers / possibly, 1% Restaurant Tax

If you are a resident of these places, you have standing to speak before the Councils and voice opposition to new taxes. You could be the persuasive voice that makes the difference!

Please Forgive My Cynicism

Actually, I'm a real sucker for motivational stuff- everything from the motivational speakers to their products, like the posters that have a picture of an eagle soaring over a canyon with a message about leadership. Also, I'm generally not a big fan of Dilbert or the kind of guy who takes the 'Same Stuff, Different Day' approach. I like work and believe in what I do, so that stuff is generally oppressive to me.

And yet, a co-worker led me to www.despair.com, and I laughed and laughed. The site' s parody of the motivational stuff I enjoy so much is so brutal, so hopelessly cyncial as to bring serious comic relief. After all, there is the man who loves what he does and has serious goals, and then there's the man who desperately needs for someone to take the piss out of him.

Here's a priceless example of one of their posters. It's an image of a snowball that has rolled down a hill, growing in the process.

Teamwork

A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of distruction.

Kind of like the Legislature! Sorry. Was that too cynical?

Meeting Notes

It was interesting to appear at the Hamilton County Council Meeting tonight to speak in opposition to the County's proposed wheel tax. Noblesville Ledger story.

The first thing that struck me was that there were five residents who appeared and spoke. All five spoke in opposition to the new tax. Four elected officials spoke. Three were in favor. Kudos to Commissioner Steve Holt, who spoke in opposition, urging the Council to let this pass for one year to see if the County and State resolve their differences on COIT money that the County claims is owed to it by the State.

Interestingly, the three officials who spoke in favor represent municipalities and serve on city or town councils. This new tax would generate money that is split between the county and the municipalities. In other words, it is a tax that the County Councilor would be responsible for enacting, but the city and town councilors who would not be on record as having voted for a new tax would still see the benefit of that tax in their municipalities. Keep in mind that all of these officials are Republicans.

Now, you might think that the County Councilors would object to this move by the cities, taking all of the money and none of the responsibility. Who would you complain to? The GOP County Chair? Oh, that's right. The Chair is Charlie White, and he spoke in support of the tax on behalf of the Town of Fishers, where he is a Town Councilor. The other Republican councilors who spoke in favor of the new tax: Terry Busby of Noblesville, and Kevin Kirby.

It was interesting to hear the County Councilors speak of cutting budgets. If you closed your eyes and forgot you were in Hamilton County, you would have thought that Democrats were speaking. One councilor commented: "What would you have us cut? Police or other safety forces?" It seems that whenever you suggest any kind of budget cut to a Republican or Democrat, the inevitable response is this. No, don't cut police or other safety. Look at everything else first. If departments get new vehicles every 5 years, make it 7. If new computers are bought every 3 years, make it 4.

There was a dare to inspect the budget and find the fat to cut. That's a challenge I'm willing to accept. I'm betting there is plenty to cut. That the Republicans can't- or, more likely, won't- find anything to cut, it just serves as further proof that they aren't the fiscal conservatives they campaign they are.

Laughable Letter

What happens when you drink the GOP's Kool-Aid by the 55 gallon drum? You write letters like this one, which appeared in today's Star:

The end of do-less, spend-more politicians

Gov. Mitch Daniels had a great start, but citizens are the real winners in the legislative session. Better conditions for business, lower cost of running the state and balanced budgets do not just happen; leaders must lead the needed change. For too long the state was run by spend-more, do-less politicians who cared little for how tax dollars were spent as long as they remained in power.

Those days are over, and we as citizens should remain alert to see they do not return.

Carl Hoffman
Danville

Let's see... The GOP dominated legislature saw to it that the budget grew and was not cut. The Republicans Governor added new layers of bureaucracy, and did not eliminate. Tax increases were put on the table. Some passed, some failed. No tax cuts were even put on the table. No spending cuts were put on the table, but some increases in spending that were lower than last year's increases were adopted.

With fiscal conservatives like the Hoosier GOP, who needs liberal Democrats? You don't want the days of the tax-and-spenders to return? They never left.

The GOP has no commitment to lower taxes and smaller government. The only way you'll get that is by voting Libertarian.

So, Where's The Surprise?

I was chuckling in amusement when I saw this morning's Indy Star's headline for the Colts stadium deal:

Surprise! Check the bill
Stadium deal lets cities raise dining tax but doesn't guarantee low-priced Colts tickets.

Surprise? Where?! This is precisely what I expected and predicted. This is exactly what has happened in virtually every other city that has provided subsidized sports. All taxpayers end up paying a portion of the bill, but the tickets in the new luxury palace are placed out of reach for the average or poorer taxpayer.

Why would you expect any different? The crux of team owner Jim Irsay's "problem" was that the team only made middling profits when compared to the rest of the NFL. He felt he needed to be up higher.

Well, if you do nothing to improve the product- which is very good, by the way- or fail to offer more of it, all you can do to rake in more profit is charge higher prices.

In the vernacular of the average 12-year-old: DUH.

Do read the entire article in order to find out how you will be further screwed. Several cities and counties were given the ability to raise taxes in their locales, with little direction on how to spend the money. You can bet that these locales will impose these taxes.

In Hamilton County, the next County Council meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, May 4, at 7pm in the Commissioners Chambers, in the newer Judicial Center. I will be there along with other Libertarians in order to speak out against the raising of any new taxes, on behalf of the citizens of the county and the businesses that would be affected by them. Be there to speak out, no matter where you live!

Quick Convention Observations

The Libertarian Party of Indiana hosted its' annual convention this past weekend in Clarksville, which is on the Ohio River, just across from Louisville, KY. Top 5 observations:

1. This convention was very well attended, which is a great thing when considering that there were no high profile candidates to select for the ballot, there is no ballot in 2005, and the location was at one extreme end of the state. The delegate total was one greater than in the 2004 convention, which selected the high-profile gubernatorial candidate, and was staged centrally, in Indianapolis. This points to significant growth, and a commitment on the part of those from the northern part of the state.

2. The speakers were relevant. Too often, LP conventions feature little besides libertarian speakers. Don't get me wrong- I enjoy hearing top libertarian speakers. However, I got more insights from Jason Shelley of the National Federation of Independent Business than I would from, say, a James Bovard. Shelley represents small business owners, and that is a core constituency we aim to capture. Best to know what his group wants, and more importantly, what specific policies they suffer under.

3. The events flowed. Convention co-ordinator Cindy Kirkpatrick did a masterful job of making sure everything started and ended on time, so that there was a minimum of down time. Some down time is great, because it allows you to mingle. Too much is just boredom.

4. The focus on the floor was on business. Even with one contentious item on the floor for debate, no lines were drawn, and no blood spilled. Good direction of traffic and remarks by Chair Mark Rutherford made it so.

5. There seemed to be a growing readiness to accept my campaign. I like that for the obvious reasons, but more importantly, I had sensed a resistance to get involved with any campaign up to this point, mainly because the November 2006 ballot seems so far away. I think the majority of the members get the dual reality that there is serious business ahead as well as huge political opportunities to be siezed now.

All of this gives me hope for a spectacular 2006 convention. If trends continue, we will have more delegates and attendees than ever before, and business on the floor that points us towards more growth and to electoral success.

Congratulations, Stacey!

I was delighted to learn that my friend Stacey McGuire was promoted to Principal of Westfield High School, by a vote of the School Board. Noblesville Daily Times story.

Stacey really loves her work, so it's a fine reward for her. I can't think of anything more grinding than being the assisant Principal. Congrats!

Latest From Libertarian Writers Bureau

I'm not big on lording over the corriculum at the public schools. However, if I had to, I would insist that Economics would be taught beginning at sixth grade. So much awful public policy would fail to gain momentum and become law if only the average person had a rudimentary grasp of economics.

Here, Eric Schansberg reminds the reader that cause and effect, and supply and demand, lie at the root of all human interaction; and that public policy more often causes monopoly than anything else.


Keeping out new hospitals won't cure health-care ills

More competition, not less, would be best remedy for consumers, employees

In recent months, there has been considerable discussion about moratoriums on building hospitals in Southern Indiana. In Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties, local government officials have been listening to the competing interests of existing county-run hospitals and those who would like to enter the market for hospital services.

On the surface, it's difficult to imagine why one would want to prevent a hospital from opening. A hospital is not a porn shop or a toxic-waste dump. Building and operating a hospital is not much of a zoning issue; one could seemingly find a suitable place to allow a hospital to operate somewhere within a county.

The best explanation is a common one in the intersection between economics and politics: no supplier enjoys competition for the goods or services they sell -- and they may find government a cooperative ally in restricting their competition.Unfortunately, restricting competition is only in the interest of the provider who wishes to maintain or extend monopoly power. Consumers and society will not benefit from having fewer options and less competition in a market.

Because the general public is intuitively aware that restricting competition is not a good thing, the producers and their politicians must tell "good stories" -- rationales to explain why less of a good thing is supposedly better.

In Harrison County, they're worried about "sky-rocketing health-care costs." But how would a lower supply and less competition keep costs down?

They've also expressed concern that another facility will "undermine the health, welfare and economic well-being of county residents." But how would more health-care options be a detriment to county residents?

Even health-care employees would benefit with more employment alternatives. The best of the good stories is that a moratorium would "prevent unfair competition."

Private-sector hospitals are accused of "cherry-picking" and "skimming profits" by avoiding less-profitable patients, in particular the indigent and those in prison.

Doubtless, this is true to an extent and some cause for concern. But a more direct way to deal with this issue is to directly subsidize the care of those who cannot pay -- wherever they receive their care -- rather than setting up an arbitrary monopoly.

Moreover, proponents of the moratoriums fail to mention that county-run facilities have lower tax burdens. A truly level playing field would also eliminate such subsidies. In a sense, it is comforting to see politicians be so consistent. Most of them work to foster the monopoly power of government-run schools and the post office. Many of them vote for tariffs and quotas to restrict competitors in product markets. So why should the market for hospital care be any different?

Likewise, the business community proclaims its love for the free market. But its love is often fickle, wanting competitive markets for the inputs they purchase and open access to foreign markets, but clamoring for restrictions on competitors in the particular domestic markets where they sell product. Perhaps the most ironic thing in the discussion about hospitals: County hospitals are fighting to maintain their local turf while seeming to ignore the far larger market.

Hospitals in Southern Indiana already face their most significant competition from hospitals across the river in Louisville. What difference would it make to have a few more facilities in Floyd, Clark, and Harrison counties? Despite all of the competition in Jefferson County, Louisville has a robust market for hospital services.

Moratoriums on hospitals are not exactly what the doctor ordered.

D. Eric Schansberg
Professor of Economics, Indiana University Southeast
Adjunct Fellow, Indiana Policy Review

Convention Draws Near!

I'm very excited for the upcoming state convention of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. Stepping aside from the role of State Secretary, while not especially daunting, is a bit of a relief in that I need to fully concentrate on the campaign for Secretary of State.

That's what really has me excited. The most committed party members always attend the off-year conventions, and there is a great deal of effort involved for many, as the off-year conventions are held in either the northern- or southern-most parts of the state. This year, it's Clarksville. Members coming from Allen County, or LaPorte, or Lake will be driving some five or six hours each way, which is an eternity in Indiana travel terms. People at this convention are the ones I really want to talk and strategize with, and to impress.

If you haven't registered yet, by all means hop to it! The festivities begin Friday night, and the business meeting will be conducted on Saturday. Go to www.lpin.org for details. I will host a hospitality suite, complete with a Texas Hold 'Em tournament Friday and Saturday nights.

Bobby Orr For Commissioner!

It's still incredible to me that the NHL lost an entire season over a labor dispute. Any other year, I would be getting my fill of NHL Playoff hockey- easily the most intense, compelling playoffs of any sport- with two games a night throughout April and early May. Alas.

I have no sympathy for either side. The owners are full of complaints that players salaries are too high. Well? Who agrees to the contracts? The players were unwilling to play for a million or so each in the NHL, but were happy enough to play in Europe or in the minor leagues for a fraction of the pay. Well? Is it about the salaries or isn't it?

Worse, the representatives for both sides are engaged in a pointless standoff. ESPN ran a poll, and the majority of respondents said they didn't miss the NHL a bit. That should have scared both sides straight to the table to regain their relevance in the sporting world.

Bobby Orr has it right. His comments were carried by ESPN:

Bobby Orr wants NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and players' association executive director Bob Goodenow to "get out of the way" if they can't solve the impasse that led to the cancellation of the NHL's season.

"Our sport is in danger of becoming irrelevant unless both sides immediately put an end to this nonsense," the Boston Bruins great wrote in a column for the Sunday Eagle-Tribune.

Orr, 57, said he initially resisted the urge to comment on the labor dispute because he believed the two sides would resolve their differences for the good of the game. But he said he no longer believes either side is interested in getting a fair deal done.

Thanks, Bobby Orr, for giving both sides the kick in the rear they deserve and need. I'd love it if more NHL legends spoke out in this way.

Hamilton County's Liberal Republicans At It Again

The Republican Governor can't figure out how to get private business to build a stadium, so he goes for a tax package that would include taxing restaurants in Hamilton County and other counties, even though the new stadium would be in Marion County.

Are the Republican leaders in Hamilton County principled tax fighters, or are they the Governor's lap dogs? Quoth the Sunday Star:

John Hiatt, president of the Hamilton County Council, said he was encouraged by Peterson's decision to relinquish control. Hiatt believes the council will raise the tax.

"When we met with the governor, we pretty much told him we'd raise the tax," Hiatt said. "We may have some objections, but most of us on the council feel like this may be the right thing to do."

Enough is enough. He will have his objections. Mark your calendars. The next meeting of the Hamilton County Council is schedule for 7pm on Wednesday, May 4, in the newer Judicial Center's Commissioners Court Room.

Be ready to ask the all-Republican Council why it is so eager to raise taxes. Ask them why they would burden one group of citizens (restaurant owners) so that they can reward another group of citizens (football players and team owners).

Definitions

Several times in the past year, I made the observation that Republicans have made a clever shift. Whereas they used to describe themselves as 'fiscal conservatives', they now tend to describe themselves as 'fiscally responsible'.

What's the difference? A fiscal conservative wants to limit or cut spending. One who is fiscally responsible merely wishes to balance the budget. If tax increases are necessary, so be it. This is the difference between a Libertarian (the fiscal conservative) and a Republican (the fiscally responsible).

This comes to light thanks to the Editorial in this morning's Indy Star, which calls for balancing the budget on an increase in cigarette taxes.

Jeff Espich is nobody's idea of a tax-and-spend politician. But the fiscal conservative, who is chairman of the Indiana House Ways and Mean Committee, recently noted that the state is "going to have to have new revenue."

Legislators must find money to give a small -- many would argue insufficient -- funding increase to schools over the next two years. Money to keep pace, even minimally, with rising costs in Medicaid. Money to complete a truly balanced two-year budget, one that bridges the deficit and doesn't resort to gimmicks.

The best proposal for raising more revenue, or at least the one with the best chance of legislative approval, is a 19-cent per-pack increase in the cigarette tax. The state tax on cigarettes would increase to 74.5 cents a pack.

Actually, Jeff Espich is my idea of a tax-and-spend politician. Name for me one spending cut or tax cut he has proposed this session. It can't be done. But I can name for you two tax increases he has proposed: this on cigarettes, and another on food and beverages for a new Colts stadium- something that should never be done by government, only by the private sector.

The Star, like Espich, fail to consider that one primary way to balance any budget is to spend less. This is what you and I do with our personal budgets at home when money gets tight. We stop spending until we catch up with debt and begin to build a little cushion. The Legislature has one advantage we don't- they can will themselves more money any time they want to raise the money. To quote Bill Clinton: "Stroke of the pen, law of the land. Kinda cool."

Not much in the way of incentive there for Espich and his ilk to be anything but tax-and-spend legislators. It's a situation made worse by comments like these, in the Star's Editorial:

But they can't leave the Statehouse a week from today without recognizing a potentially unpopular but necessary truth: Indiana can neither cut nor grow its way out of the budget deficit in the next two years. The state in the recent past has slashed spending on some services, raided reserve funds and waited patiently for economic growth to alleviate the fiscal crunch. But the problems remain.

Can't cut? I've yet to see an actual cut. The only "cuts" proposed this year have been reduced increases in spending. Those aren't cuts. A 1% cut across the board is not too much to ask, especially if you are seeking, as the Star claims to be, a balanced budget that doesn't resort to gimmicks. A real fiscal conservative would propose this kind of modest cut. A Libertarian sure would.

Voting With Their Feet

It seems that Indiana, while growing in real numbers of population, is watching other states grow even faster. From today's Star:

From 2000 to 2004, he said, 19,000 more people have moved out of the state than have moved in from elsewhere in the country. But, in the same period, 47,000 more people migrated here from other countries than left.

"The domestic loss is more than made up for by the international in-migration," Thompson said. "Some of them are college students. I would imagine most of those new people are Hispanic."

In other words, were more attractive than the Third World, but less attractive than other American states.

That is the result of policy. Sure, we always hear about the weather, but frankly, the weather is better here than in New York or Boston. While we lack the attractions of those older cities, we would attract population and thus create the attractions, if only Indiana became a tax haven. Lower the taxes and spending such that Indiana has the lowest tax rates in the country on personal income and on corporations, and you would see massive migration of entrepreneurs and established businesses.

I guess there is a greater commitment here to taxes and government than there is to prosperity. Sad. Oh well- we're still more attractive than Mexico. There's a slogan for our Gov. Mitch!

Convention Center Deemed Good Enough

Celebration III is the only George Lucas sanctioned event surrounding Star Wars for 2005. It is being held in the Indianapolis Convention Center- the one that is alleged to be too small, too outdated, too something that 'demands' replacement, at least according to some people who won't be paying for the replacement with their own money. Per the Star:

Celebration III came to Indianapolis for several reasons, says Steve Sansweet, director of content management and head of fan relations for Lucasfilm.

Celebration II was held here in 2002 because the city is within easy driving distance from many densely populated areas and has a good airport. Hotels are plentiful, and the Convention Center was large enough. About 25,000 fans attended.

The city got a good review, and the Convention Center was available, so a return visit was planned.

So, why is it that we need a new Convention Center at nearly $1 billion? We don't- unless some private developer/investor is willing to put up the money. Anything else is simply a scam.

LPIN Convention Coming QUICKLY

Faithful members of the Libertarian Party of Indiana have important business in front of them, along with learning opportunities, networking, fellowship, and entertainment at the State Party's convention, Friday April 29 through Sunday, May 1. The event is in Clarksville IN, near Louisville KY & I-65. If you haven't registered yet, please hurry as space is limited, especially in the area hotels. Event details.

Featured guests include columnist and author Vin Suprynowicz, Jason Shelley of the National Federation of Independent Business, Mayor Willy Marshall (L- Big Water, Utah), Abdul Hakim-Shabazz of Indy's WXNT 1430-am, and Trevor Southerland of the National Libertarian Party's Youth Caucus.

As one of the delegates from Hamilton County, I will be able to vote in the election of the four officers to the LPIN. For the record, I am not running for a second term as State Secretary, so that I may concentrate on my campaign for Secretary of State. The offices being elected are Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary.

My campaign will be hosting a hospitality suite at the Holiday Inn Lakeview, Friday night through Saturday night. There will be a nightly Texas Hold 'Em Tournament, which should be very entertaining. Please stop by and say hello!

Get It Done!

It's time to at long last pass the Daylight Savings Time bill. While in my laziest moments I like the fact that the time doesn't change here in Indiana, the reality is that this fact, coupled with the fact that 48 other states do change their clocks, make a compelling case for change. The first order of business is to just get on DST.

The second is to get on Eastern DST. While many will argue in favor of our proximity to Chicago, our past life in the 1950s and '60s on Central Time, and the geography, there is again a compelling argument for going Eastern. It is the list of cities in the Eastern Zone:

New York City, Washington DC, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Detroit, Toronto, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Miami, Jacksonville, Memphis, Buffalo, and even Montreal.

Compare this with the list of Central cities:

Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, St. Louis, New Orleans, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Tulsa, and ok, Winnipeg.

These are some fine cities, but their populations numbers and significance pale compare drastically with the Eastern cities. NYC & DC alone overshadow all of the Central cities.

Case closed. The vote should come today.

LaPorte Campaign Stop

Saturday night, I attended the County Convention of the Libertarian Party of LaPorte County. I was out of downtown Indy and up I-65 to LaPorte, 180 miles away. I was making good time on my drive, so I got off I-65 and took US 421 instead to enjoy this rural stretch that runs parallel to the old Monon Railroad. Lots of grain elevators and big, blue skies.

Once in LaPorte, I was very aware that I was in the hometown of Jeff Ake, the Indiana businessman who was recently kidnapped in Iraq. Every store that had a sign with movable lettering had messages asking for prayers for Mr. Ake and his family. It was overwhelming and very moving to see all the signs. No kidding- every video rental place, every Arby's, every convenience store or gas station had a message. Mr. Ake is very obviously beloved in his hometown. Indeed, the Convention began with a prolonged moment of silence for him. Story from local LaPorte paper.

I was the keynote speaker at this Convention, and it was my first experience with a rush of photographers in front of the podium. It gave me energy and an inward chuckle. I knew my speech well. It was the second time in the day to deliver it, and with a three-hour drive for rehearsal, I was not thrown off. The main thrust of the speech was the importance for taking action that might be uncomfortable. It's a comfortable thing to criticize policy from the safety of your PC, but if it's uncomfortable to show up at a council meeting to assert your position, it is 100% more effective. It's a comfortable thing to be a paper candidate running for Township Trustee, but if it's uncomfortable to run a real campaign for County Commissioner, it's eminently more valuable. Etc.

The speech was well-received, as I could see the group energized by it. People began talking about what offices they would be running for. The local media was on hand for Q & A afterwards.

I am delighted with The LaPorte Herald Argus' article covering my speech at the Convention. It does, however, include the strangest expression on my face in a picture where I am not playing hockey. Plus, I was a bit embarrassed at the coverage in that the other business of the Convention- the election of the officers of the LaPorte County party- was not even discussed. There's no telling what the media will include, or exclude, from a story. For the record, Doug Barnes was elected Chair after having been the District 2 representative to the Central Committee of the state party. He trades places with Greg Kelver. Both are outstanding leaders and great people who I personally enjoy working with.

Fort Wayne Report

The Libertarian Party of Allen County turned up in good numbers at the main downtown Post Office to hold signs that read "Honk if your taxes are too high", to hand out literature showing the national debt in invoice form, and to generally show that there is one party who supports the frustrated taxpayer. The horns were blaring and many people gave us the thumbs up.

I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by a TV news reporter. I'll wait for word on what was aired.

Tax Day Arrives

I will be at the downtown Fort Wayne Post Office from 4-8pm tonight in support of the Libertarian Party of Allen County. Wherever you are, if you see people rallying in support of you keeping more of your income, for lower taxes and smaller government, you will be seeing Libertarians- not Republicans, and certainly not Democrats. My campaign schedule.

April 15 is a day of fear and loathing across America for so many. It would be easy enough to go on a lengthy discourse about taxes, but you've probably been through it a hundred times. The sad fact is, most Americans are not enormously dissatisfied with the tax system. The amount of money taken from American citizens and spent by governments is rationalized away as for the common good, or at least less than the burden borne by the Europeans.

That's all true to some degree. However, if you are the person who believes that government budgets should be smaller than what they are, that the government should be less involved in daily life than it is, that your taxes should be less than they are, this is your symbolic day of lament.

Your symbolic day of relief is Tax Freedom Day, which arrives this year on April 17, according to the Tax Foundation. This is the day that you are finally through paying taxes to the Federal, state, and local governments. It means that every penny the average American earned from January 1 until April 17 went to pay for just one thing- the tax bill.

If you support the current level of taxation, enjoy that thought. Savor it. The rest of us need to work to change it, and it isn't getting done by electing Republicans or Democrats. Do the math.

Pub Crawl Wednesday

I drink very little and I've never smoked, so why I am I going on a pub crawl? Because I support the owners of bars and restaurants in Central Indiana. They have been doubly targeted by government at the state and local levels this Spring, and I want them to know that while Republicans and Democrats think targeting them is a great idea, I think it's rotten.

The pub crawl is organized by the Libertarian Party of Indiana and the Marion County affiliate. It starts at 7pm at Claude & Annie's at Pike Plaza, on Indy's NW side. From there, the pub crawlers will visit 5 or 6 other establishments. A bus will be provided.

There is already a 1% tax on bars and restaurants to support the stadium the Colts play in. Without eliminating that tax, the state legislature wants to impose a new, additional 1% on bars and restaurants.

The City-County Council in Indianapolis is pushing a smoking ban that would extend to private property- bars and restaurants. As I said, I don't smoke. Never have. But, to invoke Voltaire, I'll defend the rights of those who want to smoke, or to business owners who want to permit smoking in their private establishments.

Some may say that a vote for a Libertarian is a wasted vote. Owners of bars and restaurants now understand that for them, the only wasted vote is the one not cast on a Libertarian.

Hamilton County Convention This Saturday

The Libertarian Party of Hamilton County will convene this Saturday to vote on important business. New officers will be selected, as will delegates to the state party's convention.

Come to the Delaware Township Government Center, 9191 E. 131st Street, in Fishers. Meeting starts at 11am.

The Noblesville Daily Times has most recently reported in anticipation of our convention, in today's edition. Story by Rebecca Sandlin.

I am stepping down from the Chair, so that I can concentrate on the Secretary of State race. Campaign website is www.mikekole.com.

The Nature of Temporary Taxes

There is nothing quite so permanent as a temporary tax. Kudos to the Indy Star's Matthew Tully for showing it to be so in today's paper. Article.

The new stadium-financing proposal has residents such as Frances Eggert scratching their heads. The Southside retiree loves the Colts and isn't too worried about a new tax. But she has a question:

"Can someone tell me what has happened to the food tax we've been paying all these years?"

Eggert remembers the early 1980s debate and the promise that the tax would fall off the books after the stadium debt was paid off. Phil Borst, who was on the City-County Council then and is now its Republican leader, said the promise of "sunsetting" the tax "was a real selling point." According to law, the tax would expire about two years after the stadium debt was eliminated.

So what happened?

According to city controller Bob Clifford, the dome debt has been refinanced, setting back its payoff date, and more bonds were issued to cover major dome renovations. Today, the tax is "co-mingled" with others that helped finance Conseco Fieldhouse, convention center expansions and Victory Field.

The tax is helping pay off about $496 million in debt.

Originally expected to go away by 2013, the restaurant tax is now on the books until at least 2030.

I guess that means that it still a temporary tax, in the sense that it could end one day before the end of human civilization. I love this factoid:

Even if the RCA Dome is demolished in 2008, as planned, the tax created to fund the facility will stay on the books. In all, the tax has generated more than $250 million over the years -- far beyond the original $77 million cost of the dome.

Einstein's definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. Is there any reason not to expect that the new tax will be defined by overruns, "co-mingling", and decades-long extentions?

Of course not. It's kind of like continuing to vote Republican in the hopes of less taxes and smaller budgets. Insanity.

Immigration and the Minutemen

Libertarians favor LEGAL immigration. We do not favor borders that look like swiss cheese, which is pretty much what we have along Mexico. If people from other countries want to emigrate to this country- no problemo! Follow the rules and come on over. If you sneak in, or are smuggled in, you are a criminal and you should be sent back.

Some people are beginning to see the presense of the Minutemen as a problem. From an AP story:

"We do not have the time nor the patience for anyone attempting to turn this situation into a three ring circus," Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever said in a statement.

The Minutemen wouldn't even be there if the border was effectively being patrolled. Problem managed, no circus. Comprende?

Campaign Site Fully Functional

There were a couple of glitches with my campaign website, but everything has been ironed out. Tell me what you think of the site!

www.mikekole.com

Commentary on Daniels' "Temporary" Tax

Whether or not the "temporary" 1% tax on those earning $100,000/year or more proposed by Republican Governor Mitch Daniels will come to pass remains to be seen. If it does pass, the Tax Foundation issued a report that makes the following claim:

"...this tax increase would make Indiana’s business tax climate more hostile to business investment, less competitive in attracting more jobs, and harm Indiana’s ability to keep the jobs currently located there. If the proposed tax increase had been in effect when the last Index rankings were calculated, Indiana, which ranks 12th best in the Index, would have dropped to 19th."

Ouch. Well, all policy has cause and effect, and there it is. The Tax Foundation has done their homework on Daniels, invoking the governor's words from the campaign trail.

"Governor Daniels should withdrawal his proposed income tax surcharge. Daniels himself vowed, as a candidate for Governor, to do a better job competing with neighboring states for jobs and investment. This makes his proposal all the more surprising considering that it would make Indiana less competitive."

Couldn't agree more. I am eager to see where Tax Freedom Day lands this year. This is the Tax Foundation's hallmark annual report. Last year, they pegged Tax Freedom Day- the day the average American is finally done paying for the year's taxes, and earning for himself and family- at April 11. The original 2005 projection is for April 14.

Republican Spending Continues

It starts at the top and trickles downward, landing like you-know-what at your front door.

Republican Governor Mitch Daniels is strongly touting his plan to fund a stadium and convention center with a package of taxes that would hit Hoosiers in ways they couldn't be counted on to keep track of.

Restaurants are targeted for the tax. Thank goodness the Restaurant & Hospitality Association of Indiana is blasting back. From the Indy Star:

"This is a bad way to fund a good project," said John Livengood, president of the Restaurant & Hospitality Association of Indiana.

Livengood said the tax would be particularly harmful to those with low and fixed incomes because they spend a higher percentage of their money on food. He complained that restaurants were being singled out.

Daniels doesn't appear to be backing down.

Livengood's reaction came a day after Daniels announced he was nearing agreement with city and state officials on a financing plan for the venture. A regional 1 percent tax on restaurant tabs -- as well as on certain prepared grocery store meals -- would pay for much of the project.

At an afternoon news conference, Daniels defended his plan, which also is expected to include increases in hotel, car rental and ticket taxes. He downplayed the suggestion that a new restaurant tax would hurt those businesses.

"I don't think it's a strong argument, and it's vastly outweighed by the possible upside of public good," he said.

Daniels is investing a good amount of energy making the case in favor of new taxes. Republicans in the suburban counties are puppies at their master's feet.

But Daniels has garnered support for his initiative in recent days from officials in the so-called doughnut counties surrounding Indianapolis, which would have the option of implementing the new restaurant taxes.

Although the tax would be optional, Daniels expects most of the seven counties that touch Marion County to adopt it. They would keep half of the revenue and contribute the other half, up to $5 million a year, to pay off bonds on the stadium project. The tax, meanwhile, would raise about $17 million for the project within Indianapolis.

The mayor's office has pegged the project's overall price tag at about $900 million. It likely would be paid off over three decades.

On Wednesday, Daniels met with suburban county leaders to sell them on the idea of a regional funding source for the stadium project. Hamilton County Council Vice President Steve Schwartz said he was one of many Republican officials who were skeptical as they headed to the meeting but left sold on the
idea.

Schwartz said Daniels agreed to make a personal appearance in front of the Hamilton County Council if that should be needed.

"To me, that sends a message to our council and our community that he is devoted and he believes in this," Schwartz said.

Here's something to take note of: Republicans have moved away from describing themselves as fiscal conservatives. They now say that they are "fiscally responsible". That is code for, "We'll balance the budget, but it will include more spending and more taxes".

Then again, some Republicans are so desperate to spend more tax dollars, that they are willing to take their chances with the balanced budget, and fiscal irresponsibility. There is no word a politician likes to utter more than the word "yes".

Two members of the Indiana Senate had a delightful exchange over state funding increases for schools and medicaid. The discussion involved raising new taxes on alcohol and tobacco. From the Noblesville Daily Times:

The revenue-raising proposals will be included in a separate bill and voted on before the budget plan receives a Senate vote. Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, acknowledged that much of the new spending in the proposed budget assumes that bill will pass.

"What happens if it doesn't pass?" asked Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington.

"Then we've got a problem," Kenley said.

We have a problem. Kenley is a spender, plain and simple. He must say "yes" to increased spending, no matter what for. It's a crazy time when Kenley can make Vi Simpson look fiscally responsible.

Colts Have Solved Funding Dilemma

Minor problem: They probably don't know it. The Colts released the results of a survey they conducted. As quoted in the Indy Star:

The study said 43 percent of the respondents from northeast Indiana said they would be willing to spend $40 annually to ensure the Colts remained in Indiana. In southeast Indiana it was 38 percent and in southwest Indiana it was one-third, according to a document posted on the team's Web site.

The Colts have found the people willing to fund the project. Get their money. They want you to have it! All the Colts have to do is contact those people again, and have them send the money in. Meanwhile, leave the rest of us alone!

No doubt, the Colts used these figures to begin to help justify taxation. They still have a majority opposed to them, by their own figures. No to the taxes!

You Have To Know What Team To Root For

The beauty of being a sports fan is that it is always easy to root for your team. Whether you pull for Purdue, IU, or Notre Dame, for the Pacers, the Colts, or the Komets, you’ll root for the team wearing the right colors, no matter what players are wearing them.

That’s important, because players come and go. College teams completely turn over every four years. Colts fans have been pretty lucky in that the high-flying offensive nucleus of Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, and Edgerrin James has been powering an exciting team together for six seasons.

Five years down the road, the blue and white could become a defensive juggernaut. A problem for Colts fans? No way- they will be thrilled and will cheer the Colts, hopefully to a Super Bowl victory. It doesn’t matter who is on the team or how the game is played. As long as your team wins, you’re happy.

That’s a fair summation of Hoosier politics these days, too.

For 16 years, faithful Hoosier Republicans had been pulling for their team in the hopes of an electoral Super Bowl victory. For 16 years, the Democrats retained the governor’s office, even while slowly losing their grip on the legislature. Finally, this past November, the GOP won all the trophies, with Mitch Daniels elected governor, and a Republican majority in both statehouse chambers.

Republicans were ecstatic- at first. But, just eight days after his inaugural, Daniels used the platform of the State of the State address to announce his support for a temporary tax hike on Hoosiers earning $100,000 or more.

Republicans in the club seating were stunned by the move. While there is nothing quite so permanent as a temporary tax increase, they swallowed hard and cheered, but because they support their team, and their team is in charge!

The Indiana Constitution requires the state’s budget to be balanced. This posed the new governor with a challenge, as the outgoing government left Daniels with a $600 million deficit. The quickest way to erase a deficit is to cut spending, and with Daniels earning the nickname ‘The Blade’ while on President Bush’s staff, this seemed like a lock. However, Daniels’ budget would have spent $1 billion more than with the previous budget. The two highest percentage increase items? Teacher retirement up 73%, and something called ‘general government’ up 29%. Hmm.

Well, Daniels is just the quarterback, and he’s a rookie. Why dwell on him when the Republicans have a whole team of players on this winning team to idolize?

Early in the legislative session, Senator Beverly Gard (R-Greenfield) authored a tax on food and beverages. Not to be outdone, Representatives Tom Saunders (R-Lewisville) and Matt Whetstone (R-Brownsburg) co-authored two bills that would tax food and beverages. Republicans leaving their seats thought about heading for the concession stand after the first quarter, but then chose to mill around the hallway instead.

Representative Timothy Brown (R-Crawfordsville) authored a bill giving the green light to counties to raise taxes on gasoline from 4 to 8 cents per gallon. Jeff Espich (R-Uniondale) introduced another gas tax bill, but with a tax per mile formula that makes the tax specific to your vehicle. Senator John Waterman (R-Shelburn) has even written a bill that would forbid retailers from selling gasoline at below cost. If someone wants to sell gasoline at a loss right now, I want to declare him a hero, not send the Attorney General after him. Can we go back to the huddle?

Politics and sports goes together so well that Peyton Manning stopped by the Statehouse and threw passes to the lawmakers. Soon afterwards, several Republican lawmakers forwarded a game plan of tax packages in support a new stadium for the Colts. Reps Luke Messer (R-Shelbyville), Michael Murphy (R-Indianapolis), and Ways and Means Chairman Espich all issued plans that combined taxes and gambling. Senator Luke Kenley (R-Noblesville) offered yet another plan, minus the gambling, but including taxes on most service industries in Marion County. Not one of them thought of leadership as using the prestige of their office to bring prospective investors together to create a private investment. All went straight for tax packages.

When the fiscal conservative looks at the GOP team in their uniforms, they will see that the familiar elephant logo is there, but the Gipper’s government-off-my-back players are on the sidelines. Those are the Libertarians.

Governing is not sports. When governing, the policy is far more important that the colors the winning team is wearing. If you are a fiscal conservative, what is the point in continuing to back the Republican Party? The GOP has run the ball to the wrong end zone and scored a safety for the Democrats.

Campaign Website Up

The new website for my campaign for Secretary of State in 2006 is up and running. See it at www.mikekole.com but be advised that not all of the links are operational yet. Good for a look, though.

Gambling Hypocrisy

It has been fascinating to watch the various casino proposals come and go that have been tied to the funding of a stadium for the Colts. The biggest kick has been what Abdul Hakim-Shabazz refers to as 'The Unholy Alliance' of opposition to expanded gambling in Central Indiana- those who oppose gambling on moral grounds, together with those with existing gambling interests around the periphery of the state.

Rookie State Senator Brent Waltz (R-Greenwood) submitted an interesting letter to the Indy Star, opposing expanded gambling on the basis of 'social consequences'. Here's the paragraph that almost made me choke on my Diet Coke:

It has been long rumored that some in the legislature seek to legalize these machines, essentially making every liquor license holder a mini-casino. In the two counties I represent, Marion and Johnson, citizens would be confronted with up to 961 mini-casinos. They would be located near churches, schools and libraries, and access to them would be as easy as buying a lottery ticket. Such a measure would be the greatest single expansion of gambling in Indiana history.

Actually, Senator, the greatest single expansion of gambling in Indiana history was the creation of the Hoosier Lottery, the state controlled gambling monopoly. That lottery ticket you mention is precisely for convenience stores what you fear of bars- they are all mini-casinos situated near churches, schools, and libraries. Will Senator Waltz therefore be calling for the dissolution of the Hoosier Lottery? I strongly doubt it. In 2004, the Lottery transferred $200 million to the Legislature for spending.

At the same time, Waltz deserves credit for this paragraph in the same letter:

It is critical that Indiana does nothing less with its budget than what we expect every family in our state to do -- live within its financial means. The tens of thousands of families harmed by layoffs and job loss do not have the option of building a mini-casino to pay their bills. Neither should the state of Indiana.

Imagine... Indiana living within its' means! He's right about that, and about something he doesn't see. If citizens can't create legal businesses offering and controlling gambling, neither should the state. And, if he is opposed to gambling on moral grounds, fight the existing legal gambling you help manage. End the Hoosier Lottery, Senator Waltz!

A Banner Edition of The Ledger

Today's Noblesville Ledger included my letter that sums up a lot of my postings here in recent weeks and months. Simply put, the Republicans in Hamilton County are more of the Keynesian, Richard Nixon mold than of the Ronald Reagan mold. Here's the letter:

Letter to the editor: County GOP schemes show need for 3rd party

To the editor:
Hamilton County is quickly being overrun by liberal Republicans who seem bent on showing how unnecessary liberal Democrats are by concocting new schemes for expanding the size and scope of government so quickly it can barely be charted. They are showing how necessary Libertarians are. To
wit:

Republican leaders from across the county have endorsed an $800 million light-rail boondoggle that would decrease traffic on Interstate 69 by a mere 4 percent on its best day.

County and Fishers town officials are gearing up to remove a perfectly good, popular airport in a useful location in order to build one from scratch.

Noblesville is expanding City Hall, which doesn't expand unless government is growing. The city is risking chasing a prominent retailer away over so crucial an issue as the size of a sign.

Carmel has floated bonds for everything from road projects that fail to significantly expand capacity to a $55 million park and an $80 million concert hall.

Carmel and Westfield are engaged in an annexation war that offers the residents virtually nothing except the promise of municipal taxes.

State Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, has taken the lead in the legislature to craft a bill for socialized football that would tax service industries in Marion County -- for now. Critics within Marion County point out that the residents of the region, including Hamilton County, enjoy the Indianapolis Colts team and therefore should share the bill. A compromise that imposes taxes on services provided in Hamilton County does not seem too far fetched, especially since Kenley is open to the idea.

It's hard to draw any conclusion other than the fiscal conservative is a constituent the GOP is no longer interested in.

One of the most common things I hear from people who believe in limited government goes like this: I didn't leave the Republican Party. The Republican Party left me. These people are joining the Libertarian Party.

Mike Kole
Fishers

The inclusion of the letter would have been nice enough, but there were two other gems that made it all the better.

The first is an article on the $800 million light rail boondoggle I mentioned in my letter. It includes the wonderful headline, "County not ready for rail. Traffic isn't bad enough to warrant transit line; more uproar, outcry needed." From the article:

The head of the new Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) doesn't think local traffic is bad enough to warrant building a rapid-transit line from Indianapolis to Hamilton County.

"The bottom line is we don't have the numbers of people who will utilize it," said Nathan J. Feltman, vice president and general counsel for the IEDC. "There needs to be more of an uproar, more of an outcry for it."

I couldn't have asked for better timing than this, to have the first public soft-peddling of the plan by a public official to coincide with my comments. So- who's on record in favor of the suck-hole?

Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear reminded the chamber audience that the first rapid-transit corridor will travel from Indianapolis to Hamilton County, and Noblesville, Fishers and the county own the right of way to the Nickel Plate line.

"That is just an incredible asset," he said.

The under-used rail corridor is an incredible asset. However, light rail is hardly the best use of the asset, which should always drive public policy. The best use would be a trail and greenway, which would raise property values in the area and make the area more attractive aesthetically. The light rail would do the opposite.

The next item to make me smile was a letter from the Executive Director of the local GOP, Laura Campbell. Useful excerpts, below:

As executive director of the Hamilton County Republican Party for the past 31/2 years, I disagree with the allegations made by Commissioner Steve Dillinger in your March 22 article, "Dirty politics claimed."

...

Steve Dillinger has decided to publicly vent his accusations in a blatant attempt to hurt his own party. Despite Dillinger's efforts, the Hamilton County Republican Party will proceed forward more unified than before.

I don't know. Are her comments about Dillinger, a long-time elected Republican County Commissioner, really any different than his? If he chose to "publicly vent" against the actions of one Republican, didn't she do it, too? The comments remind me of those Monty Pyhton gags from the old TV series. "I'd like to complain about all of the letters of complaints run on this program...".

In a way, it's incredible that the Republicans get as much of the vote around here as they do, considering what a mess they are. It shows the average observer how predisposed the Hamilton County resident is to vote for the things they think Republicans represent. I'm banking on the public noticing how they are not fiscal conservatives. It's pretty hard to miss.

More GOP Rumblings

A cursory glance at the history of the leadership at the Federal level shows that the American public prefers two-party governance. Periods such as this, where Republicans have the Presidency and enjoy majorities in the House and Senate are very rare, and don't usually last long.

I seem to be surrounded by the scenario. I live in Indiana, which has a Republican governor and GOP majorities in the State House and Senate, and in Hamilton County, which hasn't elected a single Democrat to countywide office in two generations.

My observation has been that while many Republicans talk the limited government, personal responsibility talk, few walk the walk. This morning's scan of news and blog sites show that the trend I see is seen by many others.

Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit fame had a lenghty article run yesterday on MSNBC, called, "A Conservative Crack-Up? Reynolds observes:

There's also a lot of contradiction lately. After talking about small
government and the rule of law, Republicans overwhelmingly supported a piece of
legislation intended to influence a single case, that of Terri Schiavo.

and

One may argue that libertarians and small-government conservatives aren't a big
part of Bush's coalition, but his victory wasn't so huge that the Republicans
can surrender very many votes and still expect to win. So this is a real
threat.

Reynolds cites an article by Pejman Yousefzadeh on the alliance between libertarians and small-government conservatives. Yousefzadeh's inclusion of a quote is particularly enlightening:

It is worth noting the comments of one prominent libertarian-conservative
Republican leader on the issue of making common cause between libertarians and
conservatives:

"If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals -- if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is."

...

The conservative Republican who said these words was Ronald
Reagan. While his comments are thirty years old, they are still applicable to
the debate we are having. We shouldn't forget them.

Alas.

Because Neal Boortz has found himself opposite the GOP talking points on the Schiavo case, he is discovering the difference between the GOP and LP can be acute, despite travelling the same path. From Neal's Nuze:

Think about this for a moment. Attending physicians conduct their examinations and make their reports. The matter moves into the courts and is adjudicated ... adjudicated extensively. Nineteen state judges, one Federal District Court judge, one Court of Appeals, and three now four trips to the U.S. Supreme Court. Still, politicians aren't happy with the results ... so now the State contemplates using its police power to seize the body of Terri Schiavo so that she can be forced to endure this horrible existence for years to come.

and

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that there are many people out there who,
when faced with medical disaster, want to be turned over to politicians to be
used as political pawns. I'm wondering if these people will be anxious to
keep Republicans in power.

Let's just hope that those disaffected supporters of limited government don't tune out altogether, but find the Libertarian Party- especially here in Indiana and in Hamilton County.

Update: Today on www.townhall.com, Cal Thomas sounds the same note in his article, The Capital Spenders.

Republicans have been in charge of the budget and appropriations process for a decade. They promised things would be different if voters gave them a majority. Newt Gingrich promised an audit to expose the wasteful spending of House Democrats during their 40-year rule.

Sadly, Republicans have been seduced by the love of other people's money and many (there are a few holdouts, but not enough to change much) have succumbed to the same temptations that enveloped big-spending Democrats. Only the "uniforms" have changed. The rules of this game remain the same.

Poker Tonight

Barley Island is hosting another 5-week shootout, starting tonight. Deal me in!

The skinny: no buy-in, play for chips and fun. Poker Prodigy runs the show and keeps score. At the end of the five weeks, scoreboard leaders advance to a broader tournament. You pretty much have to win a night in order to advance. Proof? I finished with points all four of the five weeks I played, with three final tables, good for 750 points. I didn't advance.

No matter. Good fun! See you there.

Another Disaffected Republican

I'm seeing more and more signs of this, and frankly, it's about time. The GOP periodically gets back in touch with being in favor of limited government and personal responsibility (think Goldwater, then Reagan, the Gingrich), but this is not one of those times.

Here is a letter from someone in my hometown, in today's Indy Star:

GOP has trouble framing its role

If I were a patriotic Republican these days, I would be very concerned about what is happening to my party. From the righteous deceit in the shifting justification of the Iraqi war to the self-righteous intervention into the lives of Michael and Terri Schiavo, the Republican Party seems to have trouble framing its role appropriately in our system of governance.

Lowell Bartel
Fishers

While I tend to focus on state and local issues, this is someone more focused on national issues. Different focus, same conclusions.

Enlightened European Work Schedules

I have had a good many international friends over the years, plus even more Europhiles, in addition to my 3 recent trips to Europe. I wish I had 6 Danish Kroner for every time one of these let me know how they admired the enlightened shorter work week.

Don't get me wrong- it's a great deal if you can find an employer willing to give you 40 hours wages for 35 hours worth of work. I don't expect any employer to think it's a great deal, though.

Apparently, neither does France, anymore. France has abolished the 35-hour work week. From Bloomberg:

A parliament report last year concluded that the legislation had helped create 350,000 jobs at a cost of 4.5 billion euros ($5.9 billion). The jobless rate in Europe's third-biggest economy fell to an 18-year low of 8.6 percent in mid-2001 from 11.8 percent at the start of 1998.

The 35-hour week has ``heavily weighed on wage increases,'' French Finance
Minister Thierry Breton said March 15, responding to a question from a Socialist
lawmaker in parliament. ``You wanted to share jobs, people had to share wages.''

Go figure. Cause and effect.

Get a load of those unemployment rates! 8.6% is an 18-year low? I shudder at the thought of the 18-year high, then.

Had Enough Yet, Fiscal Conservatives?

Hamilton County is quickly being overrun by liberal Republicans who seem bent on showing how unnecessary liberal Democrats are by concocting new schemes for expanding the size and scope of government so quickly it can barely be charted. They are showing how necessary Libertarians are. To wit:

• Republican leaders from across the County have endorsed an $800 million light rail boondoggle that would decrease traffic on I-69 by a mere 4% on its best day.
  
• County and Town of Fishers officials are gearing up to remove a perfectly good, popular airport in a useful location in order to build one from scratch.
  
• Noblesville is expanding City Hall, which doesn’t expand unless government is growing. The City is risking chasing a prominent retailer away over so crucial an issue as the size of a sign.
  
• The City of Carmel has floated bonds for everything from road projects that fail to significantly expand capacity to a $55 million park and an $80 million concert hall.
  
• Carmel and Westfield are engaged in an annexation war that offers the residents virtually nothing except the promise of municipal taxes.

State Senator Luke Kenley has taken the lead in the legislature to craft a bill for socialized football that would tax service industries in Marion County-for now. Critics within Marion County point out that the residents of the region, including Hamilton County, enjoy the team, and therefore should share the bill. A compromise that imposes taxes on services provided in Hamilton County does not seem too far fetched, especially since Kenley is open to the idea.
It's hard to draw any conclusion other than that the fiscal conservative is a constituent the GOP is no longer interested in.

One of the most common things I hear from people who believe in limited government goes like this: “I didn’t leave the Republican Party. The Republican Party left me”. These people are joining the Libertarian Party.

The County Convention of the Libertarian Party of Hamilton County will be held at 11am on Saturday, April 9, 2005, at the Delaware Township Government Center, 9191 E. 131 Street, in Fishers.

Terry Schiavo and Gary Numan

What's the connection? Gary Numan wrote a great song called "The Life Machine" that was a part of an even greater album called Tubeway Army. It was released in 1978, and has been one of my all-time favorite records since I first heard it in the 1980s.

The song is somber, with the bass drum leading in sounding like a heartbeat. The lyrics sum up my own thoughts on the Schiavo case, along with my own thoughts for myself, should I ever be int he situation. In any case, I believe every adult should have a living will that specifies instructions for these kinds of situations.

The Life Machine

Me I've just died
But some machine keeps on humming
I'm just an extra piece of dead meat to keep running
Why won't you let me die in peace?
Why won't you let me die with some kind of honour?
Why won't you let me die at all?
I know
You've got your principles

My body lies immobile
I left it days ago
And me I watch from somewhere as the loved ones come and go
I see them glancing at the switch
I hear them whispering "maybe it's better that way"
I see the love turn into feelings
I know
Aren't quite the same

I see the men of learning
Pacing to and fro
But how can I expect the sane to ever know?
I'd rather die than have no mind
I know my brain is gone "damaged beyond repair"
I see an empty shell below me
I know
I've had my time

Nothing To Do With Montana

From time to time, I find myself supremely bothered by the lack of action taken by some of our sister LP state affiliates. There are so many taxes and stifling, useless regulations to attack that would bring those states such good will and earn such support that it just frustrates me when those are simply given a free pass.

The only thing worse than this inaction is the action taken on positions that will leave a majority of voters to conclude that Libertarians are kooks. Most recently, the New York party conducted giveaways of toy guns in response to an NYC buy-back program that replaced kids toy guns with other toys. The LP action was poorly received by a public concerned about youth violence. Sure, the philosophical libertarian could grumble about this public policy, but a toy buy-back hardly stands as the most egregious public policy in Manhattan, what with all of the taxes there. But, that's what New York acted on, and got press on- all of it negative.

Therefore, I would like to make clear that I have nothing to do with the Libertarian Party of Montana. There is a world of difference between Indiana and Montana, and it goes like this- the LPIN takes policy positions in support of small business owners and property rights. The LP of Montana takes pet positions despite whatever negative backlash might come.

Can you think of any reason to support drinking alcohol while driving? The Montana LP does. Curiously, Montana is one of the few states that still permits drinking while driving, so long as the driver does not get intoxicated. From the LP News:

Legislative hearings are open to the public in Montana, and Mike Fellows -- chairman of the Libertarian Party of Montana -- is one of several people who have attended hearings on the proposed bills to speak out against the proposal.

Fellows doesn't oppose the legislation because he thinks people should be allowed to drive while drunk, but because he doesn't think the new law is necessary, he told members of the House Judiciary Committee in recent testimony.

While that's a fairly reasonable position to take, the problem lies in the press. How many times does the Montana LP get quoted? If this is the only thing they have testified on this year, too many people in Montana will know the Libertarian Party for one thing- standing up for the right to drink in one's car. It doesn't matter that this is an incomplete impression of what the Party stands for. What matters is what the people perceive the Party to stand for- and this is it. What's worse is when the AP picks up the story and runs it in newspapers where the local LP hasn't laid the groundwork for readers to know more broadly what libertarians are about. They know nothing about libertarians, conclude that some are 'in favor of drinking and driving', and summarize that libertarians are kooks.

This is why it is crucially important to prioritize issues, going after the ones that a majority of people can back right away, even if the press only partially quotes or covers you. I would be concerned about the LPIN's work on Indianapolis' proposed smoking bans if we hadn't been enormously on record in opposition to new taxes, budgetary increases, new stadium funding, $800 million for a light rail boondoggle, $80 million for a concert hall, etc., first. People in Indiana know us as fiscal conservatives first, and that matters, because so many Hoosiers are fiscal conservatives, too.

When we go after the proposed smoking laws, we always make sure to include a phrase about the right of business owners to set their own policies within their own establishments regarding the use of a legal product. It signals not only a broad support for property rights, but also tells a key constituency- business owners- who is on their side, and who is not. Montana simply went out there on a principle, and that's fine, except that there is very little to gain, and quite a lot to lose where it matters- with the voters. I hope like heck this item is not picked up by the AP.