Debut Time - 7pm Tonight!

The Kole Hard Facts Of Life Show debuts tonight at 7pm (EST) on the Indiana Talks internet radio network. The shows stream directly from the website.

Check it out!

First Kole Hard Facts Radio Debuts Thursday

First introductory edition of The Kole Hard Facts Of Life hits the Indiana Talks internet radio network tomorrow, time TBA.

It is a first show, talking about what we're going to talk about in 2013, but also discussed the hot topic of the day- gun control.

Look for more info shortly! The show is in the can and in the man's hands. The show will be live later, but I suspect this and other shows will get multiple spins as a means to introducing listeners to the hosts.

Go to Indiana Talks and check out some of my fellow hosts in the meantime!

Kole On Indiana Talks

Here's a link to my brief show page on Indiana Talks. I was pleased that Gary was willing to use on old candidate head shot for the page. It was taken by Bob Kirkpatrick while goofing around before the serious shots. I love it. If I could use a face palm and still show my face, that would be perfect, too.

Good lineup shaping up there, including Gary Snyder (WBAT, Marion), Abdul Hakim Shabazz (ex-WXNT), Gerry Dick (Inside Indiana Business). I like the statewide focus Gary is honing in on. A media outlet has to offer something unique, otherwise you can get it somewhere else. It has to have a theme, some kind of common thread that ties everything together, so that one program makes some kind of sense next to another, and the listener has a reason to tune in to more than one program. Gary is putting together such a lineup.

Be sure to 'like' Indiana Talks on Facebook! I'll have my own page in the near future also.

I've Found My Special Purpose!

As this blog nears its' 10-year anniversary, it was kind of looking like it would simply fade into oblivion, what with me giving up politics and all, it having been a political blog and all. But hey! These things can be re-purposed as sure as any unwanted Christmas gift or abandoned building!

Gary Snyder has invited me to be a host on an Indiana-oriented internet radio station he is launching in 2013. I could not resist- so much so, that there might even be a little politics in it.

The show will be called 'The Kole Hard Facts Of Life' show. In the same spirit as the blog, I'll fix all the world's problems in an hour or less, talk sports, outdoor life (hiking, camping, gardening), and odd things that make Indiana anything but flyover country. I'll take calls, have guests, sponsors- the usual.

We haven't set times yet, so look for a more formal announcement shortly.

Thoughts On Media

One of the things that has increasingly annoyed me in politics is confirmation bias, wherein people choose the news that suits their views. I understand why they do it. Hell, I have done it to a point. I get the Cato Daily Podcast and listen to that regularly. I never go to Drudge or Fox News, nor NPR or MSNBC. If online there, the comments will make you angry. Well, they make me angry.

Politico has a great article about the result of this. They call it a 'media cocoon'. They ascribe it to Republicans only. That's easy to do, given how they just lost the Presidential election and failed to re-take the Senate. I find all walks do this now. It isn't as though internet is only available to the right, and selective filtering never occurred to those on the left. Politico is left-of-center enough for me to find them to be part of the problem. Ascribing cocoons only to Republicans is proof enough. Nonetheless, the concept is valid and the article makes its points.

Being libertarian and having several circles of friends, I can see the various cocoons come into play. I have old music scene friends and New Yorkers in one cocoon. They can't believe the social conservative views held by some, and often are in despair over 'the course of the country', sliding into the grip of social conservatism- all while championing science and numbers... while the numbers show that the country is moving sharply away from social conservatism! There is one friend in particular that I reassure at least twice a year by pointing out how trends are moving in his direction. Stop listening to your own narrative!

Each side makes the case that policy is moving away from them. If you believe the narrative, it must be that it works in the way propaganda works- substituting facts for something plausible but not of fact, with the intent of motivating.

I get caught up in it, too. My recent despair is of the same nature, but in fact marijuana policy and same sex relationship policy just moved in a libertarian direction west of the Mississippi. What do I see? All of foreign policy and economic policy going the other way. Am I justified in noticing the ratio? Sure, but to what end?

I'm not making the case against choosing one's news sources. I'm making the case for broader horizons.

I sat in a house full of Democrats on election night. I was the only non-Democrat in the house, and not a Republican. Our host was amazed as I predicted the outcomes, but also the demeanor of those presenting the news on the various channels as we surfed. I thought they would enjoy the schadenfreude of watching Fox personnel grimace and moan, and they did. They had no idea to expect that, which floored me until I realized they never ever watch Fox. I thought it would be obvious. To not guess that Sean Hannity and Karl Rove would be unhappy? That's living in a cocoon!

So, broaden those horizons. Take in some news from the other side, and you'll find yourself rounded out a bit more. Apply this to travel (go abroad, it's eye-opening), music, films, books, food, etc. We aren't insects. We are capable of more than singular foci. Not only capable, but better for it.

The Double-Edged Sword That Is Facebook

I must confess, I am like a dieter. Generally with the program, but so easily tempted! Just one little Coca-Cola won't kill me. Nietzsche said it would make me stronger. Yeah!

It is hard to break away from politics. I have made many friends in politics and don't want to lose the friendships. Facebook is a great way to keep in touch, but just because I'm walking from it (or, trying to) doesn't mean they have. It's hard not to jump into the comments. I am weak. Must refute the 'wasted vote syndrome'! Must make the case that Libertarian voters didn't cost anyone the election!

No- must have a satisfying life. This is going to take some designing with intent.

I'm starting with a trip to Bloomington on Thursday, to see the #1 ranked Hoosiers take on some cupcake. Got the tickets surprisingly cheap on Stub Hub. I enjoy live sporting events, and have built in the notion of seeing at least one per month. This may be made more challenging by the NHL lockout, but I figure I can finally see games at Hinkle Fieldhouse (never been there), and return to Fort Wayne for a Komets game (been almost 20 years). Should be fun!

Be On Time

I posted a similar 'hopping off the train' message on Facebook and got a considerable number of 'thank yous' and 'oh no, please no!' type responses. They really warmed the heart and helped console me on a tough day, but I couldn't help but think how much they would have helped when I needed a pick-up on the political path, which was often. Alas, they did not come.

Maybe we need to announce quitting more frequently. Maybe, and more likely so, we need to make it a point to thank those we are grateful for not at the moment they leave us, but while they are with us. I've long made it a point to do so, and will continue, because there just aren't enough 'thank yous'. I thanked Gary Johnson when he came, and will do so again. Etc.

More comments on Facebook than here on the blog is a post for another day.

Another Ending

Back in July, I took a long, hard look at my life and decided that there were a handful of things that needed to go. The main criteria was a cost-benefit analysis. If I wasn't feeling like I was getting some kind of reward, be it monetary, emotional, or some other, then it had to go. I have too many interests to satisfy them all, and besides, I have two young kids who are my top priority.

So the politics has to go.

Over the past 10 years I have at times given everything to promoting the cause of liberty. Very rarely has it been rewarding. There aren't a lot of 'thank yous', and there certainly isn't any financial compensation. Come to think of it, I've really taken a beating financially, thanks to politics.

My views are unchanged. My actions will be. I have enough stress in my life without taking on 'fixing the world' and carrying on with some righteousness. Maybe when the kids are older, or when I'm more financially secure, I'll find myself back at the station and ready to board the train again. As for now, I'm off the train, and leaving the station for home.

In Elections, Money Is Number One

I'm really bummed out for Rupert, in getting a 4% result in the Indiana Governor's race. I was hoping against hope that because of his celebrity status and his larger-than-life persona, taken together with the enormous amount of personal outreach he undertook, that he would be seeing numbers at least in the teens.

Rupert may be the best retail politician I've ever seen. He connects with people directly like nobody else I've ever observed. The lesson here is that none of that matters these days. While Indiana is a smaller state, it's still too big to meet everybody. What matters most is money.

I hate that. I didn't want to believe it when I ran for Secretary of State. I made (if memory serves) about 250 campaign appearances. It didn't matter. I got 3%. I was told ahead of time by my campaign manager Sam Goldstein to focus on raising money for ads, and forget about blogging and doing appearances- unless those appearances resulted in at least $200 coming home. I fired Sam. Trouble is, he was right. He lets me know about it whenever he can, and I let him let me know about it, because he was right. I can't deny reality.

I try to build myself up by rationalizing that I probably touched a few people personally, and they became Libertarian voters or candidates themselves is later years. I'll never really know. What I do know is that in order to reach the great bulk of voters, advertising is the only way, and advertising takes money. That's the reality of the situation. It's why millions of dollars are poured into tight races.

Sure, our base is growing. But it's going to take 20 years to win if we keep doubling every 4- and there's no guarantee of that. Money, money, money. *sigh*

Very Hard

Election Night is invariably depressing for me. It doesn't really matter whether Republicans or Democrats are the winners. What always becomes evident is just how tremendously distant the ideals I wish to see implemented are from becoming policy reality.

It stings a little bit more this year than most, because the Libertarian party fielded what I think was the best slate of high office candidates in its history.

Yes, the numbers appear to be higher than ever for Libertarian candidates. It looks as though Gary Johnson will break 2% in Indiana. No LP candidate for President had topped 1% before.

Rupert Boneham is at 4% as of this writing. That doubles the 2008 result, which doubled the 2004 result.

Andrew Horning is at 6% in the US Senate race. The last time there was a 3-way race for this office was 2004, and it was a 1.4% result.

So, it's clear that our base is growing, and that's great. I just feel such despair that such good people can net so little, that such failing policy can net so well.

Rex Bell is polling 6% so far in the race for US House, District 6. We got 3.5% last time, so another improvement.

But Chard Reid is at 4%? He got just under 8% last time. I know he was running against Dan Burton, he of the lousy reputation for missing votes, but this time running against Susan Brooks, who doesn't know squadoosh about economics? There is no justice.

And then, the Fishers vote went exactly the way I hoped it would not- in favor of the 2nd class city, with the full mayor. Crimony.

At this point, I don't know who will be elected President. I have a huge hunch, but I don't much care. Either guy is the status quo, which isn't working, and which is eagerly embraced. 

Depressing, indeed.

Vote For Gary Johnson!

As I've stated, I have never been more proud to vote for the entire slate of Libertarian candidates on my ballot this year. It starts at the top.

Gary Johnson with my kids & I, at a recent campaign stop in Shelby Co, IN

Gary Johnson is easily the best candidate we've had in my awareness of the Libertarian Party, which began in 1995 with Harry Browne. He just brings so much more to that table than Browne, Michael Badnarik, or Bob Barr did.

Top of the list, Johnson is a two-term governor. The usual canard is that if a libertarian was elected to office, the state would be in flames within weeks. As it happened, no flames. The people liked him enough to re-elect him. Why? He balanced the state's budget, turning a deficit into a surplus- despite cutting taxes. He used the veto pen regularly. He cut the size of the bureaucracy. I really like having someone with real executive branch experience running for us. More on Johnson's record.

I also like his personal record. Johnson started a handyman business and grew it into New Mexico's largest construction company, with over 1,000 employees. He is an Ironman triathlete (big respect!) and has even reached the summit of Mt. Everest. If Gary Johnson was offered the role on those Dos Equis ads, it wouldn't surprise me.

I am not even slightly tempted to vote for Obama or Romney.

Obama has a track record of his own now, and it's all downside for me. When he was elected, there were a few things I could be hopeful (sigh) of. Candidate Obama attacked deficit spending, said he would get us out of Iraq immediately, would close Gitmo, would end indefinite detention, would curb Executive power, would reduce spying on US citizens, and would turn the economy around. That's actually a lot of things for a Libertarian to be upbeat about upon the inauguration of a Democratic President. Alas, he failed on absolutely every single one of them. Failed. He's been a miserable President.

In fact, Obama's term has been so miserable that the Republicans should have taken this easily. Alas, they posted a miserable nominee in Mitt Romney. Normally there are some things a Republican candidate can excite a Libertarian about, in the areas of the economy, size & scope of government especially. Romney excites nothing in me. It doesn't seem he has any clue what capitalism is, unless it's crony capitalism. His track record in Massachusetts leaves nothing that makes his pledge to repeal Obamacare credible. He's about the worst example of a plastic, empty suit, country club Republican I've seen in my lifetime.

What's so horrid about the choice of Romney is that there are so many things about Obama's record to run against. For example, Obama's foreign policy is the same train wreck as George Bush's, but then Romney largely agrees with them- except that he wants to EXPAND the military! No plan to pay for it, just keep on with the borrow-and-spend.

These are Reader's Digest-sized criticism. They could go another 10,000 words each. So, it's an absolute no-brainer for me to vote for Gary Johnson.


I am certain that he will break Ed Clark's high-water numbers for Libertarian presidential candidates. It's been a long time coming, but I think the combination of  states that are 'settled' prior to election day, and the realization that neither Obama nor Romney are very exciting, will make it so.

Yard Sign Analysis

What a difference four years makes. My neighborhood was fairly awash in political signs then, sometimes sporting both Obama AND Mitch Daniels signs on the same lawn. This year? Almost nothing. Check out this snapshot from October 13, 2008, nearly four weeks ahead of the election:

Obama sign only: 38
McCain sign only: 15
Thompson sign only: ZERO
Daniels sign only: 55
Obama & Thompson signs: ZERO
Daniels & McCain signs: 53
Obama & Daniels signs: 3
Barr signs: zero
Horning signs: zero
Weingarten: 1
Burton signs: 3

Here we are, five days ahead of the election, and following the same rankings:

Obama sign only: 2
Romney sign only: 1
Gregg sign only: 0
Pence sign only: 1
Pence & Romney signs: 2
Obama & Gregg signs: 1
Johnson signs: 2
Rupert signs: 4
Scott Reske: 1
Chard Reid: 5
Susan Brooks: 3
Andy Horning: 1
Richard Mourdock: 6
Joe Donnelly: 1

Based on this, I can only conclude the enthusiasm is very low for Republicans and Democrats. Where are all the Obama signs? Out with his failures on the economy? On the wars and civil liberties? Where are all the Romney signs? Doesn't the challenger always excite? Ok, he doesn't excite me, but this is a GOP stronghold.

What can you conclude but that that Republican enthusiasm is extremely low? I mean, it was very low for McCain, but very high for Daniels in 2008. This year? Almost nothing in Fishers for Mike Pence.

Conclude that the race for governor is a foregone conclusion, but it was also in 2008. Daniels still had the yard signs everywhere in Hamilton County. So, is it fatigue? Is it a lack of organization by the Pence team?

I could get excited about the Libertarian signs. Heck- we either beat 'em or tied 'em in every race! A guy can get excited, right? My neighborhood is moving in the right direction? Maybe I worked harder than the other parties here. I dunno.

Not entirely surprised that there are more Mourdock signs than any other Republican. That's the closest race at this point, although perhaps not since the rape comments.

My other comment of interest from 2008:

The lack of anything but Obama signs shows that the Democratic organization is still very thin here. Now, that stands to change significantly. As the Obama campaign inspires people to work in his Fishers office and to put up his yard sign, surely it will yield future candidates.

Alas, the Dems did not grow here. Their numbers in the 2010 elections were right back to old baselines despite Obama nearly winning my home precinct in 2008. There was no meaningful carryover. No additional candidates for county office in 2010, no new candidates for local office in 2011, smaller team in 2012, virtually no yard sign presence in Fishers.

My conclusion about 2008 is that Fishers has a lot more independents than most people think. They may well normally trend Republican, but in 2008 they gave Obama a shot. in my opinion, it was on the basis of, "The Republicans made a mess, let's see what you can do". If the numbers go back to baseline- from 48% in 2008 to the mid-20s in 2012, that would confirm it for me, and would say, "We gave you a chance and you did no better".

So- will these independents go back to their Republican trend, or will they say, "Ok, we gave both of those teams a chance and they failed. Gary Johnson, what can you do?"

My prediction? The Libertarian baseline rises a few points, the Dems rises one point, the Republicans shed 3-5 points.

So Proud Of The Libertarian Ticket

I just wanted to express how excited I am about the Libertarian Party's ticket this year. Sure, I'm a partisan Libertarian and prone to voting 'L' regardless on the basis that a weak Libertarian candidate is still more in line with my policy preferences than strong Democrats or Republicans. This year, though, offers a string of strong Libertarians that I am genuinely proud of.

I will get to vote for the following:

Gary Johnson, President
James Gray, Vice President
Andy Horning, US Senate
Chard Reid, US House District 5
Rupert Boneham, Indiana Governor
Brad Klopfenstein, Indiana Lt. Governor

There isn't a one of them I wouldn't like to see in office. All are capable. All have been successful in their endeavors outside of politics. All of them are genuinely interested in building our state and nation, and making it a better place- making it freer, making it more growth friendly, eliminating cronyism. Each of them would do better by Indiana or the country if they were elected than their Democratic or Republican opponents.

I hope your will vote for these good people next Tuesday. I will be proud to do so. Proud!

Blame Mourdock

As the US Senate race in Indiana was coming down to the wire with Republican Richard Mourdock and Democrat Joe Donnelly polling withing a point or two of each other, Mourdock generally trailing, Republicans were gearing up to blame Libertarian Andy Horning for 'stealing votes', due to his polling 7%, well over the margin of victory.

My standard post would be to point out that A) nobody owns the votes but the voters, so the 'stolen vote' line is so much BS, B) Republicans claim to believe in competition, so hey buddy, how about out-competing for the votes? C) there are people who will vote for Horning because Donnelly is too conservative a Democrat for them, especially on issues like civil liberties and foreign policy; the conventional wisdom that there are only right-libertarians is flat-out wrong.

No need for the standard post, despite the righteousness of it. No, as the country has already learned, Richard Mourdock and the Republicans need only blame Richard Mourdock. Even Fox News couldn't hide from it:

Top Republicans were slow to embrace tea party-backed Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock after he ousted a longtime GOP senator from office. Though he eventually won their support -- and money -- Mourdock could see both fade after telling a live television audience that when a woman becomes pregnant during a rape, "that's something God intended." 

Mourdock, who's been locked in one of the country's most expensive and closely watched Senate races, was asked during the final minutes of a debate Tuesday night whether abortion should be allowed in cases of rape or incest.

"I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize that life is that gift from God. And, I think, even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen," Mourdock said.

Mourdock became the second GOP Senate candidate to find himself on the defensive over comments about rape and pregnancy. Missouri Senate candidate Rep. Todd Akin said in August that women's bodies have ways of preventing pregnancy in cases of what he called "legitimate rape." Since his comment, Akin has repeatedly apologized but has refused to leave his race despite calls to do so by leaders of his own party, from GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on down. 

Mourdock is toast. Pro-Democrat PACs hopped on his words within a couple of hours, tying Mourdock to Mitt Romney.



Republicans had a chance to reclaim the Senate, but threw it away with their absurd statements on abortion. Can't blame that on anyone but themselves.

I expect the Lugar Republicans to be running for the hills. Abdul Hakim Shabazz had previously, accurately, laid out a 4-case scenario for Lugar Republicans. I would reduce it now to three options: 1. Vote for Donnelly; 2. vote for Horning; 3. don't vote in this race; because #4- hold your nose and vote for Mourdock- is probably not going to happen very much now.

Kole In 'Current In Fishers'

Dan Domsic of Current In Fishers interviewed me regarding my take on the upcoming Fishers Reorganization/City vote:

Fishers resident Mike Kole made a decision that, by his own admission, is going to earn him extra scrutiny.

Kole recently endorsed reorganization for Fall Creek Township and the Town of Fishers.

Unlike a string of endorsements touted by the Citizens to Reorganize Fishers political action committee, Kole is one of the original plaintiffs on lawsuits that tried to compel the town council to put a city question on the ballot, as well as called reorganization into question.

“My perspective wasn’t enthusiastically City Yes,” Kole told Current in Fishers. “It was let the people decide.”

Link to the entire article.

Many thanks to Dan Domsic for reaching out to me for my perspective. I appreciate that very much!

Fishers Reorganization, Part 2

Why don't I want a Mayor? Again- Carmel provides the example. I do not want the 'visionary mayor', and the expensive pet projects that come at the whim of a single person, and which would more properly be undertaken by the private sector in any case.

Yet again, Carmel is in the news over its' palatial pet project, The Center For The Performing Arts, aka: The Palladium, and the Redevelopment Commission. From the Indy Star:

CARMEL, Ind. — City Council President Rick Sharp on Monday called for the removal of every member of the Carmel Redevelopment Commission and its spending arm.
That demand came in the wake of his revelation Monday that a $100,000 check had been written by Redevelopment Commission officials to the former head of the Center for the Performing Arts as part of a confidentiality agreement.

Speaking in front of The Palladium, Sharp said the revelation was another example of the secrecy surrounding the spending carried out by the Redevelopment Commission in its efforts to spur a redevelopment boom in downtown Carmel.

“I personally think it is time to clean house at these two organizations,” Sharp said.

“It is time to thank them sincerely for all the time they have volunteered and bring new eyes, voices and judgment to the table.”

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard, who appointed a majority of the commission’s members and has been a strong proponent of Carmel’s redevelopment, said Monday that politics appeared to be at play in Sharp’s news conference.

“It would seem . . . that the campaign for mayor has started early,” Brainard said. 

Although The Palladium and other redevelopment efforts have helped Carmel earn national praise for its quality of life, the Redevelopment Commission has come under fire for its use of high-interest loans and financing methods that effectively bypassed City Council oversight.

If this is the 'checks & balances' the proponents of City and strong mayor have to offer, color me not merely unimpressed, but motivated against. Checks and balances are not characterized by City Council members holding press conferences to express exasperation over secret operations and being bypassed by the Mayor. Checks and balances are characterized by business being conducted in broad daylight, the merits of projects being debated in public forums, deliberations taking place over time, having taken feedback from the public.

With each news item from Carmel, my resolve stiffens. I do not want the strong mayor!

Fishers Reorganization, Part 1

In the wake of the lawsuit I participated in, and lost, against the Town of Fishers, the Town gained the green light towards placing two questions on the ballot. From the Town's website:

The questions will appear on the ballot as follows:

1. "Shall the Town of Fishers and Fall Creek Township reorganize as a single political subdivision?" (all voters in Fall Creek Township and all incorporated voters in Delaware Township will be able to vote on this question)
2. "Shall the Town of Fishers change into a city?" (only incorporated voters in the Town of Fishers will be able to vote on this question)

The following table shows which form of government you are selecting by how you vote on questions 1 & 2:

 

Question 1	Question 2	Outcome
No	Yes	Second Class City
Yes	Yes	Reorganized City
Yes	No	Reorganized City
No	No	Remains a Town

 

What do I favor? Question 1. Yes; Question 2. No.

Short explanations. On Question 1, for the reorganization, the functions of township government are minimal, can be easily enough absorbed into the Town without need to hire additional personnel, cost savings in the elimination of a layer of government, and that absorption does not worry me in the functions becoming too remote as to cause a lack of accountability. So, a 'yes' vote.

On Question 2, I have never been in favor of Fishers becoming a city, even while I was participating in the suit. My fears upon becoming a city lie with Carmel (esp) and Westfield- both former towns, both now cities, both now have a bloated executive branch with pet projects galore, and higher taxes to match. Proponents of Fishers becoming a city have touted checks and balances, and that could be a compelling argument, except for the real-life result that checks and balances are completely absent in our neighboring cities. The councils could not effectively thwart the spending on the arts and sports palaces, on TIF district issues, on bonding, on borrow and spend, etc. In fact, there was the recent episode in Carmel with the Mayor doing an end run around the city council. No thank you. So, a 'no' vote.

This will result in the Reorganized City. I could as easily accept a 'No-No' vote where Fishers remains a town, except that I prefer the reorganization of Fall Creek & Fishers together. My biggest fear, one that outstrips all other concerns by a country mile, is becoming the Second Class City, with the mayor a la Carmel's Jim Brainard.

At the end of the day, I had to look at what I thought would be the best form of government for Fishers given the choices available on this ballot.

Gary Johnson at IUPUI

As part of Johnson's National Campus Tour, he will stop at IUPUI in Indianapolis today, from 6-8pm, at the Lecture Hall Building, Room 101. Event details here.

Go there to hear him speak, then meet him at Rupert For Governor Headquarters for an after-party. Details here.

I wish I could go. I'd like to hear him one day after being excluded from the debates.

Not Watching The 'Debate' Tonight

This is out of disgust really, but is also equal parts preventative medicine. I think I know well enough about President Obama, Mitt Romney, and Gary Johnson and their policy positions, and certainly where I am going to vote, so as to render watching a fairly useless exercise.

I'm disgusted at the exclusion of Gary Johnson. I won't watch Obama and Romney absent Johnson in order to keep my blood pressure down.

I've experienced more than my share of incredulous disappointment over American politics in my life regarding the choices. Such is my lot as an idealist. But I'm going to steal a line I get handed by Republicans all the time and apply it to how I see things. Mainly, the choice between Johnson and Obama/Romney is so stark as to be night and day; and Obama or Romney may be different kinds of horrible medicine, but they are equal doses of horrible medicine all the same. The American people deserve to see and hear Johnson alongside the candidates of the pro-war anti-civil rights crony capitalist duopoly candidates.

Johnson is on the ballot in 48 states. The overwhelming majority of Americans will have the opportunity to vote for him if they choose. They won't because they don't know enough of what he stands for.

Is it the job of the debate commission to carry Johnson's water? No, but then is it the job of the debate commission to carry Obama's and Romney's? No. The debates are supposed to be much more than that. Without Johnson, they will be boring, scripted affairs that judiciously avoid certain issues. With Johnson, those issues would be addressed.

In being barred, Johnson is reduced to being online at the same time as the debates, chiming in with his policy positions, I guess in the down moments. Well, that could be the entire time. It sucks in any case, and I won't watch. We do debates only slightly better than the Soviet Union did elections.

More Important Things

I have been away from the blogging for the past few weeks as I have been helping to care for my mother in the wake of a serious medical development. I don't care to share the details, but I will say that she is doing well. It's so good to see her in better sorts.

The politics will return shortly.