The Southern Indiana Democrat

The Congressional Smoke Screen

2010-01-03T12:28:00.005-05:00

While Congress has kept the attention focused on health care reform, there have been many things happen in Washington that have directly affected the working man. This "reform" is just a smoke screen, to allow flawed legislation to pass while people's attention is focused elsewhere. For example, Congress passed new taxes on items such as cigarettes, which, even though smoking is bad for your health, takes more money out of the pockets of those who choose to smoke. The majority of people who do are lower income, and for some, that's one of the few pleasures they have. Now they're even poorer. What is ironic is that the government says for people to quit smoking, but funds an insurance program for children with the money from tobacco taxes! If everyone quits, how are they going to pay for it? Congress knows that many won't quit, so they put the burden on the remaining people who do. Not exactly a fair way to tax, but then, when was the last time the government did something fair?

Another item that Congress passed under the smoke screen of health care debate was credit reform. The bill is supposed to change the way credit card companies charge for fees and interest, as detailed here. Yes, it is a good idea to do this, as these companies will instantly raise rates for a number of reasons, such as getting a report of a late payment from another company, or discontinue your card for non-use, or for problems with other companies. The ideas are good, but unfortunately, the credit card companies lobbied Congress hard to push the bill's effective date out to February, 2010. Guess what? While the bill was waiting to go into effect, the companies raised rates, created new fees, and on and on. They knew that they had plenty of time to do this, and are profiting from the waiting period. Consumers are getting squeezed, and the companies are making the rules so tight that it is hard for anyone with less than perfect credit to borrow money. Congress could have made the law effective much sooner, but they bowed to the pressure. We are the ones who are paying for it. Another case of dithering while the people suffer.

These are just a few of the items that have passed under the smoke screen of health care reform. If Congress does not get their act together, and start doing something for the people instead of themselves and the fat cats, this election promises to be an incumbents nightmare. People are fed up, and so am I. They are tired of having the burden placed upon their shoulders. People want a fair shake, not a shakedown. Right now, I don't see much change from either party. The change will come in the fall if they don't do their job, and this applies to both parties. There will be a lot of smoke in Washington then, when the incumbents political careers go up in smoke.

Thoughts on Health Care Reform

2010-01-03T11:27:00.003-05:00

We've all been watching what is going on in Washington, and frankly, I'm not impressed. President Obama's health care plan, while a good idea in principle, seems to be getting derailed and distorted out of proportion. I don't pretend to know a lot about it, as I haven't had much time to study it. What I have seen, however, is that the plan seems very confusing. I read stories about how employers may opt for a less comprehensive government plan, rather than the plans they have now, leaving the insured stuck with the bill for the rest. I've also read that it will provide coverage for those who do not have it. There are good and bad points to the whole thing, and it is very confusing. What worries me is that, with any plan made by the government, we the taxpayer usually lose, by paying more in taxes, premiums, and the like.

It seems to me that the problem with health care reform is that it doesn't address the real issue, the cost of health care. Doctors, hospitals, and insurers keep charging higher and higher fees. A visit to the emergency room can cost well in excess of $1000, and much more if you add in x-rays, etc. Hospitals and doctors have been raising fees for years, and even though most insurance plans say they are only going to pay them so much, the fees are still exorbitant. The costs must be controlled, and not by placing them on the backs of the consumer. How this can be done remains to be seen, as, IMHO, this has not been addressed.

Another way to get real health care reform would be to find cures for diseases such as diabetes. This is a drain upon the system, and a huge financial burden upon those who must battle it everyday. Testing supplies, doctor visits, blood work, and the like are very expensive, but very necessary for someone with diabetes. If a cure was found, say, for example, Type 2, which is not insulin dependent, millions of dollars could be saved every year, not to mention many lives. Type 1, which is insulin dependent, is even more costly, as the patient is forced to use insulin shots every day just to stay alive. Unfortunately, in this writer's view, it seems like there is more profit in treating it than curing it. This is where the reform must start. Take out the incentive for profiting from people's suffering, and find a cure. All of us, including the entire health care system, will benefit, and the quality of life would improve for millions. I can only hope that someday, we will see this.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T11:18:00.002-05:00

Hello, everyone! Been a while since I posted, so I thought it was time to get started again. I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and hope for better times ahead. It has been a rough year on everyone, but things will get better. Keep smiling!

New Look to the Site

2009-07-29T11:40:00.004-04:00

My Blog is under construction...please be patient as I am trying to improve the look of the site. I will be back to posting soon, so thanks for your patience.

New Posts Coming Soon

2009-07-19T07:52:00.003-04:00

Hi folks! It's been a busy year, with no time to write. I hope to be back to blogging soon. I have some topics I need to write about, along with some changes to the site. See you soon!

Wins and Losses

2008-11-05T16:45:00.003-05:00

Well, we made it through another Election Day, this time without wondering whether the vote would be close like in 2000. It was anything but that. Obama's landslide victory surprises even me. I know a lot of people are concerned whether he will do well or not. I think he will. It will take time, but we will find out. If not, then we'll look for another President. At least he can't be worse than Bush :)

I would like to thank John McCain for his effort, and for his service to the country. He has served his country honorably, in both peace and war. Here's a suggestion: If Obama wants to truly create a bipartisan cabinet, why not select John McCain for Secretary of Defense? His military experience alone qualifies him in my book. I have a lot of respect for John McCain, I just don't like his party. He would be a tough cookie in that position.

Congrats to Baron Hill for his win over Mike Sodrel. Baron ran a good campaign against a tough opponent. Baron's win means that we still have a voice in the House, a voice that will work for us, not for a party. Again, congratulations Baron.

On the loss side, I was terribly disheartened to hear that Jill Long Thompson lost to Daniels. That is really a shame. Jill did not have enough money to push back against Daniels' massive sign blitz and television ads. She would have made a good Governor. Now we face four more years of watching our state get sold off piece by piece. In a few months, those that believed his ads will wake up to realize they made a mistake, once he starts back in on his privatization kick. Just wait and see. The only good thing is that the Democrats control the Statehouse. This will help to keep Daniels in check, and stop him from running roughshod over the state. Maybe someone in the Statehouse can get enough support to push a measure to end DST, or at least a referendum. It will have to have a lot of support in order to override any possible veto by Daniels. I can only hope.

Low Blows and Slick Tricks from the GOP Slime Machine

2008-11-04T16:16:00.010-05:00

Just when you thought that the GOP couldn't dig any lower in the slime pit, here's the latest examples. For the first example, the Washington Post, in their campaign diary, The Trail, reports that when Obama's Grandmother was dying, Obama made a trip to Hawaii (on October 24th) to visit her. According to the article, the California GOP filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission about the Obama Campaign using campaign funds to make the trip. Here is the complaint:

"Obama for America violated federal law by converting its campaign funds to Senator Obama's personal use," the release stated. "Senator Obama recently traveled to Hawaii to visit his sick grandmother. This was the right thing for any grandson to do -- at his own expense -- but it was not travel that his campaign may fund."

According to the article,

At issue was whether the trip should have been paid for with campaign funds, based on the law that forbids candidates from using such funds to pay for personal travel. The Obama campaign said the trip had been vetted with lawyers beforehand and was allowable. The Republicans argued that, because Obama did not campaign during the quick journey to Hawaii, it should not have been a campaign expense.

The Republicans released the statement about 1:30 pm on Monday. Obama's Grandmother died the same day. Talk about bad timing...releasing a statement condemning someone visiting his dying Grandmother on the day that she dies. That's low. Ok, maybe there might be an issue about what funds were used. If so, Obama can pay them back. The real issue here is a heartless, desperate GOP that continues to find new ways to stoop lower and lower into the muck. If the shoe had been on the other foot, I'm sure the GOP would have said it was ok, and would have thrown a fit if anyone says anything. As far as not campaigning while he was there, well, if he had, they would have twisted that, too.

Here's another one. Here in Indiana, two Republican poll workers were removed for challenging voters improperly. According to another article in The Trail, the workers challenged "voters on the basis of their party affiliation". Read on:

Voters in the battleground state can be challenged on the validity of their address, age or if they lack an ID, but not based on their party affiliation. The two poll workers -- a Republican vote challenger and a clerk -- forced at least three voters to file provisional ballots, said Angie Nussmeyer, spokeswoman for the Marion County Election Board.
The county's bipartisan elections board voted unanimously to remove the two. The Marion County Republican Party reacted with a statement this afternoon saying it was unaware of the improper challenges and had not instructed party workers to do so. "We wish to see all qualified voters vote and find it reprehensible to ever deter a proper voter from voting," read the statement.

Um, yeah, sure they didn't know...yeah, right. Just another GOP tactic to keep people from voting, and keep themselves in power. At least they were stopped before they did much damage.

There have been countless reports across the country about tactics such as these and worse in the last few days. Maybe by people hearing about it, people will be prepared if they are challenged.

If you still are able to vote, and are challenged, call your local election board, call the media, whatever it takes. If you are told that you can't vote because of parking tickets or voting for Democrats is tomorrow, don't believe it because it is a lie. You can't be stopped from voting or arrested for parking tickets, and the only day for elections is today. You have a right to vote. Don't let them stop you.

Time To Vote!

2008-11-04T16:06:00.002-05:00

Well, we've finally made it to Election Day. This has been the longest and most arduous campaign I've ever seen. I'm not going to get into any history about this campaign, because you probably already know about most of it. What is important here is that no matter who you support, get out and vote. We in Indiana only have two hours left, but the rest of the nation will not stop until late tonight. The media networks, thankfully, have put a moratorium on releasing any information about the election until after 5 pm EST. Personally, I wish that they would wait until after the last poll closes in Alaska at 1 am, but that is probably not going to happen. Hopefully, if you are on the West Coast and reading this, you have already voted, or are preparing to vote. Don't let the media outlets sway you with projections, or give up because you think you may have lost. Get out and vote, and make your voice heard.

The Coattail Effect

2008-11-03T01:19:00.004-05:00

Doing a little late-night blogging, and found something interesting in the Indianapolis Star . The Star is a Republican newspaper, so they will do anything they can to help their side. Latest article is about ticket splitting, telling how that many will vote for a Democrat for President, and a Republican for Governor (got to back their great Mitch!). Anyway, buried in this is this quote:

Among voters supporting Obama, 28 percent also are backing Daniels for governor. Among those voting for McCain, 13 percent are supporting Long Thompson for governor.

Hmm, that means that if Obama takes a large chunk of the vote, 72% of those voters will vote for Jill Long Thompson. If McCain takes a majority, then 87% will vote for Daniels. The way things are looking right now for Obama, he could take this state, and bring Jill Long Thompson in with him, thus the coattail effect of riding to victory due to someone elses good political fortune and popularity (not that it's a bad thing). That is not good news for Daniels, because a Democratic wave could sweep him out of office.

Let's hope for a Democratic tsunami on Election Day! Get out there and vote Democrat, and let the waves sweep the Repubs out of office!

DST - Just In Case You Forgot

2008-11-02T07:48:00.018-05:00

Well, we're back on Eastern Standard Time again. Just in case you forgot, DST ended at 2:00 am this morning. If you forgot, and are late for church, or just aggravated at having to switch times, just remember who caused all this...our wonderful Governor, Mitch Daniels. Just in case you forgot about it, remember that he didn't ask us if we wanted it, he rammed it down our throats, and the vote passed by one vote. I don't call that a mandate. In case you are upset about it, just keep that in mind for Tuesday, when you can VOTE HIM OUT, and vote in a Governor who will let the people decide whether to continue this mess. Jill Long Thompson will call for a statewide referendum on the issue, and let US decide whether to continue with DST or end the mess once and for all. Jill will give the people a voice in government, one that has been silenced for the last four years under Daniels.

Over the last four years, I have watched this Governor slowly sap the life out of this state. First by de-certifying the teachers union, then closing license branches, forcing DST on us, selling off the Indiana Toll Road, and on and on. His signs say he has courage and vision...baloney! His tactics are not courageous or visionary...they are from the viewpoint of a corporate CEO who views this state like his company. I for one am tired of watching my state slowly die under him. It is time for a change, and not a minute too soon.

I urge you, when you go into the booth on Tuesday, to think about what happened over the last four years. Remember the issues, remember the problems. Ask yourself if you want four more years of this. If you don't, vote for Jill Long Thompson for Governor. She will give us our voice back in government.

Nervousness in the Republican Camp

2008-10-13T01:25:00.003-04:00

With just 3 weeks to go till the election, Repubs are starting to get nervous about McCain's chances at winning the Presidency. Check out the article here. Looks like the Dems might actually have a chance to win this thing. Enjoy!

Tight Race for Governor - Jill is Gaining!

2008-10-13T00:44:00.004-04:00

Hi folks! Doing a little late night blogging, and thought I'd pass some info on the race for Indiana Governor. The race is tightening up! According to a poll from WISH-TV 8 in Indianapolis, Daniels is leading only by a very slim margin, 49% to 45%, and his approval rating is even closer to Jill Long Thompson, 49% to 45%. This is very tight, considering Daniels had a wide lead at one time, and just a few weeks ago, was up 49% to 41%. Daniels paints a rosy picture, but in reality, he is in trouble. Check out his approval rating here...very low indeed.

Jill is gaining on Daniels, and fast. Read this article from WISH-TV 8 on how the race is tightening. At the pace she's going, and the way the economy is causing trouble for the repubs, Jill will be our next Governor, and not a moment too soon. Just remember, if your on the fence, remember some of the things Daniels has done:

1. De-certified the Teacher's Union as his first official act in office.
2. Brought us the DST mess.
3. Closed license branches all over the state.
4. Sold off the Indiana Toll Road to an Australian consortium.
5. When asked about what he considered to be a good wage, he replied that "$9 or $10 an hour is a good wage. Pretty good considering he is a multimillionaire. I'd like to see him live on that.
6. Privatization of welfare and a host of other formerly state-run departments.

I could list more, but you get the point. Daniels has been a disaster for this state. Just ask anyone who has been thrown out of work because of his cuts. This must stop! Daniels cannot be allowed to have another 4 years to further ruin this great state.

I urge you to support Jill Long Thompson for Governor. She will work to rebuild this state, and undo the damage that Daniels has done. It will take time, but Jill will get the job done. Vote for Jill on November 4th!

DST

2008-09-21T22:00:00.005-04:00

One of the issues that will come up with a new governor will be Daylight Savings Time. This has caused much controversy over the years. Here is a history of time in Indiana, that will give you some idea how controversial it is. Personally, I think we should go back to the old way. DST doesn't save any money - it actually costs more. Read this article from U.S. News about the increase in energy consumption.

I asked Jill Long Thompson's office about their stand on the issue. This is their statement:

Thank you for your email. As Governor, Jill will call for a nonbinding referendum that would let the public have more input into this issue. The referendum would address both time zones and Daylight Savings Time. With input from Hoosiers across the state, she believes a better policy for everyone can be implemented.

I think that is a good idea. The governor should listen to the public on this issue, unlike what Daniels did. He asked no one but his own party, then rammed it down our throats. I personally would like to see it banned immediately, but if it takes a referendum, so be it. I have had enough people tell me how much they hate DST, that I think it would be overwhelmingly in favor of repeal.

If you want to have a chance to repeal DST, please support Jill Long Thompson. She will give the people their voice in state government back.

Time for a new Governor - Daniels Must Go!

2008-09-17T16:51:00.004-04:00

I've been pretty busy this summer, and have kept quiet about the elections, at least on here. However, I heard something today that really surprised and shocked me. I heard Daniels was up by 17 points in the polls. Now, honestly, I don't know how he found that many people to support him, unless they polled his campaign. The last time I saw the numbers, he had a 37% approval rating. Somehow, he has managed to pull ahead in the polls. This is very disturbing. Let me remind you of some of the things this clown did (not in any particular order):

!. Sold off the Indiana Toll Road.
2. Closed license branches across the state.
3. Shoved DST down our throats.
4. De-certified the teacher's union (that was the first thing he did)
5. Privatized welfare, and anything else he could sell off.
6. Lied through his teeth about the state being in the red..the state constitution forbids that, and no, we weren't.
7. Made the comment that "$9 - $10 hr is good money". Quite a comment from someone who is a multimillionaire. I don't know about you, but I can't live on that anymore.

There are more things, but I don't have the time to go into more. I think you get the point. Daniels must go. He is the worst Governor since Governor Morton...that's another story. I am fully supporting Jill Long Thompson for Governor, and encourage everyone who reads this to do the same. Just think back to the mess we've had here, and think whether you want another 4 years of this clown. Personally, not me. Send him back to Washington, or wherever he came from.

No Time to Panic

2008-09-17T16:37:00.002-04:00

Hi, folks. It's been a busy summer here. Not much time for blogging. Recent events, however, warrant a post. The crisis on Wall Street is one of them. I'm sure you have all read the news and heard about how jittery the market is. I don't think I need to explain that. What I do want to do is to give you some reassurance. Now, granted, we know that the reason for this happening is because many of these firms investing in things that were not good ideas in the first place, like insuring against bond defaults. Along with that, the current administration has done little to discourage practices such as these. Throw in the fact that oil is still running high, consumers don't have enough money to spend, businesses lose because no one is spending money...oh, wait, I think I had a topic about that before...anyway, no, it is not a good situation, and blame can be placed in many places, but that can come later.

The worst thing one could do right now is panic. Keep your money in the bank. Banks depend on cash assets from individuals. If people were to start pulling money out, that would cause a run...one leads to two, and so on. Give the market time to straighten itself out. After all, it took 8 years of the Bush administration to ruin it, and it will not be fixed overnight. Let cooler heads prevail. We will get through this.

The Indiana Primary - Time to make a choice

2008-05-05T19:16:00.004-04:00

Well, looks like the primary is almost here. We've spent months listening to pundits and pollsters, and now, for the first time in years, our primary can make a difference. Although I still think the choices aren't great, we still have to make a choice. I am leaning towards Obama, because I don't think Hillary can beat McCain. McCain seems like a decent guy, but it's the baggage that he would bring with him that worries me (read the current Repub establishment that caused this mess in the first place...those people have resumes stretching all the way back to Nixon). We have to get them out of power before anything will change, including the price of gas.

As far as the Governors race, I favor Jill Long Thompson. I think she can do a good job, and should have no problem beating Daniels in the fall (for that matter, I don't think it will take much, considering that he's made most of the state mad at him). You know you're in trouble when your first ad is full of apologies for mistakes made, but, oh yeah, we'll do better next time...yeah, right!

If you want to make a change, get out and vote tomorrow. Let your voice be heard.

"Gas Shortage" Exposed

2008-04-10T08:56:00.006-04:00

Here's an interesting article about the so-called "gas shortage". Titled "There Is No Gas Shortage", and written by Ed Wallace for an article in "Business Week", it is a good expose' of what the current administration is doing to prolong the ever-increasing cost of oil. As Wallace asks in the article,

Why is Washington doing everything it can to convince us there is a shortage when there isn't one? After all, the only people they're protecting are those heavily invested in oil futures—and that's to the detriment of all other Americans.

Just what I've been saying all along, that this whole thing is made up by this administration, and driven by speculators. It's about time someone exposed this for the lie that it is. Thank you Mr. Wallace! Read the article here.

Muddied Waters

2008-04-06T08:10:00.003-04:00

Hi, folks! Primary time is nearing, and the race is getting more heated by the day. I don't think I've ever seen a time when the choices were so difficult. All the candidates have some good qualities, but also have enough bad qualities to make me stop and think about who I would want. Obviously, voting for McCain just doesn't seem like a good idea. McCain by himself would probably be ok, but with all the other baggage that would come with him (read the current Repub establishment that got us in this mess to start with, and have been lurking around Washington since Nixon), I just can't see that as a good idea. Obama keeps talking about change, but doesn't say what kind of change. I don't know enough about him to feel comfortable. Clinton has come out in support of groups that I cannot support, and ideas that I cannot condone.

As far as electability, many people would vote against Obama just because of the name (I'm not saying it's a bad name, just that some people feel it sounds too close to another infamous person). Clinton also has an electability problem with the name, because every right-wing extremist in the country will vote against her because of her husband. Her stance on certain groups will also hurt her with the conservative base in this country.

When will the Democratic Party wake up and realize that the way to gain the White House is not by electing liberals, but by reaching out to the conservative base in this country? There are far more of us than they realize, but our voices are not heard. We need a Truman or Kennedy...someone who is tough, and can take us back to the place that we once were, with higher moral standards, and compassion for the working man.

DST Returns

2008-03-09T10:15:00.002-04:00

Hi, folks. It's been awhile since I posted. It's been a long and rough winter. Thanks to all who have visited the site in my absence. Got a subject for today that must be addressed.

Daylight Savings Time (DST). To many of you, it's a normal thing each spring and fall. To us in Indiana, it is a strange adjustment, as we have only been doing this for a few years. It is a major adjustment. Let me explain our situation.

Because of a bad experience with DST in the 1960's, Indiana went back to Eastern Standard Time in all but a few counties. That's what I grew up under. No time change. Folks knew where the sun would be at a certain time of year, such as in summer, the sun being down before 9:00 PM. Normal.

Fast forward to 2005. Our beloved (?) governor, Mitch Daniels, decided that he knew what was best for all of us. Daniels, against popular opinion, pushed to get a DST bill approved by the legislature. The vote was very close, and by Daniels and his bunch twisting arms, managed to get the law passed by one vote. This vote was by a man who had originally said he would vote against the bill. DST, against the will of the people, became law.

To a state that is used to doing things the old-fashioned way, DST is a nightmare. The summer days are longer, which means increased energy use from running air conditioning. Hmmm, increased energy use, increased cost, Repub in office...sound familiar?

Now we have evidence that DST does not work. According to the Lincoln, Nebraska, JournalStar, DST led to increased energy use. The study was done in Indiana, and compared electricity consumption before DST and after DST. There was also a control group made up of households from counties that had already been on DST. Read on:

Their finding: Having the entire state switch to daylight-saving time each year, rather than stay on standard time, costs Indiana households an additional $8.6 million in electricity bills. They conclude that the reduced cost of lighting in afternoons during daylight-saving time is more than offset by the higher air-conditioning costs on hot afternoons and increased heating costs on cool mornings.

“I’ve never had a paper with such a clear and unambiguous finding as this,” says Kotchen, who presented the paper at a National Bureau of Economic Research conference.

DST can also lead to increased risk of drowsy driving. According to an article in Yahoo Finance from the National Road Safety foundation, DST increased the risk of drowsy driving.

"The change throws off our internal clock, and it can take as long as two weeks for our bodies to adjust," says Adele Kristiansson, director of marketing and legislative affairs at the National Road Safety Foundation.

"Drowsiness is a condition most drivers fail to recognize, and it can be as dangerous as drinking and driving," she adds. "Studies show 60 percent of us have driven while feeling fatigued, and more than a third admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel in the past year. Drowsiness is a factor in a substantial number of traffic crashes."

There we have it, folks. The evidence is in. DST does not save energy, it only increases its use. At a time when people are struggling to make ends meet, we don't need an increase in energy usage.

DST is also very dangerous, and can cost lives. Two weeks to adjust to the change could mean the loss of a loved one. That should not happen.

DST must go. It doesn't save anything except votes and money for the politicians and their corporate buddies. They like to think this is New York. Well, it isn't. The new governor (and there will be a new one - Daniels doesn't have enough support from his own party, let alone the Democrats), must make this a high priority in the new administration.

Enough is enough. Put us back on Eastern Standard Time and leave it there. As we say here, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Fall in Southern Indiana

2007-10-21T23:34:00.000-04:00

Fall is here again, and with it, harvest time.

Farmers have been working overtime to get the crops in before bad weather. Our neighbor worked into the night to get his corn in yesterday.
Most of the beans are in, as is the corn. There are still a few fields left to pick, due to the combination of late planting and a very dry season. I haven't seen a year this dry in a long time. If we hadn't had a wet winter and spring, the yields would be much worse that what the farmers are getting now. Fall also gives us the opportunity to watch the colors change. Here's a few pics to show you how beautiful it is here. We don't have full color here yet, and may not get the full color, due to the unusually dry summer.

As you can see, we have some beautiful country around here. The leaves are just starting to turn, but because of the dry weather, we still have a lot of green on the trees. Pretty unusual for October. Won't be long til winter...oh, and by the way, the wooly worm I found recently was black, brown and black...hope it's not right. I hope we don't make up for the lack of rain by having a bunch of snow and bad weather. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Baron's Vote

2007-10-20T13:20:00.000-04:00

There's been talk in the media about the recent vote made by Baron Hill on the SCHIP bill (the State Children's Health Insurance Program). According to the Seymour Tribune:

In Indiana, SCHIP helps pay for Hoosier Healthwise, which enrolls about 75,000 Indiana children from families earning up to twice the federal poverty level, a floating scale that’s $41,300 for a family of four. The bill vetoed by Bush would raise eligibility nationwide to four times the poverty level.

The bill would pay for the SCHIP expansion by raising the federal cigarette tax by 61 cents per pack to $1. That’s separate from the 44-cents-per-pack increase in Indiana’s cigarette tax to 99.5 cents per pack on July 1.

Baron's reason for voting against the bill was because he also represents tobacco farmers in this area. Baron said that the bill "...should not be financed entirely by tobacco." I believe he is right. Here's why:

1. Our district is, after all, a farming district, and the farmers have been forgotten in the past. Baron is a supporter of farming.
2. The way the bill is to be funded is the problem, not the bill itself. Baron saw that, and realizes that you have to have a better way to fund this kind of legislation. This is the great irony of this kind of legislation. Why should you have a good bill, which will help many children, fund it with money from sales of tobacco, and then turn around in the same breath and say, "We want everyone to quit smoking. It's bad for you, and should be stopped"? If everyone stopped smoking, where would the money come from?

It is ridiculous to fund a bill to help children, and then try to dry up the source. It seems like grandstanding to me by a bunch of politicians just looking to get elected. Voting on this bill put Baron in a bad spot. His political enemies will try to capitalize on this, even though their party is always the first to vote no on anything that will help children.

Baron would like to find a better way to fund this legislation than an unsure source. If it can be found, this would be a great help to children in need. I believe he was right to vote against it, and believe he will help find a better way to fund it.

Don't Blame the Little Guy

2007-09-14T20:13:00.000-04:00

Hi, folks. Been awhile since I've posted, due to other priorities in life (busy summer). I've had some thoughts rolling around in my head for awhile, and thought that I'd better get them written down while I have some time.

There's been a lot of talk in the media lately about the credit crunch. The housing market balloon has exploded, and has caused major troubles in the market. Lenders have failed, mortgage foreclosures have skyrocketed, and people with adjustable rate mortgages are in big trouble. Many lenders have been forced to try to find a way to get bailed out, such as Countrywide. The latest one was a British lender, Northern Rock, who had to go to the Bank of England for emergency credit. This was the first British bank to be affected by the credit problems at home, and has caused stock markets in England and Europe to shudder from this buyout.

I've heard a lot on the news about what caused this credit crunch, and each time I hear an analysis, I hear these pundits blame the homeowners who have failed to make their mortgage payments. Fair enough. If you can't make your payments, the bank will foreclose on your house. I'm sure that's the main reason why this all happened, but isn't there another reason why these people cannot make their mortgage payments? Maybe it's time we examined the reasons why things have gotten so bad.

First off, the majority of the people who are having trouble making their mortgage payments had A.R.M's, or adjustable rate mortgages. Many of these people bought these homes with the adjustable rates, thinking they would save a lot of money, and banked on the rate staying low. They were then able to buy houses that would normally be out of their reach. In some areas, it is common to have homes that start at $200,000 and go up from there. Now, I'm no banker, and I don't pretend to know much about interest rates and such, but to me, (1), buying a $200,000+ home sounds like a mansion, and (2), buying it on an adjustable rate sounds insane (all apologies to those who have done this - I'm simply stating my opinion). Where I live, a house in that range would be more than most people would need. Areas north and south of here have homes in that range.

Builders and developers took advantage of the housing boom in the last decade, and shot the price of the homes skyward. In turn, banks had to find attractive ways to convince people that they could afford them...even if they really couldn't. Lenders came up with A.R.M's, to entice people to buy the home with low interest. This sounded good when the rate was low. However, rates don't always stay low. This the lenders failed to warn them about...all they wanted to do was make a sale. The economy gets shaky, rates go up, people start to struggle with payments. Pretty soon, people start to default because they can't make their payment. The ground gets shaky, and the rates keep going up. More people default. It's a cascading effect, and it's effects are being felt right now.

Why is the economy shaky? Why are people unable to make their payments? One reason that no one wants to talk about is the one thing that is damaging this economy and many others...the subject our President and his buddies don't want to hear about....yes, you guessed it, high gas prices. I know this subject is taboo with this administration...heaven forbid we blame their blessed Big Oil for the problems we're having. Well, I'm going to give you an analysis as to why high gas prices are to blame for our problems.

When people took out these A.R.M.'s over the last decade, gasoline was less than $1.50/gal. The economy was humming along pretty good, till 9/11. Gas started to climb after that. We dealt with the price, and were able to withstand the rise. People still had money in their pocket. Along comes Katrina and Rita, and suddenly the price skyrockets. Futures traders panicked over concerns of loss of supply, which sent the price skyward. Gas continued rising through 2006 and 2007, with no relief in sight. People who used to have money in their pocket to pay for that adjustable mortgage suddenly didn't have it anymore. It went into the gas tank. They have no money to buy other things, so business starts to slow at retailers. Food prices rise, because the cost of transportation has to be passed on. More money out of the pocket. A family that once was able to afford a very nice home, several cars, etc., now has to start watching every dime they make to live from week to week.

As things continue, and the family continues getting squeezed, they fail to make their payments on time. Maybe they live an hour from work, and have to spend most of it on gas to get there, or they have to spend a larger chunk on food and clothing. There's not enough money to go around. The interest rate begins to climb on the A.R.M., which only makes things worse. They are still forking out a lot of money on gasoline, which they have to have in order to drive to work, but now their check is going mostly for gasoline to get there. They find themselves in a vicious cycle: it's too expensive to drive to work, but they can't afford not to go, for they must still eat. The cycle continues until they can no longer keep up the payments. The house is foreclosed on, and a family is forced to live on the street. The lender can't sell the house, because no one has the money to buy. Others follow suit, and the lenders are suddenly faced with a crisis: a lot of homes standing empty, with no one to buy them. The lender can't make any money, so they go bankrupt. This, in turn, causes ripples in the stock market, which begins to falter. The economy slows, jobs are lost, etc. Get the picture?

Now, before you go saying, "Well, these people have poor credit. What else would you expect from people like that?", think of this: the banks were loaning money right and left to people who had poor credit, all the while promising them blue skies. What they didn't warn them about was the storm on the horizon. Many people who did these A.R.M.'s had good credit to start with, but they fell for the hype about "borrow $300,000 for 3.6% interest", and when things went sour, they fell in the hole.

Before you blame the little guy for causing this crisis, take a look at what the big guys did to cause it. You can't expect someone to be able to make extravagant payments when they are paying $3.00/gal. for gas, and their income is not rising. Because of the greed of lenders, builders, and the oil companies, America is facing a housing crisis unlike anything seen since the Depression. People are losing their homes at an alarming rate, and the price of gasoline just keeps rising. Many more will lose their homes before this crisis is over. The only way to solve this crisis is not to blame the little guy, but to fix the problems that the big guys caused. The little guy is getting squeezed, and if we continue to squeeze him, the dream of home ownership will remain just that...a dream.

Daniels Refuses to Suspend Gas Tax

2007-05-25T08:13:00.001-04:00

Well, folks, with gas at an all-time high, you would hope that somebody in our government would do something to ease the pain. Unfortunately, it won't be Gov. Daniels (surprise, surprise). According to the Indianapolis Star, Daniels doesn't think it would be "an effective or responsible thing to do." Read the article:

Gov. Mitch Daniels says record prices at the pump have not changed his mind about suspending the state’s 6-cent sales tax on gasoline, but his administration is trying to determine whether he could do that even if he wanted to.

Mark Massa, Daniels’ general counsel, said today that his legal interpretation of a 1981 law that former Gov. Frank O’Bannon used to temporarily suspend the tax in 2000 would not allow Daniels to do the same.
But the administration is researching whether a threshold for declaring an “energy emergency” under that 1981 law is being met now, and it has asked the attorney general’s office for a legal opinion on whether a governor can suspend the gas sales tax under that law.

“We want to find out what the options are first,” said Daniels’ spokeswoman Jane Jankowski.

The steps follow the latest round of requests for the Republican governor to temporarily suspend the tax. Some lawmakers made the same request when prices spiked in summer 2005 and last summer.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in Indiana hit a record $3.348 on Monday, according to AAA Hoosier Motor Club. Former U.S. Rep. Jill Long Thompson, who plans to announce her intentions to seek the Democratic nomination for governor this summer, issued a news release Monday asking Daniels to suspend the tax.

Indiana House Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, sent Daniels a letter Tuesday asking him to do the same.

“Once again, the state’s treasury is gaining from the pain faced by families in Indiana, thanks to the windfall from the sales tax that is being added on top of the exorbitant prices charged to motorists in our state,” Bauer wrote.

Daniels said Monday that he would “never say never” to the possibility of suspending the tax, which would save motorists about 16 cents per gallon if the price was $3.

But he said right now it would not be an effective or responsible thing to do, in part because he was still trying to restore the fiscal strength of state government and suspending the tax would be a step backward. He also said the tax relief would fall on the rich and poor alike, and he knows no way to target the relief to those who need it most.

O’Bannon suspended the tax in July 2000 when gasoline prices hit about $1.80 per gallon, which was considered expensive then. Republicans claimed it was an election-year ploy, but O’Bannon said it was needed to help working families and keep Indiana businesses competitive.

O’Bannon extended the initial 60-day suspension into September, then lifted it.

He relied on the 1981 state law that allows a governor to declare an energy emergency. That’s defined as an “existing or projected shortfall of at least 8 percent of motor fuel or other energy sources that threatens to seriously disrupt energy supplies or diminish energy supplies to the extent that life, health or property may be jeopardized.”

The law says if that threshold is met and an emergency declared, the governor can implement programs, controls, quotas or curtailments to affect the conservation or consumption of energy. O’Bannon relied on language that said a governor also could “suspend the provisions of any state statute regulating transportation ....”

When O’Bannon suspended the tax, his deputy press secretary — Cheryl Reed — acknowledged that the emergency order had never been used and therefore had not been interpreted by the courts. But she said the governor’s legal staff had thoroughly reviewed the law and believed the action was proper.

She said according to the Federal Energy Information Administration, which monitors gasoline inventories, those in the Midwest were 13 percent below the five-year average for that time of year — and the administration was satisfied that the 8 percent shortfall threshold had been met.

At the time, then Senate Finance Chairman Larry Borst, R-Greenwood, suggested that O’Bannon was skirting the law. He said the Legislature enacted it in 1981 because the state was running out of fuel at the time and it was felt that a governor should have some emergency powers to order conservation.

“There was never anything in there about prices,” Borst said then.

Massa said in his legal judgment, the law’s provision allowing a governor to suspend any state statute regulating transportation “doesn’t give you authority to waive a tax statute.” But he said the administration still wants further legal guidance from the attorney general’s office.

This is the same governor who closed half the license branches in the state, sold the Indiana toll road to a foreign company, rammed Daylight Savings time down our throats, and on and on. Oh, wait a minute...losing the sales tax would cost the state money. That's all Daniels has thought about since the beginning. He said during his campaign that he would run the state like a business...yeah, he being the CEO and the rest of us peons to make money for the state, while he rides around in a state-sponsored RV, paid for and fueled with state money. All the while, the rest of us have to suffer. He is really one to talk about "effective and responsible" actions. The only things Daniels sees as responsible are actions that bring in money to the state treasury.

Frank O'Bannon, rest his soul, went out on a limb when he suspended the tax. Maybe the words "excessive prices" weren't there, but Frank did the right thing because he cared about working Hoosiers. To paraphrase Daniels' quote, Frank thought it was "the effective and responsible thing to do" because he was concerned about us...he put our needs above the needs of the state. That's what a governor should do...govern the state and his constituents, not act like a CEO giving orders to his workers. Frank had a heart...Daniels does not.

It's time to do the "effective and responsible thing". Governor Daniels should suspend the 6% sales tax, at least temporarily. He should give us a chance to breathe a bit easier, because we are all suffering from this.

Greensburg, Kansas

2007-05-07T23:50:00.000-04:00

I can't help but express my utter shock over the tornado that hit Greensburg, Kansas on Friday, May 4th. We in Indiana also live in fear of tornadoes, and have seen our share. However, I don't remember when we have seen a tornado of this magnitude obliterate an entire town. The devastation is beyond words. We also have a town called Greensburg here, famous for its tree growing in the courthouse tower. Greensburg, Indiana narrowly missed getting destroyed in 1974, during the Super Outbreak.

Our hearts go out to the folks in Kansas who have loved ones in or near that area. We cannot imagine the loss you are suffering at this time. Just know that God is near, and you can find comfort in Him.

I am also concerned about the lack of equipment available to the National Guard...most of it is in Iraq now. This creates a great problem for the cleanup effort. They need as much equipment as necessary to clear away the debris, and begin the rebuilding effort.

I wonder how much help the federal government will give these people. They seem to be able to talk a good game, but they did the same during Katrina...and we all know how that turned out. Let's hope that this time FEMA and the other agencies involved get the needed supplies and equipment to this area quickly. I would hope that we don't find out in the coming months that nothing has changed, and that the government dropped the ball again.

As far as help from the National Guard, how about help from other states? Could our Governor, or maybe one from a neighboring state, or both, send some equipment to help with the cleanup? I would hope that someone could do this, as this is far worse damage than we have seen in a long time. Governor Daniels, in the spirit of cooperation and goodwill, please do something that will help them. If we had a disaster of this magnitude, I'm sure we'd be asking for outside help.

Again, to the folks in Kansas, our thoughts and prayers are with you. We pray that you will look to God in the days ahead, as He will give you the strength to carry on.

Gas Prices Rise Again

2007-05-03T20:43:00.000-04:00

Excuse me for the rant, folks, but I'm rather fed up with it all.

I'm sure all of you by now are getting a bit tired of the rapid rise of the price of gasoline. It hit $3.19 a gallon here today, much to my shock. The results of this are already evident at the grocery store, as in $3.37/gal. for milk, and so on. This is putting a strain on everyone, especially the working poor, who sometimes have to travel many miles to work, only to spend most of their paycheck on fuel. By the time they get done paying for the fuel, they don't have enough left to buy the groceries they need, let alone pay bills. Some will say, "Well, that's their fault. They should work closer or spend less." Many people don't have a choice where they work...they're lucky to have a job, even if it's $8-9 an hour. At these wages, which by the way, aren't rising, it's a wonder they can afford to eat, let alone keep a roof over their head. I consider myself lucky, in that I do make more than that. It's hard enough for us to keep up with everything, let alone what those poor people have to put up with.

This madness must stop! If this keeps up, people won't be able to afford to go to work, let alone pay their bills. It appears that the oil companies are back to their old tricks, raising the prices at every little problem that comes around. The price had dropped close to $2/gal, before it suddenly started rising again, all because of "supply problems", "world crises", etc. Seems like they just couldn't stand to lose money, so they found an excuse to raise it out of sight. Not to mention that the man in the White House could care less about whether we have to pay more or not (he is an oil man, after all, so why would he stop the price from rising?).

Yes, I'll admit, there are many reasons for supply problems, and sometimes a rise is justified (supply and demand). However, why is it that the gasoline that was delivered on Monday for $2.45/gal can be raised the next day by 20 to 30 cents per gallon when it is the same gasoline in the tank? Other commodities don't work this way, so why should gasoline? Maybe I just don't understand how it works, or maybe it's just gouging...pure and simple.

I sincerely hope that Congress can finally find the time to look into this, when they can get out of investigating all the things that Bush and the Repubs have them tied up in. The Repubs seem to be trying to keep them occupied on other matters, in order to keep them from doing what is best for the American people. This Congress inherited a mess - a corrupt administration, a President who listens only to himself, and a war that has kept the Congress occupied for most of it's first few months. With a mess like that, it's no wonder they can't find time to fix the problem.

As I said, excuse me for the rant. I just want to see things improve for everybody.

Shame on the Media

2007-04-19T17:21:00.000-04:00

After all the families and friends of the victims of the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech have gone through this week, now the media decides to air footage of the killer explaining why he did it! This was totally uncalled for! Shame on NBC for airing the footage to start with, and shame on the other media outlets to follow suit, just to increase their ratings! This should not have been broadcast, especially not now, with the families still trying to cope with this tragedy. Airing footage like this at this time would be the equivalent to allowing the public to view the cockpit tapes of the Challenger or Columbia as it broke apart! Maybe at some point, the families themselves could have been allowed to view it, as long as they were in agreement on it. Maybe it should never have been shown at all. By showing it, they did exactly what the killer wanted...to spread even more pain and hurt.

When will the media, and the public who craves these things, learn that there are some things that just shouldn't be shown? I'm not talking about censorship, just using discretion and common sense when something like this comes along. This kind of message does not deserve to be on the airwaves. It just causes more pain to everyone. How many children might have been exposed to this tirade? How many kids will go to sleep tonight, only to wake up with nightmares because of what they saw? I'm glad my children have not seen it...I would have a mess on my hands.

I myself was fortunate not to have viewed the videotape, being that I was at work. I read enough in the news on the internet to make me sick...you couldn't bring up a news page without seeing something about it. I have no desire to see the tape...I am disgusted enough already.

Tragedy in Virginia

2007-04-17T20:08:00.000-04:00

Hello, folks! I've been on hiatus for a while now, and while I have a few posts in process, I must weigh in on a subject that I feel strongly about. In the wake of yesterday's tragedy at Virginia Tech, I know that the gun control debate will be reopened again. This was a terrible tragedy, committed by a sick individual. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones who are left behind. I cannot possibly imagine their grief and sadness after this despicable tragedy. I can only say that I am a father and parent also. I would not want to go through this with my children. To the families and friends affected, may the mercy and kindness of God be with you in the days and weeks ahead, as you turn to Him for solace and comfort.

When a tragedy like this occurs, the gun control advocates come out of the woodwork. Although the time for debate is not now, I must clarify my position on this issue. I do not believe in gun control, as it has not worked in the past, and will not work in the future. Notice the weapon was a pistol? Note to those who wanted assault weapons banned: it stopped him from using an automatic weapon, so he just used something else. My point is this: The young man was bent on killing as many people as possible. If there had not been a pistol available, or other gun of some kind, he could have just as easily planted bombs, or became a suicide bomber to accomplish what he wanted to do. This does not condone the use of a pistol or other gun in any way to harm someone; however, as tragic and terrible as this event was, a bomb would have been far worse, with possibly hundreds killed. Ask those in Baghdad, who deal with suicide bombers every day, about this reality.

My point: If someone like this is bent on killing people, they will find a way to do it, whether it be with a pistol, knife, bomb, or whatever. Banning guns is not the answer. In fact, by removing the right to carry guns, we may have inadvertently allowed this tragedy to happen. In an article in the American Spectator, John Tabin writes about "A Disarmed Campus", in which he tells how a bill that would have allowed students to carry concealed weapons in places such as Virginia Tech, failed to pass the legislature:

"In January 2006, Virginia Delegate Todd Gilbert introduced House Bill 1572, which was meant to guarantee, with a few exceptions, that students with concealed handgun permits would be allowed to carry guns on college campuses. The bill died in subcommittee later that month. Like many schools, Virginia Tech had a policy prohibiting guns on campus, and Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker expressed pleasure at the bill's defeat. "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions," said Hincker, "because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus." "

Ironic, isn't it? Tabin makes the point that "...the gun ban didn't ensure safety. Virginia Tech was the site of the worst shooting spree in American history...Mightn't a law-abiding armed student have stopped the spree in its tracks? We'll never know." "

As I stated, don't jump to the conclusion that banning guns will prevent this from happening again. If a sick, twisted individual is determined to do this, they will try with any means possible, whether it be a gun, a bomb, a car, or whatever. The only way to stop them is for those around them to recognize the signs of trouble. From what I have heard this afternoon, the young man had raised alarm with faculty members who read his creative writings. That should have been enough of a sign of trouble to cause someone to either get the young man to counseling, or call the authorities to intervene. It obviously didn't happen, and now we have a terrible tragedy on our hands. Intervention by schools, family, friends, or the authorities, is the only way to prevent such a tragedy before it happens. Banning guns is not the answer.

Again, my heart goes out to the families and friends of the victims of this terrible tragedy. May God wrap you in His arms, and may you find comfort and solace there in the days ahead.

On Temporary Hiatus

2007-01-14T19:30:00.000-05:00

Hi folks! Sorry there hasn't been a post for awhile, but it's been pretty busy here lately. I don't have much time to blog right now. I'm going to go on hiatus for awhile, but I will still post here from time to time.

I do need to mention the new Congress. So far it looks very promising. Let's hope they can fix some of the problems we're facing, and keep the President in check. He still continues to operate thinking that he has the exclusive right to make decisions on Iraq and everything else, and that he doesn't have to answer to anyone. Looks like he and Cheney made the rounds today, letting everyone know that he was right, and he'd do whatever he wanted, regardless of what Congress and the American people want. Obviously, he must live in a vacuum, because the last election should have shown him that the American people are sick of him acting like a king, with no one to account for. This guy just doesn't get it. So much for the spirit of cooperation.

Anyway, as I said, I'm going to go on temporary hiatus for awhile, but will still post occasionally, especially when something important must be said.

Thanks for reading the posts, and see you soon.

Election Night - Looking good for Democrats!

2006-11-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

I've been watching the returns off and on throughout the evening, and it is starting to look like a bloodbath for the GOP. They've lost many key races, including Kentucky District 3, where Rep. Northrup has been beaten by John Yarmuth, and Rick Santorum has been beaten by Bob Casey for the Senate seat from Pennsylvania.

The best news of the night, though, is right here at home. John Hostettler (Johnny Ho) lost his House seat to Democrat Brad Ellsworth. Ellsworth beat him 61% to 39%, with 96% of precincts reporting as of 11:39 pm EST. Now that was a whoopin!

Joe Donnely defeated Republican Chris Chocola (also known as Count Chocula) by 54% to 46%, with all precincts reporting.

But the best of all is the news that Baron Hill has defeated Republican Mike Sodrel, 49% to 46%, with 90% of precincts reporting. That's a 6,132 vote advantage, and I don't think we have to worry about a recount this time.

The current count in the House as of 11:39 pm EST is 152 seats to the Republicans, compared to 191 seats to the Democrats...an advantage of 39 seats. This will probably change by the time it's over, but it is starting to look like we have control of the House. For more info, click here.

This election is starting to look like a Democratic blowout...turnout has been high, and it looks like people finally had had enough of the nonsense to get out and vote these rascals out...thank God!

My congratulations to Baron Hill on a fine campaign. You fought hard, and you stuck with it, even though they threw everything but the kitchen sink at you...come to think of it, I thought I actually saw that too, at one point.

My congratulations also to Brad Ellsworth and Joe Donnelly, for their victories tonight. I wish you well in your new jobs as Representatives.

Congratulations to all the other Democrats across the country, who are riding a wave of change. This is indeed an historic night. I think CQPolitics.com said it best:

We're not going to make any official announcments yet, but to put it mildly, this is not shaping up to be a good night for the Republicans.

That may be the biggest understatement of the night.

Election Eve

2006-11-06T23:45:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts, but it's been pretty busy around here. I thought it was time for a new post, being as tomorrow is so important. I really have one important thing to say on this election eve:

If you want to make change in this country, VOTE!

If you're tired of the direction we're going in, VOTE!

If you want to send a message to Washington that We the people matter, and that our voices count, VOTE!

This is one of the most important elections I can remember, not to mention one of the few where we really have a chance to make a real change in this country. The Repubs are on the ropes, and reeling. A large turnout from the Democrats would deliver the knockout punch we need.

If you are in Indiana, please remember to bring your state-issued photo ID, either a drivers license, or a state-issued ID that can be obtained for voting (it's free at the License Branch).
You can check out the information at the BMV's site.

Indiana License Branches will be open tomorrow, Election Day, from 6 am to 7 pm, in order to issue ID's and driver's licenses to those who need it. If you have questions about times, call your local BMV. They will be giving priority to those who just need the state-issued ID for voting. If you want more information, click here.

If you live in the 9th District, I urge you to vote for Baron Hill. He is the best candidate for the job, and will be able to assure that our voice is heard in Washington once again.

Let's get out and vote tomorrow! Don't worry about the weather. It doesn't matter whether it's raining or shining...get out and vote!

Voting is too important to miss out on because of the weather, or for any other reason. This election will determine our future for years to come.

I urge you to Vote Democratic tomorrow, for a real change in this country.

See you at the polls!

Nastiness in the Indiana 9th

2006-10-17T19:27:00.000-04:00

The race between Mike Sodrel (R) and Baron Hill (D) is heating up. According to a survey performed by Constituent Dynamics, Hill is currently leading Sodrel by a wide margin - 53% to 42%. Other polls show the margin to be lower. CQ Politics is listing the race as "no clear favorite" (you can read it here). The Washington Post also calls it close. This is one of the hottest races in the country, and one of the dirtiest. My wife and I have been receiving flyers from the Repubs, and they are getting disgusting. Granted, there have also been Democrat flyers, but they're not nearly as nasty as the Republicans. I've been collecting and scanning these to submit to Taking Down Words and Baron Hill's campaign. Here's some samples of this garbage (please excuse the alignment of some of the images - I could not get some of them to align properly) :

This flyer is a smack at the Democrats, disguised as an absentee ballot application. The desparation of these people shows. As far as new heights, it wouldn't take much to rise above where they are. BTW, I wonder why Eric Koch doesn't have a picture attached?

"Capitol" Hill"? Seriously, folks. Now they are resorting to name-calling. As far as what is wrong with Washington, Baron Hill didn't cause this mess we're in. Sodrel and his bunch did.

This one is just chock full of lies. The bills they speak about in this flyer were ones that the Republicans tied to other legislation, knowing that they would be voted down because the main piece of legislation was flawed in the first place. They were political set-ups, designed to be used as ammunition against them in the election. As far as "opposition of a strong national defense", nothing could be further from the truth. Baron Hill supports a strong national defense, and has always supported our troops. Sodrel, on the other hand, has voted against giving our troops additional body armor, pay raises, etc. If you want to know the real truth about Baron's stand on these issues, and know who is funding the lies, click here for the truth. The lies about Baron's stand on defense and other issues are being funded by the same person who financed the Swift Boat Campaign agains John Kerry in 2004, Republican donor Bob Perry. He, in fact, is the sole donor for the so-called "Americans for Honesty". If that's honesty in Washington, no wonder the place is such a mess.

There are other flyers coming in the mail every day, and my wife is getting sick of it. These flyers show the desperation of a party who knows they are losing. They will say or do anything to stay in office. The sad thing is, there are people who believe these flyers. We even received one today that said that after the election in 2004, Baron didn't return to Seymour. I know that is a lie, because I personally spoke with him at a local gas station in Seymour several times in the weeks following the election. Who do they think they are kidding? Certainly not me, or my wife.

Baron doesn't live in a mansion, or drive a brand-new car. He has no qualms about walking right up to people to talk to them, no matter who they are. Not sure about Sodrel, but I think the only time I've seen him was in a parade last weekend. Other than that, we don't see him much.

Folks, this election is important. It is about restoring integrity to Washington, and regaining a voice in Washington. Sodrel is part of the reason we are in the mess we are in. He must go, along with the rest of the Republicans.

I urge you to vote for Baron Hill on November 7th.

Bring Back Baron!

More Republican Troubles

2006-10-14T21:51:00.000-04:00

Seems another Repub has bit the dust. Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio has been convicted of making false statements and conspiracy. Ney admitted that he received money and gifts in return for favors for Abramoff and friends. He could get ten years, but will receive 27 months in prison under a plea agreement. Not a lot of time for someone who stole so much. Many people have had far worse for a lot less.

Another one in trouble is Pennsylvania representative Curt Weldon, who, as of today, is under investigation by the FBI to determine whether he "used his influence to secure lobbying and consulting contracts for his daughter", according to sources close to the investigation. Allegedly, this had something to do with work that Weldon performed between 2002 and 2004. The companies involved were two Russian companies and two Serbian brothers who had connections to the former leader of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosovic. Apparently the company, Solutions North America, which was run by Weldon's daughter, Karen Weldon, had a contract worth $1,000,000 with the Russian companies and the Serbian brothers. A Republican ally of Rep. Weldon, Charles Sexton, was also involved.

Add these scandals to the Foley mess, the cover-up by Hastert, and the various other scandals of late, and you have a Republican party in trouble. So much trouble, in fact, that according to a poll taken by Constituent Dynamics and a post on Bill Earl's site Americans for Bayh, (thanks to Americans for Bayh for the post and link), the Democrats are now leading in the polls by 19 seats, more than enough to gain the majority. This is indeed great news for the Democrats, and bad news for the Repubs.

We now have a chance to make a change in this nation. We can win this November, and put the brakes on Bush and his buddies' power grab. We can end the "culture of corruption" that has engulfed Washington, and begin to restore dignity and honor to the Congress. Please join me in voting Democratic this November 7th. Our time has come.

The Approach of Winter

2006-09-30T08:02:00.000-04:00

I'm going to change the topic a bit now. Summer is almost gone, and we've had a little frost already. The leaves haven't really started turning yet, but the soybeans have begun to turn brown, and the farmers are getting the corn out of the fields. It's even dropped to 41 degrees at night. Won't be long till winter is upon us again. Time to finish the outside projects (too many) before it gets cold. Wish I had some pictures to share with you, but I don't have a way to download them from my phone yet (no cable). I'll have to get one soon, and post some pics.

It looks like it may rain today, even though the sunrise looked promising. That's ok, I've got enough work in the garage to keep me busy.

One interesting thought concerning winter. I've read that our weather may be affected by El Nino, which is forming in the Pacific. According to those forecasts, we will have a mild winter. However, I was raised in the country, and always heard the old timers talk about predicting the weather by the color of the "wooly worms". If you don't know what a wooly worm is, it is "the larval stage of the Isabella tiger moth, according to a site from the University of Illinois, "The Green Line". According to them, there is no truth to the story that wooly worm colors predict winter. Well, I do have a degree in technology, and have an interest in science. However, I have been around enough to know to listen to the old-timers. They were often right more than wrong.
According to the lore of the old-timers, a wolly worm with light colors means a mild winter. One that has brown on one or both ends and black in the middle means a mild beginning or end, and a rough winter in the middle. All black means a bad winter. You get the picture.

As I said, I have an interest in science, and know about scientific principles. However, I have to believe what the old-timers say, as their knowledge was gained from years of experience, and from what their fathers and grandfathers passed on. In those days, knowing what the weather would be was the difference between surviving the winter, and possibly starving or freezing to death.

I've seen years when the worms were all black, and we had a bad winter (I think the winter of 77-78 was one). I've also seen mild winters preceded by brown worms. I have to think that the old folks knew what they were talking about.

As for this year, my wife and I were on our way home from church a few weeks ago, which is located up in the hills. On the way down the hill, we saw three black wooly worms crossing the road. All black...not a good sign.

I certainly hope that the old-timers weren't right...(sigh). We'll be digging out all winter.

Let's hope not.

Another Repub bites the dust

2006-09-30T02:27:00.000-04:00

I see in the news where another Repub is resigning...this time for allegedly sending inappropriate emails to a 16 year old page. You can read the story here. Pretty sick. What is amazing is how these skunks can stand up and preach about morality, and yet do something like this. Nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. Not only that, but the House Page Board knew about this last year, but did nothing. How many more will get caught up in this scandal...chasing after young pages? Absolutely sickening! Imagine the howl if he had been a Democrat!

These people deserve what they get, and come November 7th, the game is up. Time to clean house, and bring back a Democratic majority with a sense of decency.

Vote Democratic on November 7th!

A Drop at the Pump

2006-09-27T01:03:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the wait between posts. It's been pretty busy around here.

We seem to have had a change in the gasoline prices as of late. As of the last time I looked, gasoline was $2.08 a gallon and falling. This is certainly good news, but it begs for a few questions, such as why did it take so long to fall, and why are the prices falling just before an election?

According to the DOE's site, which can be accessed here, prices in the midwest are the lowest in the nation. The midwest is also the most hotly contested election battleground in the country. Seems funny that suddenly the price drops in our area, just when the Repubs are in danger of being thrown out of office. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

The Repubs are scared, and they should be. People have had it. Now, some will say that the lower price is due to market conditions, which may be. However, the bunch in the White House are good buddy's with the oil companies, as evidenced by the secret meeting between Cheney and the oil men after Bush came to power.

When you talk to people about the lower price, they are relieved, but also very skeptical. Everyone I have talked to seems to think the same way, that the only reason the price is going down is to save the Repubs sorry butt. People are upset about the prices, and still blame the administration. People have been hurt by these prices, and it's going to take more than a temporary drop at the pump for them to recover. Most of us, including me, have been hit hard by this, and have had to scrape to get by, allowing some things to be put off because they can't afford it. This hurts all of us, because when the money isn't being spent in local stores, the local economy hurts.

The Repubs think that the lower price will help their election chances. "Hey, look, the price is down...everything's ok, now...vote for me". I was even more convinced than ever of this this afternoon, when a politician was being interviewed on NPR about the election. I can't remember what the show was, but they asked him if he thought that the lower prices would help his chances. He replied that they would, and said that there had been a slight uptick since the price dropped. He was almost gleeful. I guess when you are that far down, any ray of light looks good, right?

It's going to take a lot more than a drop at the pump to bring things back to normal. People are hurting here, and it's going to take a long time for them to recover. Come November 7, we can send them a message, that enough is enough.

9-11

2006-09-11T23:41:00.000-04:00

What were you doing that day?

I remember being at work, and listening in disbelief about the attacks. I did not view any scenes about the towers, as I figured I needed to stay at work, since we were at war. I thought that was what the terrorists wanted, to stop us cold.

I went to class that night, and learned through the radio that gas prices had shot up, and some stations didn't have gas. I saw the lines, and decided to wait until after class.

The instructor tried to teach class, but gave up after a few minutes. He said, "Ok, what do you want to talk about?" He knew no one's mind was on class that night. We spent the rest of class time talking about it.

After school was over that night, I stopped to get gas. I had to wait with several other people, and I'll never forget the look on their faces. You didn't have to say anything. Everyone knew, and everyone had the same look of anger and determination on their face. Anger from the attacks, and determination to find whoever did this. It was like you could read what they were thinking. We all had the same thoughts that day.

When I got home, I watched the towers fall for the first time that day, and wept.

We were all united then, in the hope that we could bring these killers to justice.

What has happened?

Our nation has become divided over the war, and the debate will continue until it is completed. Bush has managed to split the country over this issue, unlike on 9-11, when we were united. Bush's prosecution of the Iraq war (needed or not) is a key factor in this. His calling anyone that disagrees with him a "terrorist" is pathetic. No wonder we're divided.

Mr. Bush made the right move, initially, in going after the Taliban. Unfortunately, he didn't get the main one. Bin Laden was cornered, and he got away.

Bush then makes a wrong turn, and deceives the public into thinking Saddam was linked to them. Five years later, we now have the proof that he lied.

Now, mind you, Saddam had to go. He had killed millions of his people. Problem is, we went after the wrong target, at the wrong time, in the wrong way.

I still believe that since we are in Iraq, for better or worse, we can't leave a vacuum. Problem is, the way the war has been run has been a shambles. We need a new direction, and a new way to get control before we leave. When we do, we can just leave the tanks and weapons for the Iraqi army to use. Dumb move disbanding their army, which could have been used with our own army to keep the peace.

Now we have Iran, which has always been the bigger threat, pulling the strings in Iraq, and creating a terrorist breeding ground. Bush opened Pandora's box when he went into Iraq, and only brought about 130,000 troops to control a country this size. Pretty easy for terrorists to hide when their is no army about, and the locals protect them.

As for Afghanistan, Bin Laden is still loose, and now the Taliban is back. Once again, a failed series of policies in Washington allows corruption to gain hold in the new Afghan government. People over there are getting disillusioned with the corruption, and turning back to the Taliban in some areas. We don't need these people getting a foothold again.

Bush made a huge mistake in not getting rid of Bin Laden first by using every tool we had at our disposal. Now he looks like a hero to some of them.

All Bush could think about was finishing the job his daddy didn't, and going after oil. Looks like it was much harder than he thought.

Now, here we sit, five years later, wondering if another attack will occur. We should have been done with this by now. We found Yamamoto in about a year and a half, and killed him. Why can we not find this clown?

Maybe Bush doesn't want to find him. That would end his "war on terror". Only problem now is that because we didn't get him at first, he's got an even bigger following now, almost mistique status to some.

This is no way to treat the families of the victims. It is as if a person knows who a murderer is, and keeps getting taunted by them, because they haven't been caught. There is no closure for them, because the murderers have not been brought to justice.

Maybe Bush is just using this as a political tool, and knows where he is, just so he can capture him by election time, and say, "Look what we've done!". Yeah, and it took how long to do it?

Don't buy the hype, folks. The Repubs are going to try every scare tactic in the book to get you to vote for them. If there is no attack, it's "See, we kept you safe". If there was one, it would be "We told you it wasn't safe". Either way, they'll play it to the hilt.

The only way to get the current administration to make the changes in policy that are needed is to vote in a new Democratic congress. Bush's hands would be tied, and he would have to make changes in the "war on terror". The first change should be to find Bin Laden and his deputies, and bring them to public trial in the U.S. The next should be how to get real stability in Iraq, so we can finally bring the boys home.

On a day such as this, let us all pray that we can finally get our country back on the right track, and earn the respect of the world again. Let us pray that with God's help, we will never have to see another 9-11 on our shores.

Thoughts on the Economy

2006-08-29T19:38:00.000-04:00

Seems like we are always hearing about how good the economy is, how the unemployment is low, and how new jobs are being created. Well, from this point of view, it doesn't look so good.

If the economy is so good, why does it seem like most of our income goes out on fuel? Now, mind you, I do not have the latest and greatest gas-saving car (can't afford the payments). I drive an older Bravada, but still manage to get between 18-20 mpg, not bad for an all-wheel drive. After the snow here two years ago (29+ inches in two days), the van I had didn't cut it anymore. Besides, with a full frame, it is much stronger than the minivan I used to have, and used about the same amount of gas.

As I stated before, it seems like the price spikes quickly, but takes forever to go down. The profit made from these oil companies (who just happen to be good friends of the Bush Administration) is an outrage. Seems like the amount of profit made each quarter is about the same percentage as the difference between what we were paying over a year ago and now. Seems funny, doesn't it?

The high fuel price just contributes to higher prices at the grocery store. The store we shop locally does a good job of holding the line, but they are also competing against Wal-Mart across the street. I don't shop for groceries at Wal-Mart, because I like to keep my money at home, or at least out of Bentonville, Arkansas.

Ordinary people, who would normally be making a good living on the wages they make, are finding it more and more difficult to make ends meet. By the time they pay the weekly bills, visit the grocery store, and buy gas, there is not much left. They still have to contend with credit card bills, utilities, etc. Oh, and then there are the little things like: clothes for the kids for school, books, school lunches, etc. People are reeling from the effects of this. What is the current administration doing about it? Absolutely nothing, nor do they care. As long as their cronies keep contributing to their war chests, they're happy. Congress is doing nothing, either. They're too concerned with remaining in power, and siphoning money from the rest of us. As long as they can continue to stay in power, we as a people will suffer.

On the subject of unemployment, I noticed an article today in an Indiana blog, Taking Down Words, which can be read here. According to TDW, in a print edition from the Indianapolis Star:

"Unemployment in Indiana has hit the highest level in three years, preliminary government figures show. The rate reached 5.7 percent in July, up from 5.2 percent the previous month. That's the highest the state's jobless rate has been since June 2003, when it climbed to 5.8 percent. However, the figure is subject to revision as government analysts receive more detailed information in the coming months."

Hmmm, so much for low unemployment. Our beloved governor (cough, cough), will surely blame the previous administration for this, as he is prone to do.

As far as new jobs, most of the new jobs being created are lower-wage jobs. Good example is what Daniels said a few months ago, which can be read in part here in the same TDW article, when Delphi was cutting jobs and wages. Daniels said that 9 bucks an hour was a good wage! Funny coming from a guy that is a millionaire, and probably hasn't seen the inside of a grocery store in years! I'd like to see him live on that! Same goes for Bush and Cheney!

My main point of this rant is this: with expenses rising, wages flat or getting less, and families struggling to make it from week to week, how do they expect us to live? I'm sure it's easy if you already have a million. For the rest of us, it's getting tough.

Folks, the only solution in sight is to vote in a new Congress. We need a Congress responsive to our needs, that will try to reign in the oil companies, and put a stop to the Bush and Republican agenda of No Billionaire Left Behind, No Common Man Left Standing. We must act this fall, or we will continue to suffer. I urge you to vote Democratic this election, for real change in Washington.

Greetings and Welcome to my Blog!

2006-08-28T18:30:00.000-04:00

I've thought about doing this for quite some time, but have been busy working and with life in general. I am new to blogging, and am still trying to learn how to do this, so please bear with me. I don't know if anyone will read this blog, but if you are, please enjoy!

BTW, just to clarify, the postings and comments made on this site are strictly my own, and are written with no intention of offending anyone or just plain making someone mad! If I do offend with my posts, sorry, but after all, these are my opinions, and I have the right to make them, just as you have the right to differ in your opinions. We all have to blow off steam, and politics tend to get me hot under the collar sometimes. The opinions contained in the links on this site are those of their respective authors, and do not necessarily constitute an endorsement of such opinions, just as I'm sure mine may not be endorsed by them.

What I hope to communicate here are my feelings toward the need for a change in the current political climate. The regime in Washington has made a mess of things, and it is time for a change. The extreme right wing of the Republican party is bent on full control of all facets of our lives, from surveillance of our conversations, to our emails, to keeping the lower and middle class so broke that we cannot do more than work from paycheck-to-paycheck. Case in point: gasoline. Did you ever notice that the price increases quickly, but doesn't drop as quickly? Makes you wonder if the reason the prices are so high is because the oil companies are using the extra to contribute to their buddies in Washington to keep them in power. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

I am not a liberal Democrat, so before you align me with the left side of the party, let me clarify my position. I was raised in a Democratic family, with a mother and father who grew up in the Depression and the Second World War. My grandfather was a Democrat, and was a supporter of FDR. They knew firsthand about which side would help the working man, and it wasn't the Republicans. My Dad was as die-hard as you could get. He was proud of having "always voted Democrat".

Now, mind you, I have friends who are Repubs, including my best friend, but we don't talk politics. We agree on almost all the same issues. Maybe it's because in this part of the country, we tend to be more conservative in our thinking than in other parts of the country. Issues such as gun control and gay marriage don't have much support around here. People still believe in the right to bear arms, and don't think much about gay marriage. This is, after all, part of the Bible Belt. We still believe that gay marriage is immoral. Issues such as these are only used by the extreme right as a hot-button issue to keep themselves in power, and could care less about the issue other than that. The extreme right really doesn't want you to have guns, because an armed populace is a threat to their existence. Same with gay rights. Sure, they say they are against it, as most of us are, but they seem to think that it is the only issue that matters. Sorry if that offends anyone, but that's the way I feel.

The extreme left wing of the party has brought up issues such as these, and has isolated themselves from the mainstream. This has allowed the Repubs to gain control. They tell people what they want to hear, without really being concerned about the issue itself. They are simply concerned with keeping power, and use this and fear-mongering to win elections. The real Republican party has been hijacked by the extreme right, just as the Democrat's have been hijacked by the extreme left. They in turn call all Democrat's "liberals". Nothing could be further from the truth.

What I would like to do with this blog is see if there are other Democrat's out there who also tend to run to the center. I'm not saying that I don't want to hear any other opinions, for not everyone agrees with me, and they do have a right to speak. What I do want to do is encourage those out there who tend to lean toward the right to raise their voice, and let people know we are here. I also want to encourage those leaning to the left to listen to us, the quiet voice of the Democratic party, and come back to the center, for it is the only way for the Democratic party to lead this country again.

Ok, I've vented enough. More thoughts to come later.