Archive for December 4th, 2007

Kick-off event details from new group -

come join us at the Tippecanoe County Public Library on Bill of Rights Day, December 15, 2007, starting at 1PM. Contact Diana Vice or W.B. Alter at founder@SelfDefenseIndiana.org or (765) 296-8423 with any questions.

Governor Mitch Daniels’ goal: “trail within 15 minutes of every Hoosier”.  Mitch Harper at Fort Wayne Observed has this overview.

Perhaps in response to posts like mine below, perhaps not, Hoosiers for Fair Taxation has a good op-ed declaring loyalty for Mayor-Elect Ballard as long as he maintains his loyalty to “The People”. Is that fair? Absolutely! It was The People who got him elected after all. Bart Peterson never remembered that during this last cycle and that’s why he will be known as the former mayor of Indianapolis.

Our mayor elect, Greg Ballard, spoke last night at a Republican holiday party attended by all kinds of people who laughed at him last summer. Many there had plenty of cash to support their party’s candidate but refused to believe in him or help him. Some people at the Republican holiday party gave their money to his opponent, Bart Peterson believing that money wins elections. They were more interested in making sure they were in solid standing with Peterson. They wanted make sure they were in favor with the man who would continue to deliever status quo government. Most importantly they wanted to reap the financial rewards financed by your tax dollars that would come with supporting Peterson.

Read more of this op-ed here.

Lately, I’ve been reading around the blogosphere from those who are upset at who Indianapolis Mayor-Elect Greg Ballard is surrounding himself around. Especially when it comes to his transition team. They righteously point to a cast of characters who couldn’t even so much as lift a finger to help Mayor Ballard during the election and cry unfair that that they are now helping him as he stands to take the reigns of Indy in a few short weeks.

Brian Jessen over at Circle City Pundit blogged this morning about a lady who expressed exasperated concern over the lack of grassroots fighters, who helped gain victory for Ballard, on his team:

She talked about how Ballard has already forgotten who got him elected, he has not recognized these people and he is getting wishy washy on his stances.

Abdul pointed out that he hasn’t even taken office! He can’t do two of the three things she complained about.

Basically the caller was upset that Ballard has (allegedly) snubbed his base and is hob knobbing now with Party snobs. Heck, she even mentioned Ballard attending the Indiana Society of Chicago meeting last week.

Love Abdul’s response: “Just what do you want from (Ballard)?”

That’s a fair question. What do those who are griping really want? They claim that throughout the campaign, Ballard supported property tax repeal. You know what? He still does, but during the entire campaign, he also said that he would be open to alternatives that would benefit the citizens of Indianapolis in case total elimination was not an option that was placed on the table.

(Read more below the fold) (more…)

Looks like RiShawn Biddle has landed on his feet with The American Spectator. He hasn’t taken his critical eye off of Indianapolis politics though. His recent article, which was linked over at Abdul’s Indiana Barrister takes a hard look at the Indiana’s Seventh Congressional District.

When U.S. Representative Julia Carson’s staffers announced last week that the Indiana congresswoman was suffering from terminal lung cancer, it finally ended a year of speculation among congressional beat reporters, House staffers and colleagues about her health. The reliably liberal Democrat, one of the first members of Congress to vocally oppose the War in Iraq and renowned for pulling out close races against Republican rivals, her constant absences from floor votes became even more so in September, when she took leave from Congress ostensibly to recover from a leg infection.

But it is in Indianapolis, where Carson’s inner-city congressional district resides, where her legacy looms largest. Over the past five decades, the Louisville native parlayed her ties to the United Auto Workers union and her mentor, former Congressman Andrew Jacobs, into a political machine that helped the Democrats take control of what had long been one of the few urban areas controlled by Republicans. In turn, her proteges have defended her against longstanding charges of corruption and incompetence. Said one ally, Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson: “She’s our queen. We’re going to protect her.”

Read the rest here.

Looks like a few of those who didn’t expect to lose their jobs last month after Bart Peterson’s defeat are now heading up to Ft. Wayne to do their brand of damage with Mayor-Elect Tom Henry. To them I say, our prayers are with you.

From the Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette:

Henry’s transition team, headed by former City Councilman Ben Eisbart, is putting together lists of candidates for 11 senior policy-making positions. All 11 people holding the jobs were invited to apply for a role in the Henry administration, and they all accepted the invitation, Eisbart said. The team has also received a number of applications from officials in the administration of Indianapolis Democratic Mayor Bart Peterson, who was upset in the Nov. 6 election.

In the words of Jerry Seinfeld, “Good luck with all that!”

H/T - Fort Wayne News