A little over a week ago, Tracy Warner of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette got a little taste of why Indiana Democrats are optimistic they can hold the narrowly-divided State House this year (one of the Democratic Party's top redistricting priorities this election cycle):
More Indiana legislative districts should be like House District 31, which includes all of Blackford County and much of Grant County.
The district is split between Republicans and Democrats, and winning for either party is far from a sure thing.
Last weekend, visiting my hometown of Hartford City, I saw incumbent Democratic state Rep. Joe Pearson going door-to-door in the 90-degree-plus heat, seeking to win votes and, perhaps more importantly, encourage his supporters to make sure they cast ballots Nov. 2.
And that, in a nutshell, is the most basic way to win a campaign: by going out, meeting people in their communities, and asking them in person what issues are important and what they think should be done.
Last cycle, Rep. Pearson defeated an incumbent Republican by 468 votes out of more than 20,000 cast, but both parties are expecting much lower turnout this year because it's a mid-term election cycle.
That means if Rep. Pearson goes out knocking every other day when the legislature's out of session - in 90 degree heat or otherwise - he can personally speak to a huge portion of the people who will cast votes on Election Day. And with accurate data and targeting, he can talk to an even larger portion of the Democrats and persuadable Republicans and Independents he needs to win this fall.
Add in Rep. Pearson's friends, family members, and local Democratic volunteers helping him reach out to potential voters, and it becomes clear how a well-run field program and a hard-working candidate can make the difference, even against a big-money smear campaign funded by the Republicans.
Last week, the United States Congress passed another extension of unemployment benefits. While many Hoosiers sighed a breath of relief, they will have to wait yet a bit longer to receive their UI benefits. Operation: Blue Citizen wanted to know why these already hurting Hoosiers would have to wait an additional two weeks after Congress passed the extension. The following is a transcript between us and Marc Lotter, Indiana Department of Workforce Development Broad Band Executive:
Dear Mr. Lotter,
The questions Operation: Blue Citizen, as well as many Hoosiers, have is:
"Why exactly is it taking the Indiana Department of Workforce Development almost two weeks to distribute unemployment benefits to hurting Hoosier families, when Hoosier families have already been waiting since mid June for an extension of unemployment benefits?"
"Why was there no plan in advance to ensure the re-programming of the Uplink computer would be as quick and painless as possible to ensure that Hoosier families would receive their benefits in a timely manner?"
It was our hope that this matter would have been dealt with in a more expedient manner. We will consider a non refusal to answer these questions as an attempt to evade answering to the real victims of this, the Hoosier taxpayer.
We received the following response from Mr. Lotter this morning,
I could not disagree more with your opinion. In fact, Judy Conti of the National Employment Law Project (NELP), was quoted last week saying that depending on each state, people could expect to see their benefits paid in two to four weeks. That puts Indiana near the front of the pack. (http://all247news.com/unemployment-extension-2010-when-are-the-checks-coming-in/2354/) This site also has updates on every state broken down by four different articles, it might be a good resource for you to check out.
Much to disgust, Mr. Lotter evaded both questions, and pointed us to the website listed above. While Mr. Lotter, Mr. Everson (Indiana DWD Commissioner), and Governor Daniels may consider this to be a satisfactory answer; we do not... and again emailed him. Here is our response to him this afternoon, asking again why the Indiana DWD did not have a contingency plan ready to speed this process along for hurting Hoosier families.
Mr Lotter,
While you may consider two weeks to be of great bragging rights, the bottom line still remains that the unemployed Hoosier families NEEDING those UI benefits are the ones suffering.
In two weeks time, children are still hungry; peoples' homes are having water, and electricity shut off; and families have cars with no gas in them to look for work. What explanation do you have to give to those families? The bottom line, Sir, is that the State should have had a contingency plan ready to speed this process along, and the fact it did not...shows a lack of preparedness on Governor Daniels, Commissioner Mark Everson, and your part. While the mainstream media outlets in the State may not wish, or bother to ask you these questions does not make this fact less relevant.
As Bmaz at FireDogLake pointed out yesterday in "Killing Drones are Coming to America," with the recent acceleration of law enforcement officials around the country calling for the Federal Aviation Administration to grant more U.S. police departments the right to use unmanned drones to monitor borders, detect marijuana fields, and even to give out traffic citations, it's important to be aware of the role of Indiana corporations and the military in all of this.
Here are a few examples Fran Quigley gives in an April 18 article ("Hoosier Robot Killers")in the Bloomington Alternative considering the Hoosier role in the U.S. drone program:
1. Based in Purdue University’s Research Park in Lafayette, Lite Machines, Inc, an unmanned aerial vehicle specialist, in 2008 received almost $2.5 million in U.S. military contracts, including a $1.5 million gig for research and development from the U.S. Special Operations Command.
(H/T to Thomas for putting this video on the front page.)
(Revised from a post at DailyKos)
Kudos to Indianapolis TV station WTHR Channel 13 News (an NBC affiliate) for doing some real reporting. This story of Republican incompetence, lying, obfuscation, and coziness with business at taxpayer expense should be required viewing for the national media. Reporter Bob Segall shows how to expose the truth, not offer "fair and balanced" reporting that makes unsubstantiated claims equivalent to facts.
Not only does this story show how to report real news, it shows how a typical Bushite, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, runs state government.
As governor, Daniels likes to portray himself as a great stimulator of job growth. But, in truth, all he really cares about are photo ops, not real jobs for Hoosiers.
The TEA Party would like you to they are acting in the best interest of EVERY American, when in reality... they are in favor of principles and ideals that benefit themselves and the ideals they believe in so fiercely.
In California; TEA Party member Merry Hyatt, a substitute teacher and member of Redding TEA Party movement, wants the State of California to change its law requiring public schools to sing Christian Christmas carols, subjecting them to litigation if the school does not comply with the state statute. While the measure would allow student to opt out of a Christmas program as long as it is done in advance. The measure currently has the support of the local TEA Party President Erin Ryan. "Bottom line is Christmas is about Christmas," said Erin Ryan, president of the Redding Tea Party Patriots. "That's why we have it. It's not about winter solstice or Kwanzaa. It's like, 'Wow you guys, it is called Christmas for a reason.' " If a public school wishes to have a Christmas program, and the surrounding community support such an idea... then by all means, let it be as the people in that community desire; but to enforce a blanket legislation upon a community who does not share those religious beliefs is a travesty, and is not permissible.
The TEA Party, at its convention held recently in Nashville TN, also heard from former Republican congressman Tom Tancredo saying, "President Barack Obama was elected because 'we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country.'" The problem with this is that it unfairly discriminates against those whose education might be significantly lower than that of another person... and goes against the U.S. Constitution, and more significantly the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." While many belonging to the TEA Party claim this is central to many of their beliefs; by supporting a person who would say such disparaging things against another race is outright wrong... and cannot be condoned on any level.
The TEA Party, hiding behind its smokescreens and illusions, is determined on one thing and one thing alone: Advancing their agenda and their agenda alone.
The amendment is now eligible for a full vote on the Senate floor where it's expected to pass handily. The Indiana State Senate has an overwhelming majority of Republicans.
The amendment would still have to pass the Indiana State House of Representatives before it could move on to the next stage needed on the way to a public referendum, The amendment is expected to fail in that chamber. Democrats hold the majority in the Indiana House.
Ask the Judiciary Committee to vote NO on SJR-13!!
Indiana's Marriage Discrimination Amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 13 (SJR-13) authored by Senator Carlin Yoder will be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010, at 9:00 am in the Senate Chambers at the Indiana State House.
Similar proposals - House Joint Resolutions 5 and 7 (HJR-5 & HJR-7) -- have been filed in the Indiana House of Representatives by Representatives Bill Davis and Eric Turner.
Indiana Equality urges the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Richard Bray, to vote against moving the Amendment to the Senate floor.
"The Marriage Discrimination Amendment violates every Hoosier's basic right to fairness and equality. It's just an attempt to distract Hoosiers from the greater issues facing Indiana, threatening our state's current and future economic development" stated Indiana Equality Action President Randy Studt.
The Marriage Discrimination Amendment is being advocated by Advance America, the American Family Association of Indiana, and the Indiana Family Institute. Even though Indiana has passed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1997, a law that has been upheld by Indiana courts, these organizations continue to push for this unnecessary and discriminatory amendment.
Contact the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to today, asking them to vote no on SJR-13, the Marriage Discrimination Amendment.
Indiana Equality Action Legislative Update - January 12, 2010
The 2010 session of the Indiana General Assembly is off to a quick start. Overlying the entire legislative session is the State's dismal budget situation - described by one pundit as "Dismal, dank, dreary and depressing - not a law firm, but budget, revenues, and spending for 2010 - 11."
Working with key legislative friends and allies, Indiana Equality Action is focused this legislative session on medical decision making for unmarried couples, and ensuring hospital visitation rights.
What will it take to get you consciously involved? Is your vote being exercised to reach its ultimate goal; making your voice heard? Or is your voice lost in the murmur of complaint and dispute? It shouldn't take another Depression to reveal that our recent government and its policies have led us into dire situations; economically, medically, and environmentally. Our love for rivalry has weakened our american philosophy; that we are a still one nation as a whole, living together in its story. We can play a role in this story and create the brighter future that is mutually envisioned.
Political differences aside, the electing of Barak Obama as president can be seen as one of the most important historical events of our nation's past. . America is in a bad situation, and it seemed it couldn't get worse yet was not getting better. At least Obama's election brought a progressive change for this country. The Nation's first Black President has been elected, isn't that an accomplishment itself? Such an event should have brought us together in celebration, but unfortunately apathy has nullified assembly. When we are lectured on the struggle for women's rights is it not meant to revive pride and accomplishment? When we teach our kids the story of Thanksgiving; the peace between our country's natives and New landers, isnt that teaching unity, liberty, and justice for all?
People need to, once again, examine Roosevelt's ideal to (("reconcile their individual responsibility with a new concern for the common good; that is, an individual's responsibility for and obligation to his community ".)) One man can not hear the voice of every person, and every person can not rely on one man. For those who are unhappy with current standards, look within and speak to more direct government. Do you know how your state is reacting to these critical times? Is the concern for the presidential nomination abolishing the importance of local/state elections? There is tribulation in the world, and trial in federal government , but the communities near home are suffering too. Indiana is no longer the exemplary state it once was, and still could be. We the people, who make the state, can reform the state. Fifty states working together is more powerful than one man working for all.
As a young adult looking into the possibility of a not so bright future, I ask that citizens to please excercise his/her responsibility to work toward conscious alliance. Become aware of the area that borders, governs, and enables us. Surely the struggle of our state has not went unnoticed, and yet everyone seems in the dark or completely lost about what decisions are being made for us. In the coming state elections, think about how current officials have affected our lives, and demand more or demand change. We may not be at rock bottom yet, but it's obvious that our current standards were not the choice of 'we the people.'
Bloomington, IN Nov. 15,2009- Tamyra d'Ipollito has announced that she will independently mount a campaign against Senator Evan Bayh in the 2010 election. A tireless community organizer, and small business entrepreneur of Bloominton, Indiana, she has announced her candidacy through social networking on facebook, twitter, and Indiana's political blogs. The candidates website acts as an information portal for her biographical information and political platform. Registered voters can become active supporters by printing and signing the document of petition linked to the website. Her current challenge will be acquiring 4500 signatures before Jan 4. 2010 to qualify for May primaries. She is self-funded, and her campaign acts as proof that state reform can subsist through personal labor, determined citizen advocacy, and community networking.
For d'Ippolito the campaign is about bringing power back to the people."I am running for Senate as a citizen not as a politician. To make change one has to become change," Tamyra pronounces, encouraging citizens to be the active role toward progressive Indiana. "My mission is to bring awareness to the fact that it is the people who participate that have a voice."
Her plans for Indiana, include raising awareness of the states increasing poverty levels and the web of issues that created it such as healthcare and government lobbying. "Poverty in Indiana is prevalent, and I want it eradicated," states Tamyra.
About Tamyra D'Ippolito
Tamyra d'Ipollito was born and raised in Indiana by a single working mother. The United States government financed her education with a B.E.O.G, which she is forever grateful. D'Ipollito is proud to say that as a world traveler she has obtained three college degrees. Through her studies abroad she was represented as a U.S. ambassador for peace and became an originator of the Peace Corps. D'Ipollito currently owns and operates Ragazzi Arté Café in Bloomington, Indiana, where she supports local artists in displaying their works at the café. As a small business owner and cancer survivor d'Ippolito understands first hand the struggles of living without healthcare. At the present time she is on the board of the Advisory Committee at Volunteers in Medicine, located in Bloomington.
According to a recent Gallup Poll article, http://www.gallup.com/poll/122... the percentage of Hoosiers without health insurance coverage increased to 16.1% in 2009, from 14.7% in 2008. This approximates the national average of 16.2% of adults being uninsured.
While bad, these figures are not nearly as frightening as Texas' 26.9% uninsured. But Massachusetts, with state-mandated health coverage, has only 5.5% uninsured.
This equates to approximately one out of every SIX Hoosier adults having no health insurance. Keep in mind that Seniors have Medicare, then the percentage of adults of working age who are without health insurance becomes mind-boggling.
Given the actual FACTS, who can seriously deny the scope of the health insurance crisis? These FACTS should be spread far and wide until reason drowns out hysteria.
One conclusion is clear, whether it is "single payer" national insurance (which clearly would raise the cries of "socialism" to new decibel levels), or a public option (my preference is actually multiple public options), or massive overhaul of private health insurance, the problem simply cannot wait.
And a disclaimer: Despite having two college degrees and a white-collar job, I have no health insurance of my own, and my employer does not offer group coverage, so I am one of those 16.1% of Hoosier adults.
In a week when the Iranian people, on their own, began protests against their government and the fraudulent election results from their Presidential election June 12th, Rep. Mike Pence defies President Obama, the State Department, foreign policy experts and even the likes of Pat Buchanan to pass a resolution in support of the Iranian people. You would think this would be a good thing, and under normal circumstances such a resolution would be meaningless, but when dealing with Iran, this kind of direct US government meddling is exactly NOT what they need.
Cross-posted at Daily Kos in a slightly different form.
The GOP is up to its old tricks--again. Governor Mitch Daniels has vetoed a bill that would have expanded the use of centralized early voting centers. And guess what excuse he used? That's right, fear of voter fraud.
Of course, it's complete and total b.s. The real reason is to try to keep voters, particularly working men and women, away from the polls in this increasingly blue state.
One in six Hoosier voters cast ballots prior to Election Day in November, with Lake and Porter counties tallying more than 53,000 absentee and in-person early votes. Each county must operate one early voting center, but the decision to open additional satellite locations must be unanimous among election board members.
The Democratic-controlled Lake County elections board deadlocked 3-2 along party lines last fall, but Democrats still opened auxiliary early voting sites in East Chicago, Gary and Hammond. Republicans protested but could not convince a county, state or federal judge to shutter the sites once voting began.
State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, worked on SB 209 in the hope that it would head off future early voting disputes. He said having just one early voting site in Crown Point isn't sufficient for Indiana's second most populous county.
"I was trying to correct that situation because I don't think it should be a partisan situation," Smith said. "We should not make it difficult for people to vote. We should make it convenient for people to vote."
But Daniels said in his veto statement:
While this bill contains provisions that would make the act of voting more convenient, it does not contain sufficient safeguards against fraud and abuse and removes long-standing bipartisan checks and balances in the conduct of elections.
This answer, of course, is pure hogwash. Daniels is a poster child for the Rethugs.
Democratic election law expert Bill Groth stated:
This is really infuriating. Even after signing into law the nation's most restrictive voter ID bill, the Governor thinks we still don't have enough protections against fraud. That's just an excuse to veto a bill that broadened access by voters. SB 209 was a carefully crafted bipartisan compromise. I hope the Legislature will override this outrageous and irresponsible veto in the special session or at least on organization day in November.
If Daniels is so concerned about bipartisan checks and balances, he might take note that the IN Senate passed the measure 48-0 and the House passed it 55-43, this despite the fact that both bodies are split almost 50-50 between the parties.
His concerns about voter fraud are spurious. Not only does Indiana have an ID law in place, but as the South Bend Tribune explains:
Right now, voters in St. Joseph County are assigned to one of 230 precincts across the county. They must cast ballots at that precinct.
Under the "vote center" plan, the county would only have 70 precincts, but residents could vote at any of them. Names would be stored in an electronic book to ensure no one votes twice.
Even the Republican Secretary of State, Todd Rokita, spoke out against the veto, even though as a good little Gooper he had to do so on economic grounds, not on the basis of enfranchisement:
How ironic it is that the one local government reform that actually passes the legislature ends up getting vetoed. Vote Centers is perhaps the only local government reform that so far has been proven unequivocally to save taxpayers money. I would expect, given the serious fiscal condition of the state, that the concept is important enough to find its way into the budget bill so that all 92 counties be given the opportunity to realize the unquestionable taxpayer benefits and savings.
The fact is that there is no good reason to veto this bill. As long as Indiana law requires unanimous consent of the boards of election, any individual wingnut can veto opening an election center. It actually happened in Muncie when one Rethug blocked a voting center on the Ball State University campus because, get this, the GOP thinks college students' votes can be bought with free hot dogs. I kid you not.
I am hoping this can be overridden at the special session in June. The GOP's cynical, mean-spirited, and un-American practice of voter suppression must be stopped.
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development released unemployment figures this morning for March that show Indiana has a 10% unemployment rate, the highest that number has been since November 1983. According to the Indianapolis Business Journal, the state now ranks eighth in the nation in unemployment. In March 2008, Indiana's unemployment rate was 5.3 percent.
During last year's gubernatorial campaign, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels referred to Indiana as being on a "hot streak" economically and in several speeches called Indiana an "island of prosperity" in the contest with Democrat Jill Long Thompson and Libertarian Andrew Horning. We now see that as those speeches were given, Indiana was really on the hot seat and an island of propaganda when it comes to the Govfather's economic policies.
The IBJ article cited figures showing the Indianapolis metropolitan area's non-seasonally adjusted rate jumped a half-percentage point, to 8.7 percent, according to the report. The number of unemployed in the area leapt from 73,088 in February to 77,462 in March - a jump of 4,374, the report said.
"Uncertainty in the manufacturing sector, particularly automotive, is causing a ripple effect in Indiana," Teresa Voors, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, said in a prepared statement. "We saw employment declines in auto manufacturing, transportation and logistics as Indiana plants produce, assemble, transport and warehouse fewer products."
Indiana's unemployment rate continues to exceed the national jobless rate, which was 8.5 percent in March, up from 8.1 in February.
My post, "Transgender woman and her boyfriend murdered in Indianapolis," has created quite a bit of conversation - both on the Bilerico Project and in certain circles in Indiana. I've just finished an interview with an Indianapolis Star reporter about my criticism of local media reporting and offensive police statements; it seems the appropriate time to bring everyone up to date and clarify exactly what I'm seeking.
After a double homicide over the holiday weekend, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) held a press conference to release details about the crime. IMPD released two male names and mug shots of the victims, commented on the victims' criminal histories and said the two lived "an alternative lifestyle." One of the victims was transgender; the other was her boyfriend.
To IMPD's credit, it doesn't appear that they identified the gender of either victim. Instead, the spokesperson referred to two "individuals" or "people" or similar gender nonspecific language.
The local media, however, were not as respectful. Every media outlet used the mugshot pictures with her male name printed beneath. While NBC and ABC used gender neutral language, FOX, CBS and the Indianapolis Star identified them as "two men."
Other than the terminology "alternative lifestyle," the rest of the offenses could easily be explained by a simple lack of knowledge. It is possible that the media didn't realize either victim was transgender when they filed their reports. But these circumstances highlight the tendency of law enforcement, the legislature and the media to whitewash LGBT issues in Indiana including overlooking violence against our community.
During the last week of the presidential contest, there was a lot of interest as to which red states Barack Obama would visit. Speculation ran wild as the polls tightened in Georgia, North Dakota, Montana and Arizona. Some even went so far as to suggest that he visit Tennessee and Kentucky. Instead, Obama visited Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado. Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Florida (you remember Florida, right? with the 1st black president? or is that with the 1st real and 1st virtual black presidents?). Oh Yea. And North Carolina and Virginia. Finally, on a day in which Barack Hussein Obama would be the focal point of a defining moment of historic change, he made one more visit. Instead of going home after voting on November 4th with Michelle, Malia and Sasha in Chicago (hopefully for himself!), Barack Obama went to Indiana.
Is this ok, Michelle?
No! No it isn't,Barack! Enough of this Bi-Partisan BS! Vote for Obama! After all, he could have gone home and celebrated...
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The Indiana Department of Workforce Development released unemployment figures this morning for March that show Indiana has a 10% unemployment rate, the highest that number has been since November 1983. 
After a double homicide over the holiday weekend, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) held a press conference to release details about the crime. IMPD released two male names and mug shots of the victims, commented on the victims' criminal histories and said the two lived "an alternative lifestyle." One of the victims was transgender; the other was her boyfriend.
