V23, N5 Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017

Muscatatuck & the education of Rep. Banks Freshman Republican’s ‘arsenal tour’ brings him to the urban warfare center By BRIAN A. HOWEY MUSCATATUCK – It was once haven or hell for the Hoosier feeble- minded. It was once destined to revert from aging infrastructure to farmland. It would have been inhabited by deer, coyotes and red fox. But these days, you’re more likely to find the 82nd Airborne Division or U.S. Special Forces drilling along the “urban canyon” or In- diana’s “Afghan village,” complete with camels. “It’s like walking into a time warp,” said Maj. Gen. Courtney P. Carr Rep. framed by a shattered windshield at the Muscatatuck Urban Warfare Center. to U.S. Rep. Jim Banks. (HPI Photo by Brian A. Howey) Earlier this month, Carr, the adjutant general of the National Guard, gave the tions and defense sector corporations. To someone like freshman Republican and former Afghan war veteran a Gen. Carr, a rising star heading the nation’s fourth largest tour of the Muscatatuck Urban Warfare Center. It was Continued on page 3 part of Banks’ weeklong tour of Indiana military installa- Hurricanes and history By FORT WAYNE – One of my favorite expressions is that while history may not repeat itself, often it rhymes. Hurricane Harvey is not Hurricane Katrina. The scale of costly damage may, however, exceed it. Depend- ing upon where hurricanes “We have many military options, come ashore, and obviously the category level based upon and the president wanted to be wind, the impacts vary wildly. briefed on each one of them. Any Also, as any watcher of weather knows, generally the threat to the United States or its warnings far exceed the actual impacts. Generally. territories, including Guam, or For most of my life, not to our allies, will be met with seem unsympathetic, my inter- est in hurricanes was mostly massive military response.” related to Notre Dame pum- - Defense Sec. Jim Mattis meling the University of Miami. Page 2

Howey Politics Indiana WWHowey Media, LLC 405 Massachusetts Ave., Suite U.S. Rep. Mark Souder during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. 300 , IN 46204 www.howeypolitics.com Where I grew up we worried about cial American history. Nevertheless, tornados and rivers flooding, and if we when Hurricane Katrina hit and then Brian A. Howey, Publisher were going to get a snow day. the levee system failed, we were not Water in northeast Indiana prepared. Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington provides us with some of America’s My roles were dual; I was a Jack E. Howey, Editor best soil for agriculture and most of member of the FEMA subcommittee of Mary Lou Howey, Editor the natural lakes of Indiana. Some Homeland Security and a senior mem- Mark Curry, photography rivers run to Lake Erie, some to Lake ber of the Government Reform and Michigan, and the Wabash River sys- Oversight Committee, the two primary tem heads to the Mississippi River and committees of jurisdiction. Subscriptions out to sea at New Orleans. Different My first lesson, however, was HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 Army Corps of Engineers divisions nearly immediate. Keith Busse, then HPI Weekly, $350 work with our region, and, if you are president of Steel Dynamics, called Ray Volpe, Account Manager in office for 16 years, you learn to demanding that the federal govern- know them all. ment intervene to get a particular 317.602.3620 After 9/11, New Orleans needed product without which steel email: [email protected] also came of particular interest could not be produced. Two of the because of potential terrorism, both three providers were down. If we because of its importance to the oil/ didn’t act fast, the steel industry Contact HPI petrochemical interests and because would be also be down within days, [email protected] of its port, the gateway to the entire and the auto industry would soon Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 Mississippi River Valley. follow. Flooding in New Orleans was a Washington: 202.256.5822 I was also the co-founder of serious threat to the people I repre- Business Office: 317.602.3620 the National Parks Caucus and an ac- sented in Congress, so I obviously tive advocate for our national parks. immediately did what I could. While in New Orleans, pre-Katrina, The most prolonged battle © 2017, Howey Politics meeting with a variety of Homeland related to the temporary housing is- Indiana. All rights reserved. Security people (e.g. Coast Guard, sue, and the exaggerated and mostly Photocopying, Internet forward- ICE) and visiting some of the vulner- fabricated charges against the compa- ing, faxing or reproducing in able areas on the outer river areas, I nies that provided temporary hous- also met with the park staff about the ing. The overwhelming percentage of any form, whole or part, is a erosion issues that were making New the RV industry is in Elkhart County, violation of federal law without Orleans more vulnerable. upwards from 80%. When tens of permission from the publisher. It is not that the weather thousands of people are homeless, forecasters were inaccurate in their you can’t store them in convention Katrina forecasts. There were also centers, or even Lakewood Church, warnings about levee weakness. It very long. was obvious to those who purchased On the other hand, even beignets at Café du Monde that you if you purchase the entire range of had to take steps up to see the Missis- trailer units from lots in a large region, sippi River. Even the fact that corrup- it is not enough for a disaster in a tion existed in Louisiana was no shock city the size of New Orleans. (You can to anyone who read beyond superfi- start to see the rhyming history com- Page 3 ing for Houston.) They had to build thousands of units, agency for assistance. Local government first, then states, fast. had the primary responsibility. In Louisiana that miserably Small units were mostly placed by residents on failed. When I visited with the first House/Senate group their property as they attempted to reconstruct their into New Orleans, I believe it was Sen. Joe Biden who homes. They used them as homes for months, which erupted at the Democrat mayor and governor when, at a is not a purpose for which they were intended. People private meeting, they started arguing about blame in front closed the windows, which in some cases caused effects of all of us, instead of solutions. not dissimilar to a more potent “new car” smell, making FEMA was given more power, and we set up them nauseous or potentially exaggerating pre-existing regional supply centers that could be moved rapidly into conditions. A few lawyers opportunistically sued, but the hard-hit areas. Hurricane Harvey strained that system, but issue, unsurprisingly, dissipated as the media moved on to at least there was a larger, coordinated federal immediate other things. But here we are again, with likely a bigger response because of legislative changes. The politicians housing disaster. learned to act in advance and stay involved. How the Over the next few years, in several visits, I National Guard moved to assist was vastly improved. In walked on levees and in neighborhoods, met with schools 2005, as convoys moved through areas, local communities and community leaders about short-term needs, and were drained of gas. Now things are better pre-planned. learned some of the challenges of reconstructing a city. Coast Guard and other air resources were there faster. Which comes first when only a few homes can be salvaged As is always the case in massive disasters, the vol- and most of the people are gone? Do families come back unteers, religious groups and other charities will always – if there are no gas stations, schools, doctors, grocery always – be the backbone of immediate relief. The govern- stores or pharmacies? Neighborhoods grow organically. ment alone cannot do it. But this time, so far, at least the Just dropping them in is hard. Chicken/egg arguments federal government has learned some lessons. are theoretically interesting, but not so much in trying to With one caveat. This may be the largest housing rebuild a city. disaster we’ve ever faced. What have we learned from The best thing so far about Houston is a clear Katrina in that area? v illustration of how government can, in fact, learn some les- sons from previous disasters. FEMA at the time of Katrina Souder is a former Republican congressman from had little power. It was a “coordinator.” It had to beg each Indiana.

ambitious Republican, moving from president of the Indi- Banks, from page 1 ana University Republicans to chairing the Whitley County National Guard contingent, Rep. Banks is a value-added GOP and then to the Indiana Senate in 2010. At times, target. He followed U.S. Rep. to the House Banks seemed restless and potentially reckless, as early in Armed Services Committee after she ascended to Ways his Indiana Senate tenure he seemed to foment leadership and Means. For Banks, change. By the time the tour was an initial he ran for Congress, crash course on what Senate President he expects to be a Pro Tempore David decades-long mission. Long was an early “I’m trying to and emphatic backer. learn about Indiana His national opening and fully utilize the came in 2016 when position that I have as U.S. Rep. Marlin a freshman congress- Stutzman opted for man on the committee the U.S. Senate race, today, and perhaps in a and Banks won a decade from now I’ll be six-person primary, much more of a tenured edging out farmer leader on Armed Ser- Kip Tom and State vices and do much more Sen. Liz Brown with to rebuild the defense 34%. From the start, industry in our state,” his campaign had Maj. Gen. Courtney Carr surveys Muscatatuck with Rep. Banks from a Black- been well-funded and said Banks. hawk helicopter. (HPI Photo by Brian A. Howey) He’s been an organized. He had Page 4 systemically checked off the boxes for optimum position. Entering Congress, many thought Banks would follow Stutzman’s footsteps into the Tea Party Freedom Caucus. Instead, Banks has insisted that his prior- ity membership is the Republican conference. While he has gained conspicuous national media early in his career, with the seasoned help of his chief of staff, Matt Lahr, a former aide to U.S. Sen. , Banks comes off as thoughtful and less a firebrand than many had forecast. Banks is in study mode these days. Those who knew him along the way, like Evansville’s Joshua Claybourn, have long viewed Banks as a rising star, perhaps a future governor. In the midst of his political career, Banks enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a supply corps officer in 2012 and took a leave of absence from the Indiana Senate in 2014 and 2015 to deploy to Afghani- stan during operations Enduring Freedom and Freedom’s Sentinel. For someone like Gen. Carr, Banks is a fortuitous asset. Mus- catatuck was built in the 1920s as an asylum for the mentally chal- lenged and afflicted. By 2004, Gov. Joe Kernan was poised not only to decommission the state facility, but, as Carr explained, “plow it back into farmland.” Carr’s predecessor, former Adjutant General Martin Umbarger, had a better idea: Turn Muscatatuck into the first U.S. urban warfare training center. It had a plethora of brick and mortar assets, from a Carr and Lt. Col. John Pitt called “immersive training.” U.S. hospital to a school, a prison, a reservoir, power and water Special Forces and units like the 82nd and 101st Airborne plants, a town hall, radio station and an oil depository. units needed real-life environments to practice urban com- “It’s got everything a city would have,” Carr told Banks bat and control techniques. as we left Camp Atterbury in a Blackhawk helicopter on “Can you do it?” Carr quoted Petraeus. To which a 20-minute lift to Muscatatuck. “This is a city with real Carr related the response: “We always say ‘yes’ and then infrastructure.” we figure out how to do it.” What has evolved over the When Gov. Mitch Daniels took office in 2005, he past dozen years is what Carr calls “globally unique cus- immediately got the concept. Daniels, Umbarger and Carr tomer training.” found powerful allies like Gen. David Petraeus, who in “This is completely unique,” Carr continues. “It 2005 was camped at Fort Leavenworth, plotting new Iraq presents challenges at the battlefield level. That’s what this War strategies after the 2003 invasion unraveled into a place offers. The 101st (Airborne) actually did a rehearsal full-blown insurgency. As Petraeus formulated what we here.” Want to practice an embassy evacuation? Come to would know as the Iraq “surge,” there was a need for what Muscatatuck. Want to search and clear an Afghan slum? Page 5

The Hoosier hovels await. staffed by 60 to 75 state “If you want a city employees, some working in distress, we can do that,” at the former town hall said Pitt. “If you want to do now labeled the “U.S. Em- a neighborhood search and bassy,” along with utility clear, we can do that. We can personnel and even a of do explosive breaches. A low couple farmers who tend yield explosive application to Sahara the camel, some creates the fatal funnel.” They alpacas, llamas and goats. can do simulated sniper fire. The animals are important Or live sniper fire. because K-9 units can be- If a unit needs to come accustomed to their practice a Baghdad market scents. deployment, the center will “You know you bring in 20 to 30 human “role can rent a camel,” Carr players,” a bunch of goats, says as Banks meets Saha- and Pitt explains, “It’s like an ra. “But it’s pretty pricey, Afghan market. With the music, so we bought our own.” it’s pretty immersive.” Banks is not the In addition to all the first member of Congress traditional city infrastructure, to visit Muscatatuck. Carr there is now the “urban can- once gave U.S. Rep. Andre yon” complete with natural Carson “a ground walk” gas-fed fire plumes, an Afghan only to be greeted by an slum, a Baghdad-style market explosion. “Those suck- place (though some of the sig- ers didn’t tell us about nage is in Russian), a flooded an IED,” Carr explained. neighborhood, a train derail- “Both of us were about ment, a trailer park, a failed eating gravel.” parking garage, along with Banks asked, rubbled “searchable” buildings. “Has Andre been back?” One, with the help of Israeli Carr responded, “He has military engineers, allows units not.” to lift a collapsed building with kevlar inflation devices. Banks’ takeaways There’s a cyber center where In the fresh- the FBI has trained, its hack- man Republican, Gen. ers actually taking over the Carr has found an emerg- water plant, diverting fluids ing ally with the poten- unbeknownist to the plant’s tial for expanding clout. superintendent. Rep. Banks reviews the “flooded neighborhood,” the Afghan slum “Muscatatuck is more There’s even a subway and meets Sahara the camel, who doesn’t spit because she doesn’t significant than I realized system complete with Chicago socialize with other camels. (HPI Photos by Brian A. Howey) before,” Banks said after Transit Authority cars, a favorite we returned to Atterbury. asset for Carr, a southside Chi- “I had never visited, but cago native who used the opportunity to profess his love I’ve read about it and heard about it for years. The train- for the Cubs. “Or the White Sox,” the writer mentioned. ing opportunities are much more substantial than I knew Carr seized the opportunity, “That makes sense. There’s before. nobody here!” “One takeaway for me is to be an advocate of Carr stresses that Atterbury should be seen as that on Capitol Hill and sell that to the Army and Depart- one installation in two sectors. And it can be integrated ment of Defense as a training site that should be used with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton and Fort more and funded more and increase the capacity of what Campbell and Fort Knox in Kentucky for either simulated or they can do,” Banks continued. “The bigger picture for actual convoys. me, I’m new to Congress, I’m new to the Armed Services Banks has questions. Where does the funding Committee and I plan to stay there for my entire career. come from? The Department of Defense and the Army put I’m not looking to move to another committee. It’s my in $6 million annually, and Indiana puts in $2 million. It is passion and interest to be a part of that, the larger na- Page 6 tional security debate.” take away the ability His Muscatatuck of military and industry venture was part of his to anticipate the future “Arsenal of Democracy” because you don’t have tour that also brought a constructive budgeting him to Grissom Air Re- process that allows you serve Base, Crane Naval to participate, it wreaks Surface Warfare Center havoc on the military and the Indiana Office and industry at the same of Defense Develop- time. We’ve seen the di- ment. On the corporate minishment of jobs in the defense sector, Banks defense industry because has visited Raytheon, of sequestration.” BAE Systems in Fort On the horizon, Wayne, Harris Corp. in Banks is concerned Fort Wayne, AM General about another round of in Mishawaka, Rolls- base closures (BRAC), Royce in Indianapolis. that took Grissom AFB He worked ex- to reserve status in the tensively on the National mid-1980s. This is where Defense Authorization the 122nd in Fort Wayne Act and can tick off or Crane’s futures could “wins for Indiana”: be decided. “I’m not n $351 million saying we should never for combat vehicle im- go to another round of provement that includes BRAC, but this is not an $8 million increase the time to do it. We’re for Allison Transmis- seeking to rebuild and sion specifically for an get the military back Abrams tank recovery on its feet. Congress vehicle; has led the way; while n $87.79 President Trump and his million for ambulances administration and his made by AM General; budget only advocated n $1.79 billion for a nominal increase of for the F/A18 E/F for Boeing and Rolls-Royce jet engines; defense spending, the Congress has advocated for a much n $132 million for Cummins generators; more significant boost, up to 10% increase of what we n $1.09 billion for Abrams tanks that will benefit saw in the last Obama budget for fiscal year 2018. That’s General Dynamics; what I’ve advocated for, that’s what the Armed Services n $74 million for jet engine upgrades; Committee has advocated for, with a new NDAA that we n $624 million for the next generation jammer passed six weeks ago.” program for Raytheon; n $10 million for infrared image weather systems Government shutdown threats for Harris; As for President Trump’s threats of another gov- n $1.9 million for military construction funding ernment shutdown, perhaps tamped down in September for the 122nd wing at Fort Wayne International Airport; due to the devastation in Texas by Hurricane Harvey this n $129.6 million for research and development past week, Banks was not amused. “The discussions about of aerospace vehicle technologies for Purdue University. the shutdown are reckless and completely avoidable,” Banks said. “I was greatly disappointed in the president’s Sequestration hammers Indiana tweets this morning and I’ve expressed that on my own For the past seven years, sequestration following account, that tying the debt ceiling debate to the the 2010 government shutdown has hammered Indiana’s debt ceiling issue is not draining the swamp. It’s quite the defense sector with more than a 20% decline in contracts. opposite. This business as usual is the type of thing the “It’s been devastating,” Banks explained. “To put it in American people want us to move away from. Instead we perspective, we’ve seen military spending cut since 2010 should be tying the debt limit to what it should be tied to, when it went into effect, we’ve seen significant cuts in which is addressing spending reforms that would address Indiana. When you budget by continuing resolutions and a $20 trillion national debt. That is a reckless discussion Page 7 that is not productive. A government shut- down is avoidable and I think Congress will do everything that it can.” Banks added, “In my short tenure in Congress and working with Speaker Ryan, I can’t imagine Speaker Ryan will allow a government shutdown to occur.”

The continuing education of Rep. Banks The military education for Rep. Banks will be a continuing process. He is cultivating allies in the likes of Gen. Carr. He has also reached out to former Sen. Rep. Banks at the cyber center at Muscatatuck. (HPI Photo by Brian A. Howey) Richard Lugar and is preparing to author Nunn-Lugar 2.0 legislation to reprioritize its “That’s why this conversation; while we hope to mission. It comes at a time when some in Congress see avoid that scenario, our troops have to be ready tonight,” that threat reduction program as a post-Cold War relic. Banks said, reemphasizing the importance of his tour. It all comes with the “fire and fury” war drums “That readiness crisis which we talked about today, we ad- beating with regard to North Korea. President Trump sug- dress every day on Capitol Hill. Right now two/thirds of the gested this week that “talking is not the answer!” Army’s brigades cannot deploy because of lack of training “You can make the case that the president’s ac- and equipment.” tions in recent weeks have backed Kim Jong Un off, but I So there is much to do, much to learn, more urban don’t think I can get comfortable with that,” Banks said. drills to conduct and much to educate with freshman Rep. “What we do know, both classified and unclassified, is how Banks. v much danger we face in North Korea. Page 8

draw in the adjacent woods.” As war drums beat, In making his case for Congress, Jacobs explained, “Most of our presidents have gotten away with the asser- tion that Article 2, Section 2, Clause 1 gives the president channeling Andy and not the Congress the authority to make an apocalyp- By BRIAN A. HOWEY tic decision. That clause reads ‘the president shall be the INDIANAPOLIS – President Trump has promised commander in chief.’ To argue that the naked term ‘com- “fire and fury” for his North Korean counterpart, the dicta- mander in chief’ supplants the specific and unambiguous tor Kim Jong Un. Last week, Trump tweeted, “Talking is language conferring the war-making authority on Congress not the answer.” is as far-fetched as to argue that the term ‘chief of police’ On Sunday, Defense Sec. Jim Mattis, standing with confers on that official the authority to enact criminal law.” Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jacobs related an 1848 letter from U.S. Rep. Joseph Dunford on the White Abraham Lincoln to his law partner, William Herndon, House driveway after meeting where he wrote, “Allow the president to invade a neighbor- with President Trump and Vice ing nation whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel President Pence, reacted to the an invasion and you allow him to do so, whenever he may North Korean detonation of a choose to say he deems it necessary for such purpose. hydrogen bomb that measured And you allow him to make war at pleasure. Study to see 6.3 on the USGS Richter scale if you can fix any limit to his power in this respect.” and just weeks after it lobbed The chilling phrase “apocalyptic decision” is opera- a missile over Japan. “We have tive here because it comes at a time when Trump and Kim many military options, and the are in a mano-y-mano showdown, their rhetoric box- president wanted to be briefed ing them into deadly corners. From former White House on each one of them,” said advisor Steve Bannon, we get a perspective of a potential Mattis. “Any threat to the United States or its territories, catastrophe. “Forget it,” he told American Prospect maga- including Guam, or our allies, will be met with a massive zine in an Aug. 16 interview. “Until somebody solves the military response – a response both effective and over- part of the equation that shows me that 10 million people whelming.” in Seoul don’t die in the first 30 minutes from conventional The war drums are now fully beating. Perhaps it’s weapons, I don’t know what you’re talking about, there’s time to channel our inner Andy. By this, I mean the late no military solution here, they got us.” U.S. Rep. Andrew Jacobs Jr., author of the non-bestselling Sec. Mattis calls such a potential conflict in terms book “The 1600 Killers,” describing the war actions of the raning from “horrific” and “catastrophic.” 20th Century’s last dozen presidents. We also have had refresher courses on the Jacobs has a relevant histori- chain of command for launching nukes, which cal viewpoint. He joined the U.S. Marine a full blown conflict with North Korea will Corps because he believed the snazzy probably entail. Vox notes: Seoul is likely to dress uniforms would attract the chicks. be North Korea’s first target should war break In 1950, he ended up on the front lines out with the U.S., and because Kim Jong Un of what we call the Korean War, a conflict has around 21,500 pieces of artillery lined up that officially never ended and, today, on the border between the North and South stands for an epic revival. ready to fire, military analysts estimate that His perspective, that it’s Congress 100,000 people in Seoul would die in the first that has the authority to declare war and few days of conflict. not the president, came from a man who Trump has been quoted on the poten- once found himself hauling off wounded Marines in Korea, tial use of nukes nine times in recent years. and in a classic fog-of-war moment, staring down the guns Pressed by CBS “Face the Nation” host John Dickerson, of Chinese infantry, who inexplicably allowed him to live. who asked, “The United States has not used nuclear As Jacobs described the account of “Jim,” … weapons since 1945. When should it?” Trump responded, “The men with the stretcher were confused for a moment “Well, it is an absolute last stance. And, you know, I use and then quickly got the point. It was a Chinese bazooka the word unpredictable. You want to be unpredictable. team who were pointing their rocket launcher at the mis- And somebody recently said – I made a great business placed Marines in the paddy. As he said his final prayers deal. And the person on the other side was interviewed by and cringed, he looked back toward his executioners and a newspaper. And how did Trump do this? And they said, stared in amazement. The Chinese leader was signaling to he`s so unpredictable. And I didn`t know if he meant it the Marines to go on, obviously because they were car- positively or negative. It turned out he meant it positively.” rying a wounded man. The Marines waved a bewildered Pressed by conservative commentator Hugh wave of gratitude as they rushed from the paddy up a Hewitt on CNN on Dec. 15, 2015, Trump didn’t grasp the Page 9 notion of triad, adding, “The biggest problem we have is of blood, viscera, stonecold rigor mortis and correspond- nuclear – nuclear proliferation and having some maniac, ing broken hearts back home, and frail wise men such as having some madman go out and get a nuclear weapon. writer George Will will vicariously celebrate this madness That’s in my opinion, that is the single biggest problem of war, itself, as ‘a profession.’ Go figure.” that our country faces right now.” Over the weekend, Trump chided South Korea, Hewitt pressed, “Of the three legs of the triad, accusing the nation that could lose hundreds of thousands though, do you have a priority?” Trump responded, “I if not millions of its citizens of “appeasement.” It was a think – I think, for me, nuclear is just the power, the dev- bizarre coda to this ramp-up to war. Normally allies close astation is very important to me.” ranks as crisis nears. President Trump is talking about cor- Some believe this is a revival of his 2016 cam- responding trade wars and goading frontline allies to fall in paign mode, when pundits and partisans debated whether line. Trump was batshit crazy, or crazy like a fox. The hope is The world has a problem with North Korea. A huge that Trump’s big stick bluster will cower Kim. It is a risky problem. That dawning reality as de- bet will potentially millions of lives at stake. scribed on Labor Day, led Yukiya Amano, the head of the “There’s no veto once the president has ordered International Atomic Energy Agency, to describe North Ko- a strike,” Franklin C. Miller, a nuclear specialist who held rea as “a global threat.” Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador White House and Defense Department posts for 31 years, to the United Nations, said during an emergency session told . “The president and only the of the U.N. Security Council that the North Korean regime president has the authority to order the use of nuclear was “begging for war. We have kicked the can down the weapons.” road long enough. There is no more road left.” MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough pressed former CIA and In 1990, Historic Landmarks of Indiana asked National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden about Jacobs to write a time capsule message to be opened in whether there were any ways to stop Trump from ordering 2090. He wrote, “In terms of civilization, universal educa- a nuclear strike if he were elected president. “The system tion and peaceful resolution of conflicts, the scant prog- is designed for speed and decisiveness,” Hayden replied. ress in this century has been a disappointment to those “It’s not designed to debate the decision.” who long for the ancient vision of living in ‘peace as good In a one-page Chapter 12, “Mad Math,” Jacobs neighbors.’ The deadly conspirator of this social failure has writes, “The apocalyptic prophecy is more likely to be vali- been the rapidly expanding capacity to invent and produce dated when those we suppose to be educated and intel- the machines of universal terror. As politicians compete for ligent declare that war is a reasonable means by which to vicarious military heroism, the world teeters between war ‘achieve clearly definable aims.’” and peace.” He asks, “Have you ever seen two grown So here we are, or as Kurt Vonnegut would posit, men in a bare-knuckle fist fight on a sidewalk?” If so, he “And so it goes.” In the age of shock and awe, which last says, your reaction would be shock? Disgust? Insecurity? went awry between 2003 and 2007 in Iraq, we appear to “Probably all three. Yet, multiply those two men by tens be on the brink on the Korean peninsula where war never of thousands and intensify the violence by tons of dyna- really ended, where both sides are dug in and possessing mite, steel and gunpowder with the resultant quantums nukes as a vestige of manhood. v Page 10

“It’s unfortunate that anonymous, disgruntled Rokita, Messer in ex-staffers are making exaggerated claims that only tell half the story,” said Rokita spokesman Tim Edson, who described his boss as honest and blunt. war by press sequence The AP story followed a story late last By BRIAN A. HOWEY month that portrayed Rokita as a high-maintenance boss NASHVILLE, Ind. – Since entered Con- for staffers, drawing from an eight-page memo detailing gress in 2011, a noted trait of his operations was the staff what was expected of the congressman’s drivers. None revolving door. Chiefs of staff and communications direc- of this comes as a surprise to reporters and Republican tors, two of the more conspicuous posts in a congressional operatives, who had either noticed or heard talk in Repub- office, had a number of changes. lican circles, including some of his Capitol Hill colleagues, In the context of the U.S. Senate race Rep. Rokita over the years. entered last month, the long-spec- The real trend here is a continuation of the 2016 ulated story was on his staffing U.S. Senate campaign, when a number of unflattering challenges. That became a reality stories about then-U.S. Reps. and Marlin late last week when the Associat- Stutzman were published. Often the topics were shopped ed Press’s Brian Slodysko penned around by campaign officials. The AP’s Slodysko became this lead: “Staffers in tears. Pay the go-to reporter to take the tips and turn them into cuts for small mistakes. Aides who headlines. walked out of the office – and never came back. Working Young had a near-miss on ballot signature access for four-term Republican Rep. Todd Rokita of Indiana is and there were stories about Stutzman’s family vacations an exacting job with long hours, made more difficult by to California on the campaign dime. The third candidate, a boss known for micromanaging and yelling at his staff, now Gov. Eric Holcomb, did not find himself a target due according to 10 former aides who spoke to The Associ- to the perception that he was widely seen as the likely ated Press. All but one of the former staffers spoke on the third-place candidate. condition of anonymity out of concern of retribution from Both the Rokita and the campaign of U.S. Rep. the congressman.” have pointed the finger after unflattering At least two staffers stories at each other. It began earlier were fired after they said this summer when the AP reported the they intended to quit, ac- six-figure income Messer’s wife Jennifer cording to three people with made as a part-time attorney for the city direct knowledge of the fir- of Fishers. There has been reporting on ings. Rokita also docked the Messer’s residency, and his decision to pay of at least two congres- move the family to Washington. It was sional aides for mistakes, only a matter of time before there would like a minor error in a news be retaliation, manifested by the Rokita release, according to three staffing memo and the staff turnover. former aides with knowl- There was a story about more edge of the actions. Another than $200,000 that Attorney General two staffers simply walked Curtis Hill was spending on his office out on the job, according to renovation. Some saw that as another four former aides. shot across the bow for a potential can- The one staffer to didate. Several of the unflattering Rokita go on the record, constitu- and Messer stories came prior to official ent service representative entry. The story on Messer’s wife was Tony Will, added a couple of seen as an attempt by Rokita to keep gems to the story. “Todd’s Messer out of the race. a hard boss to work for. Don’t expect this to let up. Any He’s got some staff turn- public official has some dirt and this is over issues, but he is a very an intense battle for the Republican U.S. hard worker.” Will said he Senate nomination. The key question at learned a lot and developed this point is if Rokita and Messer keep a good rapport with his targeting each other, will that provide a boss. There were times, lane for Hill or perhaps State Rep. Mike however, when he wished Braun to exploit the negativity and win “Todd would just take a U.S. Reps. Todd Rokita (top) and Luke Messer are in the nomination? nap.” a war via press sequence. (HPI Photos by Brian A. To that end, look no further than Page 11 a poll last week that found just 15% of vot- Congress ers approve of the job Congress is doing, while about 74% disapprove (Blanton, Fox News). For comparison, 3rd CD: Dems endorse Tritch Congress hit a low 9% approval in October 2013 follow- After a homeless man, Tommy Schrader, won ing the government shutdown over the budget. Fox News the 3rd CD Democratic nomination in 2016 only to be noted: “Here’s one example of why lawmakers get such trounced by U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, the Indiana Democratic low marks: 49% of voters feel it is important Congress Party State Central Committee stepped in and endorsed pass tax reform legislation this year. At the same time, far Courtney Tritch. “Courtney has the know-how and experi- fewer, 14%, think it’s likely to get accomplished.” ence to jumpstart the Hoosier economy and attract and cultivate good-paying jobs to Indiana’s 3rd Congressional Hurt sites lack of name ID District,” state Democratic Party Chairman John Zody said. Republican Senate candidate Mark Hurt said a “The State Central Committee and Hoosier Democrats back lack of name recognition hinders his campaign (de la candidates who are focused on building up Indiana com- Bastide, Anderson Herald-Bulletin). “I really believe Luke munities, who fight for families, fairness and the future, (Messer) and Todd (Rokita) are already breaking the 11th and that’s exactly the kind of leader Courtney Tritch is.” commandment not to speak ill of a fellow Republican,” he The candidate from Fort Wayne owns a marketing consult- said. “If we let them beat each other up, that benefits Joe ing firm and is a former vice president of marketing for the Donnelly and it really strengthens his hand.” Hurt said he Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. Another gadfly thinks social media will allow his campaign to get his mes- candidate, David Roach, is also seeking the Democratic sage out at a lower cost than through television advertis- nomination. ing. “We should be focusing on Donnelly’s votes,” he said. “Don’t undercut people on non-issues like personalities.” General Assembly HPI Republican primary Horse Race: Tossup Kenley replacement coming Wednesday Donnelly will be a tax reform target Hamilton County Republicans gather Wednes- U.S. Sen. will be targeted by Repub- day to replace one of the most powerful members of the licans and interest groups like the Koch Brothers on the General Assembly (Berman, WIBC). Precinct leaders are coming tax reform legislation. Politico reported, “The White caucusing to pick someone to fill the three years remain- House is kicking off its push for tax reform with the intent ing in the term of longtime Senate Appropriations Chair- of winning vulnerable moderate Democrats to the cause – man Luke Kenley. They’ll meet on Kenley’s home turf in by threatening punishment at the ballot box if they don’t Noblesville, but the caucus pits both Noblesville against ultimately sign on. Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Don- Carmel and Westfield, and insiders against outsiders. The nelly (D-Ind.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Joe Manchin III candidates include three city or county council members, (D-W.Va.) will be targeted by Americans For Prosperity.” two current or former state government staffers, and two “For political newcomers. Kenley has endorsed Noblesville City those that Councilwoman Megan Wiles, but the field also includes don’t, we will Carmel Councilwoman Sue Finkam, Hamilton County Coun- absolutely be cilman Brad Beaver, engineering and construction business making that owner Mark Hall, Gordon Marketing training director Joe an issue in Morris, former policy adviser Dan Schmidt, and their state , the CFO for Attorney General Curtis Hill. as people consider who HD63: Lindauer announces their senator Shane M. Lindauer of Jasper announced his inten- should be,” tion to run for the District 63 State House of Representa- said Levi Rus- tives seat in the 2018 Republican primary (Dubois County sell, director Herald). “It’s something that’s been on my mind for quite of public some time,” Lindauer, 43, said last week. “With Braun affairs for AFP. Don’t be surprised if Vice President Mike moving on, now seemed like the perfect time for my fam- Pence returns to the state to pressure Donnelly. “We want ily.” State Rep. Mike Braun announced plans earlier this tax reform, and we want you to work with us,” is how a month to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied senior Pence aide described the message to Politico. “The by incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly. Lindauer said he be- people of West Virginia want tax reform.” A Pence trip to lieves that “government was primarily instituted to protect Indiana to up the pressure on Donnelly is also under con- sideration, a Pence aide said. life, liberty and property.” v Page 12

resignation of President Nixon a year later, he nominated 25th amendment Nelson Rockefeller to fill the vice-presidential vacancy. Bayh said in 1974 after those momentous events, “I don’t think any of my congressional colleagues could getting scrutiny have predicted that the amendment would first be used By JACK COLWELL to pick a new vice president and that vice president would SOUTH BEND – Sen. Birch Bayh of Indiana, author assume the presidency under such unusual and unfortu- of the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on presi- nate circumstances.” dential succession and disability, guided it to approval by The second problem Bayh sought to deal with Congress in 1965 and final ratification by the states two was “the temporary incapacity of the president which years later. arose most recently during President Eisenhower’s term.” For some reason, the amendment is now in the Eisenhower, with heart problems, had an agreement with news. Nixon, his vice president, to serve as acting president at a Bayh, then chairman of time of “disability.” But there had been no clear constitu- the Senate Judiciary Commit- tionally prescribed way for a president to transfer authority tee’s subcommittee on consti- or later to reclaim it or for determining how a president tution amendments, said the could be declared “unable to discharge the powers and amendment was “necessary duties of his office.” to provide a way to deal with For some reason, the amendment’s wording on two problems of presidential that now is getting great scrutiny. succession.” The 25th Amendment allows a president to trans- One was frequent vice- fer power temporarily to the vice president if incapaci- presidential vacancies. When tated, such as while undergoing surgery, and then reclaim President John Kennedy was the powers after recovery. assassinated and Lyndon It also provides for a situation in which the vice Johnson became president in president and a majority of the president’s Cabinet declare 1963, it brought the 16th time the office of vice president the president “is unable to discharge the powers and du- was unoccupied. The Constitution had not provided for a ties of his office.” The vice president then would become way to replace a vice president between elections. acting president. But the president, if disagreeing, could Historians relate that the post had been left vacant declare that “no inability exists” and reclaim the presidency 20 percent of the time as a result of one vice president - unless both houses of Congress decide by two-thirds resigning, seven dying in office and eight taking over for votes that he is unable to do so. presidents who had died in office. The amendment says Congress could by law cre- A presidential succes- ate some group other than sion act had placed the speaker the vice president and a of the House and then the presi- Cabinet majority to de- dent pro tempore of the Senate termine inability to serve. next in succession after the vice Congress hasn’t done president. Bayh argued that that. But some Democratic those officials often were not of congressional members the same party as the president are proposing creation of a and vice president selected by commission to assess the the voters and that they are not president’s ability to gov- picked for their congressional ern. It would be composed posts with presidential qualifica- of 11 members, with at tions in mind. least eight doctors, four of The 25th Amendment whom would be psychia- provides: trists. Right now, of course, “Whenever there is it stands no chance of pas- a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President sage. shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon For some reason, it still gets more sponsors. confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Con- For some reason, what Sen. Birch Bayh authored a gress.” half century ago is today getting more and more attention. The amendment came quickly into play. In 1973, v Gerald Ford became vice president through the 25th Amendment process after Spiro Agnew resigned as vice Colwell has covered Indiana politics over five de- president. Then when Ford became president after the cades for the South Bend Tribune. Page 13

So, I humbly ask, should we deny that this great Conflicted on war conflict of the Civil War never happened? Should we ignore the incredible sacrifices made by the people of the South, the honor and bravery of the individual sons, brothers and monument removal fathers who fought for its cause just because the cause By CRAIG DUNN was wrong then and is wrong today? How do you ad- KOKOMO – Against my better judgement, I have equately honor the soldiers who were thought of so highly decided to weigh in on the subject of Confederate memori- that Congress made them United States veterans by an als. The existence of Confederate memorials have been Act of Congress? Is honoring the bravery and sacrifice of the subject of much debate and consternation. Recently, the Confederate soldier the same thing as honoring their in Charlottesville, Virginia, the issue came roaring from the attitude on slavery? history books onto the front The last question is most difficult. pages of America’s newspapers. There is no doubt that some people today use The issue has simmered for all the Confederacy, its flag and its trappings as veiled instru- of the 152 years since Robert E. ments of propagating racism. I have no question in my Lee surrendered to U. S. Grant mind that the beer swilling morons riding bare-chested in at Appomattox Court House. the back of a pickup truck with Confederate flag proudly I must admit that I am flying are nothing but barely concealed bigots, especially personally deeply conflicted on when you see them in Elwood, Indiana. the issue. There is something My guess is that none of these Confederate flag to be said for both sides of the wavers could place a date on the Civil War within 20 years monument debate. My great- of when it happened. The sacrifices of the average Con- great-uncle was held at Ander- federate soldier means nothing to these people. It’s just sonville Prison and suffered the another way to say “I hate black people” and cloak it as a horrors of that hell hole during 1864. I suppose that I have noble historical struggle. as good a reason as anyone else to totally reject anything While my gut instinct is to defend the existence at all to do with the Confederacy and what it did to so of Confederate monuments around the South, there is still many millions of American citizens and slaves during four something that gnaws at me from within. I’m thinking of a long years of war. small black child, holding hands with his mother or father However, I am also a student of history and as as they walk in the town square of just about any town any historian worth their salt knows, “history ain’t pretty.” in the South. He looks up at the statue of a soldier with a No historical issue is ever truly cut and dried. Whereas I gun and asks his parent, “What did that man do, daddy?” spent my childhood thinking that I wore a white hat when I can just hear the response. “Well son, he fought for the I fought as a Union soldier or as a GI battling evil Nazis, Confederacy. They tried to keep the black man enslaved today in my relic collection I own a Nazi belt buckle with while Abraham Lincoln and the Union soldiers fought to a Swastika inside a wreath with the words “Gott Mit Uns” free the slaves.” What kind of a message does this send a written around the wreath. Even the lowly German storm- black child, or a white child for that matter? Was it noble trooper felt that God was on his side. The dirty little secret to fight to preserve a way of life when that way of life was of history is that history is written by the victors. reprehensible? One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s I have had the personal fortune to visit many of terrorist. One man’s patriot is another man’s traitor. Let’s the great battlefields of Europe and its great cities where be real about this! George Washington, Samuel Adams, titanic battles were fought during the Thirty Years War, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and The Napoleonic Wars, World War I and World War II. For their brothers in arms et al were all traitors to the Eng- the most part, there is virtually no recognition of the Thirty lish Crown and if Lord Cornwallis had been successful, Years War or the men who fought it. The Napoleonic Wars the whole gang would have been hanged and we’d all be have been reduced to an occasional road sign. World War singing “God Save the Queen.” We’d all be praying that I monuments are to be found virtually everywhere, par- little Prince George doesn’t grow up with big ears like his ticularly in the Allied countries. World War II monuments granddaddy. are visible at key locations, but, once again, generally only The amazing thing is that the Confederates whose in the Allied countries. memorials many people would now like to destroy are just My first trip to northernFrance was interest- the type of firebrands and freedom fighters that our found- ing as I debarked a ferry at Calais and drove through the ing fathers were. The only difference is that Robert E. Lee, French countryside, home to several of the colossal battles Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Nathan Bedford of World War I. There was a massive black cross on the Forrest lost their war of independence. Oh sure, there battlefield of Ypres in tribute to the dead German soldiers. might have been some differences in the issues that were Later, on a trip to Normandy Beach, I visited Le Cambe, fought over, but the principles were the same. the German Cemetery home to 21,000 dead German Page 14 soldiers. For the French, who were completely devastated the South? by two world wars, not to mention the War of 1870, by As an author who has written two Civil War books, German aggression, to recognize the sacrifice of German I’ve spent quite a bit of time roaming this country trying soldiers on their own soil is surprising and yet honor- to get at the truth and the way things actually happened. able. No, you won’t see swastikas, just row upon row of I would contend that instead of tearing down the Con- black German crosses or a huge mound in the case of Le federate memorials, we actually need to see more public Cambe. monuments that bring the issues of slavery and the Civil Budapest offers another interesting study in War into greater clarity. For every Confederate monument, how to deal with your history. When the Russian Army we need to see a corresponding monument to Harriet came driving into Hungary, it systematically destroyed Tubman, Frederick Douglass or Martin Luther King. Sites anything that spoke of Hungarian patriotism. The Soviet honoring Thurgood Marshall, the Tuskegee Airmen, Booker Army did leave Heroes Square intact although some of the T. Washington and George Washington Carver should be heroes who fought against Russia in ancient battles were as ubiquitous as the lone Confederate rifleman standing on unceremoniously removed from the square. Fast forward an obelisk on the courthouse square. 45 years and the fall of the Iron Curtain. What does a The presence of suitable statues and monu- newly freed and patriotic Hungary do with all those mas- ments to black leaders will add context to the Civil War sive statues commemorating Russian sacrifice and promot- story and will counter the Lost Cause narrative that has ing Communist ideals? The good folks of Budapest gath- arrested the development of much of the rural south for ered up all of the statues and created a park filled to the so many years. Let’s see corporate America open up its brim with the best of Soviet statuary. This park now serves wallets and promote the achievements of black scholars, as a tourist attraction, but I guess it may also give a few judges, soldiers, inventors, musicians, authors and leaders old Communists longing for the good old days a place to by erecting memorials and monuments across this country. play checkers or with nesting dolls. Let’s build up instead of tearing down for a change. v So now that I’ve taken a walk on both sides of the issue, what would I do with the huge number of concrete Dunn is the former Howard County Republican and bronze Confederate statues and memorials throughout chairman. Page 15

(-5,400) and Elkhart (-1,400). Looking at Indiana’s Finally, 23,800 persons moved to Indiana from abroad. Three counties (Marion, Tippecanoe and Monroe) accounted for 43% of this in-migration. We do not know intra-migration how many people left Indiana for other countries. By MORTON MARCUS Take all of these numbers together and we had INDIANAPOLIS – Last week’s column in this space nearly 660,000 people moving in or out or both of a Hoo- left some readers unsatisfied. “It’s all well and good to sier residence during a one-year period. If we assume 2.56 know about people moving in and out of Indiana, but I persons per household in the state, that’s 258,000 homes want to know about my county,” Malcolm M. of Montezuma or apartments for sale or rent. It’s enough to keep real- wrote. tors, home furnishing and appliance stores, trailer rentals I appreciate Malcolm’s interest, but it would be dif- and many others nicely busy. v ficult to represent Parke County and the other 91 Indiana Mr. Marcus is an economist, writer, and speaker counties in the allotted space. who may be reached at mortonjmarcus@yahoo. Hence, I’ll hit the high and low com. points and ask you to send me an email (mortonjmarcus@ yahoo.com), if you want detail for your county. Remember, the U.S. Bureau of the Census calls these data the 2015 Vintage. Selecting a new This means they depict a rep- resentative year from 2011 to Lake Sheriff 2015. Hold on; this merry-data- By RICH JAMES go-round is taking off. MERRILLVILLE – Lake County Democrats are Of the 6.5 million Hoosiers living in Indiana, 5.5 about to select a new sheriff without the help of the million (85%) stayed in the same house or apartment as general public. It’s happened before. In the mid-1980s, they lived in the preceding year. In 12 counties, more than Democrats picked a new sheriff when Rudy Bartolomei 90% of the population stayed put. In only four counties, was indicted. Bartolomei went into the witness protection (Putnam and the three college counties, Delaware, Tippe- system and helped launch Operation Lights Out, the most canoe, and Monroe) did fewer than 80% remain in place. extensive federal investiga- Churning, that is a change of residence within the tion into public corruption same county, was greatest in Monroe where 19% of its in the history of the state. residents changed their place of residence. Next in line, all Lights Out resulted in a slew above 10%, were Tippecanoe, Delaware, and Madison, fol- of federal indictments and lowed by 11 other counties. Franklin, Posey and Crawford sent several elected officials each had less than 4% churning. to jail. Next consider intra-state migration, the movement Lake County Democrats of people from one Hoosier county to another. Marion, will elect another sheriff at Hamilton and Monroe had the highest number of in-mi- a precinct caucus on Sept. grants from other Indiana counties. Marion, Hamilton and 16. Sheriff John Buncich was Lake were the leaders in sending people to other Indiana removed from office last counties. week upon his conviction on Monroe, Tippecanoe, and Delaware again led bribery charges in connection the state in net intra-state in-migration. LaPorte, Vigo, with county towing contracts. Johnson, Knox and Hamilton followed in order with in- It used to be that convicted public officials stayed in of- bound movers exceeding the number of out-bound mov- fice – while collecting fat paychecks – until sentencing. ers by 1,000 or more. At the other end of the line were The Legislature in recent years, largely prompted by Lake Marion, Lake, Allen, Elkhart and Floyd counties with more County, changed the law to remove an elected official from than 1,000 each of net intra-state out-migrants. office upon conviction. Net inter-state in-migration, the excess of people When Schererville attorney and longtime Dem- from other states over the outward moves of Hoosiers, ocratic Party official James L. Wieser was elected chairman favored Lake County by more than 1,600 persons. Next on March 4, he said changing the party’s image of being in order were LaPorte, Grant, Bartholomew and Howard corrupt was a top priority. Ironically, it was Buncich as the counties. Trailing all others with net deficits were Marion outgoing chairman who broke the tie vote between Wieser Page 16 and County Commission on every outdoor bill- Mike Repay to pick the board in the county and new chairman. post a picture of Buncich Wieser’s job just and the question, “Had got a little tougher with enough?” the Buncich conviction and Chances are good Dec. 6 sentencing fresh in that it won’t happen. the minds of Lake County Republicans have had voters. But Wieser has plenty of chances to do one thing going for him. that very thing. And they This isn’t the first time the haven’t once taken ac- county Democrats have tion to do so. v had their backs to the wall because of public corrup- Rich James has been tion. And virtually every writing about state time, Democrats have and local government come back unscathed. and politics for more Buncich seemingly than 30 years. He is has handed county Repub- a columnist for The lican Chairman Dan Der- Times of Northwest nulc the perfect campaign Indiana. weapon. One would think that Republicans would buy time Page 17

tion process — or, to be more precise, so that he could not Who steps up in fire the attorney general and then appoint someone who would fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The federal bureaucracy has drawn lines in the this dark period? sand, too. When the president suggested that law enforce- By LEE HAMILTON ment officers should, in essence, rough up suspects, the BLOOMINGTON – Our nation is in a dark period. acting chief of the Drug Enforcement Administration sent Can we pull ourselves out? Keep this in mind: Our institu- an email to his employees rebuking the idea. When the tions are far more durable than any single president or any president announced plans to discriminate against trans- single historical period. gender troops, the Pentagon declined to begin the pro- An interesting thing keeps happening to me. Every cess. few days, someone – an acquaintance, a colleague, even When two billionaire friends of the president a stranger on the street – approaches me. They ask some tried to force federal regulators to bend rules in their favor, version of the same question: What can we do to pull they were rebuffed by the agencies in question. There’s ourselves out of this dark period? been real pushback by Foreign Service officers against a For the many Americans move to hollow out the State Department. And, the courts who respect representative have blocked various Trump immigration policies. democracy, the Constitution, and At the state and local level, there’s been similar the rule of law, there’s reason to resistance. Though some states appear ready to go along be concerned. The president is with the Presidential Advisory Commission on Voter Integ- off to a rocky start; he’s unpro- rity’s maneuvering to shrink the vote, many are not. Cali- ductive and undignified at home fornia Gov. Jerry Brown and other governors and mayors and derided on the world stage. took a major step when they indicated that they will still Congress struggles to get its be working to address climate change even after President bearings. In the country at large, Trump declared the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris forces of intolerance and division climate accord. are at loose on the streets and And it’s not just pushback: The failure by Con- on the nightly news. gress and the President to make progress on funding the So are we in a downward spiral as a nation? Not rebuilding or expansion of basic infrastructure has alarmed by a long shot. Because here’s the thing to keep in mind: governors, mayors, and policy makers throughout state Our institutions are far more durable than any single presi- and local government, who are demanding action on infra- dent or any single historical period. structure problems. History is certainly on our side. We’ve survived a Then, of course, there are the business and other civil war, two world wars, Watergate, four presidential as- leaders who resigned from various presidential advisory sassinations, the packing of the Supreme Court by Franklin boards in the wake of the president’s response to the Roosevelt, economic depressions and recessions, more Charlottesville clashes in early August. And the scientists, nasty power struggles than you can count – and still the including some within the government, who are trying to country has moved forward. You can look back and gain draw attention to administration efforts to weaken the role confidence from our history. of scientists in environmental regulation and climate policy. Or you can look around you. Congress as an insti- And an aroused, watchful national media that tution is being tested as it rarely has in its modern history, has worked hard to shine a light on the administration’s and it’s shown a few hopeful glimmers. It did so when it actions and the president’s activity. And the many Ameri- passed by a huge margin its sanctions bill against Russia, cans who besieged Congress as the Senate considered rebuking President Trump for repealing the Affordable Care Act. his mysterious fascination with In other words, our institutions – Vladimir Putin and his unwilling- Congress, the executive branch, the ness to single out Russia for courts, civil society – are being put to criticism. the test. And they’re beginning to step It did so even more up. So must we all. v forcefully when Republican leaders in the Senate took the Lee Hamilton is a Senior Advisor extraordinary step of hold- for the Indiana University Center ing pro forma sessions during on Representative Government; a recesses so that a Republican Distinguished Scholar, IU School president could not make recess of Global and International Stud- appointments and circumvent ies. He served in Congress for 34 the normal Senate confirma- years. Page 18

Doug Ross, NWI Times: Indiana state Auditor perpetrator’s ‘intent’ when committing crimes. This is why Tera Klutz is pushing for visibility for both herself and we distinguish between voluntary and involuntary man- government data in Indiana. Klutz is beginning to make slaughter, between first- and second-degree murder. Did the rounds in Indiana to gain name recognition. She’s you mean to kill him or did you do it by accident.” When running for that office in 2018, though she won’t officially talking hate crime, intent carries a burden for prosecu- announce it until September. But she doesn’t have much tors to show that the accused knew his victim belonged of a record to run on because she has been in office only to a protected class and it was an underlying reason for since January. Klutz is the latest in a string of auditors in committing the crime. That’s a high bar to clear, which is the past several years. Tim Berry was elected just fine. It’s a very slippery slope when weighing state auditor in 2010 but resigned in August a person’s thoughts or beliefs when prosecuting a 2013 when he was elected chairman of the crime. The question becomes: should we take a Indiana Republican Party. He was replaced by step toward allowing government to punish people Dwayne Sawyer, the first African-American man for their beliefs, no matter how repugnant? Indiana to hold that office. Sawyer lasted until Novem- House Speaker Brian Bosma, a Republican, said ber 2013, resigning for personal reasons. The next auditor, judges already have the power to consider motives Suzanne Crouch, took office in January 2014 and resigned during the sentencing phase. “I think it’s time to label now Jan. 9, 2017, to become lieutenant governor. Klutz has a what we have as hate-crime legislation to dispel really the mere pittance in her campaign fund, so she’ll need to start misconception that it cannot be considered by a judge in passing the hat soon. But while she needs to focus on her sentencing, because it can,” he said. v own visibility, she seems even more focused on making government data more transparent. We spoke at length Phillip Carter, Vox: During his campaign for the last week in Merrillville. Klutz said she wants to enhance White House, took the highly-unusual step the Indiana Transparency Portal because it can be difficult of blasting America’s top generals, arguing in one debate to get to the data you want to find. Among the links she that they’d been “reduced to rubble” and later threaten- wants to add are for the top 10 salaries for state employ- ing to fire them if they didn’t tell him what he wanted to ees, top vendors, top consultants and biggest contracts. v hear. If elected, Trump promised to put top generals into key jobs – and then to give them the freedom to fight Jeff Ward, Muncie Star Press: People are out- America’s wars without micromanagement from the White raged, and rightly so, over the events that took place in House. True to his word, Trump has surrounded himself Charlottesville, Va., last month. And with outrage comes with a trio of well-respected current and retired gener- demands for action, some of then not well thought out. als: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, a former Marine gen- In Indiana, that call for action is a renewed push for the eral best known for a successful tour through one of the state to enact hate crimes legislation. Indiana is just one bloodiest parts of Iraq; White House Chief of Staff John of five states with no specific hate crimes legislation on Kelly, a retired Marine general who served three tours in the books. (I’ll save you the Google search: the others are Iraq, oversaw Guantanamo Bay and was a top aide to South Carolina, Wyoming, Arkansas and Georgia.) Hoosiers two secretaries of defense; and National Security Adviser are often reluctant to join the crowd, but I think it’s time H.R. McMaster, a three-star general in the Army with a the state at least does more than a quick study on wheth- celebrated Iraq war record of his own. The three men’s er we need a hate crimes law. Let’s have a serious conver- prominence, and their long history of distinguished ser- sation on the positives and potential drawbacks of having vice, has led many inside and outside the White House to such a law on the books. First, a definition: Hate crimes see them as the adults in the room who would be guiding are motivated by biases such as gender, race, religion and Trump toward a calmer, more stable, more rational for- sexual orientation. Attempts to pass hate crimes bills have eign policy than what he alluded to during his campaign. been defeated routinely in Indiana, six consecutive years. The three men, in turn, have spent months traveling the Bias-motivated crimes occur all-too-often in Indiana. Since globe to reassure allies that Trump hasn’t meant what he last November, swastikas were painted near South Bend said when the president threatened a preemptive strike River Lights and outside a dorm room at Earlham Col- on North Korea (which terrified Japan and South Korea) or lege. There were reports of KKK graffiti in Bloomington talked about pulling out of NATO and cozying up to Russia and anti-Semitic and anti-gay slurs on a Brown County (which terrified much of Europe). But seven months into church. A Jewish cemetery in Fort Wayne was vandal- his term, that conventional wisdom is looking increasingly ized. Last month, more swastikas appeared in Richmond. shaky. Trump is openly at odds with many current and for- Some of these acts could be “just kids” committing acts of mer military leaders in his administration on issues ranging vandalism, but not all. Some were criminal without hav- from Afghanistan (the generals want more troops than ing to parse what the perpetrator(s) were thinking. But he’s inclined to send) to his proposed ban on transgender intent is well-baked into Indiana law. From an Indianapolis troops (the Pentagon opposes). The disagreements have Star editorial of Nov. 26: “... we regularly consider the recently reached a fever pitch over North Korea. v Page 19

North Korea and China.” outlet that reported on Awan. He said 110k Hoosier kids is pushing a false with grandparents Trump adopts narrative. “The Daily Caller is not a reputable entity,” Carson said. “I think INDIANAPOLIS — It’s no Pence road plan that they’ve proven themselves to be secret that a rise in grandfamilies WASHINGTON — President very bigoted, Islamophobic and anti- has coincided with the ongoing drug Donald Trump’s $1 trillion plan to black.” epidemic (Myers, CNHI). As more chil- rebuild America’s infrastructure may dren are removed from their parents’ be unprecedented in size and ambi- Trump to end homes, more kinship placement situ- tion, but it mimics a controversial DACA today ations arise. And grand- scheme championed by Vice parents often serve as President Mike Pence when he WASHINGTON — President the first choice for DCS was the governor of Indiana Donald Trump has decided to end the officials. In fact, over (O’Neal & Sirota, Newsweek). Obama-era program that grants work 110,000 Hoosier children That’s why Pence is the public permits to undocumented immigrants under 18 live in homes face of the Trump initiative, who arrived in the country as children, where the householders and executives from financial according to two sources familiar with are grandparents, according to 2017 firms that helped privatize Indiana’s his thinking (Politico). Senior White statistics provided by the AARP, Chil- toll road are in the White House, bus- House aides huddled Sunday after- dren’s Defense Fund, American Bar ily sculpting Trump’s national plan... noon to discuss the rollout of a deci- Association Center on Children and Pence began his vice presidency with sion likely to ignite a political firestorm the Law and others. That constitutes a trip to Australia to promote Trump’s — and fulfill one of the president’s 7 percent of the state’s children. In infrastructure plan to foreign inves- core campaign promises. The admin- conjunction, more than 60,000 grand- tors. Only weeks later, the Interstate istration’s deliberations on the issue parents are householders responsible 69 privatization deal he championed have been fluid and fast moving, and for their grandchildren, and nearly 20 as Indiana’s governor collapsed amid the president has faced strong warn- percent of those grandparents are in construction delays, allegations of ings from members of his own party poverty. Twenty-seven percent have a financial mismanagement and a spike not to scrap the program. Trump has disability. Those figures have jumped in traffic accidents, culminating in wrestled for months with whether to dramatically in the last decade. the return of the section of the road do away with the Deferred Action for under private control to the state in Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA. Donnelly wants mid-August of this year. At the same But conversations with Attorney Gen- more NK sanctions time, the foreign firm Pence approved eral Jeff Sessions, who argued that to run the 156-mile Indiana Toll Road Congress — rather than the executive INDIANAPOLIS — North announced it would be hammering branch — is responsible for writing Korea’s testing of a more advanced economically battered northwest Indi- immigration law, helped persuade the missile and the possibility that it could ana with huge toll increases. president to terminate the program have a weapon that could reach the and kick the issue to Congress, the U.S. mainland is a threat to global se- Carson disputes two sources said. curity, said Sen. Joe Donnelly (Davis, WIBC). But, he said U.S. allies in Asia report on staffer Banks sees path should put more pressure on North WASHINGTON — Rep. Andre for Dreamers Korea to back down. “North Korea’s Carson (D-Ind.) said a shared IT provocative tests are a threat to the employee whom now faces bank fraud WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. U.S. and the entire global commu- charges was fired because he “could Jim Banks (R-IN) issued the follow- nity,” Donnelly said in a statement. no longer perform” his job (McKinney, ing statement backs Trump on DACA. “I reiterate my urgent call that North WRTV). Imran Awan was fired from “President Trump is fulfilling a cam- Korea’s unacceptable actions be met working in Carson’s office in February paign pledge by reasserting that Con- by a comprehensive U.S. strategy months after Awan and his brothers gress, not the executive branch, has that involves our allies from around were implicated in the possible theft the constitutional role of setting our the world. It is also long past time for of computer equipment. “Imran was/ country’s immigration policy.,” Banks China to step up to seriously and cred- is not, never has been a staffer of the said. “President Obama never had the ibly confront the North Korean threat, office of Congressman Carson,” Carson legal authority to change our nation’s a topic I will be pressing this week as said. “He is what’s called a shared immigration laws. Congress must seize the Senate Banking Committee exam- employee.” Carson also criticized The this opportunity and pass a solution.” ines sanctions enforcement on both Daily Caller, a conservative media .