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The Battle for the National GOP Soul

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V26, N25 Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021 The battle for the national GOP soul In the wake of Trump’s second impeachment acquittal, a political party at a forked road Trumpty Dumpty sat on his wall, Trumpty Dumpty had a great fall, All the king’s horses & some Republicans, Are hoping he puts it all back together again. By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – As the Donald Trump presidential era came to its tormented conclusion with Saturday’s second impeachment trial acquittal, several fresh images were seared into my mind. The first was picking up on a theme I wrote about three years ago, likening those around President Trump to the movie, “The Madness of King George.” An obviously insane monarch is go- ing about his crazy business, with his staff gasping to keep up with all the nonsense in a frenzied and dozens of senators running. I’m not talking about running contorted manner. for reelection. They were running for their lives, running The House impeachment managers had obtained internal Capitol video from the Jan. 6 insurrection, showing Continued on page 3 A legislator’s oath By ANNE LAKER INDIANAPOLIS – The spirit behind the legislation pumping out of the General Assembly this session – bills that advance carbon markets and lead testing in schools, and others that kneecap public “Rush Limbaugh’s legacy will schools, wetlands, and Indianap- olis – begs the question: What live on for generations in the does it mean to be a legislator? hearts of the millions of Amer- What is the promise that legisla- tors make to themselves as they cians he inspired. His matchless shape the way life is lived in voice will never be forgotten.” Indiana? I hoped the oath of of- - Mike Pence, on the death fice might suggest an answer. of Rush Limbaugh. It took two phone calls to the Statehouse to find the text of it. A kindly intern in House Speaker Todd Huston’s office finally Page 2 Howey Politics Indiana WWWHowey Media, LLC c/o Business Office PO Box 6553 Kokomo, IN, 46904 www.howeypolitics.com Brian A. Howey, Publisher obliged: partment of Health. These bills are Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington “I,<insert name> do solemnly grounded in well-being. Mary Lou Howey, Editor swear that I will support the Constitu- When too few lawmakers are Susan E. Howey, Editor tion of the United States of America centering their lawmaking on that and the Constitution of the State of principle, maybe it’s time for an eth- Indiana, and that I will faithfully and ics gut check. We turn to Article 2, Subscriptions impartially discharge my duties as a Section 6: “Every person shall be dis- HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 member of the House of Representa- qualified from holding office ...who HPI Weekly, $350 tives of the General Assembly of the shall have given or offered a bribe, Lisa Hounchell, Account Manager State of Indiana to the best of my skill threat, or reward, to procure his (765) 452-3936 telephone and ability, so help me God.” election.” At what point do gifts from (765) 452-3973 fax A quick word search of the utility lobbyists, agriculture lobbyists, [email protected] Indiana Constitution doesn’t yield a or gaming industry lobbyists count as definition of “the duties.” But there is rewards? Contact HPI this sweeping statement, right off the Which brings us back to the bat, in Article 1, Section 1: oath of office. One word stands out: [email protected] “We declare ... that all power “impartially.” Is Sen. Linda Rogers (R- Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 is inherent in the people; and that all Granger), president of Nugent Build- Washington: 202.256.5822 free governments are, and of right ers, impartial when she sponsors a Business Office: 765.452.3936 ought to be, founded on their author- bill to make life easier for builders by ity, and instituted for their peace, repealing wetland permitting? Is Rep. safety, and well-being. For the ad- Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso) impartial © 2021, Howey Politics vancement of these ends, the people when he took $113,550 in campaign Indiana. All rights reserved. have, at all times, an indefeasible contributions from the energy/natural Photocopying, Internet forward- right to alter and reform their govern- resources industries while proposing ing, faxing or reproducing in any ment.” HB1191, a bill meant to prevent mu- form, whole or part, is a violation Aside from being a good argu- nicipalities from phasing out natural ment for addressing gerrymandering, gas? of federal law without permission this clause stands out for the word Is anyone policing these from the publisher. choice of “well-being.” Whose well-be- breaches of oath? We citizens must. ing? Not just the well-being of indus- Where’s the long game? Jack E. Howey try, though that matters in a practical What about lawmakers’ role in imag- way. The well-being of the people. ining Indiana’s future? In stewarding editor emeritus What kind of well-being? Indiana’s natural resources for the 1926-2019 What calculator or compass long-term? Or anticipating adapta- of values do lawmakers use to decide tions we need to plan for as a soci- what, in fact, is good for the well- ety, such as climate-driven human being of the people? migration and artificial intelligence? With some bills, it’s clear as A bit in the daily e-newsletter day. Take SB377, which promotes “Centered” noted this week: “The broadband development. Or SB170, Midwest holds major opportunities which would establish a “food desert” for modernizing infrastructure and grant program at the Indiana De- deploying a range of clean energy Page 3 technologies, according to a report from the Decarb Ameri- That’s got my vote. ca Research Initiative. The region’s abundance of agricul- Legislate with informed hope, not fear of change. tural resources positions it particularly well for biomass Make laws that look long into the distance, not fix us in the technologies, and the industrial base is well-suited for past. Re-read the oath, and ponder what will and won’t carbon capture technologies.” increase the “peace, safety, and well-being” of the people. Where are the study committees on topics like v these? If lawmakers feel responsibility to do industry’s bidding, how about some future-looking industries? Sure, A consultant and grant writer, Laker is principal of author bills that make the world safe for lemonade stands Laker Verbal LLC. She is the former director of com- (HB1077) and eyelash extension technicians (HB1554). munications at Indiana Forest Alliance and hosts a And, what the heck, make popcorn the state snack (SB97). movie review show, Flick Fix, on WQRT 99.1 FM. a stake through King Donald’s heart, he pulled a James Trump GOP, from page 1 Comey, letting Trump off the hook just as the former FBI through Capitol hallways, running to stay ahead of King director did with “Crooked Hillary” in July 2016, but maul- Donald’s frothing mob. Last Saturday, 43 of these running ing his reputation while doing so. senators – including Indiana’s Todd Young and Mike Braun By Tuesday, Trump became fully engaged, call- along with newly minted Minority Leader Mitch McConnell ing the senator a “a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political – voted to acquit the president. It didn’t matter that the hack,” adding, “The Republican Party can never again be mob had sacked the Capitol, attacked its police protecters (killing one, while two more have committed suicide since), threatened to hang Vice Presi- dent Mike Pence, searched for Speaker Pelosi, rummaged through their desks and binders, and generally desecrated what had been the hallowed citadel of democracy. Sen. Young acknowledged he was “troubled and saddened.” The best Braun, who owes his 2018 election upset of Sen. Joe Donnelly to Trump, could summon was that it was “unconstitutional to remove a former president from office.” If Young and Braun were to go into the home/office alarm business, I would opt for AZT or Ring. McConnell feuds with Trump respected or strong with political ‘leaders like Sen. Mitch It was McConnell who ended up saying what Sen. McConnell at its helm. McConnell’s dedication to business Young was probably really thinking, on the Senate floor as usual, status quo policies, together with his lack of just minutes after he voted for acquittal: “There is no political insight, wisdom, skill, and personality, has rapidly question, none, that President Trump is practically and driven him from Majority Leader to Minority Leader, and it morally responsible for provoking the event of that day. will only get worse. The Democrats and Chuck Schumer No question about it, the people that stormed this building play McConnell like a fiddle — they’ve never had it so good believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions —and they want to keep it that way! If Republican Sena- of their president.” McConnell added that Trump’s actions tors are going to stay with him, they will not win again.” were “a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty” and The second image has actually become a recurring that he may not escape, being subject to the country’s nightmare: That a mob could, indeed, actually overwhelm criminal and civil laws. “He didn’t get away with anything, the U.S. Capitol; just as on Sept. 11, 2001, we realized yet,” McConnell said. that terror pilots could destroy this citadel. Now there is a McConnell had spent the prior week leading realization that we may be in for an era of political violence people to think he might vote to convict Trump.
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