Our Politics of Personal Destruction
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V13 N22 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 Our politics of personal destruction The poison of the ‘04 campaign By Election Day, the Kernan-Davis campaign, which failed to effectively use Kernan’s status as a war hero, suc- dissolves into blogosphere bounties, cessful mayor and a governor who got Indiana through the tragedy of Gov. O’Bannon’s death, resorted to the IPALCO rumors, innuendo and bad blood issue that called Daniels “greedy” for his role in the sale of the company and the subsequent tanking of its stock By BRIAN A. HOWEY prices. For the first time in modern Indiana politics playing INDIANAPOLIS - In October 2004, just before the at the highest levels, the personal character of one candi- final sequence of the showdown between Mitch Daniels and date was questioned by another. When Kernan was asked Gov. Joe Kernan, I wrote a column that pondered the most successful person- alities in modern Indiana politics. They were people like Doc Bowen, Birch and Evan Bayh, Dan Quayle, Dick Lugar, Frank O’Bannon, Robert Orr, Lee Hamilton, Frank McCloskey and Mike Pence. if he was calling Daniels “greedy” as his campaign ads sug- “What stands out with the cream of the Hoosier gested, Kernan answered, “Those aren’t my words. Those crop is that none of these men resorted to personal attack. are his words. I stand by whatever that person said.” They relied on the intrinsic trust they had built up with the Or as my Oct. 28, 2004, column noted, “Gov. people,” I wrote. But that had started to crumble in 2004. Kernan made a departure from others in his position who Hoosier Democrats were incensed by Republican Chairman never questioned an opponent’s personal integrity or mo- Jim Kittle Jr.’s “Legacy of Neglect” pamphlet (on issues) tives.” and an unflattering video aimed at Gov. Kernan during the Now, fast forward to See page 3 party’s annual dinner. 2007. With the fading of big city Leasing the lottery By MORTON J. MARCUS INDIANAPOLIS - Folks I talked to, Democrats and Republicans, liked the Governor’s State of the State speech. The fault they found was that the speech was sched- “The only thing I’m interested in uled opposite the IU basketball game with Iowa. Isn’t that an right now is the Colts going to the impeachable offense in Indi- ana? Super Bowl. How’s that for a punt?” The part of the speech - U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, asked on that intrigued me most was the idea about leasing the rights MSNBC whether he and Sen. Hillary Clinton to the lottery in order to get talked about the 2008 presidential ticket money to establish scholarships Page 2 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 and endowed chairs at our universi- The Howey Political Report is The Howey Political Report ties. The idea is to slow or reverse the PO Box 40265 published by NewsLink Inc. It Indianapolis, IN 46240-0265. brain drain. was founded in 1994. That’s a heap of different www.howeypolitics.com thoughts thrown together in one bold Brian A. Howey, Publisher [email protected] initiative. Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington Indianapolis Office: 317-506-0883. First, there is the Hoosier Lot- Writer tery. A lottery advances the proposi- Indianapolis Fax: 317-254-0535. Mark Curry, Washington Writer Washington, DC Office: 202-256-5822. tion that great rewards in life are dis- Jack E. Howey, Editor Business Office: 317-254-0535. tributed by chance. Is that what we want to teach our children? Don’t we Subscriptions: ©2007, The Howey Political Report. want them to learn that life’s rewards $350 annually HPR via e-mail; All rights reserved. Photocopying, Internet are the result of preparation and hard $550 annually HPR & HPR Daily Wire. forwarding, faxing or reproducing in any work, not scratching on a piece of Call 317-254-0535. form, in whole or part, is a violation of paper? federal law. Second, if there is to be a lottery in Indiana, why is it a state- Scholarships always sound about a brain drain? You can read owned monopoly? If we condone like a good idea. We have the notion about such problems afflicting virtually lotteries, let them operate like bowling that there are many potential students every community and state in North alleys and other forms of recreation. who are denied a college education America. What it means is that our Let the lottery be taxed at the same because of its financial burden. How- children move away for greater oppor- rate as other forms of recreation. Let ever, Indiana’s economic problems do tunity; in doing so they gain experi- competitors come into and exit the not stem from the lack of college de- ence and perspective. If they stay at industry as they will, as long as they grees. It is the lack of adequate high home they will know only the limited don’t cheat their customers. Don’t standards of Indiana. we believe in the competitive mar- We want other people’s ket place? energetic, well-educated children to Third, and this idea Presi- come to Indiana. Let them bring fresh dent Bush might like, why not make eyes to Terre Haute and Richmond. it easy to put part of Social Security Let them offer new ideas for Angola money into lotteries? You would and Anderson. In time, some of our have your regular FICA deduc- own children will return and we will tion on your pay check, but some feel blessed by their energy. It is not portion (as you choose) would go the state’s job, nor that of any institu- toward the Hoosier lottery or a tion, to interfere, by bribery or other fund of lotteries. That way those inducement, in the free flow of people who want to bet on the lottery within the nation. would have direct payroll deduction There is no fundamental dif- without the nuisance of standing ficulty with leasing the lottery. But in line to buy tickets. That should would leasing generate more money if be a step toward increasing lottery anyone could have a piece of it? Buy participation, which, for some reason, school education that leaves students your bank’s lottery tickets on-line or seems to be an aim of this leasing unprepared for either college or the at your ATM; get BK lottery tickets as scheme. work place. If this can be corrected change from Burger King. Break the Fourth, why use the one-time by money, then let’s allow school cor- lottery into pieces and the initial rights and annual money derived from the porations to raise their property taxes. might not garner up-front as much lease for scholarships and university The lottery was supposed to as the lease to a monopoly. But the endowed chairs? Are our universities help support public education. Has opportunity for many to prey upon inferior to those in other states? I it? Or has it been used as a substitute the ignorant and dispirited has always have never heard any university presi- for other funding, particularly the local been worth a bundle in the long run. dent bemoan the poor quality of his/ property tax. (Unfortunately, a band v her faculty. They may want to retain of bright lights in the legislature wants Mr. Marcus is an economist, their best, but that could be done by to eliminate the property tax, but author, and speaker, formerly reducing the number of senior admin- that’s a subject for another time.) with the Indiana University Kelley istrative positions on campus. Fifth, and finally, what’s this School of Business. Page 3 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 From page 1 newspapers, the relationships are? Will you tell me? I’ve wrestled with this idea for a long between those newspapers and time. Part of me sees this as ‘outing’ and the whole debate formerly competing TV stations, that can be had over that. I’m putting the debate to rest a new era of what can be called the “politics of personal as far as I’m concerned though. By introducing this hate- destruction” has commenced here in Indiana and beyond, ful amendment yet again, these bigots have declared war fueled in part by the blogosphere that is rushing into the against my family - and that is an attack on marriage.” news vacuum. Granted, there has been some of this stuff In the old media models, it would have been the ranging from “Limous for diapers” in 1994 to the gay bash- state’s larger newspapers and TV news which would have ing stuff used against State Rep. John Frenz in 2004 that investigated and substantiated deviate conduct and political has played out every two years at the legislative level. inconsistencies. But as bottom lines shrink and the search What’s different is that this poison is now com- for profits intensifies, newspapers like the Indianapolis Star ing out at the gubernatorial level and, currently, under the have slashed staff and sliced away older reporters (with name plate of one of the major parties. higher legacy costs) who had the institutional memory for The personal attacks in the ‘04 campaign translat- context. ed to some of the bitterest partisan jabbing in the Indiana General Assembly in 2005, where at one point Gov. Daniels Indiana Democrats v. Chickens & Perverts referred to then-House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer If this kind of politics of personal destruction as a “throwback politician” and a “car bomber” when the doesn’t make you cringe, there was the case this past week Democrat threatened a walk-out that could have destroyed between Taking Down Words (linked to indems.org) and most of the ‘05 legislation.