V17, N2 Monday, Aug. 15, 2011 Post ceiling polling in the basement Gallup Voters showing anger found that only 24% of those surveyed with just about everyone say most members in Washington of Congress deserve reelection, the low- By BRIAN A. HOWEY est percentage since INDIANAPOLIS - The dog days of Gallup began asking August are showing just about everyone the question in 1991. associated with Washington, D.C., is in the Gallup’s Congressional doghouse. generic stood at 51% Gallup’s daily tracking on Sunday Democrat and 44% had President Obama at just 39 percent Republican. The seven- approval, with 54 percent disapproving. percentage-point edge Obama’s predecessor, President George for Democratic con- W. Bush, never saw his approval rating dip gressional candidates, below 46% in Gallup polling in his reelection nationally, contrasts year of 2004. Obama was above Gallup’s with ties or Republican 50% mark in only 16 states. leads in most Gallup Congressional Democrats? CNN/ polls leading up to the Opinion Research had it at 45/49% fav/un- 2010 midterm elec- fav. And that’s the high mark. tions. However, the Since the debt ceiling debate wound Democratic advantage up on Aug. 2 and then Standard & Poor’s is not as large as those downgraded the U.S. credit rating three days later, Ameri- they enjoyed in the 2006 and 2008 congressional election cans are showing thorough disapproval. The Republican cycles – each of which produced a Democratic majority in Party? A CNN/Opinion Research Poll released six days ago Congress. The Democrats averaged a 10-point lead over had just 33% approving and 59% disapproving. Speaker Republicans among registered voters in the year before the John Boehner? CNN had his numbers at 33/40%. Nancy Pelosi? 31/51%. Continued on page 3 Cruel winds of fate By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS - I awoke Saturday morning to a distant, but familiar hissing sound. It took me back to my adolescence when my Peru High School band director, Dave Bobel, flew the Indiana State “Individual Hoosiers ran to the Fair hot air balloon, a source of be- trouble, not from the trouble, by nevolent local pride. I recalled the sound of propane- the hundreds, offering in many heated air rushing into the cavernous space that kept the balloons delight- cases their own professional fully defying gravity. skills.” I rushed to the window of my house across from Broad Ripple Park - Gov. Mitch Daniels, on the and saw the Oliver Winery balloon State Fair tragedy Saturday night HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 2 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

softly floating above the house, soon Just days later, after an joined by others in the gentle breeze. unrelenting media obsession with About 12 hours later, a deadly the private lives of Mitch and Cheri wind struck our beloved Indiana State Daniels, he bowed out of the race Fair, killing five at the grandstand and many of us thought he could win. It www.HoweyPolitics.com injuring more than 40 others. was another example of the poisonous It was a cruel twist, even in politics and media taking out a poten- the political realm. On Sunday morn- tially capable national problem-solver Howey Politics ing, we watched an emotional Gov. at a time when we need more of that Indiana Mitch Daniels join Fair director Cindy class. There was vivid disappointment is a non-partisan newsletter Hoye, Indiana State Police 1st Sgt. with the Daniels family decision not to based in Indianapolis. It was Dave Bursten and First Lady Cheri run, but most understood. How many founded in 1994 in Fort Wayne. Daniels discuss the tragedy. “What you of us could make such a sacrifice with saw last night was a display of best potentially mortal and personal conse- qualities, both public and private, of quences? Brian A. Howey, Publisher Hoosiers,” a choked-up Daniels said. Had Gov. Daniels run for the Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington “Individual Hoosiers ran to the trouble, White House, he would have been at Jack E. Howey, editor not from the trouble, by the hundreds, the Iowa State Fair in Ames on Sat- Beverly K. Phillips, associate offering in many cases their own urday, participating in a goofy straw professional skills. I’ve heard it from poll – or the first social conservative editor everybody I’ve debriefed this morning. caucus of the 2012 presidential race – People rushing up, ‘I’m a nurse, I’m a which was won by U.S. Rep. Michele Subscriptions doctor, I’m a trained EMS responder.’” Bachmann, who most pundits believe $350 annually HPI Weekly The irony of local news re- has no chance of winning the nomina- ports of people killed and injured at tion or the general election (they were $550 annually HPI Weekly and the State Fair comes after the First saying the same thing about Barack HPI Daily Wire. Lady made her unprecedented speech Obama four years ago). It came on 'Call 317.627.6746 before the Indiana Republican Party the same day that Texas Gov. Rick Spring Dinner last May, spending 30 Perry entered the presidential race, minutes talking about her vivid friend- immediately joining the top tier of Contact HPI ship with Hoye and her love for the contenders, along with Mitt Romney Howey Politics Indiana Indiana State Fair. It came during the and Bachmann. Perry finally entered 6255 N. Evanston Ave. media frenzy of a prospective Daniels the vacuum that Daniels created by Indianapolis, IN 46220 presidential bid, and reporters from not running. The so-called Bush/Texas www.howeypolitics.com CNN, the New York Times, Washing- money that had been primed for Dan- ton Post and many others heard Cheri iels is in dispersal, but much of it will [email protected] Daniels talk about flipping pancakes probably end up in Perry’s coffers. 'Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 at the fair, spitting watermelon seeds, What if Daniels had been 'Washington: 703.248.0909 driving dump trucks and milking cows. in Ames, instead of Indianapolis on 'Business Office: 317.627.6746 It was sort of a homespun this tragic Hoosier Saturday? An array invasion of the body politick, and to of incomparable timelines might have tell you the truth, the national report- been altered. The First Lady daughter © 2011, Howey Politics Indiana. ers weren’t sure what to make of it. I Meredith were at the Sugarland con- All rights reserved. Photocopy- wasn’t sure either. I (along with most cert and witnessed the tragedy. Hoye ing, Internet forwarding, fax- of the Hoosier Republicans in the barely escaped injury. ing or reproducing in any form, room) thought it was a prelude to a On a Sunday morning when whole or part, is a violation of Daniels presidential campaign. But it Daniels might have been celebrating turned out to be a kind of trial balloon a first-tier triumph in Iowa, he was at federal law without permission for the First Family, a peering out of home, assuaging the bruised Hoosier from the publisher. v the political foxhole to determine what psyche that took a blow at one of its kind of incoming arrows would be most prized venues – the Great Indi- slung by the national media over the ana State Fair. Daniels divorce and remarriage. It’s been a tough couple of HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 3 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

weeks here, and across America. deficits as the allegedly bizarre story of Rep. Phil Hinkle We live in twisted times, with a jobless rate that surfaced. And we watched from afar as the presidential takes a more silent toll than the howling winds that cut race began sorting itself out without the favorite Hoosier through the grandstand Saturday night. The political dis- son. course has been bruising here (earlier this year we report- At the memorial service this morning, Daniels said, ed on physical threats made to Daniels and other Indiana “There was a hero every 10 feet.” It was comforting that public officials). We endured a week of puzzling character the governor was back home in Indiana. v

tive, with 42% saying they would be less likely to vote for Polls, from page 1 such a candidate versus 23% saying they would be more 2008 elections and an 11-point advantage leading up to the likely. About a third said it would make no difference or are 2006 elections, with individual polls showing them ahead unsure. by as much as 23 points. CNN had Senate Majority Leader A Washington Post poll showed that nearly eight Harry Reid at 28/39%. Senate Minority Leader Mitch Mc- in 10 of Americans polled are dissatisfied with the way the Connell? He sits at 21/29%. political system is working, up dramatically from late 2009. Real Clear Politics composites for Congress stood at The unhappiness is intense, with 45% saying they are 16.8% approve and 77% disapprove, a huge 60.2% differ- very dissatisfied. That feeling is shared widely across party ence. President Obama stood at 43.5% approve and 50.3% lines. Independents are the most disgruntled, with 51% disapprove. calling themselves very dissatisfied. More than seven in 10 The Tea Party? CNN puts its fav/unfav at 31/51 said Washington is focused on the “wrong things.” That is percent. Pew Research in an Aug. 4-7 survey shows that sharply higher than it was just 10 months ago. Two-thirds more Americans now think that members of Congress who of Republicans who see the government as focused on the support the Tea Party are having a negative effect than wrong things said Obama and the Democrats are to blame, said that in January, at the start of the new Congress. Cur- and Democrats were nearly as likely to point the finger at rently, 29% judge the impact of Tea Party supporters as the GOP. Among independents, a plurality – 43 percent – mostly negative compared with 22% who see their impact volunteered that both sides are at fault. as mostly positive. At the beginning of the year, the bal- A Reuters/Ipsos Poll released last Wednesday ance of opinion was just the opposite: 27% said that Tea showed 73% believe the U.S. is on the “wrong track” and Party members in Congress would have a positive impact, nearly half believing the worst is yet to come. The poll re- while 18% expected a negative effect. Only 42% of Re- flects growing anxiety about the U.S. economy and frustra- publicans favor the Tea Party. The balance of opinion has tion with Washington after a narrowly averted government changed the most among political independents. In Janu- default last week, a credit rating downgrade by Standard & ary, by a margin of 29% to 14% Poor’s, a stock market dive and a stubbornly high 9.1 per- independents expected that Tea cent jobless rate. President Party members would have a Barack Obama was politically positive effect. Currently, about bruised in the brutal, weeks- as many independents say Tea long debt debate, and nega- Party members in Congress are tive views on the economy having a negative effect (28%) are worrisome signs for his as a positive effect (24%). The 2012 reelection bid. His ap- new poll also finds that those proval rating dropped to 45% who followed the debt ceil- from 49% a month ago, ac- ing debate very closely have cording to the poll conducted more negative views about the from Thursday to Monday. impact of the Tea Party than Obama’s predecessor, Presi- those who followed the issue dent George W. Bush, never less closely. Gallup also asked saw his approval rating dip registered voters how a Tea below 46% in Gallup poll- Party endorsement would affect ing in his re-election year of their likelihood of voting for a 2004. congressional candidate. The So, what does all this trou- effect is nearly 2-to-1 nega- bling data mean? HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 4 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

The New York has surfaced in the open 2nd Times’ John Harwood CD, where Democrat Brendan observed: Here is the Mullen is preparing to take on bad news for President Republican Jackie Walorski, a Obama and incumbents Tea Party favorite. in both parties: it can get Only freshman Republi- worse – and stay that can Larry Bucshon appears to way for a long time. That be facing a top-tier Democrat, might sound like cata- but that isn’t decided as former strophic thinking after Mr. legislator Dave Crooks has a Obama’s nerve-jangling primary opponent in Warrick birthday week, during County Democratic Chairman which he got several gag Terry White. gifts: a near default, a While the Tea Party’s 500-point market drop marks are sagging nationally, and the first-ever down- that may not be in the case in grade of United States Indiana, though there has been debt by a major credit no independent media polling ratings agency. But step in the state. The alleged most back from events this potent Tea Party favorite – In- month, this year or even diana Treasurer Richard Mour- this decade, and a more dock, who is challenging U.S. ominous portrait comes Sen. Dick Lugar – presides over into focus. It shows an a mediocre campaign that may American economy under ever-increasing competitive pres- draw in State Sen. Mike Delph sure, demographic trends making those pressures more (See page 12). acute and a voting public facing repeated disappointment Based on the Gallup polling, USA Today and Politico as it yearns for better times. speculated on a “wave” election building for 2012. But who For a generation, “our economy has been, for the does the wave take out? President Obama? The Republican majority of people, a slow-growth economy,” said Robert House? The Democratic Senate? All of the above? D. Reischauer, who was the director of the Congressional No one knows. Budget Office in the early 1990s (New York Times). “But CNN/Opinion Research found that Americans our standards of living have improved much more, due to want compromise on the debt and deficits. According to some factors that can’t and won’t be repeated.” Republi- the poll, 62% say they think taxes on the wealthy should cans felt the voters’ wrath in 2008, as Democrats did last be hiked so the government can fund programs that help year. There is no sign of a Morning in America in 2012, or lower-income Americans. Just 34% said taxes should be anytime soon. “We’re going to see turbulence” in more kept low for the wealthy because they help create jobs. elections, Reischauer concluded. “It’s a very grim picture.” The Congressional supercommittee also should seek cuts In Bill Bishop’s book “The Big Sort,” in 1976, some to domestic government programs, 57% of voters say. 26.8% of Americans lived in “landslide counties” where the Slashing defense spending is acceptable for only 47%, with Republican or Democratic presidential candidate won by 53% saying cuts should not hit the military. Just 35% think 20% or more. In 2008 that skyrocketed to 47.6%. Bishop the supercommittee should propose significant changes to was exploring “why the clustering of like-minded Americans Social Security and Medicare, the CNN poll found. And Obama has yet to have a defined opponent is tearing us apart.” Of Indiana’s 9 CDs, only the 8th CD and what that opponent stands for. With Texas Gov. Rick is seen as truly competitive in the early cycles of the new Perry now in the race, Mitt Romney the presumed front- maps. runner and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann winning the Iowa The puzzling aspect of all this disapproval on the straw poll, the top tier of the GOP race has been estab- Indiana landscape is that candidates sensing an opening lished. Four years ago, Hillary Clinton was the presumed aren’t stepping up. U.S. Rep. Todd Young has seen the frontrunner. most potent Democratic challengers duck the race. The best case scenario for Obama is a sustained Tea Party affiliated freshman like U.S. Reps. Marlin GOP nomination battle – going beyond the May Indiana Stutzman and Todd Rokita don’t have anyone stirring in primary – and an elusive improvement in the economy. v either the primary or general elections. Only one Democrat HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 5 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

us back a decade when there was realistic hope for ending Debt ceiling debate our national debt. As Hoosiers know, even a balanced budget amend- ment here doesn’t really balance a budget. Some expenses raised roof on patience can be delayed. Other obligations go unpaid, unfunded or By DAVE KITCHELL substantially cut. Bonding enables some gaps to be cov- LOGANSPORT - It’s symbolic that Congressmen ered. In the end, the “smoke and mirrors” people on both and children are the people we most often associate with sides of the aisle refer to make up for shortfalls. recess. As a percent of Gross Domestic Product, our debt Americans who followed the debt ceiling debate is high, but not any higher than it was during World War II over the past month have to wonder if some of the people when we ended the Depression. And if we had defaulted they elected are really more like on our debt, the similar experience in Russia and Argentina children than adults. At the suggest the economy would have been stronger in a year. end of a tumultuous week in What this episode tells us is that the 12-member which our American conscience committee which eventually deals with this issue will have collectively had to be wishing some serious clout and exposure. Feet will be held to the Congress would put the country fire. But whether we as a nation are able to structure our down before they broke it, an income with our expenses is another matter. With wars 11th hour deal to raise the debt ending, we have a realistic chance if there isn’t another ceiling was reached. But more Hurricane Katrina or 9/11 in the offing. That can hap- questions than answers remain pen if Americans who are unemployed or returning from in the aftermath of a final vote military service are back on the payrolls and generating before 435 legislators went tax revenue. It can happen if American companies sitting home for the rest of the sum- on reserves are willing to take a chance on an economic mer. recovery in which the automakers have already recovered. It’s hard to find a winner It can happen if the housing market can finally right itself in the aftermath of an historic, hot summer in Washington and find the magnetic north of real home value and not the when Congress rushed through so many proposals and inflated values we became so accustomed to for the sake compromises it left millions invested in needed federal of refinancing and second mortgages. transportation projects in limbo on their way out of town. It can happen if we don’t default on what really Whoops, that must have been the note in the “In Basket” matters in this country – stabilizing a peaceful nation so for House Speaker John Boehner and Senate President that it becomes more prosperous with infrastructure, edu- Harry Reid. Meanwhile, the nation lost $400 million in ticket cation, health care and a goal of full employment, even if taxes because of a congressional snafu. that goal isn’t attainable. It’s hard to find a winner in the debt ceiling debate. To a certain extent, what we just witnessed in Tea partiers? They didn’t get what they wanted, which was Washington was a game of chicken much like what we wit- a balanced budget amendment – an impossible demand nessed in late Hoosier James Dean’s role in “Rebel Without given the time constraints. Republicans? They didn’t get a Cause.” what they wanted. Even though they succeeded in prevent- Some may remember the scene in which two teens ing tax increases, that may be only temporary, depending play chicken with their hot rods – and one lost. In that on what a 12-member Congressional “super commit- movie, somebody went over a cliff. Last week, the na- tee” recommends. Democrats? They didn’t get what they tion could have, but we really witnessed the same kind of wanted either. They didn’t close loopholes, including the entertainment Dean gave us on the big screen. Congress Bush tax cuts and a tax break for corporate jet manufactur- gave it to us on our television screens, even if most mem- ers. bers never saw the big picture of what needs to happen in The reality of this situation is that it repre- this country. v sents political theater and nothing more. For those who have been watching the debt situation closely over the Kitchell is an award-winning columnist writing from past decade, there ought to be outrage. During the Clinton Logansport. He is a regular HPI contributor. Administration, a Democratic president and a Republican Congress quietly enabled the country to be on a track to pay off the national debt. Where have those days gone? What has transpired in Washington has done little to take HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 6 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

our economy,” Lugar explained. London calling He strongly believes, “Without strong growth, new jobs are not created, wages are not increased and wealth By BRIAN A. HOWEY for all Americans will not grow.” NASHVILLE, Ind. - It was fascinating to watch the Sponsored by U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), “Arab Spring” go viral over the Internet last winter, from The FairTax Act (HR 25, S 13) abolishes all federal personal Tunisia to Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan and Syria. This is the and corporate income taxes, gift, estate, capital gains, al- reality of the interconnected world we live in. ternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, and self-em- This past week, we’ve witnessed something our ployment taxes and replaces them with one simple, visible, parents and grandparents did: London is burning. federal retail sales tax administered primarily by existing The spark that ignited riots in London was a police state sales tax authorities. shooting. But at this writing, the rioting had spread to Bir- The danger today is that the Republican/Tea mingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol. The shooting Party emphasis is about cutting debt and deficits. To its was a mere trigger in Britain, which underwent an auster- credit, the Tea Party movement has elevated this true na- ity program well before the Tea Party forged a Republican tional threat to the forefront of debate. The problem is that takeover of the U.S. House last November. they want to do it by just cutting government spending. We’ve witnessed this in Athens, where the corrupt Over the past year, 340,000 state and local government Greek government tried to rein in spending and was met by jobs have been eliminated. Federal government employ- riots. There have been massive protests over cost of living, ment has been mostly flat; 3.1 million in 1992 to 2.8 million pension cuts and corruption in Spain, the Philippines, Israel in 2010. and even China. This past week, Congress created a new Super America, these are shots across our Committee (officially named the Joint Select Com- bow. mittee on Deficit Reduction) to determine how We are mired in a jobless rate hover- America can live within its means. According to a ing around 9.1 percent. In Indiana, it has been CNN/Opinion Research Poll released last Tuesday, above 8 percent since 2009 and there appears 62 percent think taxes on the wealthy should be to be no light at the end of this tunnel. Experts hiked so the government can fund programs that say these figures don’t truly reflect the jobless help lower-income Americans. Just 34 percent rate which would include people too discour- said taxes should be kept low for the wealthy be- aged to look for work anymore. Others have cause they help create jobs. Just 35 percent think slipped into the underground economy, selling the Super Committee should propose significant drugs, doing construction work and other day changes to Social Security and Medicare. jobs for cash, and a myriad of off-the-books During the debt ceiling debate, poll after poll commerce as they try to survive. showed Americans favoring a mix of tax hikes and spend- And I’ll remind you of a statistic the Washington ing cuts. But it is hard to find a House Republican who Post reported earlier this summer: the top .1 percent of even wanted to close tax loopholes to raise more revenue. Americans earn 10 percent of all income, and the top 1 When President Obama finally signed the debt ceiling bill percent earn 20 percent. into law, House Speaker John Boehner bragged that he got Folks, this income disparity is as unsustainable as “98 percent” of what Republicans wanted. This was greeted this nation’s balance books. by Standard & Poor’s historic downgrade of U.S. credit on Since President Obama took office in January Aug. 5. 2009 and the GOP lash back of 2010, the message from S&P is hardly a font of credibility, having missed this writer has been the same: Government needs to be the 2007-08 mortgage bubble fiasco (as well as the fall doing all it can to create jobs. of Lehman Brothers). But as flawed as S&P is, there is Some, like U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar, are advocating a more than a kernel of truth when it explained, “The down- thorough reworking of our federal tax code - the Fair Tax - grade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, which would create the greatest incentive in the world for and predictability of American policymaking and political job creation to take place here and not in violent Mexico or institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and authoritarian China. economic challenge.” “The current tax code warps household and busi- And what I fear now, during these dog days of ness decisions, discourages investment, is constantly August, is the anxiety moving from the family kitchen table evaded, is arduous to enforce, and is disconnected from and into the streets of America. If you don’t believe it, Lon- the need to stimulate growth, savings and investment in don is calling. v HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 7 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

goddess of war), representing victory in battle.” A date with a Hoosier The DOA recounts the emergence of Victory: Notice of a sculptural competition for the figure “Liberty” to crown the Soldiers and Sailors Monument went out in we call ‘Victory’ late November 1889. The winner was a 29-year-old Boston By BRIAN A. HOWEY native and New York City resident named George Thomas INDIANAPOLIS - One never forgets seeing the Brewster. It drew praise from Indiana artist T.C. Steele, Statue of Liberty for the first time. Or the Lincoln Memorial. who served on the Committee of Experts that awarded The memory of seeing the Pietà by Michel- contracts for the angelo Buonarroti still brings reverence and monument’s vari- inspiration. ous sculptures and As a lifelong Hoosier, the figure that adornments: “In has stood above us all in the center of the the figure we find state is Victory. And earlier this month I came a simplicity and face-to-face with the statue that for 117 harmony of out- years towered atop the Indiana Soldiers and line and a grace of Sailors Monument. Last spring, a Manitowoc movement, com- crane lowered her to the street in decrepit bined with vigor and condition and she was transported to a han- strength superior to gar at Stout Field. It was there that I found any of the other,” Victory, disassembled. Steele observed. In this summer of discontent, I want- “Its expression in ed to break away from the tempests that the simple grandeur have rocked Washington, Cairo and London, and harmonious get beyond all the bad news we confront ev- strength of the ery day and look into the core of the Hoosier figure is a guarantee soul. There is so much that Victory embodies that the artist is in in the Hoosier spirit - and its potential. You read this very newsletter in search of triumph and loss ranging from the campaign trail, to the halls of the U.S. Capi- tol, the Indiana Statehouse, the White House and scores of city halls and county court- houses. Many of us spend much time gaug- ing the victors on the gridiron, the baseball diamonds and the basketball courts. There is irony that Victory stands on a star-adorned ball, even though the sports were only begin- ning to emerge when she was hoisted atop the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in 1893. Six years earlier, the Indiana Gen- eral Assembly appropriated $200,000 for the monument to honor the Civil War veterans who streamed full sympathy with the object south and east out of our state in the highest per capita and purpose of the monu- numbers, and who fought heroically in places like Gettys- ment.” burg (where Hoosiers helped secure the crucial Cemetery The crowning figure Ridge on the first day), Stone River and Chickamauga. is “a marriage of the classi- On the Indiana Department of Administration’s cal Greek Victory image (a website, it is noted that German designer Bruno Schmitz sense of action and triumph; won a competition to create Monument Circle. “His concept adorned with flowing drap- for Circle Park in Indianapolis was uplifting, inspirational ery) with the American image and celebratory,” the citation says. “Atop the monument, of Liberty with its torch sym- he envisioned the classic sculpture of a winged Nike (Greek bolizing the light of civiliza- HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 8 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

tion and its sword symbolizing justice. The eagle on the sonry contractors, lightning protection specialists, hazard- sculpture’s brow represents freedom.” ous materials abatement and roofing. Victory was to join a statue of Gov. Oliver P. Mor- Coming face-to-face with Victory, I pondered what ton on the Circle. In many ways, Morton formed a line of it should mean to us during these turbulent times. While defense against the Confederacy, helping pro-Union forces Victory’s base, her feet and legs under flowing robes, was in neutral Kentucky, dismissing the Copperhead Indiana being reassembled under a towering crane outside Building General Assembly, sending Republican legislators to Madi- 8 at Stout Field, most of the statue was in the final stages son, while privately financing the state and war effort until of restoration, scattered about the hangar on wooden Republicans retook the legislature in 1864. Morton was pallets, girded by steel bracing. Welders put on finishing the “Soldier’s Friend,” after he formed the General Military touches while gold-leaf was reapplied to the torch apex. Agency of Indiana, and homes for returning veterans, as With our nation running huge budget deficits and well as the Ladies’ Home, and Or- mounting debt, there has been angst phans’ Home to salvage or rebuild that America entering the second torn Hoosier families. decade of the 21st Century can no While reporters at the time longer build defining public works referred to the goddess as “Miss projects like the interstate highway Indiana,” Steele and others preferred system or Hoover Dam, contrast- “Victory” and that became her identity. ing with the world’s tallest buildings And thus, Victory stood above emerging in places like Dubai, Shang- us for 117 years, a distant figure, with hai and Malaysia, or China’s massive only a few thousand of us perched in water diversions and high-speed rail. the emerging skyscrapers that rose NASA’s space shuttle program is now above her, getting intimate views. history and the private sector will have That changed in January to pick up space exploration. Indeed, when contractors for the Public Works during this summer we’ve seen the Division of the Indiana Department remnants of one of America’s best- of Administration discovered water known structures – beams from the infiltration was affecting the Victory World Trade Center – being transport- sculpture, as well as limestone carv- ed across Indiana under Harley escort ings below the observation deck. It as monuments to terror victims. was determined that damage had But it would be unfair to say that reached a critical level. “Structural Hoosiers no longer do big things. issues were noticed last year dur- Anyone driving from the new mid-field ing some other work being done on terminal at Indianapolis International the monument,” said Department of Airport to downtown bears witness Administration Commissioner Robert to the House that Peyton Built - the Wynkoop. “As we investigated, we cavernous Lucas Oil Stadium - that realized the statute was in pretty bad dominates the downtown’s southwest shape and these issues needed to be skyline. We’ve added other gems in addressed promptly.” recent times, like the Indiana Histori- Thus began a $1.5 million restoration. At 6:30 p.m. cal Society and Conseco Fieldhouse. And there’s the surge April 23, Victory was lowered, then transported to Stout in Major Moves highway construction that is connecting Field. It is due back atop the Monument on Nov. 4 in time Evansville to the capital, turning U.S. 31 into a freeway, and for the annual Circle of Lights celebration and will preside forging new bridges at Madison and Jeffersonville. But this over the NFL Super Bowl next February when she will have generation also has been restorative, as Bill and Gayle Cook a worldwide audience. DOA notes that detailed planning led efforts to revive the West Baden Springs Hotel and the and hands-on problem-solving are the responsibility of Old Centrum, and we’ve watched places like the Athenae- Glenroy Construction Company’s Lane Slaughter and Jim um and the Jefferson County Courthouse in Madison come Kojetin. As primary contractor, Glenroy assembled a team back to life after neglect and fire. of 11 subcontractors with specialties ranging from bronze Victory, to me, embodies both our past and future. conservation to scaffolding and rigging specially designed to manage the repairs at great height (284 ft.). There are Victory’s Ball also heavy erection equipment, steel manufacturers, ma- It’s appropriate that Victory stands astride a star- HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 9 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

adorned ball. At about the In the coming cen- time Victory was hoisted tury, just a few genera- over Indianapolis’ emerg- tions after emerging from ing industrial skyline, the the parlors and kitchens wars on the North American to build weapons, and as continent drew to a close. the Baby Boom matured, Americans were to take up women headed full flight their domestic quarrels and into the general work- settle issues of pride on Big force. The suffrage and Ten gridirons and basketball temperance movements courts. The war between flared across Hoosier the states became New prairies when Victory Years Day dramas between was hoisted. During her Ohio State and Florida, or second century, women Butler and Duke as March will further amass political Madness churned into April. and cultural power and The stars on the ball in the we might be calling them minds of Hoosiers could “Governor” and “Madam be sports heroes named President.” Robertson, Mannning, Bird and Miller. They could be Arms of Victory our patriots in the foreign Her arms are battles we fight, Medal of smooth and subtly muscu- Honor recipients named Antrim, Biddle, Shoup, Sterling and lar, holding aloft the torch, and grasping the sword below. de la Garza, or a reporter named Pyle. Her sectioned wrist suggests leverage. At the time of her installation, Indiana was in a cultural and political prime, Legs of Victory supplying a parade of vice presidents with names like Col- Her foot astride the ball, her knee bent to provide fax, Hendricks, Marshall, and Fairbanks, a president named flexibility and strength, with flowing robes settling around Harrison, and authors named Riley and Tarkington. Her her ankles, Victory has the stance of battle. She is shoe- robe clings tightly to a streamlined bicep. The ball of her less, much like our frontiersmen who cleared acres of wrist juts out as she grasps the torch, never losing her grip. timber without modern power and hydraulics, muscling out massive oak stumps, only to stand behind a beast with Fist of Victory blade to sow the crops. Tens of thousands of Hoosier sol- Victory’s fist is impressive. Her knuckles are tex- diers fought with little more on their feet in the tured like a career depths of the siege of Petersburg or the cruel laborer’s. The bronze Ardennes Forest winter of 1944-45. Today’s is porous. Her fingers young Hoosiers practice their footwork and are are robust. She seems told to stand tall, as Victory so vividly does. to bear scars of labor, battle and child rear- Breasts of Victory ing. Her ample fingers A little over half of the Hoosier popu- firmly grasp the torch, lation is female. We invoked the defense of ringed with grooves women and children as Hoosier men headed and a band of stars, off to war. Lincoln urged charity for the widows forefinger pointing sky- and orphans. In Victory, we find a voluptuous ward. The hand holds woman. Her breasts are subtle. Her torso steady despite howl- stands with shoulders raised, ready to bear ing winds, blizzards, torch and sword, like a Hoosier Joan of Arc. ice and rain. She has Women are the state’s future, as child-bearers and, per- withstood the droughts of 1936 and 1988, scores of limb- haps, some day as governors and senators. Only a handful breaking ice storms, the super tornado outbreak of 1974, have been elected to Congress, and only two, named Davis and even the downtown twister that hit just a few blocks and Skillman, have been lieutenant governor. away several years ago. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 10 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

Sword of Victory fierce. Between the time Victory arose and came down, I found Victory’s sword scattered around in four the bald eagle in Indiana disappeared, and then has made parts, lying on a blanket, surrounded by torch masks, a comeback. Just weeks earlier I saw one fly by in close goggles and wrenches. The sword symbolizes justice, range at Eagle Creek Reservoir 10 miles from the monu- tip on the pedestal as if lowered after battle. It is a non- ment. Brewster captured the essence of this splendid fowl, threatening pose. The Reaganites among us might recall and atop Victory, it adds a magnificent American toughness the phrase “peace through strength.” to our skyline.

Torch of Victory The Immigrant and Victory This is our beacon, Greek immigrant Giorgio Gikas, who learned about adorned with fresh gold-leaf at metals at his grandfather’s bronze art factory in Athens, a time when gold is selling for has overseen the $1,800 an ounce. It rises nearly conservator aspects 300 feet into the air. A welder of restoring Victory. from Detroit, Chuck Jeffcoat, spent The irony here is seven weeks grinding out cracks, that immigration rewelding Victory, “taking her back has been an intense to her original shape.” Jeffcoat political issue in the explained, “She was in pretty bad United States and shape. There were cracks all over Indiana. In Gikas we the place, going all the way up. find an artisan who She was 80 feet in diameter. She’s has found a home in an amazing piece of work. I can’t believe back in 1900 they were able to stick something this heavy 300 feet up in the air. It’s remark- able how they did that.”

Face of Victory Few Hoosiers have had the opportunity I had, looking Victory straight in the eye. She changes expression depending on your angle. Peering at her head-on, she is compassionate and warm. There is a chiseled handsomeness to her, a resolute jaw, a tall forehead adorned with wavy curls, a sturdy chin, though she never loses her femininity. Her hair is rolled into a braided bun, a common look among Hoosier women of her day. Looking up, there is a gaze of sturdy resolve, strength and Ro- manesque resilience. Steadfastness, be it looking into a squall line or a skirmish line. Peering at the Ameri- Victory from just below her chin suggests calmness in the can Midwest. face of danger. She would be someone to follow in battle or Asked what makes Victory unique, Gikas explained, even share a foxhole with. “The size. The dedication. The quality of the work makes restoration a challenge. It’s a beautiful piece. It had a lot of Eagle of Victory cracks, a lot of separations from the castings.” “Water was getting trapped inside and was freez- On this day, the eagle with wings flared atop her ing. We took her apart and inspected each section, and head was in canvas bondage, though the bird’s look is HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 11 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

welded, and now we’ll put her back together.” He works out of Detroit and has restored many bronze works, but Victory will be one of his career highlights. “She’s probably the largest Civil War monument in the United States,” Gikas said. “I have not seen anything larger than this. I am so happy to have the opportunity to work on something like this. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Epilogue When we arrived at Stout Field, a tower- ing crane hovered above as workers were fitting Victory’s waist to her thighs. When we left 90 minutes later, they had pulled the waist sec- cities explode and London burn, have tion off and shuttled it experienced long unemployment lines, back into the hangar for seen withered crops and engorged adjustments. Within the rivers, and depopulating towns. We’ve next six weeks, Victory watched our young men and women will gradually be reas- march off to battle across great oceans. sembled, then slowly Most return safely to reclaim the fruits transported back to of liberty. Some come home in coffins, Monument Circle for her banking into the airport a dozen miles return engagement. It away, passing Victory from above. will be a dramatic event We evolve as a society, debate the to watch her slowly rise critical issues of the day and make our back to her pedestal stands and forge our compromises. on Monument Circle. It The skyline shifts below Victory’s is something I will not feet, and always will. Hoosiers will be- miss. come browner and more diverse. New Thousands of industry will take root. Opportunity and Hoosiers will have the fate will flow like her robes. chance of a lifetime to We will always need her beacon. v do what I did: look her in the eyes, admire her fig- ure, strength and calm- ness. The events around us and throughout the world have brought great Artesian Giorgio Gikas stands with Victory, preparing for anxiety to many Hoosiers her reassembly and delivery back to Monument Circle by who have watched Greek November. (HPI Photos by Brian A. Howey) HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 12 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

A few days later Delph issued a statement call- More Mourdock ing on 2012 candidates to put aside their campaigns this year and help 2011 municipal candidates. “We seem to be speeding past 2011 to 2012,” said Delph, “but the impact curiosity as Delph on the citizens from the 2011 municipal election couldn’t be clearer. We have party chairmen all the way down to pre- ponders an entry cinct committeemen who are moving past their 2011 duties for 2012. Not a smart move, in my view, which is why I By BRIAN A. HOWEY have spent most of my political time assisting 2011 friends INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana Treasurer Richard and candidates.” Mourdock, the man responsible for the state’s investments, Delph added, “So Sen. Lugar, Richard Mourdock, has pulled much of his personal money out of the stock John McGoff, David McIntosh, Susan Brooks, Dan Burton, market. “Ten days ago, I sold all my stock,” Mourdock told Mike Pence, Jim Wallace, and whoever else may have an the Huffington Post earlier this week. “I spend two hours interest in 2012, stop campaigning for yourselves and start every morning looking at market helping your teammates who stand for election in just indicators.” about 90 days. That is my aim and afterward I will let all He had a different ver- inquiring minds know my own 2012 intentions, assuming sion for the Indianapolis Star they have crystallized by then.” on Sunday, saying, “I kept my A potential Delph entry is the kind of perfect storm energy stocks, my oil stocks, development the Lugar forces hope for. It has the potential but everything else I sold, to further crimp Mourdock’s already poor fundraising ability, because I kept looking at what and split the challenger forces two ways. While the Indiana was happening in Washington, Tea Party movement has scheduled an endorsement caucus D.C., and I saw what its potential was on the markets, and on Sept. 24 in Greenfield, it is unclear who gets to vote and I’m too old to have the volatility that we see today and how it will handle a Delph entry into the race following the what I expect the longer term will be.” Mourdock, 59, said Nov. 8 municipal election, which Delph appears to be sug- he is “sitting” on his cash rather than investing it else- gesting. where. The danger for the Lugar campaign is that a Delph It was just another curious twist in Mourdock’s entry into the race could mean a better-financed and op- U.S. Senate campaign of Mourdock. He kicked off his race erationally more credible opponent. last February wearing a “stars and bars” Confederate style Meanwhile, as the Indiana pension funds Mourdock necktie, ran into an array of campaign miscues in June that presides over lost 11.2 percent of value since June – or included an anemic second quarter fundraisng total of just $1.2 billion, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal $300,000, and now faces the specter of State Sen. Mike – Mourdock unloaded his personal stock portfolio on Aug. Delph entering the race. 2, the day Congress passed and President Obama signed The potential Delph entry is the last news the the debt ceiling deal into law. The Washington Post is Mourdock campaign needed. It has the potential of keep- reporting today that the SEC is looking into whether certain ing the forces aligning against U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar from market participants learned of the downgrade before its consolidating their efforts behind Mourdock, who has lost announcement. The inquiry, which is in preliminary stages, congressional campaigns in 1988 and 1990, as well as a may not result in a referral to the SEC’s enforcement divi- secretary of state showdown with Delph in 2002. sion, the person said. Delph referred Fort Wayne’s Journal Gazette to a On Aug. 5, Standard & Poor’s downgraded the U.S. statement he issued in December in which he said he was credit rating from AAA to AA+. Hours after the debt ceiling “deeply moved by the encouragement and attention” he vote, Mourdock called for the resignation of Treasury Secre- had received amid speculation he might be a candidate. At tary Timothy Geithner and suggested the Senate remove its that time, he said about Lugar, “I have supported him in consent of the secretary to serve. “The Senate confirmed the past, but have become increasingly concerned with his Mr. Geithner in January of 2009,” said Mourdock. “They actions on my behalf and on behalf of Indiana within the ought to now take a vote of no confidence and withdraw last few years.” He told HPI Sunday he had nothing more to that confirmation.” add to that statement. Lugar, however, voted against the Geithner nomi- Republican sources tell HPI that Delph is in the nation. When WISH-TV reminded Mourdock of that, he process of lining up campaign assets for a potential Senate responded, “He did? Well, he gets a chance to lead now to run. vote to withdraw the confirmation of the entire Senate.”

HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 13 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

The problem with that statement is the Constitu- American economy is still strong, we’re making progress tion does not give Congress the ability to “withdraw a con- although it’s very slow in terms of job creation, and we still firmation,” a surprising gaffe from a candidate who claims have a dollar that is the world currency and we are still to be a student of the Constitution. selling bonds to everybody all over the world despite the David Willkie, political director for the Friends of S&P downgrade.” Lugar campaign, said of Mourdock personally pulling out Willkie added more perspective, saying, “Dick of the stock market, “While the Indiana pension funds are Lugar believes the American economy is resilient and will taking a bath, this is not a way to promote market stabil- come back from the damage done by President Obama and ity.” the Democrats. Even with the damage done, the underlying It’s not the first time that Mourdock has found con- basis for the American economy is strong, and we Republi- troversy with Indiana pension investments. He invested in cans have full faith in our free market.” Chrysler stocks at a time when they were at junk bond sta- Mourdock pounced, with spokesman Chris Conner tus, then sought to kill the Chrysler/Fiat merger, maintain- saying, “Hoosiers have sensed for years that Dick Lugar ing that it hurt Indiana teacher and police pension funds. has been out of touch on a host of issues. (Tuesday’s) The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Critics comments show his lack of understanding regarding the like U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, the Democrat running for U.S. debt vote, the S&P downgrade and the current state of the Senate, say that Mourdock’s position would have done even economy.” more damage to the pension funds and could have cost the And the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Commit- state millions of dollars in lost Chrysler and supplier com- tee appeared to tag team with Mourdock, saying of Lugar, pany jobs, and state revenue. “His remarks are nothing short of insulting to the Hoosier After the downgrade, Mourdock said, “The down- families who are very worried about what’s happening on grade by S&P of our debt from AAA to AA+ is a serious Wall Street and don’t feel that the economy is strong.” event that will impact all Americans. Financial markets will Primary Horse Race Status: Leans Lugar. open Monday to see the United States with a credit rating of less than AAA for the first time ever. How the markets Governor: Pence, Gregg in the Region will respond is impossible to predict. This downgrade is the Both Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike direct result of raising the debt limit on August 2 without Pence and Democrat John Gregg spent time courting voters providing for substantive cuts in spending. The White in The Region this past week. House and many in Congress failed in their jobs by set- Gregg appeared at the Lake County Democratic tling for a political compromise rather than seeking a fiscal Party’s Circle Breakfast meeting Tuesday morning (Dolan, resolution. They avoided the tough decisions on real cuts NWI Times). “People don’t want to talk about these social in spending by simply kicking ‘the tin can of responsibility’ issues that divide us, they want to talk about going to work further down the road. The downgrade reminds us that and they want family wage jobs. Jobs like steelworkers, au- failing to act has consequences. Of no surprise to many toworkers, building and trades. Jobs to pay for that second Hoosiers, Dick Lugar was counted among the majority of car, to help their kids go to college and go on vacations,” senators who agreed to the debt-ceiling compromise that Gregg told a gathering of nearly 100 local Democrats and was quickly signed by President Obama.” merchants. However, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, the leading GOP The speech helped inaugurate Lake County into gubernatorial contender, and U.S. Reps. Larry Bucshon and the 2012 gubernatorial campaign. Five Northwest Indiana Todd Young also voted for the debt ceiling deal. mayors have endorsed Gregg’s run, including Hammond’s While Mourdock traipsed along at his puzzling gait, Thomas McDermott Jr., the county Democratic chairman it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Lugar. A torpid economy and and host of Tuesday’s meeting. McDermott called Gregg the inertia in Washington will trouble all incumbents. the consensus candidate for his party. “He traveled up here Democrats spent much of the week flagging an in- extensively and loves to beat up on Republicans,” McDer- terview Lugar did with WDRB-TV in Louisville in which they mott said. highlighted the senator saying, “The American economy is The breakfast club, an outgrowth of the Lake still strong.” County Democratic Central Committee, also voiced its Democrats suggested it was Lugar’s “McCain mo- support of Gregg after his speech. “This is an important ment,” a reference to the 2008 GOP presidential nominee election. The extremists in the Republican party are now insisting in September “the fundamentals of the American doing what I’ve done at a smorgasbord,” Gregg said. “They economy are strong” as Wall Street tanked. Many believe have overreached. They’ve decided the word ‘union’ is a that McCain lost the presidential race to Barack Obama that bad word. There is nothing wrong with unions. There is week. nothing wrong with public education or collaboration. I tell Lugar’s quote, in more context, was that, “The people if you want someone in Indianapolis who fights just HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 14 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

for the sake of fighting, that’s not me. I think it’s important Burton. Anderson said that McIntosh has “good residual to get people to sit down and talk and cooperate and move name ID,” while challenger Susan Brooks has virtually none us forward – all of us, not just the top – and hope it trickles and Dr. John McGoff is low. “They will have to spend a down. I’ve been waiting on the trickle since 1980 and it’s great deal of money just to get their name ID where Da- not reached Sandborn, and I don’t think it’s reached Lake vid’s is now.” Anderson also characterized Burton’s support County.” as “super soft.” Primary Horse Race Status: Tossup Pence visited the Port of Indiana in Porter County Tues- day afternoon. “I came up here to see if you guys are as 6th CD: Siekman withdraws good as I heard you were,” Pence said at Burns Harbor. Lane Siekman withdrew his name from consider- “Before I was elected to Congress, I had no idea we had ation for the 6th CD Friday morning before a crowd of sup- a port of this significance here. Looking at the port, the porters, party members and elected officials on the steps of potential for growth is particularly exciting for me.” the Switzerland County Courthouse in Vevay. “I am with- Pence also appeared in Lafayette on Wednesday. drawing from this race and giving my support to Bradley “It’s all about jobs now,” he said (Lafayette Journal & Cou- Bookout of Delaware County,” Siekman said. “Brad is a rier). “I think this country is ready for some serious stuff proven leader. He has served as president of the Delaware to get the economy moving.” He wasn’t specific about the County Council. He understands the issues facing this new “serious stuff” but said a balanced budget amendment to district and its residents. More importantly, he shares my the U.S. Constitution would be a good start. values and goals for this state and this nation.” “The cost of entitlements will consume more than our revenues,” he said. “The reality is that we are not 8th CD: Draft Risk movement Greece yet. We need to embrace some entitlement re- Supporters were handing out a flyer “drafting” forms.” He said the nation cannot “cut our way back to a Kristi Risk at the Strassenfest Parade this past weekend in healthy economy.” Pence said many in Congress, including Jasper (Hoosier Pundit). Risk, a Tea Party advocate, came himself, would consider eliminating “historic loopholes” for in second in the Republican Party primary in the old 8th big companies that pay very little in taxes. He also wants to District in 2010 by about 2,000 votes to Larry Buchson, foster the “entrepreneurial culture” for Indiana. “The pillars who went on to win the general election. The flyers seek to of the American economy are sound money, tax reforms, “draft” her to run again for an encore match against Buch- access to low-cost energy and trade. I’m convinced that son. Bucshon reported $389,000 in his June 30 FEC report. Indiana can be the fastest-growing economy in the state.” HD82: Banks, Yoder endorse Ober 2nd CD: Chocola’s awkward moment State Sens. Jim Banks (R-Columbia City) and Carlin Club for Growth’s Chris Chocola showed up at a Yoder (R-Middlebury) announced their endorsement of Jackie Walorski fundraiser at Lake Maxinkuckee last week, David Ober in HD82, which covers all of Noble County and but left early and without speaking. Why? Sources tell HPI parts of Allen, Elkhart, LaGrange and Whitley counties. it’s because he got a cold reception from Walorski’s Lugar “The Indiana General Assembly needs more young conser- supporters, many of whom didn’t know Chocola was to be vatives like David Ober in the Statehouse,” they said. “As a co-host. Chocola has been actively opposing Lugar. 3rd Congressional District Young Republican chairman, Da- vid has worked very hard to grow our party. He is thought- 5th CD: McIntosh raises six figures ful about the issues and will hit the ground running upon Former Congressman David McIntosh raised well his election to state representative. David is pro-life and into “six figures” at a fundraising event at former GOP believes in limited government. He signed a pledge not to Chairman Jim Kittle Jr.’s Carmel home. The list of attendees raise taxes if he is elected. We are proud to endorse David included former Vice President Dan Quayle, former Repub- Ober.” lican Chairman Al Hubbard, former GOP executive director Devin Anderson, former State Rep. Dan Dumezich, U.S. Rep. George Radanovich, Rich and Renee Ackley, Bob and Presidential: Cain at Columbia Club today Cindy Koch Dick, and Mary Beth Oakes, Asheesh Agarwal, Indiana Republican Party Chairman Eric Holcomb Larry Mackey, John and Sharon Raine, Jason Beal, Steve announced that the overwhelming response to Herman Calabresi, Steve Jones Russ, Dena Willis, Fred and Judy Cain’s visit to Indianapolis has not only required a venue Klipsch, Dane and Mary Louise Miller, Terrance and Joy change, but also resulted in a “sold out” event. In less Smith, Bryce Bennett Clyde and Kate Hurst, and Jeff and than one week since first announcing today’s event, over Betsy Knight. HPI was told that internal polling shows that 500 Hoosiers signed up to attend today’s event that has v McIntosh is in the best position to challenge U.S. Rep. Dan been moved to the Columbia Club. HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 15 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

Advisor one looks furtively at the door then cocks an Pence tax program is ear to make sure the candidate is still on the phone. “Then why,” he asks in a whisper, “did John issue that weak-kneed good theater, bad policy response to Pence’s proposal? If your opponent says some- thing outrageous, you need to respond with outrage.” By MORTON J. MARCUS “John’s too much the quiet hometown guy to do INDIANAPOLIS - Scene one: Mike Pence, Repub- that,” the second says. lican, and his advisors lounge in air conditioning on a hot “Hometown quiet,” the third says, “is not what we summer day. They have glasses of need. Listen to John’s response to Pence: ‘I support tax imported, cold sparkling water before cuts as does every Hoosier living, dead and not yet born.’ them. They are bantering cheerfully OK, that’s almost funny. Good light touch. But then he goes about the coming campaign for gov- on and cites his anti-tax stand in legislatures past.” ernor against John Gregg, Democrat. “What’s wrong with that?” says the second. “Let’s throw the bomb,” says “First,” the third answers, “the past was a different one. time when tax cuts may or may not have been good policy. “Isn’t it early?” asks another. Second, securing fiscal stability should be a priority. Tax “Mike did say no policy statements cuts threaten revenues that may be needed in hard times. until later.” “Third, there is no reason for the tax rates of corpo- “Well, it is later, technically,” rations and households to be the same. It’s just a big gift says the first, “and no matter. Our to the corporate contributors who are behind our opponent. campaign song should be ‘Now, Fourth, according to the current administration, Indiana is not some forgotten yesterday. Now already so friendly to business that firms are flocking to -lo tomorrow is too far away.’” cate here. What is to be gained if we are so well-positioned “Never,” shouts the third advisor. “That song is from already? Broadway’s ‘La Cage aux Faux,’ a musical favorable to ho- “Fifth and foremost, Indiana suffers from a defi- mosexuality.” cit of neglect. We have both deficiencies in maintenance The first sips from his glass. “The bomb,” he says. and denial of services to those in physical, emotional and “Let’s keep focused. Now, when no one is looking, we toss material need. If there are ‘spare’ revenues, don’t benefit the bomb. Mike sweeps the headlines. He grabs the high the affluent when our state has decades of governmental ground and Gregg is left throwing nut shells at our fortress delinquency to overcome.” position.” Scene three: A solitary Hoosier stands under a “The bomb is beautiful,” he continues. “Lower in- sycamore tree, immobilized by inaction yet pondering pos- come tax rates and make the individual and corporate rates sibilities. the same. You can’t get any more bang than that.” Fade to black. v “It will be sensational,” admits the second. “It makes folks happy and it allows us to continue crippling Mr. Marcus is an independent economist, speaker, government services while giving more tax breaks to our and writer formerly with IU’s Kelley School of Busi- friends in big business.” ness. “Business friendly is what we are,” the third chimes in. Scene two: John Gregg’s sun-baked front porch in Sanborn. Political advisors sit about using newspapers as fans. An empty lemonade pitcher sits on a nearby table. John is heard inside on the telephone. “Well,” says the first advisor, “they really dropped the bomb on us.” “Bomb?” says the second. “It was more like a trash bag filled with rotten veggies. We’re not destroyed or even hurt; we’re just left cleaning up the mess.” “And what a mess it is,” says the third advisor. “Individuals and corporations in Indiana pay very little in income taxes already. Generous credits and deductions see to that.” HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 16 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

protective funds, you’re going to save some money. But we Pence tax proposal have we done then as a state? Aren’t public investments and the safety net part of what makes life livable in a state? What are we doing to plow funds back into real job would gut safety net creation? By SHAW FRIEDMAN Maybe Mike Pence doesn’t care there’s a dan- LAPORTE - Haven’t we heard this song before? ger Indiana falls back into being the ‘Mississippi of the Mid- Congressman Mike Pence (R-Columbus) who is now run- west’ again? Maybe guys like Pence are so eager to blindly ning for Governor proposed last week that the way to job rail against government and the basic services that are growth was to reduce Indiana’s already anemic receipts delivered to Hoosiers that he just doesn’t care. How else to from corporate taxes? As if lowering state corporate tax explain his proposal last week to even do away with the rates or gutting living wages (through the misnamed) state’s inheritance tax that also helps provide needed state Right-to-Work laws will create tax revenues? any more jobs in our state. Can we really trust the levers of state govern- Mike Pence has an almost ment to a congressman who six months ago threatened to abiding, religious faith and force a government shutdown over $300 million in federal hope in the willingness of (non-abortion related) funding for Planned Parenthood? Wall Street to create jobs and Remember, at the end of least year, Pence led a group of opportunity. To paraphrase House Republicans who were willing to force a government one of the Congressman’s shutdown rather than continue funding for Planned Parent- Tea Party allies. Sarah Palin, hood over pre-natal care and preventative health care like “how’s that hopey, changy breast cancer screenings. Can we afford that kind of rigid thing going for ya?” ideologue running state government? Not so good. Turns out The view from the well manicured lawns of his unemployment sits at 9.1%, donors in places like Carmel, Avon and Fishers doesn’t give gas and food prices are high Pence an adequate understanding that there are a lot of and consumer confidence is Hoosiers out there hurting. These are people who depend low. But the balance sheets on their Social Security check, who desperately need the of many of our largest corporations couldn’t be better. Ac- help that Medicare provides. It may be that veteran in cording to a July 27th Moody’s Investor’s Service report, Brookston who relies on help from Medicaid. That public U.S. non-financial companies were sitting on $1.2 trillion in school teacher in Crown Point needing a cost-of-living ad- corporate cash holdings at the end of 2010, up 11% from a justment to help put her child through college. That retired year earlier. Not only are many Fortune 500 firms not using cop in Corydon who depends on Meals-on-Wheels. their cash to hire U.S. workers, many are instead parking Mike Pence’s world of country clubs and exclu- profits offshore, shifting jobs overseas and actually cutting sive, gated communities, where his big donors live, doesn’t jobs here at home. understand or feel the need and hurt of average Hoosiers. In one high-profile case, profitable pharmaceuti- According to former I.U. economics professor Morton cal giant Merck & Company announced the elimination of Marcus, Indiana now has 195,000 fewer jobs than just four 13,000 jobs after posting second quarter 2011 net income years ago. That translates into real pain being felt on Main of $2 billion at the end of July. So much for trickle-down Street. economics, huh, Mike? Relying on Wall Street ‘captains of industry’ to Indiana’s currently sitting on a $1 billion surplus steer new jobs our way hasn’t worked, Congressman thanks largely to efforts to gut K-12 public education, rip Pence. Showering Wall Street companies with more tax holes in the safety net and starve infrastructure develop- breaks isn’t the answer. Rather, public investments in job- ment. The Children’s Coalition, representing 25 service creating projects like roads, bridges, parks and schools is a providers and advocacy organizations, recently released a start. How about carefully targeting tax cuts and incentives report charging the state surplus was largely built on the to those companies really willing to create Hoosier jobs? backs of Hoosier kids - not the result of good fiscal man- Pence’s trickle-down program of simply awarding more agement. When you’re determined to gut K-12 funding revenue-losing tax breaks to Big Business, without expect- or cut millions from programs like Healthy Families (which ing something in return, means more offshoring of jobs and helps new parents at risk of abusing their kids) or terminat- more shifting of profits to overseas tax havens. ing adoption subsidies or reducing mental health and child That’s not the change that Hoosiers need, Con- gressman. v HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 17 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

about as flaky as that ill-fated Nevada choice, Chocola said Donnelly, Chocola read Republicans won’t lose the Indiana seat. Period. “There’s no way he (Donnelly) can win,” Chocola different tea leaves said flatly. Chocola had no negative words about Donnelly. By JACK COLWELL He was just giving a political assessment that any Demo- SOUTH BEND - When I told Congressman Joe crat running for the Senate in Indiana next year is a goner Donnelly that the president of the conservative Club for because it will be a big Republican year. Growth gave him no chance of election to the U.S. Senate, “I don’t think even (President) Obama thinks he Donnelly spieled no angry words of can carry Indiana,” Chocola said. attempted refutation. He laughed He figures that Obama cannot again carry Indiana and said: “Say ‘Hi’ to the fifth-term and won’t even target the state next year and that Republi- congressman.” can Congressman Mike Pence will win big for governor. Thus did Donnelly reply to Could a resulting Republican tide bring in Mourdock, no the political prognostication of Chris matter what, and wash away Donnelly, no matter what? Chocola, now Club for Growth leader Donnelly sees the tide flowing differently. and former congressman from Indi- He sees voter disgust over Tea Party tactics in ana’s 2nd District. Congress, including refusal to compromise on efforts to The zing in the “Say ‘Hi’” is keep the nation from economic default and support jobs that Chocola now likely would be a creation. And he sees Republican chances in the Senate fifth-term Republican congressman race diminished by a nasty GOP civil war over whether to if Donnelly had not defeated Chocola in the district in the renominate Lugar or turn to the Tea Party favorite. 2006 election. Donnelly isn’t about to voice a choice in the Repub- Chocola, however, may be more powerful now than lican primary. “I’m running for the Senate,” Donnelly said, he would be if still in Congress. The Club, seeking to “pu- insisting that he’s not looking ahead now to running against rify” the Republican Party in primary elections by defeat- a specific opponent, Mourdock or Lugar. ing Republicans deemed not sufficiently conservative, has No matter the opponent, he said, “My message is knocked off significant targets. And the Club was a force going to be about jobs.” in persuading Tea Party members and other conservatives Won’t the campaign be different if he’s running in Congress to oppose compromise proposals to raise the against Mourdock, with an uncompromising Tea Party at- debt ceiling. tack orientation, or Lugar, known for thoughtful presenta- Once more Donnelly and Chocola could be op- tion of conservative philosophy, a thoughtfulness that gets ponents. Twice they were for Congress, Chocola winning him in trouble with the right wing of his party? reelection to a second term in their first match and losing No, Donnelly insisted, not in terms of his cam- to Donnelly in the rematch. paign message. He repeated: “My message is going to be This time, it could be over the Senate seat now about jobs.” held by Sen. Richard G. Lugar. Donnelly seeks election to the Senate after Repub- The Club for Growth has spent some $160,000 for lican redistricting left the 2nd Congressional District very negative TV attacks on Lugar, who faces a challenge in the Republican. 2012 Republican primary election from Tea Party favorite But Donnelly, envisioning a tide different than the Richard Mourdock, the state treasurer. one Chocola sees, predicted that Brendan Mullen, likely Donnelly appears likely to win the Democratic Democrat for Congress in the 2nd, will defeat the expected nomination for the Senate unopposed. Republican nominee, Jackie Walorski, another Tea Party Chocola’s assessment of Donnelly having no favorite. Chocola and Donnelly obviously aren’t reading the chance for the Senate came when I asked about the possi- same tea leaves. v bility of a repeat of situations in which the Club was instru- mental in nomination of a Republican that went on to lose Colwell has covered Indiana politics for the South to a supposedly weak Democrat in the fall election. Nevada Bend Tribune for more than five decades. comes to mind. The Club choice proved to be so inept that she lost to Harry Reid, who went into the election as the most unpopular political figure in that state. No repeat of that in Indiana, Chocola said. Even though some critics of Mourdock regard him as someone HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 18 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

Mark Kiesling, NWI Times: I have not in the past, until Wednesday to talk about it. He doesn’t like the bully nor do I now, understand all the fussin’ and fightin’ over pulpit, just the professor’s lectern. After failing to interrupt the proposal to give parents vouchers to help their children his Camp David weekend to buck up the country on one of attend private schools. No dog in this fight have I: My chil- its worst days in history, he tacked on his condolences for dren all attend public schools except for my elder son, who the soldiers’ families to his economic pep talk, in what had goes to a private college, which is a horse of a different to be the most inept oratorical segue of his presidency. He color. But I once did send the kids to a parochial school, long ago should have gone out into the country to talk to and got no help financially from the government whatso- Americans in person and come up with a concrete plan that ever. Next week, a Marion County judge is expected to rule people could print out from the White House Web site and on the constitutionality of Indiana’s new voucher program. study. Hasn’t he learned how dangerous it is to delegate to Without the dog in the fight, I say give people the vouchers Congress? His withholding and reactive nature has made if they opt to send their kids to private schools. There are him seem strangely irrelevant in Washington, trapped by people trapped by circumstance of geography and economy his own temperament. He doesn’t lead, and he doesn’t who cannot afford to get their kids the best education pos- understand why we don’t feel led. sible in the local public schools. There are others who, by circumstance of geography and economy, get top-quality Matt Tully, Indianapolis Star: Standing before an education in their local public schools. And both pay taxes overflow crowd at the Carmel Public Library on Wednesday to support the school districts. Investment in the evening, U.S. Rep. Dan Burton repeatedly insisted local public schools will continue to pay dividends he did not want the town hall meeting his office in the quality of the citizens the schools turn out. had arranged to turn into a partisan event. Even Face reality. Even if the kids get the vouchers, though he used the word “socialistic” several times their parents will still pay the exact same amount to describe President Barack Obama and freely of taxes they would have if their students had expressed his hard-line conservative views, Burton gone to a public school. v truly seemed to try to keep the event from turning into a raucous political rally. But it was a hard task. Maureen Dowd, New York Times: Even the The crowd was filled almost solely with Republicans who Butter Cow at the Iowa State Fair is not enough to sweeten occasionally quoted Rush Limbaugh and wanted most of the mood. Three years ago, Barack Obama’s unlikely all, it seemed, to urge Burton and his fellow House con- presidential dream was given wings by rapturous Iowans servatives to put up better fights against Democrats. John — young, old and in-between — who saw in the fresh- Cadwallader, Carmel, summed up the room’s sentiment faced, silky-voiced black senator a chance to leap past the best when he told Burton that the Republican leadership bellicose, rancorous Bush years into a modern, competi- didn’t seem to “get it” and that he’d like to see the Republi- tive future where we once more had luster in the world. cans “be more assertive and in-your-face” when it comes to “We are choosing hope over fear,” Senator Obama told a reducing federal spending. Others criticized the notion that delirious crowd of 3,000 here the night he won the Iowa Republicans, who control the House, need to compromise caucuses. But fear has garroted hope, as America reels with Democrats, who control the Senate and White House. from the latest humiliating blows on the economy and in On that point, Burton agreed, promising to compromise Afghanistan. The politician who came across as a redeemer only if the compromise is based strictly on four House in 2008 is now in need of redemption himself. Faced with Republican principles: a balanced-budget amendment, no a country keening for reassurance and reinvention, Obama new taxes and spending cuts. He then apologized for not seems at a loss. Regarding his political skills, he turns out being able to remember the fourth principle. He won hearty to be the odd case of a pragmatist who can’t learn from applause, though, when he noted he had voted against his mistakes and adapt. Many of his Democratic supporters the recent debt-ceiling bill and when he said that, with two here, who once waited hours in line just to catch a glimpse parties that have vastly different fiscal views, “There’s noth- of The One, are disillusioned. “We just wish he’d be more ing to compromise about. You have to stand your ground.” of a fighter,” said one influential Democrat with a grimace. While I didn’t agree with a lot of what was said Wednes- Another agreed: “You can’t blame him for everything. I just day, I was struck by the deep concern in the voices of wish he would come across more forceful at times, but that those in the audience. Although the specific complaints and is not the dude’s style. Detached hurts you when things are thoughts on who is to blame might vary, you can find that sour. You need some of Clinton’s ‘I feel your pain’ compas- same level of concern across all different ideologies these sion.” His inability to grab a microphone and spontane- days. That helps explain Obama’s weak approval ratings ously assuage Americans’ fears is strange. If the American and the even weaker approval ratings of Congress. v servicemen had died on a Monday, he wouldn’t have waited HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 19 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

Rep. Larry Bucshon, and freshman July 1 states that “public assistance” Pawlenty drops Rep. Todd Young can expect to see a for postsecondary education is only out of GOP race Democratic opponent in the 9th Dis- available to U.S. residents or “qualified trict. Both southern Indiana districts aliens.” International students using INDIANAPOLIS - Former Min- are considered swing districts; in the the F or J visa aren’t included in the nesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is dropping past five elections, Democrats have definition of qualified alien. Interna- out of the race for the GOP presiden- three victories and Republicans two tional graduate students often receive tial nomination (Associated Press). in the south-central 9th District. “I’m tuition waivers or fellowships as part Pawlenty told supporters on a con- sure they are being encouraged by Re- of payment for teaching and research ference call Sunday morning that he publicans here in Washington to make duties. Many rely on the money to would announce on ABC’s “This Week” sure their fundraising is on pace to attend school. The bill was meant to that he was ending his campaign after get ready for a potentially competitive model Indiana’s immigration law on a disappoint- race,” Gonzales said about Bucshon Arizona’s tough crackdown on illegal ing finish in the and Young. Bucshon’s campaign has immigration. But the bill was stripped Iowa straw poll raised nearly $389,000, and Young’s of provisions requiring local and state on Saturday. has collected nearly $264,000. Fellow police to enforce federal immigration The poll was a freshman Rep. Todd Rokita, R-4th, laws, leaving its focus on denying tax test of organiza- has attracted more than $303,000. breaks to businesses that knowingly tional strength Stutzman has raised less than hire illegal immigrants. The law’s spon- and popularity $143,000. More than two-thirds of it is sor, Republican Sen. Mike Delph, said in the state whose caucuses lead off from political action committees. “I’ve the law was designed only to target the GOP nomination fight. Pawlenty got some work to do … to make sure illegal immigrants. “Students on a stu- had struggled to gain traction in that I have the resources to get our dent visa are not illegal immigrants,” Iowa, a state he had said he must message out,” Stutzman said. he told The Star Press. win, after laying the groundwork for a campaign for nearly two years. He’s been eclipsed in polls in recent months Daniels says smoke South Bend official by his Minnesota rival, Rep. Michele Bachmann. She won the straw poll on ban could pass claims 2 credits Saturday. INDIANAPOLIS - State Rep. SOUTH BEND - South Bend’s Charlie Brown (D-Gary) said he will executive director of community and propose a statewide smoking ban next economic development, Jeff Gibney, Stutzman money session – for the sixth year in a row – claimed a homestead exemption on lags other frosh and Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels said two separate properties in 2009 and FORT WAYNE - Of Indiana’s he thinks the legislation has a chance 2010, according to information ob- four Republican freshmen in the U.S. to pass this time (Seward, Evans- tained by The Tribune. The exemp- House, one is lagging far behind in ville Courier & Press). “I’m a very tions applied in each case to a home raising money for his re-election effort big supporter of anything that helps on West Washington Street in South (Francisco). But perhaps Rep. Marlin people avoid cigarettes,” Daniels said. Bend and a condo on Columbia Av- Stutzman, R-3rd, doesn’t need the “I would say each year there’s been enue, in Rogers Park, in Chicago, ac- cash. “Stutzman is not on Democratic growing public support for (a ban) and cording to St. Joseph and Cook county target lists, and so it doesn’t look like so I think there’s a chance next year.” property tax records. In both Indiana he has had to make a fundraising and Illinois, a property owner is al- push,” said Nathan Gonzales, political lowed to claim one exemption but no editor of the non-partisan Rothenberg Students worried more, not even outside of the state. It Political Report. Stutzman so far has must be applied to the person’s prima- no challengers in either the Republican about new law ry residence. “I’m not trying to cheat MUNCIE - Indiana’s new immi- primary election next May or the gen- anybody at all,” Gibney said Friday. “I gration law is raising concerns among eral election the following November. just didn’t know that I couldn’t do it international students who worry they Two Democrats – Dave Crooks and (claim an exemption) in two states. “I won’t be eligible for tuition waivers or Terry White – have filed to run in the guess they’ll just send me the bill and fellowships that help pay for their U.S. 8th District to try to unseat first-year I’ll pay the bill,” he said, referring to educations. The law that took effect HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 20 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Monday, Aug. 15, 2011

St. Joseph or Cook county - or possibly his Monticello home Saturday morning, not enough there to maintain the both. officials confirmed (Lafayette Journal buildings. The property tax caps have & Courier). Ronald “Ron” Schmierer severely impacted capital projects,” he was 73. Involved in county politics said. Caddell said with the country’s McShurley upset for the past 14 years, Schmierer was economic troubles, assessed valua- re-elected to his post in November and tions of homes have decreased, which by rib fest had more than three years left on his then lowers the property tax cap. MUNCIE - Part of last week- term, said Buzz Horton, past president There is no way under current state end’s downtown RibFest celebration of the White County Council. Those law to recoup any of the losses, he was in “poor taste,” Mayor Sharon who knew the Republican commis- said. He’s written letters to area legis- McShurley said on Friday, and left sioner described him Saturday as a lators, he said, “not that it will do any her “embarrassed” to be a member man who was firm on principles and good in this political climate.” of the Downtown Development board treated everyone fairly -- even those (Muncie Star Press). Especially poor who disagreed with him. etiquette on the part of some Muncie Libertarians rib-eaters? No, what irked the Repub- lican mayor, seeking a second term in Caps take away celebrate 40 years the Nov. 7 election, was who she saw greeting RibFest visitors, and actually from maintenance INDIANAPOLIS - Forty years taking admission fees from festival-go- KOKOMO - Property tax caps ago today, President Richard Nixon ers at the event’s two main entrances. mean less money to maintain buildings froze all wages and prices for three Democrats. Not just your run-of-the- for Indiana’s schools (Kokomo Tri- months and permanently ended the mill Democrats, but actually Muncie bune). Eastern Superintendent Tracy convertibility of dollars to gold to Democratic candidates and their Caddell said his corporation’s capital cope with an economic crisis (Carden, representatives, wearing campaign project fund is its “most distressed NWI Times). Watching in Colorado, T-shirts. At one gate, McShurley said, fund,” with little money available a handful of Americans, disturbed she saw a half-dozen festival workers to maintain buildings. Caddell and by Nixon’s actions, took one of their wearing T-shirts touting the candidacy corporation treasurer Teresa Vester own and established the Libertarian of her opponent, Dennis Tyler. At the presented the proposed 2012 budget Party -- vowing to restore the nation’s other, Democratic candidates -- among to school board members during Tues- founding principle of individual liberty. them Muncie City Council at-large day’s meeting. The general fund mon- The Libertarian Party today is the third hopefuls Alison Quirk and Nora Powell ey mostly comes from the state, based major political party in most states -- were among the event volunteers. on enrollment, Vester said. However, and popular among Americans drawn The mayor said she raised concerns the capital projects fund, debt service to the party’s message that individuals about that level of campaigning with fund, pension debt fund, transporta- should be free to do what they want, Cheryl Crowder, program manager for tion operations and bus replacement without government interference, Downtown Development, and sug- funds are all funded through property so long as it does not restrict others gested such activity could endanger taxes. The debt service and pen- from doing what they want. Support the organization’s nonprofit status. sion debt funds don’t have room for for that idea among Hoosiers has led Crowder maintained the Democratic reductions, so the capital projects fund to Libertarians being the only politi- candidates and their supporters had takes the biggest hit if property own- cal party other than Democrats and simply been among those responding ers hit the maximum tax rate they can Republicans guaranteed ballot access to a call for volunteers to help out at pay based on the assessed value of in Indiana. As the nation copes with RibFest, the mayor said. “At least let’s the home. Anything over that amount another economic crisis, Indiana Liber- have a level playing field,” McShurley is lost by the local taxing units, Caddell tarian Party Chairman Chris Goldstein added. said. The capital projects fund pays said the issues that prompted creation for building maintenance, classroom of the Libertarian Party remain just as equipment and technology costs, and relevant today as they were 40 years White county can be used to supplement costs for ago. “We now have the government utilities. Caddell said after technology printing trillions of dollars with nothing commissioner dies and other costs are taken out of capi- standing behind it,” said Goldstein, of MONTICELLO - A White tal projects, there is about $219,000 Indianapolis. v County commissioner and well-known left for building maintenance. “There’s community member was found dead in