It’s the same for the perception that a politician has handed the reins over to someone else. Facts don’t matter, especially since most of us never are let in on enough of them. But, if a politician appears to have given someone (or someones) an unfair entry into the inner sanctum of policy, then whether it is true or not really matters very little.

Frankly, it appears that the Mayor has allowed B-T partners/associates way too much entry into the non-elected workings of Indianapolis government. That perception will likely prove costly to the Republicans, as a party. It won’t prove costly to those persons involved, so I imagine that they could care two figs, one way or the other. They still have their “day” jobs, after all.

But they haven’t put up a decent candidate since Hudnut in his first term.

Not that my party has done a lot better, always…but Bart Peterson was a good mayor. The bloggers here don’t agree with me, and that’s OK, but he was a good mayor.

I’m hardly “what’s wrong” with the city. And stern party discipline is good for the city–from both sides of the aisle. Without it, you get Monroe Grays, Jim Bradfords and similar silliness.

What we need is a council and mayor who understand that this city is at a crossroads on multiple fronts. So far, Ballard is not the guy. But he is remarkably open to change and party discipline at the same time.

Perhaps you should take the same objective tact instead of this ‘My Party/Mayor right or wrong’. Then again your puppet handle puts you in the same class as Ballard, so I shouldnt be suprised at your ability to throw out assertations that are meaningless.

If Republicans can’t win issues on the merits, but have to rely on threats and intimidation, then perhaps we might want to rethink our positions.

I didn’t vote for GB, and won’t again, unless my party nominates some rascal, which, given current affairs, is possible.

But I have to hand it to Ballard. The one thing he did is undo something Peterson should never have allowed: IMPD. Now, when there’s a law enforcement problem, the buck stops on Floor 25.

I’m less impressed with the Council, but to be fair, we didn’t do a good job of running it, either. Cochran is am amiable fool, and I’ll hand it to them for one thing: discipline.

According to today’s Star “Behind Closed Doors” the council members who wandered off the reservation were booted from plum committees. Acolytes were rewarded.

Even when the reasons are not those with which I agree, party discipline is a beautiful thing. It makes the message stronger.

Still, there are only a handful of council members who can walk and chew gum. On either side of the aisle.

But I can hope, can’t I?

Message-vision are good. But the trains need to run on time. Ballard gets a C-plus for that. On message alone, the GOP gets an A-plus. Dems could take a page from their book.

The rest of the grade is incomplete: good crime stats, budget answers in a tough economy.

You are entitled to your opinion, just like everyone else who posts here. Thanks for playing.

Ballard’s “vision” is whatever B & T in the form of Grand and Loftus tell him it is. Again, so much for the populist Mayoral candidate who soon upon being elected was found to have a hole in his back for his puppet-masters. You can TRY and justify that, or denigrate me or any other Ballard detractors like you seem to enjoy doing, but..if he keeps on this course of ‘politics/business as usual’, you can mention the $1 million Ballard allegedly has in his war chest as much as you want, and in 2011 it will not matter. As I recall, Bart Peterson had almost 3X as much and look where it got him? I’m confident the people of Marion County will eventually get it right, without getting burned, as they did with this one.