Comments on: Friday’s Follies

By: max191

max191 — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:40:40 +0000

It seems that you are maintaining a steady blogging pace. Well done! Looking for more updates from your end. Thanks a lot!
regards
charcoal grill

By: pascal

pascal — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:05:34 +0000

I am not railing against Melina. I wouldn't expect any job creation at all out of her and no one else should either, or, for that matter, any of the wanna be's. If you want to read the expose of the United fiasco dig up old Indiana Policy Review articles on that subject by Bill. The hosing was done long before the bankruptacy.

By: Think Again

Think Again — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:45:26 +0000

Styring exposed what, pascal? The United fiasco fell apart because the airline declared bankruptcy. The state and local govts. did all they could to protect taxpayers--bankruptcy judges voided the agreement on day one of the filing.

You can rail against Melina all you want. She's not my favorite nominee either. But whomever the Dems nominate in 20 months will be the next mayor, unless Ballard does a 180 and starts governing like he campaigned. I don't think he's got it in him. The lawyers have bought and bossed him.

But hope springs eternal.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:23:29 +0000

Hence the new, “Chamber Of What Commerce?”

By: pascal

pascal — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:19:13 +0000

The United facility was exposed by Styring as one of the worst hosings Indiana taxpayers ever took. But, internet diletantes are easily misled. I suppose if one looks at big ticket items like the 1,000 employee Honda Civic plant then some room exists for some government involvement but to look at the large projects is to miss the real deal. That is, every job needs to provide a worker with about 1,800 hours of work each year. Who does that? The existing manufactuing base, for one. My point about Melina is that it is short hand thinking to credit or discredit her for “jobs” and it is doubltthink to thing that governments actually create or maintain them, at least productive ones. Governments can “create” unproductive jobs such as our vast “teaching force” unable to accomplish expectations such as teaching kids how to read profeciently, or to understand and be able to do math, or to write well in the English language.
So called “economic development” neutered the Chamber of Commerce according to Art Walls and by putting the watchdogs on a regular diet allowed governments to grow well beyond their means.

By: Think Again

Think Again — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:05:36 +0000

I helped negotiate the United Airlines Maintenance Faiclity economic development package when Evan Bayh was governor. It was the largest ED prize in the country at the time. Everyone wanted it. (Not to mislead: I was one of about 30 negotiators on different pieces of the package...no huge deal)

From Day One, the governor was firm: we get reimbursed if United's job goals or investment goals are not met. He held firm to that--and as the race got down to three or four sites, Indiana was the only site which asked for paybacks. I thought it would kill the deal. The people negotiating the specific economic package begged the goveernor to remove the paybacks from the deal. He refused.

The United CEO at the time, a guy named Wolff, liked the governor and the whole negotiating team. He told us he decided on Indiana despite the payback provision. The overall package was the winner for Wolff.

Flash forward a decade or so, and Wolff was ousted, United filed bankruptcy, and the courts threw out the original agreement. Bankruptcy judges, you see, can rewrite any legal document if they think it benefits creditors.

So, a local govt. can try all it wants to get the best deal possible. It can all crash to the ground if companies declare bankruptcy.

In the case of United, we have a healthy facility whose ownership reverted to the Airport Authority, and they've been marketing it and using it to some degree since.

Win-win? No. But not a total loss.

By: Matt Stone

Matt Stone — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:37:15 +0000

Sean, I've been saying that for quite some time and it's refreshing to see someone else think the same way. Despite what many presume, the military, police, etc… are another form of government and there's plenty of fat and corruption in them.

Unfortunately, any time a politician votes for cutting fat out of a military, police, etc… budget, they're slammed for being “against” the police/military.

By: IndyErnie

IndyErnie — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:48:10 +0000

I was just trying to insert a little excitement into the pages…TA didn't take the bait.

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:51:24 +0000

Public officials discussing “economic development,” usually sound like kids speaking a made up language. Their best shot at “relevance,” is the elimination of barriers, staying out of the way & focusing on their narrowly chartered, constitutional purpose.

By: seanshepard

seanshepard — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:33:14 +0000

Did Ernie really try to take issue with the old joke about “military intelligence” being an oxymoron? I believe Carlin used to use that line a bit, yes?

What's funny, is even 'small government' conservatives who will claim that government cant do anything right will give government a pass on things so long as we're talking about police, military, intelligence services … of course, our brave military ends up cleaning up after or getting involved in things after goofs (W) our intelligence (M) services often make (D).

“Legacy of Ashes” and “All the Shah's Men” are both great reads for those interested in foreign policy and inappropriate uses of military intervention.