Here’s the interview from Saturday’s Tea Party rally with organizers Monca Boyer and Greg Fettig. It’s about 10 minutes long.
By the way, my sources tell me that FreedomWorks wants to help the Indiana Tea Party groups defeat Richard Lugar but has some serious concerns about their organizational ability.
Despite the controversies regarding the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department this past year, the shooting of 29-year old Officer David Moore should remind of us of two things. First, police work is very dangerous business and officers literally put their lives on the line everyday.
Moore was shot four times during a routine traffic stop on the city’s eastside. Police have a suspect in custody, 60-year old Thomas Hardy. If you pull up Hardy’s record he’s been in and out of prison multiple times, with arrests and convictions for 11 offenses. That makes me wonder what he was doing out on the street and why doesn’t Indiana have a three-strikes and you’re out law? I know it has a habitual offender statute, but maybe it’s time to tighten that up somewhat. But that’s another blog post for another day.
A police officer friend of mine once told me that a routine traffic stop is one of the most dangerous situations an officer can ever face. You never know what you’re going to encounter. If this situation doesn’t act as a reminder of that adage, I don’t know what will.
For now police have a suspect in custody and an officer lies in the hospital. Officer Moore is in our thoughts and prayers.
On a very cold and bitter Saturday morning, about 150 people who are mad at Dick Lugar about something, gathered just north of Tipton, Indiana to begin to plot his political demise. They represented the various factions of the tea party movement across Indiana and they claim to represent nearly 350,000 Hoosiers.
They did the usual stuff that you would do at a tea party rally, say the pledge, wave flags, cite the parts of the Constitution they agree with and play patriotic music in the background. Although someone could have probably left “Dixie” out of the playlist. And their emcee, Pat Miller from WOWO radio in Ft. Wayne could have made his point without telling a really inappropriate joke about the Taliban threatening to cut off America’s supply of convenience store clerks if the United States did not leave Afghanistan.
That said, the tea party folks said they need to organize behind one candidate to defeat Lugar in the primary. That’s putting it mildly. If they are going to do it they should have started two years ago. If you look at places where tea party candidates have knocked off incumbents in primaries, the incumbents were usually asleep at the wheel and didn’t know what was going on until it was too late. Of course, sometimes they come back, i.e. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
In one night, with the help of about 400 friends, Dick Lugar raised more than $400,000 and has nearly $2.3 million in the bank already. The tea party folks had to ask for $5 donations from the 150 so people in attendance to help pay for cold sandwiches and chips. Now we all know money isn’t everything, but if you’re going to run in a place like Indiana with several expensive television markets it helps to have it on hand.
In addition, the tea party won’t just be running against Dick Lugar, but they will also be running against Mitch Daniels. Lugar gave Daniels his first break in politics and the Governor considers the Senator a political mentor. I can assure the Governor is not going to sit this one out. And neither will the well-organized GOP establishment.
And while we’re at it, the tea party still needs to find a candidate to rally behind. Good luck with that one. Despite the rumor and buzz, from everything I have been able to gather, State Treasurer Richard Mourdock is not going to challenge Lugar in a primary. You are more likely to see him run for Lt. Governor when, oops, if, Mike Pence announces he’s running for Governor. Other possible candidates are State Senator Mike Delph, however Mike has family commitments that will likely keep him from running for anything soon, except the 5th District next year. Former Congressman John Hostettler has told me he’s done with politics. Marlin Stutzman already has a job in Congress. And the only two other possibilities are Don Bates, Jr. and Richard Behney who ran back in 2010. However the two of them combined pulled less than 10% of the primary vote.
And even if you did find a candidate to run, Dick Lugar is not going to take this lying down. Don’t let that smile and pat on the back fool you. Lugar has a very good and well-greased machine across the state. And while he has raised the ire of some county chairman by not being as visible as they would like for him to be, the man has created a network through his Lugar Series (20 years in the running) and his leadership program for high school seniors (30 years in the running) at the University of Indianapolis.
And before I forget, in 2006 Lugar ran virtually unopposed in a year when Democrats retook both chambers of Congress. He got nearly 1.2 million votes. His closet challenge, a Libertarian because Democrats did not field an opponent, got less than 170,000.
Now this is definitely not to say that Lugar is unbeatable, no one is. In politics, anything can happen and a day is a lifetime. However, I think the tea parties internal challenges (lack of leadership, bottom-up management, scarce policy explanations) as well as the external pressures are going to make this quite an adventure.
As Saturday’s program came to an end one of the speakers, who was from Texas, used the Alamo as a reference to going up against the incumbent Senator. Lisa Deaton of Columbus said the tea party had to unite and be focused and then said “Senator Lugar is Santa Anna, and we are that 189 men” at the Alamo.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t most of those guys get killed?
Editor’s Note: I hadn’t planned to blog about Indianapolis Public Schools, but its administration is the gift that just keeps on giving.
You would think that if you were an administrator in a school district that has several schools about to be taken over by the state you would be a little less paranoid and a little more proactive. However with Indianapolis Public Schools, that is not the case.
Recently an e-mail went out from the State Department of Education regarding an informational meeting next month with community leaders on how a possible takeover of several IPS schools would work. Here’s what it said…
Dear Community Partners,
I am writing to invite you to a meeting of community members concerning state intervention in Indianapolis’ lowest achieving schools. At this meeting, we will first share the state’s process and timeline for intervention. Then, we will ask for your input in two ways. First, we wish to know how you have been or might plan to be involved in supporting the schools listed below. Please bring the attached form(s) describing your current work in any of the schools and/or possible future work. Also feel free to bring brochures or other descriptive information that you would like us to review. Second, at the meeting we will ask for your assistance in developing processes to inform and communicate with parents in future conversations about state intervention in these schools. We look forward to partnering with you in this effort and I thank Mark Russell with the Urban League for helping me to develop the list of community members to invite to this meeting and for providing the venue.
The schools in IPS are:
Year 5 Probationary Status
- Arlington Community High School
- Broad Ripple Magnet High School
- Emerich Manual High School
- Northwest High School
- Emma Donnan Middle School
- Thomas Carr Howe Community High School
- George Washington Community School
Year 4 Probationary Status
- Harshman Middle School
- John Marshall Community High School
- Arsenal Technical High School
Meeting time: Thursday, February 3, 2011, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Indianapolis Urban League, IUL Multi-purpose Room, 777 Indiana Ave, Indianapolis, IN (317) 693-7603
Please send an RSVP.
Warmest Regards,
Lee Ann Kwiatkowski
Indiana Department of Education
Director of School Turnaround
Seems harmless enough, right. DOE maybe taking over some IPS schools and is reaching out to community leaders. Well here is the e-mail that IPS Associate Superintendent Dr. Li-Yen Johnson sent out Wednesday afternoon in response to the DOE letter…
Ladies and gentlemen:This is very serious… .We have to take an active stand on this and speak up for ourselves. DOE is trying to keep the African Americans hooked and quiet so they can go ahead and turn IPS into mayoral control and/or IPS schools taken over by charters and take over entities. We should not be silent on this one!Please be outspoken to all the people you know about this conspiracy! Lies people will tell about us have to stop! We cannot be silent!Let us stand united and have one voice. Join me in this meeting! Bring your community partners to this meeting and question the motive of this meeting for sure.The legislations that are going forward regarding Charter schools, vouchers, and Mayoral control will set IPS back for 30 years.Li-YenLi -Yen Johnson
IPS Associate Superintendent
120 E. Walnut St. (Room 702-F)
Indpls, IN. 46204
Office 226-3127 / Fax 226-3664
Conspiracy? “The DOE is keeping African-Americans hooked” Really? Has Li-Yen met the President who supports turning around failing schools and holding more people accountable? Does Ms. Johnson really think this is a conspiracy? Did the DOE operate seven schools that have been on probationary status for five years? Is the DOE operating high schools that are graduating failing students? Has she been to IPS lately? Oh, I forgot she works there. That would explain quite a bit.
To engage in this kind of paranoia, while playing the race card (and poorly I might add) is pathetic. If there’s a white man who is doing harm to the district, his first name is Eugene. And if Li-Yen’s attitude is representative of the IPS administration, and it probably is, the DOE can’t take over that educational insane asylum soon enough.
By the way, for those of you who want to defend this “school district” please click this link to the Center for American Progress Study on schools. The study ranks school districts based on “return on investment”, how much learning a district produces based on the amount of money spent per child. Guess which three are at the bottom of the list? Here’s a hint, one of them has the initials IPS.
As Indiana lawmakers move forward with the debate over a proposed statewide smoking ban, the American Lung Association has put out its annual State of Tobacco report card where it grades states on their smoking cessation/prevention efforts: smokefree air, tobacco control program funding, cigarette taxes and coverage of tobacco cessation treatments and services.
Indiana got an “F” in tobacco prevention and control spending, an “F” in smokefree air, and an “F” in cessation coverage and a “D” for the cigarette tax.
Anti-smoking advocates say the “F” in smokefree air should be a wake-up call for a smoking ban, but if you look a little closer at the data something doesn’t quite add up.
For example, according to the Association here are some smoking stats for 2010…
But look at the figures from the 2009 report*…
And take a look at the figures from the 2007 report…
You would think these numbers would be decreasing as the number of smoking establishments decreases. In its 2006 report the Lung Association claimed the economic impact of smoking in Indiana was nearly $3.973 billion and the adult smoking rate was 27.3 %.
Remember, a lot of municipalities in Indiana did not adopt bans until after 2005. So if there are fewer places to smoke shouldn’t these number be dropping instead of increasing or remaining stagnant? One of the arguments made by the anti-smoking crowd is that the fewer places that allow smoking will eventually lead to fewer smokers. The Lung Association’s own data seems to point to the contrary.
I would argue that it is not the bar, tavern or private club that is the problem. It is the private home that is the issue and if the anti-smoking crowd was serious about attacking smoking and smoking-related illnesses, they would pass a law to ban smoking in private residences because by a look at the data, the problem is not public places where consumers have a choice.
Just a thought.
*I know some of the 2010 data is the same as the 2009, but that’s what I pulled from their websites.
For those of you who care, here is the gossip, rumor and innuendo from the Statehouse. As always, take it for what it’s worth…
Although the speculation continues over whether Indiana Congressman Mike Pence is running for Governor or President, allow me to to assist. My very reliable sources are telling me that Pence will announce around February 1 that he will run for Governor. And while he has been running on two tracks, the track that tends to get the most traction is the one that leads to Washington Street, not D.C.
Tea party activists are slated to get together this weekend near Tipton to try to decide on a challenger to Richard Lugar in the 2012 primary. If they were hoping to snag Richard Mourdock, they might want to think again. I’m told Mourdock, while very flattered at the prospect, may be having some serious second thoughts about running against the man who is expected to have major party support next year. Also, Mourdock will not be in attendance at the convention. He will spend the weekend in Evansville. In addition, in the 2010 primary Dan Coats got about 40 percent of the vote, while “tea party” candidate Richard Behney only received 4 percent.
Mike Delph is re-introducing his immigration bill this session. While I disagree with most of it and don’t think a good chunk it will withstand a constitutional challenge, I do think Delph is right on one point. He has a provision in his bill that all government business must be conducted in English. There is something to be said about encouraging people to learn the language of the country they are in. It’s one thing to be at the airport, where you have a significant international audience, but the City-County building, that’s a little less cosmopolitan.
For all the whining, moaning and gnashing of teeth over Governor Mitch Daniels’ budget plan that would eliminate adult Medicaid coverage for dental, hearing aids, chiropractic care and podiatry, the real ticking time bomb is what’s slated to happen next year. The Governor’s office says because of the new health care plan, virtually every new dollar in state revenue will have to go to Medicaid coverage starting next year. Frankly, I think Indiana should give a serious look at opting out of Medicaid and coming up with a new plan altogether.
My sources are also telling me Indiana lawmakers may have an unemployment insurance bill ready to go soon. Talks are reportedly making progress on how to close the fund’s $2 billion deficit. In the past the sticking issues have been the amount of premium increases and cuts in benefits.
And finally, a proposed statewide smoking ban is up for a House committee vote today. I’m told the measure will likely pass, but with exemptions for casinos, private clubs, and cigar lounges.
That’s all for now.
Here’s one to really make your day. Indianapolis Public School Superintendent Idi Amin, no Papa Doc Duvalier, no Eugene White, has reportedly given his son who works for the district a promotion.
Reggie White was a “Behavior Dean” (whatever that was) at Arsenal Tech High School. He’s been promoted to Assistant Principal. His salary also goes from more than $78,000 annually to $92,000.
That’s nearly $10,000 more than what Tony Bennett, the Superintendent of Public Instruction makes and $3,000 less than Governor Mitch Daniels’ salary. He also makes more than the Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer and Auditor.
To be honest I really can’t blame IPS for opposing school reform, charters and accountability. If I had this kind of scam going too, I would fight for it tooth and nail.
And what do you expect from a school district that gives its Superintendent a bonus based on suspect graduation rates, more than 16% of the students don’t show up on the first day, and by my last count has nearly 350 employees who make at least $90,000 in salary and benefits.
So the next time IPS complains about no money and budget cuts, ignore them and pray the state speeds up its time line for a takeover. Now I need to go check my e-mail for some hate mail from Mary Louise Bewley.
As the nation commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I personally can’t help but think and ponder what would have happened if Dr. King had not been assassinated in 1968 but instead lived to see today. The sarcastic side of my nature immediately takes me to an episode of the Boondocks, however the more serious side of my nature forces me to believe that Dr. King’s fight today would include doing battle with the opponents of Indiana’s school reform.
It would not take a lot of effort to point to stories and statistics about the plight of black males and education, particularly those in predominantly urban environments. Just take a step into a typical Indianapolis Public School classroom and look at the educational malpractice that takes place everyday. The graduation rate amongst Black males is almost criminal. Black students are being turned into a permanent underclass. And the education establishment and their allies in the Indiana General Assembly are more concerned about their jobs and political contributions than they are in educating children.
If Dr. King were alive and walked into a typical urban classroom he would be furious. He would agree that who needs Jim Crow laws, dogs and water hoses, and whips and chains to keep a segment of society in bondage when all you really need to do is give them a poor education and no means to escape and you can keep them intellectually enslaved all you want. The opponents of choice, accountability and reform are the real educational bigots here. If they were serious about the education of Black youth they would embrace change and open the flood gates so reform could sweep through this state and cleanse the educational landscape of the weeds and thickets of mediocrity, complacency and low standards.
I was listening to radio broadcast this past week of an Indiana lawmaker who alluded that the real reason behind school reform was to attack and harm black children. I’m not sure what planet she was on, however looking at the educational landscape and who has been running the schools, I don’t think the reformers are Black children’s problems, the lawmakers and policy makers who look like them tend to be their worst enemies.
What is it about school choice that frightens these individuals? What is about accountability that makes the collective hairs on their backs stand up? What is so wrong about giving parents the ability to choose an accredited institution of learning that works best for them? We ask these questions and we are accused of hating public education and not caring about children. Well no offense, but who is the bigger threat to the future? The people who want to reform education or those who want to protect the status quo, while giving only lip service to reform?
Luckily, Indiana has a reform-minded Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction and a Legislature willing to unshackle the educationally oppressed. I even had a conversation with a Black lawmaker on Thursday who told he was sick and tired of seeing children in his district being condemned to lives of poverty simply because a union wanted to protect a bad teacher so it could continue to collect dues.
I realize the words I’ve written today may seem harsh, but the truth hurts. Deal with it. But you cannot tell me that if Dr. King was alive today, that he would be satisfied with the status quo in the education of Black youth. I doubt seriously that he would pleased with educational homicide that Black students are being subjected to while being forced to stay in failing urban schools.
If Dr. King were alive today, he would still lead a chorus of “We Shall Overcome” however, he’d be singing about education.
Although I have my opinions on issues, I try not to be overly partisan and give the people I disagree with a reasonably fair shake. However, sometimes, they just drop things in your lap that are just too interesting to ignore. So with that said…
Marion County Democratic Chairman Ed Treacy must not have a lot of faith in his chosen picks for slating. A lot of appointed precinct committeemen have found themselves out of a position this week. Treacy has reportedly been removing appointed PCs without either their knowledge or their Ward Chairman’s knowledge. This wasn’t caught for some PCs until Friday and this past Wednesday was the deadline to re-appoint them. I’m also told that those positions won’t be refilled until after slating. This doesn’t surprise me because he also reportedly sent out a letter threatening to remove PCs whose districts did not go Democratic in November.
Speaking of slating, Treacy recently raised slating fees from $800 to $1500. I wonder if that means that Lawrence Township Constable Terry Burns who reportedly bragged about never having to pay a slating fee will eventually pay up and which fee would he pay?
Speaking of Burns, I know he gets excited every time there’s a murder in Marion County, however he seemed little too zealous when he blogged about the woman who swallowed poison and killed her fetus. I’m not quite sure what to think about that one.
I’m also not quite sure what to think about Marion County Democratic Party Executive Director Adam Kirch berating a group of March of Dimes volunteers in the parking lot of the Democratic Party recently? Wouldn’t your time be better spent kicking puppies and drowning kittens?
And one last little thought. I’ve been doing some follow up on the “Eddie Long” post that went up on Bilerico a while back. I’ve been speaking to some people and not only does it look like there are legs to the story, but tentacles and they are pointing in the direction of the Baptist Ministers Alliance. Definitely stay tuned for that one.
Enjoy your Saturday. Tomorrow I’m doing my Martin Luther King, Jr. post about the people who oppose school choice and more options for children in poor schools are the segregationists of the 21st century. It should be fun.
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels unveiled his budget blueprint to lawmakers Thursday. Administration officials say nearly $28 billion plan holds the line on spending, does not raise taxes and leaves a reserve of about $725 million.
There are cuts. Higher education takes a 3-percent cut and the state is ending adult Medicaid coverage in the areas of dental care, chiropractics podiatry and hearing aids. K-12 school funding has also been flat-lined, although critics have tried to label the move as a cut since schools lost $300 million in the last biennial budget and that funding would not be restored.
The Governor told me Thursday that although balancing a budget is never a simple task, this year was actually easier than others since many of the reductions were made in previous budget years and the state has learned to do more with less as those reductions have become the new baseline for spending.
There are some budget transfers, such as $200 million from the public deposit insurance fund. And the Governor also wants taxpayers to get an automatic refund when state reserves top 10 percent.
Administration officials say they expect some changes by Indiana lawmakers, however with all parties in agreement that a tax increase is off the table, there’s going to be a lot of shuffling the money around in order reach a budget that’s truly balanced and leaves a few bucks in the bank for a rainy day.
And say what you will about Daniels, but Indiana is in much better shape than a lot of other places. However, don’t expect that to last long because officials say that with the new health care reform law coming into effect, they expect practically every new state tax dollar with go for Medicaid.
