Stop me if you’ve heard this one: a Flogger, a Libertarian, and a Conservative Democrat were running for office . . .
O.k., so we’re all still waiting for the punchline. But, Mary Beth Schneider has a story for the Indianapolis Star giving us the set up for the increasingly peculiar race to fill Bob Garton’s Senate seat. As you may recall, Greg “the Flogger” Walker unseated long-time Senate President pro tem, Bob Garton, largely with the assistance of hardcore pro-life groups upset that Garton didn’t make a priority of legislation designed to make it difficult or impossible for doctors to perform abortion procedures for their patients. Consequently, time ran out during the short session, and the legislation never received an up or down vote.
Enter “the Flogger.” Greg Walker pulled off the upset against Garton with the support of the pro-life groups, capitalizing in large part on Garton’s wishy-washy stance on health care for legislators. But, it turns out, that Walker had written a letter to the editor in 2003 suggesting public flogging as an appropriate punishment. He later defended his support of public flogging as a biblically based punishment.
Running against Walker is a prominent Democratic attorney from Columbus by the name of Terry Coriden. Among other things, Coriden paid $150 to attend a fundraiser for Gov. Mitch Daniels in Columbus which Republican candidate Greg Walker did not attend. Coriden wanted to send a message that he intends to work with the Governor if given the chance. Coriden also opposes abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the mother’s life. (Walker would not support legislation that contained exceptions for rape or incest.)
Add to the mix, a Libertarian candidate by the name of Ken Gividen who attained a fair amount of name recognition in his unsuccessful campaign for Governor in 2004. As I recall (and Mr. Gividen may very well be along shortly to correct me if I’m wrong), he has a very libertarian philosophy with respect to economic issues but not so much with respect to social issues. For example, he was opposed to a student newspaper publishing an article on the dangers of oral sex. Mr. Gividen is more likely to draw voters from the ranks of Republicans than from Democrats in the district.
Gividen, who ran for state Senate in 2002, receiving 3,350 votes to nearly 22,000 for Garton, argued that his small-government, lower-taxes views make him “more Republican than the Republican candidate” and a good fit for GOP voters — if, that is, Republicans can be persuaded to vote for a different party.
“I’m not so much running against Greg as I’m running against that Republican button on the voting machine,” Gividen said.
If elected, he said, he’d caucus with the Republicans and would even consider becoming one, if he got “the blessing of Libertarians.”
1. Terry Coriden is not pro-life; at least, not in the sense that would be acceptable to the right-to-life movement. At a forum sponsored by area physicians attended by all three candidates, the question was asked pertaining to supporting pro-life legislation. Coriden’s view was that the issue had been satisfied by Roe v Wade and any further effort on the part of the Indiana Legislature would be a waste of time and money.
2. I did not oppose the student newspaper’s First Amendment right to publish an article many parents believed inappropriate for a student publication. I did acknowledge the lack of wisdom of the government school staff for allowing the article to published. My quote, “The right to say it doesn’t make it right to say it.”
I also railed against the lack of parental choice in education, parental opposition to the article being a case in point.
3. Speaking of quotes, your readers may best view site at http://kennsquotes.blogspot.com/ in which I address social issues. Among those is…
“Christian conservatives confuse regulation with righteousness. Righteousness — not regulation — exalts a nation.”
4. Considering your observation that the Democrats will be supporting Terry Coriden, you are correct. Last count, all twelve were squarely in his corner.
The 41st district (note the jagged edge protruding into Greenwood) was drawn to assure a Republican stronghold. To win this district, one must appeal to Republicans. Considering the Libertarian Party is, essentially, comprised of Barry Goldwater Republicans and that Republican Congressman Ron Paul was our party’s 1988 presidential nominee, it is not unreasonable to expect conservative Republicans to embrace a sense of camaraderie with the Libertarian mind set.
5. Explained to Mary Beth Schneider in graphic detail (literally, I gave her a printout) is that fact that Greg Walker’s defeat of the most influential conservative Republican in Indiana was due to a cross-over of liberal Democrats in the May 2nd primary. You may view that stats on my website, http://www.kenngividen.com
Mary Beth opted not to mention that crucial aspect of this race.
6. Also, Mary Beth thought it not useful to elaborate on the other odd religious beliefs that flow from Greg Walker’s particular sect.
Including those are:
* It is a sin to celebrate Christmas. Add all other religious holidays; Thanksgiving, Easter, etc.
* If you’ve not been baptized into Walker’s religious sect, you are not a valid candidate for heaven. Eg., you’re going to hell. That would include the myriad of religious rightists who voted for him May 2nd.
* Back to Christmas: Syllogism – If you sin, you go to hell, celebrating Christmas is a sin, therefore, those who celebrate Christmas will go to hell.
* Divorced folks, with few exceptions, must abandon their mate and return to their original spouse. If you don’t, you will face the same fate as those who celebrate Christmas.
Greg Walker is a fine person. His religious views don’t mesh with the mind set of most Hoosiers.
7. In short, I am running against a Democrat who was nominated by the Democrats who cared nothing for the prospect of facing Bob Garton in November. Consequently, they crossed party lines to help nominate Greg Walker. I am facing two candidates who were chosen by the Democrats.
Will the Republicans catch on by November 7?
Will the Republicans catch on by November 7?
Maybe, if you keep getting your word out like this. While my voting record has been mainly Republican, I lean left on a few issues, free speech being one of them. I still disagree with your assesment that the school should have blocked that article.
What those students did was a public service. The parents and techers HAD their chance to talk about those issues. If that article was the first time some kids saw that information, then the parents and or teachers had ALREADY failed.
So, if it was old news, there was no harm, right? And if it was a “shock” or something that a parent wishes their child had not seen, then it was a public service to clean up after the parent.
However, I find much of what you have to say intresting. You are certianly adding a choice in Columbus, keep it up.