Readers of this blog will know that I am inclined toward Not Mitch Daniels for Governor. My main beefs with the man are Daylight Saving Time, privatizing the Toll Road, a dogmatic love of outsourcing regardless of how well government employees are doing the job, and an autocratic governing style, impatient with the niceties of representative government. That said, he doesn’t seem to be a particularly ardent social conservative of the sort that really gets my hackles up; though he is willing enough to look the other way and/or play along when Eric Miller and his disciples go to work.
So, we have the Democratic nominee running against Daniels, Jill Long Thompson. Based on the above, she’s probably more than half way home in terms of my support. But, I got to thinking, I don’t really know much about her intentions. I heard something about her supporting a suspension of the gas tax on the news, but that drives me up a wall. It’s a pandering, ineffective non-solution. What else?
That’s what the Internet age is for – a candidate can post the issues he or she regards as important and his or her approaches to those issues. Onward to Long Thompson’s issues page.
1. Communities: She will divide Indiana’s 92 counties into three tiers, based on unemployment rate, median household income, population growth and assessed property value per capita. Counties within each tier designation would be allotted different tax incentives. Primarily, it appears that companies creating jobs within those counties would receive tax credits based on the number of jobs created with the tax credits varying by tier.
2. Economic Development: Tax incentives to businesses linked to new technology, productivity, provision of health care, and environmental impact. Tax deductions to individuals for health care and education. Creating a health insurance purchasing pool. Emphasizing vocational education. Bring broadband internet connections to every county.
I’m not against any of this in particular, but there is a terrible blandness about it. Daniels is out there saying, effectively, “Of course I’m breaking eggs, I’m making a damn omelette!” The Long Thompson campaign seems to be telling us that, not only is the omelette making process breaking eggs, it’s high in cholesterol as well, and wouldn’t we like a nice bowl of oatmeal?
What we need, somehow, is a candidate who will point out that Hoosiers should not content themselves with breakfast alone – here’s a plan for lunch, dinner, and even the occasional tasty snack. If I knew how that was done, I’d be a highly paid political consultant instead of blogging for free.
Jill needs to “Discover Indiana” (the part that lies below I-70). A lot of us down here are sick to death of Mitch and his policies and we’d like to get to know her a bit better. If I were in her shoes, I’d be hitting every county fair between Marion County and the Ohio river this summer.
Can’t say us in Northwest Indiana know her any better….
Nothing in this world could get myself,family or friends to vote for Mitch Daniels.His time zone wall and the problems it has caused for people and their families who must cross it daily to work or do business is the only reason we need to vote against him!
I do agree that Jill, while having some great ideas, would benefit from something bold.
As for the gas tax, I wonder if Indiana calculates that based upon gallons purchased or as a percentage of the dollar amount of the sale. If as a percentage, which I think that it is but am not certain, then Jill is onto something.
Jill doesn’t have a prayer unless she actually comes up with something besides “I’m not Mitch Daniels”. The election would be winnable if there was an effective Democratic candidate… she’s hoping for a repeat of the 2007 Indianapolis mayoral election, and I’m not feeling that much anger with Mitch Daniels.
Omelet, oatmeal…meh.
The first candidate to offer high-quality pork products (preferably on a stick, for that state fair vibe) will have gone a long way toward securing MY vote.
Got a feel for Linda Pence yet? AG is the more interesting race.
I’d vote for Mitch on the basis of DST & EDST (sorry, Doug, but I love it), except that there is so much else I don’t like, and there’s the pesky detail that he’s a Republican, and I’ve never voted ‘R’ for any office higher than county level, and have no intentions of changing that.
I like Andy Horning’s high-minded campaign to bring Indiana government back into accordance with the state constitution. I don’t think that’s going to win over the hearts and minds of average Hoosiers, so I do hope you develops an economic plan for the state. Haven’t seen one yet.
But, Andy Horning doesn’t know enough to come in out of the rain…
Mike, don’t you mean EDDST? (Eastern Double Daylight Saving Time)
Yeah, I just *loved* keeping my 6 year old up to 11:30pm just so we could watch fireworks…
Okay, here’s my thread hijacker:
Democratic AG candidate Linda Pence is part of the East Chicago “Sidewalks for Votes” scandal.
I’m not Steve Carter’s biggest fan, but his work in East Chicago is good stuff. Zoeller will continue it, Pence will not.
Hey, my link didn’t work.
It previews as a link, but doesn’t publish as a link.
The link is here.
Edited to embed long URL – Doug
For whatever reason, your original comment (#11) didn’t have the URL – it had an anchor tag, but no “href=URL”. I went ahead and edited that comment to include the link.
Sorry. And thanks.
Double daylight time.Yeah I love dark mornings and twilight at around 10:00pm.My niece and her husband thought they’d prefer Eastern time until they’ve got to experience it first hand this Summer trying to get their two small kids to bed.while it’s still broad daylight outside.
And the economic benefits of DST have just been FANTASTIC!
I myself have made an extra skillion jillion dollars, working in the evenings!
At least with the extra daylight the plants grow better, right?
(why are you looking at me like that?)
PTN-It’s because Indiana is on the WRONG time zone! CST/CDT is perfectly okay; except for the month of December and early January. (Although at least then it is daylight in the morning by 7:15 at the latest). But the summers and the rest of the year are just right-and our fireworks were able to start at 9:00 pm.
Parker-my wife and I have lived in CST/DST since 1992. In 1998 we were putting in a yard at our new house. It was the week after the spring time change. My wife told me “Well at least the grass will get an extra hour of sunlight.” As soon as she said it, and before I could open my mouth she said, “Wait a minute…never mind!”
Rev.AJB,I and several others fought that battle for over a year here in southwest Indiana.We spent hours and hours doing research and presenting a case to keep our counties in the Central time zone.We made ICE Miller submit several follow ups because they ususally were providing inaccurate information.The arguments most commonly used were
1.Crane military bases( located in Martin county) employees are mostly from eatern time zone counties and are currently inconvienced.True however when the when Martin,Daviess,Knox,Pike and Dubois counties reverted back to Eastern time more persons(commuters) are now inconvienced we compiled the numbers and presented them to no avail.
2.Big savings are to be had on energy bills if we’re on Eastern time.They used that old tired survey from the 70’s when most people didn’t even have air conditioning.I haven’t noticed any savings on my bills and in fact a recent study I saw somewhere shows there’s none to be had.
3.The business community will be hurt by not being on east coast time because that’s where their supplys come from and they would have communication problems.( never mind that for half the year they were never on eastern time anyway since we observed year round standard time)The origin of supplies for the businesses in the 5 counties was pretty much a wash they received just about as many from the Central and Pacific time zones as eastern this again was documented but to no avail.
Businesses will be hurt so bad they will have to lay off employees.While observing Central time unemployment was loweer in the 5 counties and several businesses had higher profits.Again documented but to no avail.
4.Public comment to the D.O.T. not counting repeat commentors was split pretty much even central vs eastern.Business was about 2/3 eastern vs 1/3 central.
In the end we were dealing with yet another tainted process and I knew we were waiting for the gvmt turn key Judith Kaleta to do as governor Mitch told her.
Perry county stayed central because they waited too long to join the Ice Miller petition so their request to return to eastern was denied.Had they joined the petition they probably would have had their request granted.
I’m sure gov Daniels received a large contribution from the firm.I do not profess to know anything about law firms but this one did a sloppy job on this petition and had to correct numerous mistakes but in the end they won so that’s all that matters but I think the decision was already made when gov Daniels told the D.O.T. what to do. They followed his reccomendation in every instance except Perry county.He told DOT to deny ST.Joseph after they had granted a NPRM for the county,he told DOT to grant the five sw counties central time after initialy denying the counties,he told DOT to grant Pulaski county a return to eastern after moving them to central,he told DOT to grant the 5 counties a return to eastern after granting them central all of which this lap dog agency complied with.
Alas as the Chamber of Commerce has stated it’s time to move on the issue is settled.A common theme from those who have now received what they want.
PTN,you are correct sir. Isn’t it funny how Mitch got everything he wanted- Eastern time per lobbyists despite the protests of people that objected to being in the wrong geographic time zone.
It boggles my mind that JLT hasn’t jumped all over this. It would certainly boost her poll numbers.
I’ve asked this before but does somebody have any hard numbers on who got paid off for putting us on eastern time? Things like campaign contributions from media,golf associations,insurance industry etc.
Also just who paid for Ice Millers’ BS to the DOT? Was any of this taxpayer money?
I think all of this would be precious campaign material.
Chuckcentral,I believe(not positive) the money used to pay Ice Miller came from a fund called The Build Indiana Fund.I think this was it.I know none of the counties paid a dime on the Ice Miller fee.
Thanks PTN . I’ve been trying to do some digging on this. I believe the people have a right to know all the facts.