One year later, one thing is clear: the stimulus bill has failed. One year later, not one net job has been created as unemployment rose from 7.6 percent to nearly 10 percent nationwide. Mr. President, millions of Americans are asking, "where are the jobs?"
At least 16 of the 65 companies at the job fair received funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including Ball State University -- the location of the job fair -- and at least three more benefited indirectly from the stimulus. The impact the stimulus had on those employers was varied. Brevini Wind USA, Inc. of Yorktown, Indiana benefited greatly, receiving $12.75 million to open a new manufacturing facitlity that will produce parts for wind turbine manufacturers.
While Mike Pence might want to take credit for the benefits of a plan he opposed, national Democrats weren't willing to let this one go without a fight.
But Democrats say Pence's job fair is yet another example of Republicans taking credit for jobs created by the stimulus while at the same time criticizing the program. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called the House Republican leadership "blatant hypocrites."
"If such blatant hypocrites like Mike Pence, Eric Cantor, and John Boehner had their way, the jobs in their districts that they've been trying to take credit for wouldn't even be there," DCCC spokesperson Ryan Rudominer said.
An interesting tidbit from the long-term care and assisted living periodical McKnight's:
Indiana cannot afford its $1 million share of a federal nurse background check initiative. It therefore will not participate in the program, the state said Monday.
Under the healthcare reform law, states could apply for a federal matching grant of 75% of the cost of implementing nurse background checks, up to $3 million. Spokespeople for both Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) and Indiana's Department of Health confirmed Monday that the state could not afford the expenditure in the current economic climate, the Indianapolis Star reported. Monday was the last day states could apply for the matching grants.
Indiana currently relies on the state's 120,000 registered nurses to self-report any criminal history when applying for or renewing their licenses. State nursing home resident advocates decried the decision, saying that state officials passed up an opportunity to protect Indiana residents in nursing homes, the Star reported.
For those keeping score at home, State Treasurer Richard Mourdock spent an estimated $2 million in tax dollars on his quixotic quest to take down the federal government.
And yet when it comes to spending $1 million to protect Hoosiers, Mitch can't find the coinage.
At least he's being honest about where his priorities are.
Welcome to the big stage, Governor. As it stands, you don't exactly look ready for the part:
Earlier Tuesday on a WIBC-FM (93.1) talk show hosted by Greg Garrison, Daniels defended his position on the latest stimulus plan by telling listeners that the letter he signed didn't ask for the extra Medicaid funding but instructed Congress not to provide any more stimulus unless it's paid for in full and only if burdensome red tape were removed.
The problem: That's not what the letter requested.
Instead, the letter, sent from the National Governors' Association, asked leaders of Congress to approve an extension of the initial stimulus program's federal match for Medicaid for two quarters in 2011.
Despite his built-up character as a mild-mannered, even-keeled sort of guy, for years I've heard folks behind closed doors mention that one of Daniels' biggest liabilities is his temper when pushed into a corner. Sure, he's fine on the well-controlled stump, surrounded by supporters.
But put him on the trail in Iowa or New Hampshire, and at some point or another you're going to run into a sticky situation.
Yesterday, the local media got their first taste.
Asked moments after appearing on the show why he said the letter contained such requests when it didn't, Daniels reacted angrily, insisting he always has opposed more stimulus funding.
"I have made the same point over and over, that borrowing money from the Chinese and spending it on government is not effective," he said, forcefully thrusting his finger in the air. "I've made that point for a year and a half."
But when pressed about the letter again, Daniels hedged.
"My clear recollection is saying I'd only sign a letter that says don't add to the debt, and I thought that letter made it plain."
It didn't, and several hours later the governor's press secretary, Jane Jankowski, released a statement saying Daniels and other governors had requested the NGA letter include language that addressed the federal deficit, but the organization could not come to an agreement on that point.
Emphasis mine, desperation his.
Newsflash for those of you over in Mitch for America land: your guy ain't ready for the circus.
"President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party, who have been starved for good news through much of 2010, finally received a generous helping Tuesday night. Republicans, meanwhile, were left with several new reasons to wonder whether all the favorable national trends showing up in polls are enough to overcome local candidates who are inspiring little confidence about their readiness for the general election 12 weeks from now."
Mitch Daniels went on the Fox News Sunday show this weekend, and brought with him the sort of no-nonsense fiscal tough-talk that has made him a dark horse presidential favorite among people on his payroll.
Daniels responded, "Really don't. You know, the - it amounts at this point in time to asking the citizens of responsible states like ours to subsidize those places who have been more reckless. It's probably not going to help the economy.
"It's this notion sort of a trickle-down government. You pour a few more bajillion dollars in the top of the funnel and maybe a little demand and a few private-sector jobs will fall out the bottom. It's really not the way to do it."
The problem, as it turns out, is that Mitch Daniels totally loves federal stimulus dollars. As hilariously put by friend-of-freedom Niki Kelly:
Turns out Gov. Mitch Daniels supported a significant part of a new federal stimulus bill before he spoke against it in a national television appearance Sunday.
[...]
[I]n February, Daniels signed onto a letter with 46 other governors encouraging congressional leaders to extend enhanced federal Medicaid match rates that were part of the first stimulus bill. Medicaid is a joint state-federal program providing health care for the state's poorest citizens.
Although Indiana has not endured the fiscal disasters of states such as Illinois, Michigan and California, the $830 million in state savings Daniels has been able to sustain is thanks in large part to nearly $1.2 billion in federal stimulus money that helped shore up the state's education and Medicaid spending.
"This absolutely is consistent with Mitch Daniels' rhetoric for the last two years, saying one thing on the national stage while wanting something else here in Indiana," said Dan Parker, chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party. "He rails against the stimulus nationally but takes that money to balance the budget and pad his so-called surplus. He wanted more stimulus money in February, but now that it's being delivered, he says he doesn't want it.
"He's completely hypocritical."
Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said it's clear Daniels' position changed to make the necessary political argument.
"Hypocrisy is the lifeblood of politics, and where you stand depends on where you sit," Sabato said.
Kudos to the Fort Wayne Reader for picking up on a tidbit first (and perhaps only) reported on this humble site a year or so ago. In a post titled Marlin Stutzman: Dragons, Dinosaurs, and Dinners, oh my! I noted that then-US Senate candidate Stutzman had signed up to host a reception for his friends at the Creation Evidence Expo.
To refresh your memory on the wackos in that particular organization -- a group that Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett was ultimately forced to withdraw as a speaker for due to their fringe beliefs -- here's an example of their work:
As if the website for this event wasn't enough, a quick look at some of the groups behind the operation reveal all you need to know about the scientific validity of these clowns. Take the Institute for Creation Research, which features a story at the moment entitled "Is there some truth to dragon myths?"
There are other reasons to doubt that dragon legends arose from fossil-based speculations. Tales of dragons are almost universal and were incorporated into the historical background of virtually every people group on every continent.3 How could so many different cultures conjure up such similar details in their dragon legends, unless their ancestors actually encountered them?
It would be easily explained if humans had actually seen living dinosaurs.
Uh...right.
Anyway, the recent Reader profile raised the issue, and Stutzman doesn't appear to be distancing himself from the fringe group that would like to outlaw the teaching of evolution in classrooms around the country.
In 2009, Stutzman co-hosted a dinner with State Representative Cindy Noe (R-87) at the annual Creation Evidence Expo, an Indianapolis organization that seeks to "make current scientific evidence that supports the conclusion that God created man." Stutzman says that he and Noe (who is on the Education Committee in the Indiana House) were asked by the group to host the dinner, to which many legislators were invited.
"The information they had there was good information," he says. "We had some very good conversations with the folks at the Expo, just getting to know them, over the last couple of years. They wanted to raise awareness of their issue, and wanted to meet as many folks who are willing to support their organization and also make those who are in the legislature aware of their issue as well."
Paging any and all media in Northeastern Indiana -- I'd love to find out exactly what information it was that Stutzman found so compelling that day. More importantly, is he planning on taking the Creation Evidence Expo agenda with him to Washington.
As I said last summer:
There is a huge community of Christian scientists who are more than able to fit their faith within the context of responsible scientific exploration, and then there are these folks.
Just like there is a huge community of politicians who are able to balance their personal beliefs with responsible representation, and then there is Marlin Stutzman.
...but you can't take the Carmel cash out of the candidate.
Or, if nothing else, you can't keep Ninth District challenger Todd Young from heading back home when the going gets tough.
To use a metaphor more familiar with my demographic, just imagine the kid who moves to Bloomington and realizes he's run out of cash -- back to Mom and Dad's place!
As a casual observer of politics, this report from my boy Eric Bradner boggles the mind:
Ideas offered by a congressman from Wisconsin are at the center of a debate in Indiana's U.S. Senate race over the future of Social Security.
The Republican candidate, Dan Coats, likes the proposal by Republican Rep. Paul Ryan to "sunset" the system in which the current work force pays for retirees' benefits and replace it with individual, government-guaranteed accounts.
"It's one of the most interesting proposals out there," Coats said.
The Democratic candidate, Brad Ellsworth, calls that privatization and says it's an idea he will not support. He says extending Social Security's solvency is a priority, but one that should be achieved other ways.
Now, I'm not exactly sure why a candidate who by all accounts is up by double-digits would want to pick a fight based on his support for privatizing Social Security, but you know, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
If Dan Coats wants to have that debate, bring it on.
Now I don't mean to bash friend-of-the-site, enemy-of-America Mike O'Brien, 'cause he runs a pretty tight ship over at my hometown Hendricks County Republican Party.
That being said, bringing a crazy-ass lunatic with fringe beliefs into town for a fundraiser just doesn't strike me as the best of ideas.
America's toughest sheriff, Joe Arpaio is making a few stops in Indiana in support of Republican candidates for office. One stop will be in Hendricks County on August 20th. Sheriff Joe is coming to Plainfield for a fundraising event to support State Treasurer Richard Mourdock. The event takes place on Friday, August 20th. Details are below.
6:00-6:30pm - Reception with Richard Mourdock and Sheriff Joe at Guildford Township Community Center
Joe Arapaio, for those of you who don't know, is the Arizona sheriff who has spent a number of years getting tough on crime generating press for himself with his groundbreaking law enforcement techniques.
Here are a few of his accolades:
Limiting meals in his jail to twice daily, removing televisions, sports equipment, coffee, and all comforts.
The now infamous "pink underwear" and other pink outfits worn by inmates, many of whom are force-marched to the tent city that Arapaio has constructed outside of town -- most of this taking place in 120 degree weather.
Established "Jail-Cam," which was some bastardized version of a reality television show, receiving millions of hits a day at one point. Oh, that was declared a violation of constitutional due process rights, too.
The results of all this have been terrible for the inmates, and even worse for Arapaio's constituency.
In October of 2008 (and earlier this year, for that matter) a federal judge ruled that the Maricopa County jail violates the constitutional rights of its inmates.
Between 2004 and 2007, Arapaio's county had fifty times the total number of lawsuits related to jail conditions than the systems of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston -- combined. This has resulted in at least $43 million in settlements.
An investigation into Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is serious and ongoing, according to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
Holder said he expects the probe conducted by Justice Department's civil rights division and the Arizona U.S. attorney's office "will produce results." Holder made the remarks during a visit to Phoenix to attend a mortgage fraud task force meeting on Thursday.
Several Maricopa County employees -- including County Manager David Smith -- have been called before a federal grand jury that's examining abuse-of-power allegations against Arpaio and a second federal investigation that Arpaio has said focuses on his immigration enforcement.
Holder didn't reveal any details of the probe, citing the ongoing investigation.
A 5 Investigates report in October discovered that dozens of people complained the sheriff targeted them with investigations after they criticized him, and several people -- including Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon -- confirmed they had spoken with the FBI about the subject.
All of which begs the question: Why the hell is State Treasurer Richard Mourdock hosting this guy for a fundraiser?
There are really only two options: Mourdock agrees with Arapaio's techniques, and is a defender of the clearly unconstitutional actions taking place under his watch. Or, Mourdock is just a political opportunist willing to entertain wackos if it means money in his pocket.
Mark your calendars and stock up on popcorn now, 'cause Southern Indiana's Finest will be facing off against the Kid from Carmel at least twice in the month of October. The details:
U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., and Republican challenger Todd Young will debate in Bloomington five days after debating in Jasper.
The 9th Congressional District candidates and Libertarian Greg Knott will debate Oct. 18 in Buskirk-Chumley Theater, on Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington. A time has not been set yet, said Debbie O'Leary, a public relations consultant for Indiana University.
Hill and Young are debating in the Jasper Arts Center auditorium at 7 p.m. Oct. 13.
Via my homeboy Chris Cilllliizzzza of the Washington Post's "The Fix" comes the latest poll of the Hoosier State -- this time from anti-abortion activist group Susan B. Anthony List:
The data show former Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) leading Ellsworth 50 percent to 35 percent for the open seat being left by retiring Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.).
The group also polled districts held by three other anti-abortion rights Democrats who supported the health-care bill earlier this year -- Rep. Joe Donnelly (Ind.) and freshman Reps. Steve Driehaus (Ohio) and Kathy Dahlkemper (Pa.). While Donnelly appears to be in good position, Driehaus is trailing by 10 points and Dahlkemper leads within the margin of error.
Donnelly leads state Rep. Jackie Walorski (R) 52 percent to 35 percent and comes from a district where a majority of voters approve of the health-care bill.
Par for the course for Ellsworth's effort, unfortunately, but these are certainly encouraging numbers in the Fightin' Second, where Walorski's folks have been talking a big game for months.
An interesting story from my friends over at WRTV yesterday, where it appears that the bankruptcy trustee in the ongoing Tim Durham debacle has sent out letters asking that the hundreds of thousands in campaign donations sent out by the embattled financier be returned.
6News has confirmed that at least some of the recipients have received letters asking them to consider returning that money.
According to Bash's report, the Indiana Republican State Committee received $185,000 with ties to Fair Finance.
Party communications director Trevor Foughty said it's too early to say whether the money will be returned.
"It has long been our practice to spend the money we raise in the election cycle in which it was donated. This is certainly the case with Mr. Durham's contributions, as his donations came several years ago," he said. "At this point, it is too premature to say if we would deviate from that practice and we will withhold further judgment and comment until a court rules in the case."
The report also shows the Mitch for Governor fund received $195,000, while $225,000 went to Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, a long time friend of Durham.
Asheesh Agarawal, an attorney for a Daniels' campaign committee, told 6News that it's not out of the question that the money could be returned, while Brizzi's office said they hadn't been questioned about the funds.
One wonders if even the Republican Party's capacity for hypocrisy -- already a well-established force 'round these parts -- will be able to handle this current fiasco and their Charlie Rangel talking points all at the same time.
The big 2006 Democratic win was about voters abandoning the GOP. If Republicans have a big win in 2010 it's mostly going to be about Democrats staying home. And it's important to keep that in mind when considering the implications of the 2010 results for 2012- Barack Obama might be alright in 2012 even if his party gets pummeled this year if he get those folks back out to vote when it's him on the ballot.
The reason Democrats won even though the electorate disproportionately consisted of Bush voters was that 15% of those Bush voters cast their ballots for a Democrat, a pretty large amount of crossover. There aren't nearly that many Obama voters leaning toward the Republicans this year.
Honestly, I think in some contests there may be a related dynamic at work -- Democrats trying to suppress hyper-conservative turnout.
Now, I'm not talking about suppression in the Todd-Rokita-Mitch-Daniels-Marion-County-Republicans sense -- you know, where you make it impossible for someone to vote -- but rather in the sense that for the next two months, some candidates are going to be trying their hardest to separate themselves from the "Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda" narrative being pushed by Republicans for lack of, well, an agenda to call their own.
Right now, people are pissed at Congress. History tells us they can still love their congressman even in the worst of times. Whether that's the case in November is the big question.
I'm thinking of starting a futures fund betting against Mitch Daniels' predictions.
You see, Mitch Daniels has a problem with predictions. Given his famous "misunderestimations" of the cost of the Iraq War, the trends of health care costs, and the benefits of his FSSA privatization scheme, you'd think he'd give it up. But he just can't help himself.
"Let's give Congress a chance, but there's nothing in recent history that suggests they have an answer for this," Daniels said. "The only thing we know for certain is the way they've been doing business does not work and throwing taxpayer dollars after it won't make it work." (emphasis added)
And he was wrong, as President Obama told workers at a GM plant in Detroit yesterday:
Now, that was a tough decision and let's face it, a lot of people were skeptical. I don't know if you all remember, but I remember how last year there were a whole bunch of folks who said, well, that makes no sense. There's the "just say no" crowd in Washington -- they're still saying no -- who basically said, well, this is a terrible investment. We should just let the market take its course, let GM, let Chrysler go bankrupt. So there was a lot of skepticism out there. [...]
And now here we are a year later. And a year later, GM and Chrysler, along with Ford, are all posting a profit. The U.S. auto industry has hired 55,000 workers, the most job growth in a decade. And not only that, but you're producing the cars of the future right here at this plant, producing cars that are going to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. This car right here doesn't need a sip of gasoline for 40 miles and then keeps on going after that. (Full transcript here)
I wish they were standing here today. I wish they could see what I'm seeing in this plant and talk to the workers who are here taking pride in building a world-class vehicle. I don't think they'd be willing to look you in the eye and say that you were a bad investment. They might just come around if they were standing here and admit that by standing by a great American industry and the good people who work for it, that we did the right thing. (Full transcript here)
Perhaps none was more controversial than the decision to rescue Chrysler and General Motors, using $86 billion in taxpayer funds and an expedited bankruptcy process that wiped out shareholders, brought in new executives and directors, forced creditors to take a financial haircut, closed dealerships and factories and imposed painful cuts in wages and benefits on unionized workers. It was an extraordinary and heavy-handed government intervention into the market economy that left the Treasury owning a majority of both companies. [...]
A year later, the auto bailout is an unqualified success. The government used its leverage to force the companies to make the painful changes they should have made years before, and then backed off and let the companies run themselves without any noticeable interference.
The results, which President Obama will tout on a visit to Michigan on Friday: For the first time since 2004, GM and Chrysler, along with Ford, all reported operating profits in their U.S. businesses last quarter. The domestic auto industry added 55,000 jobs last year, ending a decade-long string of declines. Auto sector exports are up 57 percent so far this year and, thanks largely to new government regulations, the industry is moving quickly to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles. Most surprising of all, GM and Chrysler have already repaid more than $8 billion in government loans, while GM is preparing for an initial stock offering later this year that would allow the government to recoup most, if not all, of its investment.
You can see the White House's full report here, but you can really get a good picture of the scope of the investment by looking at the interactive map. There's a nice cluster of dots trailing down from Lake Michigan, each representing a plant expansion, electrification, "supertruck", or green vehicle project - you can hardly see an empty spot in the state of Indiana.
A little over a week ago, Tracy Warner of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette got a little taste of why Indiana Democrats are optimistic they can hold the narrowly-divided State House this year (one of the Democratic Party's top redistricting priorities this election cycle):
More Indiana legislative districts should be like House District 31, which includes all of Blackford County and much of Grant County.
The district is split between Republicans and Democrats, and winning for either party is far from a sure thing.
Last weekend, visiting my hometown of Hartford City, I saw incumbent Democratic state Rep. Joe Pearson going door-to-door in the 90-degree-plus heat, seeking to win votes and, perhaps more importantly, encourage his supporters to make sure they cast ballots Nov. 2.
And that, in a nutshell, is the most basic way to win a campaign: by going out, meeting people in their communities, and asking them in person what issues are important and what they think should be done.
Last cycle, Rep. Pearson defeated an incumbent Republican by 468 votes out of more than 20,000 cast, but both parties are expecting much lower turnout this year because it's a mid-term election cycle.
That means if Rep. Pearson goes out knocking every other day when the legislature's out of session - in 90 degree heat or otherwise - he can personally speak to a huge portion of the people who will cast votes on Election Day. And with accurate data and targeting, he can talk to an even larger portion of the Democrats and persuadable Republicans and Independents he needs to win this fall.
Add in Rep. Pearson's friends, family members, and local Democratic volunteers helping him reach out to potential voters, and it becomes clear how a well-run field program and a hard-working candidate can make the difference, even against a big-money smear campaign funded by the Republicans.
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Despite his built-up character as a mild-mannered, even-keeled sort of guy, for years I've heard folks behind closed doors mention that one of Daniels' biggest liabilities is his temper when pushed into a corner. Sure, he's fine on the well-controlled stump, surrounded by supporters.
Kudos to the Fort Wayne Reader for picking up on a tidbit first (and perhaps only) reported on this humble site a year or so ago. In a post titled 
