Category: Indiana

Categories
Domestic Policies Indiana News Politics

Corporate America Hangs a left

All of the tension that’s been building in the grand Republican coalition, that uneasy mix of practical business, low taxes, libertarianism and the uncompromising religious sector is now being released. And it’s not working out for the most conservative of the party’s members.

Just a week ago it seemed that at least two new states, Indiana and Arkansas, would pass religious freedom laws that would, in essence, allow people to claim that a robust religious objection to a state or federal law was enough to nullify it, at least for the objector. By the end of the week, both states had to backtrack and add key provisions that did not allow religious people from discriminating against gays and lesbians, among others. Why the change?

Corporations. Walmart. Angie’s List. Axium. et.al.

Big business has seen the light and it’s a bright one. No, not the one that people who have near-death experiences talk about. This is the one that shines into the deep dark corners of discrimination, hatred and prejudice.  Yes, corporations do love they money, but they’re also getting a bit of a soul. After all, corporations are people too, right?

But uncovering the cloistered minds of the far right isn’t the only move forward. Major national businesses are also starting to…wait for it…raise wages. Yes, I know that it’s only a dollar more an hour for now, but the prospect of rising wages for those most in need is a positive step.

Despite a conservative movement that’s made great inroads into American political, economic and social culture, the basic democratic ideals of tolerance, respect for diversity and fairness have endured and are now beginning to emerge from an era where they were somewhat battered and bruised. Americans truly want a government that will stay out of its bedrooms and workplaces even as they want to make sure that there is a safety net for life’s perplexities.

This is why I think the GOP will end up nominating another more moderate candidate in 2016. That won’t make the conservatives happy, but it really is the best hope for the party. And the Democrats had better not take their supporters for granted. The economy is better, but job growth seems to have slowed and the deal with Iran is not a slam dunk, nor should it be.

For now, though, business seems to be on the side of a wider, more inclusive market. And that’s good news.

For more, go to www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives or Twitter @rigrundfest

Categories
Indiana Politics

Indiana’s Republicans Make Changes to “Religious Freedom” Law

Indiana’s Republican Governor Mike Pence proved in a recent interview last Sunday that the knew his state’s version of the “Religious Freedom” act opened the door to discrimination. When George Stephanopoulos asked that very specific question – “should it be legal to discriminate against gays and lesbians” – Pence dodged the question for almost 12 minutes. And now with continued pressure, the truth is finally coming out. And the rush is on to make changes to the law ASAP!

“What was intended as a message of inclusion was interpreted as a message of exclusion, especially for the LGBT community,” Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma told reporters at a 9 a.m. news conference on Thursday. “Nothing could have been further from the truth, but it was clear the perception had to be addressed.”

The proposed update, as released by Indiana GOP lawmakers online, states that the controversial religious-freedom law does not allow any business to deny service to any customer — including on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The new language will still have to be approved by Indiana’s legislature and signed by the state’s Republican governor, Mike Pence, before it goes into effect. Pence this week announced he would support changing the law.

Categories
Indiana Politics

Indiana Gov Mike Pence Cannot Say if New Law Allows for Discrimination – Video

I guess we can say Mike Pence is a politician. That would account for the masterful way he managed to completely avoid answering a straightforward question today from George Stephanopoulos. All George wanted was a yes or no answer and for 11 minutes, Indiana Governor Mike Pence talked and played mary go round until Mr Stephanopoulos had no choice but to end the segment.

What was the question Mike Pence failed to give a yes or no answer to? Whether the new law the Republican signed would allow for discrimination against gays. “It’s a simple yes or no question,” Stephanopoulos said, but of course, nothing is simple with a Republican.

Video

Categories
Indiana Politics

Republican Succeeds in Turning Indiana into a #HateState

Gov. Mike Pence

But the good people of Indiana are beginning to make their voice heard and they are demanding something be done about the hate bill recently signed into law by Republican Gov. Mike Pence, a bill designed to allow businesses in Indiana to discriminate against people in the state.

Hundreds of people, some carrying signs reading “no hate in our state,” gathered Saturday outside the Indiana Statehouse for a boisterous rally against a new state law that opponents say could sanction discrimination against gay people.

Since Republican Gov. Mike Pence signed the bill into law Thursday, Indiana has been widely criticized by businesses and organizations around the nation, as well as on social media with the hashtag #boycottindiana. Local officials and business groups around the state hope to stem the fallout, although consumer review service Angie’s List said Saturday that it is suspending a planned expansion in Indianapolis because of the new law.

The law’s supporters contend discrimination claims are overblown and insist it will keep the government from compelling people to provide services they find objectionable on religious grounds. They also maintain that courts haven’t allowed discrimination under similar laws covering the federal government and 19 other states.

But state Rep. Ed DeLaney, an Indianapolis Democrat, said Indiana’s law goes further than those laws and opens the door to discrimination.

“This law does not openly allow discrimination, no, but what it does is create a road map, a path to discrimination,” he told the crowd, which stretched across the south steps and lawn of the Statehouse. “Indiana’s version of this law is not the same as that in other states. It adds all kinds of new stuff and it moves us further down the road to discrimination.”

Categories
Indiana Politics

In Today’s Episode of Guns Killing People…

In yet another episode of guns killing people, a man from Fort Wayne Indiana is dead after his gun discharged in his home. He was not shooting at anything, he was not being careless with his weapon, he was just trying to sell the darn thing when it went off, hitting him in the chest.

Fort Wayne Police responded to the man’s residence and first aid was administered, but it was already too late. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police spokesman Chris Felton had this say, a little warning to those who still think guns are not a problem. “Always treat the gun as if it’s loaded. Even if you’re sure it’s unloaded, still treat it as if its loaded. Never point a gun at anything or anyone you’re not willing to destroy. Treat it as loaded all the time.”

Advice I’m sure the gun owner already knew, but, he’s no longer alive.

Categories
Featured Indiana shooting

Indiana Man Arrested For Threatening To Kill More Kids At Another Elementary School

CEDAR LAKE, Ind. — A northern Indiana man who allegedly threatened to “kill as many people as he could” at an elementary school near his home was arrested by officers who later found 47 guns and ammunition hidden throughout his home.

Von. I. Meyer, 60, of Cedar Lake, was arrested Saturday after prosecutors filed formal charges of felony intimidation, domestic battery and resisting law enforcement against him. He was being held Sunday without bond at the Lake County Jail, pending an initial hearing on the charges, police said in a statement.

Cedar Lake Police officers were called to Meyer’s home early Friday after he allegedly threatened to set his wife on fire once she fell asleep, the statement said.

Meyer also threatened to enter nearby Jane Ball Elementary School “and kill as many people as he could before police could stop him,” the statement said. Meyer’s home is less than 1,000 feet from the school and linked to it by trails and paths through a wooded area, police said.

Police said in the statement that they notified school officials and boosted security at all area schools Friday – the same day 26 people, including 20 students, were shot and killed at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.

h/t Huffington Post

Categories
Abortion Featured Indiana Politics Rape

Republican Said Women Would Fake Rape To Get Abortions

Apparently, Republicans think women will lie about being raped or being the victim of incest, in order to get a “free abortion.” This claim is coming from a Republican in the Indiana Congress. His name is Eric Turner.

Mr. Turner introduced what is being considered the most restrictive abortion bill in the nation. The bill will make it illegal to have most abortions after 20 weeks. Present law makes certain abortions illegal after 24 weeks, or when the fetus is visible.

Realizing the implications of this bill, a Democratic congresswoman Mrs. Gail Dickens tried to introduce an amendment to the bill exempting “women who became pregnant due to rape or incest, or women for whom pregnancy threatens their life or could cause serious and irreversible physical harm.” But Mr. Turner would have none of it. He stepped to the podium and had this to say;

With all do respect to Rep. Riecken, I understand what she’s trying to do. But as you know that when the federal health care bill was going through Congress there was a lot of discussion whether this would allow for abortion coverage and of course we were all told it would not. And the bill, my house bill 1210, would prevent that for any insurance company to provide abortion coverage under federal health care bill. This [amendment] would open that window and I would ask you to oppose this amendment.

I just want you to think about this, in my view, giant loophole that could be created where someone who could — now i want to be careful, I don’t want to disparage in any way someone who has gone through the experience of a rape or incest — but someone who is desirous of an abortion could simply say that they’ve been raped or there’s incest.

Leave it up to a Republican male, to determine what’s right for the women of this country.

Categories
Democratic Illinois Indiana Politics Republican Wisconsin

Democrats Win One. Controversial Union Language in Bill Dropped

No, I’m not talking about the language against unions in Wisconsin, I’m talking about the language against unions in Indiana. After the Republican majority in Indiana tried to pass the same anti-union bill being debated in Wisconsin, Indiana Democrats fled the state to avoid the vote. Well, it will appear that their antics worked, because according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, House Republicans in Indiana have decided to dropped the language in the bill that would have reduced the amount of union members in the state. The Wall Street Jorunal Reports;

The speaker of Indiana’s House of Representatives said he and Republican colleagues are dropping a controversial labor bill that caused Democratic representatives to flee to Illinois, but the Democrats said they’re not returning to Indiana for now. Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said the so-called right-to-work legislation is dead and will not be reintroduced during this session of the Indiana House. Democrats felt so strongly about that bill that they went to Urbana, Ill., Tuesday so that Republicans couldn’t achieve a quorum to vote on the bill.

But then again.  This could very well be a ploy by House Republicans to get the Democratic congress back in an effort to trick them into voting for the bill. Read the Wall Street Report Here

Categories
Featured Indiana Indiana Attorney General Wisconsin Union Bashing

Stupid Attorney General Fired For Stupid Dumb Tweet

Regardless of your political leanings, no one should ever advocate the killing of American citizens exercising their right to peaceful assembly and free speech. But that is exactly what an Indiana Deputy Attorney General suggested as a way to clear the masses protesting in Wisconsin against Governor Scott Walker’s attempt to silence the unions in his state.

“Use live ammunition” was the tweet of Attorney General Jeff Cox, who also said that the demonstrators were “political enemies” and “thugs!” Well, just hours after the news of this tweeting fool broke, appropriate action was taken in Indiana, and Mr. Cox is now on the unemployment line. According to reports from IndyStar;

Earlier today, the attorney general’s office said it was investigating whether Cox had sent the tweet and said it was a serious matter.

This afternoon, the office issued a statement saying Cox was no longer employed there. The office said it had conducted “a thorough and expeditious review” after it learned of the Mother Jones article.

“Civility and courtesy toward all members of the public are very important to the Indiana Attorney General’s office. We respect individual’s First Amendment right to express their personal views on private online forums, but as public servants we are held by the public to a higher standard, and we should strive for civility,” the office said in a statement.

Read the full report here

Categories
Featured Indiana Republican twitter Wisconsin Wisconsin Union Bashing

Republican Attorney General Advises Use of Deadly Force on Wisconsin Protesters

Classic that it should come down to this. Like all dictators who can’t control the opposing masses, an attorney general in Indiana is advising that Republican Wisconsin governor Scott Walker to use deadly force against his  citizens. His exact words, “use live ammunition.”

Mother Jones reports:

On Saturday night, when Mother Jones staffers tweeted a report that riot police might soon sweep demonstrators out of the Wisconsin capitol building—something that didn’t end up happening—one Twitter user sent out a chilling public response: “Use live ammunition.”

From my own Twitter account, I confronted the user, JCCentCom. He tweeted back that the demonstrators were “political enemies” and “thugs” who were “physically threatening legally elected officials.” In response to such behavior, he said, “You’re damned right I advocate deadly force.” He later called me a “typical leftist,” adding, “liberals hate police.”

Only later did we realize that JCCentCom was a deputy attorney general for the state of Indiana.

The freedom of speech and assembly granted in the constitution means absolutely nothing to these Republicans. But advocating use of deadly force against United States citizens is another low no one would have ever expected. But then again, we are talking about elected officials who have  put corporations above human lives.

Read the Mother Jones report here.

Categories
Domestic Policies Indiana New York United States

Auto Bailout Worked – General Motors Shares its Profits with Employees

Most would consider this good news, but those wishing for America’s destruction simply for political gains will not be happy over this. General Motors, the company that received $50 billion from tax payers in the form of a “bail-out,” has recovered to the point where they are now giving checks in the amount of $4,000 or more, to 45,000 hourly American workers through profit sharing.

The New York Times reports;

The checks will be worth “upwards of $4,000,” a G.M. spokeswoman, Sherrie Childers-Arb, said. That is more than double the company’s previous record of $1,775, paid in 2000.

About 3,000 G.M. workers at four plants in New York, Michigan and Indiana that were formerly part of the Delphi Corporation will receive about $3,000 each.

In all, G.M. will give at least $189 million of its profit back to plant workers.

If Republicans had their way, General Motors would have been a faint memory, causing hundreds of thousand to loose their jobs. Since receiving the bailout, GM has recovered, restructured its product and the company’s goals. Between January and September of 2010 GM saw profits of $4.2 billion.

Read the New York Time’s report here.

Exit mobile version