A lot goes on in Purplest Indiana, mostly under the national radar. Yes, you heard about Richard Mourdock, but did you hear that he plans to run again? And do you know about the Rockport Coal Gasification Boondoogle? It's true: In Indiana, Carbon Taxes You. (I'm writing that Diary on the finances and politics of the deal now, along with one on the technology under the working title Unnatural Gas.) Hey, there is even a bit of good news on jobs and on shutting down a coal-fired plant!
Here are the most recent Indiana-related dKos Diaries. We have more coming.
Some of these Diaries are specific to Indiana. Some are about wider issues, with Indiana as an example, or with the impact in Indiana discussed. Some aggregate issues and stories, and may mention Indiana only in one of them. Let us know which are your favorites. And please consider letting us know about your state in the same way.
Format: Title, poster, date, #comments, #recs, #hotlists, quote or note
The War on Drugs Won't Go Quietly, So Let's Get Loud Virally Suppresed 03/06/2013 8 6 -
I have no background or training in shaking down meth labs in rural Indiana so I don't go about insisting that the local police implement the plans I might think are appropriate.
But you don't get it! The meth labs are part of the tornado protection belts around our towns that get hit first. %-[ (No,
they don't get it. Have you seen a tornado on meth? ^_^ or on Global Warming?)
Thank ALEC For Prison Labor Jeopardizing Small Businesses and Jobs – Nevada Latest Battleground Bob Sloan 03/05/2013 16 17 2
In Nevada, Florida, California, Indiana and most other states involved in this prison industry scam, they actively pursue hiring prisoners who already have the skills needed by the industry located at each prison…
Non-citizens could vote in 13 states tarheelian51 03/05/2013 5 2 -
Indiana -- until 1921
The Evening Blues - 3-5-13 joe shikspack 03/05/2013 75 19 -
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments in a seed patent infringement case that pits a small farmer from Indiana, 75-year old Vernon Hugh Bowman, against biotech goliath Monsanto.
Maybe Arming Teachers Is Not Such A Good Idea: Teacher has meltdown, writes gun threat on chalkboard Williston Barrett 03/04/2013 36 44 1
A) You are idiots!!!!!!!!
B) The guns are loaded!!!
C) Care to try me ?????????
Mitt Romney is back on the Marriott board and 3 months later the outsourcing starts Marriottoutsourced 03/04/2013 12 23 -
Remember that deal Gov. Mitch Daniels made with IBM to privatize welfare administration? The one that, despite ending up a total disaster riddled with waste and mismanagement, was costing the state millions each month?
Angela Mapes Turner, at Fort Wayne's Journal Gazette, revealed Sunday that IBM has continued to bill the state of Indiana since Oct. 15, when it was announced the contract would [be] terminated. The bill since then? Another $125 million.
The thief whose dreams were stolen. ruleoflaw 03/03/2013 19 58 1
A tale of immigrant families.
P-47D - 'Victory Through Air Power' shortfinals 03/03/2013 89 44 -
WW II plane assembled in Evansville IN. Some of my relatives built landing craft here in Indiana in WW II.
The GOP's Shameful Recent History on Rape ProgLegs 03/03/2013 5 7 -
Yes, Mourdock, of course. But how about this?
March 2011: Indiana State Rep. Eric Turner says women lie about rape in order to have an abortion:
"...someone who is desirous of an abortion could simply say that they’ve been raped or there’s incest."
because lying to the police is just so easy.
Three NYU professors call for all sports leagues to ban questions about sexual orientation Christian Dem in NC 03/02/2013 24 17 1
The three professors point out that sexual orientation is not a protected status for private employers in Indiana, where the NFL combine takes place.
This week in the War on Workers: Cablevision lawyers struggle to defend firing of 22 union activists Laura Clawson 03/02/2013 5 25 -
Chrysler is moving jobs to China investing in Indiana plants, to the tune of nearly $374 million and 1,250 jobs.
On Clueless Congressmen and Trans-vaginal Ultrasounds RH Reality Check 03/01/2013 3 5 -
Rep. Sean Duffy is a Republican congressman from Wisconsin, but you might remember him better from his days on Real World: Boston. Last week at a town hall, Rep. Duffy was asked whether he believed trans-vaginal ultrasounds should be mandatory for abortions, an issue that is currently up for debate in his home state of Wisconsin, as well as in Indiana. A bill mandating trans-vaginal ultrasounds was previously considered in Virginia, but ultimately defeated. Rep. Duffy responded by saying that he didn't know anything about the legislation, but couldn't comment on legislating a medical procedure that has been discussed at length in the news lately, other than to say that he "probably agrees" with it. But he doesn't really know because, he says, "I haven't had one."
Things that I have learned Gene Altshuler 03/01/2013 2 4 -
Mourdock again.
Report: Republican tax shifters wrong about states with no income taxes performing better Meteor Blades 03/01/2013 64 166 11
Across the South and Midwest—in Georgia, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Louisiana, Indiana, Kansas and elsewhere—Republican-dominated states seek to eliminate income taxes and replace part of them with regressive sales taxes. This would shift the tax burden to people in the lower earning tiers of the economy while at the same time reducing revenue for programs designed to assist those people.
The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy has a new report out—States with “High Rate” Income Taxes are Still Outperforming No-Tax States—which, if the authors were less polite would call the ALEC-Laffer claims bullshit.
Daily Kos Labor digest: Chrysler to create 1,250 jobs in Indiana Laura Clawson 02/28/2013 7 11 -
The automaker is spending $212 million on new equipment and tooling for three of its existing factories in Kokomo to produce eight-speed and nine-speed automatic transmissions. Chrysler is spending another $162 million to open a new transmission plant in the nearby town of Tipton that will produce an all-new nine-speed transmission.
Cheers and Jeers: Thursday Bill in Portland Maine 02/28/2013 249 65 1
Number of coal-fired power plants that American Electric Power will close in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky---replacing part of their power output with solar and wind projects in Michigan and Indiana---as part of an agreement with the government: 3
(Source: The Washington Post)
AR-01, IL-16, IN-08, NC-02: Club for Growth targets 9 "RINOs". pistolSO 02/27/2013 6 9 -
IN-08: Larry Bucshon. This is an R+8 district, and Romney won 58% of this Southwestern Indiana district often called "The Bloody 8th". For reference, Donnelly won this district with 50%. In 2012, Bucshon only won reelection with 53% of the vote to Dave Crooks winning 43%. The DCCC is likely going to watch this district too, and I have written on Bucshon's anti-choice views as I did a IN-08 diary before the 2012 election.
Indiana: Votes for Constitutional Convention & The ALEC Handbook War on Error 02/27/2013 7 6 1
Indiana would seek a U.S. constitutional convention — the first ever called by the states — under a measure that passed the Senate on Tuesday.
The idea is being pushed by Senate President Pro Tempore David Long. When the Fort Wayne Republican found himself under fire from conservatives and tea party activists for blocking bills that defy the federal government — bills Long said were unconstitutional — he came up with an answer: Rewrite the constitution.
See also
ALEC's Well-Written Handbook for States: How to change the US Constitution.
Cheers and Jeers: Wednesday Bill in Portland Maine 02/27/2013 256 60 -
JEERS to the war on women: round ??? (I've lost count). Republicans in the Indiana legislature have reluctantly decided that they're cutting the proposed number of mandatory transvaginal ultrasounds women will have to go through before they can take the RU-486 abortion pill from two unnecessary and invasive probes to one. Damn, this sequester is affecting everything.
Citylightslover adds
NOW, do y'all understand my need for Indianapolis Kossacks?!
Indiana Republicans graciously decide they're cool with just probing you the one time Kaili Joy Gray 02/26/2013 63 50 1
As Indiana Right to Life's spokeswoman insisted, [the bill is] "a huge improvement for women's health and safety." Suuuuuuure it is.
Chase Madar: Handcuffing Seven-Year-Olds Won't Make Schools Safer TomDispatch 02/26/2013 4 7 -
In fairness to the feds, similar kinds of local responses were already underway before the La Pierre-Boxer Axis of Tiny Handcuffs even arose. Across the country, from Florida and Connecticut to Tennessee, Indiana, and Arizona, despite tough budgetary times, municipal governments are now eagerly scrounging up the extra money for more metal detectors, surveillance cameras, and armed guards in schools. (The same thing happened after the Columbine shooting 14 years ago.) No one keeps national statistics, but arrests of the 10-and-under set do seem to be on the rise since Sandy Hook.
So it goes.