Word Games

I’m not a big fan of Republicans, in general, but Democratic radio ads in the state legislature races here in Northern Indiana are playing very fast and loose with their words.

The Indiana Toll Road was not “sold”, as the Democratic contenders contend, it was leased, and the terms of the lease guarantee its ongoing maintenance while the revenues derived from the lease fund today’s road projects. The difference between a sale and a lease is pretty simple to explain so to call it what it isn’t is not just unfair, its untrue.

These same Democratic contenders attempt to portray our state’s recent transition to daylight savings time in a negative light. I will not return to the dark ages of pre-DST. The streets will flow with the blood of the non-believers. Joining the 20th century by learning to “spring forward” and “fall back” is a bigger step for Hoosiers than many outsiders would believe. If you can’t hack it, move to Arizona.

State politics are not the hotbed of high concept, philosophical debates—they’re about getting things done. To that end, I must admit and affirm my support for Mitch Daniels, our Republican governor. He’s been able to slice through issues that stymied previous administrations. He stands for fiscal responsibility, which may explain his departure from the Bush administration’s Office of Management and Budget. Clearly his brand of “pay as you go” beliefs would fall on deaf ears in this deficit-driven era of spend-first, pay-later politics.