All of Indiana AG’s “rights, powers, and duties” are created by statute. I.C. § 4-6-1-6. Office of AG was created by statutes, in 1889, construed as giving the AG sole responsibility for the legal representation of the State. State ex rel Sendak v Marion Sup. Ct, 268 Ind. 3, 8 (Ind. 1978).

The AG shall consult with and advise Indiana prosecuting attorneys, and when, in the AG's judgment, the interest of the public requires it, attend, and assist in, the trial of any party accused of…

Indianapolis! With the NCAA women’s (congrats to IU!) and men’s basketball tournaments at play, we can see how capitalism plays out: like a single-elimination tournament with no re-set for the next season. Businesses do not like competition.

Republicans do not define “socialism,” but Oxford Languages does: “a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a…

Last evening on Facebook I pointed out, as I have consistently for the past couple of years, that we lack CDC-sponsored, peer-review studies on gun violence, particularly whether guns, overall, stop more violence than they cause.

A person posted a link to a CDC pamphlet- between 60K and 2+ million defensive gun usages (DGU) occur per year - and noted “CDC.” The person did not bother to look at the pamphlet. I did. The stats were from other sources, not CDC. More importantly?

We…

If guns prevent violent crimes, and the USA has nearly twice as many firearms per 100 people (120.5) as second place (Falkland Islands, 62.1; Small Firearms Report, 2017), we should have virtually NO violent crime.

Maybe the problem is those pesky “gun-free zones” where peace-loving people, in disregard of the violence they cause, shilly-shally about. Some examples of “gun-free zones” are the NRA’s annual convention, CPAC, and my living room. Okay, well then...

Maybe the…

Gun nuts, those who value guns uber alles, have an odd habit, after a mass shooting. Gun nuts scorn those who question gun nuts’ odd interpretation of the 2nd Amendment. Implicit is the idea that gun violence only can be addressed in the absence of mass shootings.

Freedom of speech necessarily includes the right to call for gun control. To be clear, residents of Tombstone, Arizona, and Dodge City, Kansas, enacted strict laws and restricted guns. If guns prevent gun violence, the USA…

We are stewards of the Earth, in our care for each other and for future generations. To protect the environment is not a silly amusement but a matter of our survival. If pollution is good, then why do owners of sources of toxins not live downwind from their creations?

The less-than-middle-class white people who still support trump are far (1) less likely to benefit from tax cuts he gave the billionaire class (of which he is not a member) and (2) more likely to die earlier from COVID…

Two corporations write the laws to determine who writes the laws. Heywood Broun said media aren’t biased toward big business; the media are big business. The two major political parties go beyond bias toward corporatism. They are impenetrable corporations.

For a light read: Developments in the State Regulation of Major and Minor Political Parties, 82 Cornell LRev 109 (1996). “[P]olitical scientists have found that the Democrats and Republicans ‘have built themselves virtually…

John Schmitz, both a Client and a friend of mine, invited me, Chris Moore and Robert Croddy to be guests for last evening’s episode of Mr Schmitz’s podcast “Mouthwash.” Mr. Croddy was an early supporter of number 45 who was given the 86 by the American electorate.

Our topic was: “the fix is in, ‘fairness in elections.’” The context: the March 6 Marion County GOP caucus. All four participants are precinct committee people (PCs) and had attended the caucus, where Mr. Schmitz staged an…

Corporations are not evil. “A corporation is an artificial being, invisible, intangible, and existing only in contemplation of law ... [I]t possesses only those properties which the charter of its creation confers upon it.” Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward, 17 U.S. 518, 536 (1819).

Problem 1: that second “only” can be dropped. Problem 2: shares of corporations can be owned by any person or corporation. Problem 3: after Citizens United Money can spend on elections without much…

A new administration can change priorities and policies. Our military budget makes up 37% of the World’s military budget and needs to be cut because 1) It makes us less secure; 2) Its use is based on lies; 3) It robs our economy; and 4) trump sold our secrets.

1) People of other countries hate us because we bomb them and others without concern. The 911 attacks largely were carried out by Saudi nationals as a response to our incursion in the Middle East for Gulf War I - an action we…

“You can’t be moral if you’re not Christian.” These words express an arrogant belief about the certainty of existence and is a kind of belief, held by a few who are adherents of “dominionism”, that would exclude any but its adherents from political power.

There are a lot of problems with this specific interpretation of a system of beliefs. If a poll were taken, I believe a majority of people who identify as Christian, would say this view appals them, but the Falwells and trumps of the…

“Guns” and “fight tyranny” might not show up in proximity to one another with great frequency in a Google search, but their joinder has been a constant theme from those who advocate a right to own firearms by individuals.

The idea has been that the ultimate way to fight tyranny is for individuals to own guns. This is nothing more than 3-card monte, a sleight-of-hand where distraction wins the real thing. Now we know “guns” and “fight tyranny” really belong together, but not as…

Our country is supposed to function on the basic principles of majority rule in open and fair elections. A fringe of the latest iteration of the GOP has made much of the (patently false) claim that voter fraud has cost GOP candidates offices.

On Saturday, March 6, we witnessed the rather primitive play of power in the Marion County GOP’s election of Joe Elsener as County chair. Mr Elsener was a last-minute candidate chosen for the party by a hierarchy immune from popular checks. (Look…

Saturday, March 6: Marion County GOP Precinct Committee people (PCs) caucused to elect a County chair. In a February 26 letter to Marion County PCs, State GOP chair Kyle Hupfer wrote “this is something I usually don’t do.” He said he’d kept mum for 4 years.

He said “I trust our grassroots leaders to make the right decisions for their own community.” And then he says he wants his “letter to be one point of reference as you decide how to vote.” He then says the state party has an…

This morning the Marion County GOP chooses its chair person. This offers an opportunity for a major political party, as defined by Indiana statute, to make inroads, even if only symbolic, on the systemic corruption of our political system. I challenge the 3 candidates to promise:

1) To seek an end to slating fees for candidates who seek nomination for local office. Slating fees are a form of tribute people pay to be considered as a candidate for local office. Few see any return on…

Indiana GOP oligarchs couldn’t get the Indiana General Assembly to change a statute so their first pick for Marion County GOP chair could hold that job AND a gov’t daytime job. Their next first pick, Joe Elsener, will be absent for the March 6 caucus to attend a wedding in Nebraska. So Marion County GOP: (1) wants to recruit candidates & get new people in the County GOP; but (2) shoves aside people who challenged their first party hack in favor of a second choice hack.

Marion…

On Saturday the Marion County (Indianapolis) GOP will elect a new chair person. The County has grown more diverse. As a result its people have adopted views that are more progressive and have tended to cast votes more “blue.”

In 2020 Biden/Harris won Marion County with 63%. Joe Elsener is the candidate preferred by State GOP leaders. To reclaim Marion County elective offices, Mr Elsener said the County GOP has to recruit candidates for office and raise money.

In a letter Mr…

To his credit, John Schmitz (1) said the GOP needs to look more like people in the rest of Marion County (i.e., not all white) and (2) argued it is unfair that the State GOP has given its support to one candidate (not John or Alex Henby).

Alex scored a metaphorical knock-down in the 4th round by saying the slating system should be scrapped. Joe Elsener played it safe, although he talked about “grass roots” so much one would think he’s in lawn care.

Disconcerting was Mr…

Tonight the three candidates for Marion County GOP Chair participate in a forum as a lead-up to Saturday’s election. The party’s focus has been on who can raise the most money so the GOP here can once more be relevant.

Times - and demographics - change, as should the Marion County GOP. One local matter to address is corruption. The Marion County GOP can gain traction against corruption if it requires any candidate for office in Marion County or Indianapolis to agree she or he will…

The Republican Party (GOP) of Marion County (Indianapolis) elects a chairperson March 6, this Saturday. Tonight the three candidates will discuss various topics that seem to circle around a single theme: how to “win.” Here’s the formula to achieve those wins.

1) GET PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE. I did not write “get our people registered to vote.” Everybody, in both major parties, all “third” parties, independents, should have a goal of 100% of eligible voters registered. Why?

In…