Yesterday, in his widely-read “Ogden on Politics,” Paul Ogden wrote about my recent blogs about David Ford’s campaign for the Democratic Party nomination in the 5th Congressional District. As is often the case, Mr. Ogden has missed the point of my argument.

   Mr. Ogden initially alleges “Mark Small pens another article suggesting that David Ford ... is, gasp, a supporter of the Tea Party, and, therefore, not a real Democrat.” This is not an accurate summary of my argument. My…

   Everyone has a right to believe as she or he wishes to believe. There also is a concept of truth. In the context of elections, we should expect politicians to tell us what their stands are on issues. At the very least, when a candidate is asked if she or he embraces a particular philosophy or is for or against a stand on a specific issue, the candidate should answer, and answer truthfully.

   In 1960, JFK ran, in part, on the issue of a "missile gap" that did not exist. In 1968,…

   We stream Civil Discourse Now "live" from 11 am to 1 pm each Saturday. You can catch The Show through "Indiana Talks" or Face Book. Our regular features---Kimann Schultz provides her "Fashion News & Muse"; Brandon gives his take on sports, and in "Tail of the City," the ever-corrupt Mayor Mallard uses TIFs to bilk the citizens of the fictional Marionville, Indiana. We will stream from Claude & Annie's at 9251 East 141st Street in Fishers. One of our guests will be Greg Purvis,…

   Allen Ray Davidson and Shawn Denny are candidates in the May 6 primary to be the Democratic Party’s nominee to run against the incumbent, Susan Brooks, for the 5th Congressional District. Mr. Davidson and Mr. Denney accepted our invitation to debate this Saturday, April 26, at Claude & Annie’s, 9251 East 141st Street, Fishers. The debate will commence at noon. We stream from 11 am to 1 pm. During the first half of The Show, we will air our weekly segments from Kimann Schultz, “Fashion…

   Fox News seems to have launched a new reality TV show. Broadcast in Nevada, the central character is a rancher who wants to opt out of payment of fees other ranchers pay to graze their cattle on surrounding land. Cliven Bundy claims "ancestral rights" to the land. He owes over a million dollars in fines and penalties for his use of Federal lands. I am glad Fox News does not consider Cliven to be a welfare "deadbeat"!

   Cliven is an enlightened man, too. Here are his…

   On Saturday, April 26, we shall stream live from Claude & Annie's, just west of SR 37 on 141st Street in Fishers. Democratic Party candidates on the May 6 primary ballot will debate issues from noon to 1 pm. Allen Ray Davidson, Shawn Denney and David Ford---I did that in alphabetical order; I'll mix up the order so the three each will be the first, middle and last at various points in the asking of questions---will discuss issues and answer questions. I will moderate. Matt Stone will…

   from JD's Grille and Bar, 2210 East 54th Street, we shall stream today's Show from 11 am to 1 pm.

   Mike Claytor is seeking nomination of the Democratic Party for the office of Auditor of Indiana. For that office, "major" political parties nominate candidates through their state convention, not through the primary May 6. Mike has accepted our invitation to appear on Saturday's Show, introduce himself to the voters, and discuss issues he sees as germane to the race for his…

   On April 7 I blogged a challenge to candidates for public office, in the event a candidate is elected, the candidate will either refuse to accept passes to suites at Colts or Pacers games or at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, or donate any such proffered passes to charity.

   I like sports. I like watching basketball---I was born in Indiana. I would like to quit watching NFL games. The brain damage to players has been shown to be lethal. And I have listened to the Indianapolis 500…

   David Russ is a candidate for the Indiana House of Representatives, District 39 in the Democratic Party primary on May 6. The incumbent in that district is Republican Jerry Torr.  Patrick Lockhart is a candidate for Indiana House District 91 in the Democratic Party primary. The incumbent in that race is Republican Robert Behning. Both Mr. Russ and Mr. Lockhart will be guests on Civil Discourse Now this Saturday, April 19, 11 am to 1 pm as we stream live from JT's Grill and Bar, 2210 East…

   The Foundry, located at 236 East 16th Street, corner of 16th and Alabama, will be the location for today's Show, streamed live from 11 am to 1 pm. We shot there a few weeks ago and the place and people were so cool, we had to return.

   The Indianapolis International Film Festival will take place July 17-26 this summer. We have covered the Festival the past two years and had fun each year. Each year, though, we were jumping into things half-way through. Event organizers were very…

   Percentage-wise, few people get seats to luxury suits at Pacers and Colts games. Indianapolis Motor Speedway has probably more suites with larger seating capacity.

   Elected political officials receive free tickets for these luxury accommodations. Maybe the politicians are friends of the owners. Those owners have sought public funds for various aspects of their operations. The politicians vote on those funds. This is at least an appearance of impropriety and wrong.

   This…

   Humans are given less consideration each day. Corporations have been given powers and rights about which the Framers of our Constitution and early leaders of the United States warned. James Madison “feared that the spirit of speculation’ would lead to ‘a government operating by corrupt influence, substituting the motive of private interest in place of public duty.’” FN 1. Andrew Jackson vetoed recharter of the Second National Bank because the Act “seems to be predicated on the erroneous…

   Senator Mike Delph made the news a lot this past session of the Indiana General Assembly. His remarks were held in such low esteem by his Republican colleagues, he was banished to the Democratic Party's side of the aisle. The man who wanted to retain the second part of the amendment that would have memorialized discrimination in our Indiana Constitution has an opponent in the November election. J.D. Ford will be our guest on "Civil Discourse Now," as we stream live, 11 am to 1 pm, from…

   Whatever office you seek in Indiana and whatever party---or none---of which you are a member, you are invited to be on "Civil Discourse Now." Please contact me at marksmall2001 at yahoo dot com.