In 1974 I helped register voters at the Howard County 4-H Fair. Each of the two “major” political parties had a tent with volunteers trying to get as many eligible people as possible registered. In 2006, in Washington Twp 21-01, both D’s & R’s worked together to help people vote. 1/5

Today a friend called, then sent a screen-shot of an application for an absentee ballot she received from the Democratic Party. I want to know if the Indiana GOP is sending out any non-partisan info…

In November, the office of Indiana Secretary Indiana Secretary of State (“SoS”), established by IN’s Constitution, Art. 6, § 1, will be on the ballot. Our system of government depends upon our right to vote being safe. Indiana’s SoS is IN’s chief elections officer. I.C. 3-6-3.7-1. 1/5



In 2020, Connie Lawson, a Republican, was SoS and there were no credible complaints of voting irregularities. Destiny Wells, Democratic Party candidate for SofS, is a combat veteran who has been…

I'll attach to this blog/tweet, in PDF info that Jason Straw, head of Indiana NORML, sent out in regard to the Summer Cannabis Study at the Indiana Statehouse. And no, this is not like when a friend of mine snuck into the House Chambers and fired up a joint. 1/3

Why anyone has to discuss the matter is a bit absurd. They originally were to meet in Room 403, but needed a bigger room. Last I heard, it was 420. 2/3

I’m Mark Small, and I've argued for legalizing all drugs since…

Grace & civility R qualities all-too-rare. Online ppl sometimes aren’t real & this can lead to real ppl being treated as objects. Friday 9/16 I addressed folks who commented about my speaking on 9/15 at the Governor’s Mansion where ppl protested IN’s absurd abortion law. 1/3

Photographer Leif Ostara wrote several such comments. On 9/18 he posted this: “I’m sorry you were so offended. I think you’re very interesting and I meant no offense. I’m a bit of a wingnut myself.” I…

In 9/18 email, IN GOP chair Kyle Hupfer, w/subject line of “Socialism? In Indiana?” claimed Democrats want to change our freedom-loving way of life “to America becoming a socialist country.” Hupfer doesn’t define the scary term, “socialism,” but saysDems roll “their eyes 1/6

at our constitutional principles of free speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms.” FL has election police, MAGA ppl want theocracy & the 2nd Amend is bastardized by the GOP. Hupfer’s…

When trump made fun a reporter’s disability in 2016, many were appalled. This past Thursday I would have been glad to talk w/ppl, who took issue with my speaking about IN’s new abortion law, at the Governor’s Mansion. Photographer Leif Ostara wrote he didn’t “know this 1/5

dude's name” but “he's super wingnutty” like “a cross betw John C. Reilly and Henry Winkler.” Ostara yelped “Yikes!” after a Jordan Trachtenberg’s cursory search found a website that listed no platform for me. Sara…

Several ppl expressed dismay, after the protest outside the Governor’s Mansion on 09/15/22, that I do not have a platform. One person wrote “Yikes.” In February I posted my platform on my blog & Twitter in February. So, here are the issues I listed w/my stand. 1/5

1) Women’s reproductive rts: codify provisions of Roe. 2) Education: restore academic freedom of our pub school teachers & end vouchers. 3) Economic policies: repeal IN TIF statute + stop public subsidies to pro…

Stats show that immigrants commit far fewer crimes, work harder & do more for communities where they live than people born in the USA. FL & TX are cruel in sending, via false pretenses (a/k/a lies) immigrants to Massachusetts. We want those ppl in Indiana. 1/2

Hoosier Hospitality should be more than a catch-phrase for commercials. I’m Mark Small: pro-choice, pro-separation of church & State, anti-gun GOP nominee (I won the primary) for Indiana House Distr 86. I approve of…

Tomorrow I’ll speak outside the Governor’s Mansion at a rally to protest Indiana’s abortion law, enacted after a Supreme Court with impaired legitimacy overturned Roe v Wade. Lee Atwater set abortion as a key issue, though few in history have seen abortion as wrong (read Roe). 1/5

Atwater said racism could fly if the GOP swapped out divisive terms (like racial expletives) with race-neutral terms like “busing.” Atwater’s plans used white supremacy & fascism founded in a weird…

The Constitution created a framework for gov’t. The first 10 amendments, called the Bill of Rights, were added soon after The Constitution was ratified to allay the fears of some who felt a Bill of Rights was necessary. The Civil War amendments, 13-15, broadened protections. 1/6

The First Amendment (“1A”): (a) protects us from & practice of religion; & (b) protects speech & right of association. 2A protects the right of the people to have armed militias. Recently 1A &…

Basis for Indiana’s Open Door Law, enacted in 1977 & amended several times, is in American const’l representative gov’t, the ppl are entitled to full & complete info on affairs of gov’t & official acts of public officials and employees. I.C. 5-14-3-1. But the door’s not so “open.” 1/5

Example: a public agency can publish its agenda ahead of a scheduled meeting, but an agenda is not required. I.C. § 5-14-1.5-4. Both the Hamilton County Commissioners and the Hamilton East…

On 9/8/22 Hamilton East Public Library (“ideas live here”) w/neither fanfare nor public notice, inserted a new member into its board. Micah Beckwith’s appointment should have been subject to public comment. In his scramble for political power he has let some know his views. 1/5

Beckwith does selfie videos in his car. On 10/24/19, he claimed those who say there is a wall of separation betw church & State just don’t know our history, but Beckwith quotes Jefferson, who is credited…

Followers of trump follow a racist. Today, 09/07/22, portraits of President and Mrs Obama were unveiled in The White House. Such unveilings have been a tradition since 1978, but the tradition was skipped 2017-21. Tee times & meetings with dictator/pals weren’t so time-intensive. 1/4

A real “tell”: Moscow’s favorite “plant” hung a portrait of POTUS #7, Andrew Jackson, in The Oval Office. Jackson was a slaveholder and was a leading force in the genocide of the indigenous peoples.…

trump’s time in the Oval Office was illegitimate. Claims that Russia planted trump’s fat ass behind the Resolute desk do not fall in the category of “hoax.” trump openly courted Russia’s help during a debate with Secretary Clinton. Speaker Paul Ryan admitted Russia’s actions. 1/4

U.S. military spends a ton of money on computers and on recruiting based on teaching recruits computer skills. The rest of the World (and Russia) have laughed at us because Putin’s theft of the Oval Office…

A few dozen masked, heavily armed thugs marched downtown in Indy a couple of days ago, in a show of what they apparently saw as “guts.” They hid their faces behind masks. If they want to spew their hate-filled rhetoric, they should remove their masks. Until then they can stuff it. 1/5

Next, Isaac Asimov wrote violence is “the last resort of the incompetent.” If you need a gun to make your point, you don’t have a point. Guns didn’t win this country liberty. British debt & her…

The “Justice Center” that houses the court systems of Marion County/Indianapolis is a marvel of absolutely bad planning. First it guts part of downtown Indy by moving, a couple of miles south east, our courts. A lot of jobs went with the building. There is a vacuum on Market Street. 1/4

Second, the building is sterile. Apparently designed by the same architects as designed the Indy airport, one has the impression that flight information will be on the videos. Third, there is no common…

Indiana Atty General Todd Rokita is claiming victory in a case he did not “win.” An email from Rokita’s office claims he won “dismissal of a lawsuit challenging” Indiana’s law requiring drs, hospitals & abortion clinics to report 25 complications to the Dept of Health. 1/5

The order is a stipulation of dismissal “without prejudice”: i.e. it can be re-filed. At best for Rokita 1:18-cv-01219 is a “tie” at the end of the half w/control & degradation of women, not improved health…

Hey! It’s another sunny Saturday afternoon and, since I’ve not heard that hell has frozen over or that pigs have acquired the ability to fly, this iteration of the GOP has not announced any plan to eliminate, or even simply reduce, mass shootings. We should be real on this issue. 1/5

The people yelling loudest about rights to guns in many instances are trying to deprive women of reproductive rights, deprive many of us our right to be free from one specific religion, and the whole…

On 8/23/22, John Schmitz aired “smalltalk,” my segment of about 3 minutes on his podcast “Mouthwash.” I try to relate my talk to John’s topic. On 8/23 the guest, artist Theodore Winters, had painted an Indiana diner in an American flag motif after an officer was killed. 1/5

You can look up the work on-line. Since the mural involves free expression & the flag, I spoke of burning the flag as protest. Mr Winters was chagrined because, he said, the flag represents all of us &…

This iteration of the Republican Party hawks policy positions so its MAGA followers believe up is down and “right” isn’t what you think it is. The GOP lauds itself as “pro-life,” but embraces policies that kill a hell of a lot of people. Mass shootings at schools don’t concern the GOP. 1/5

No comprehensive plan to stop shootings is offered, but GOP Congress people wet themselves at the thought of NRA-incited throngs so the result: more kids die. This iteration of the GOP nearly…