Civil Discourse Now

Where the far left and far right overlap for fun and enlightenment

Mark Small's Blog (1,678)

Today's Debate at Claude & Annie's in Fishers: Shawn Denney and Allen Ray Davidson, Democratic Party candidates for 5th Congressional District.

   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,…

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Added by Mark Small on April 26, 2014 at 6:20am — No Comments

Saturday's debate between Allen Ray Davidson and Shawn Denny, but absent David Ford, who attempts a fraud on the electorate.

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 25, 2014 at 6:24am — No Comments

Al Bundy, Ted Bundy, this Bundy, and that Bundy's take on "the Negro."

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 24, 2014 at 6:10am — No Comments

5th Congressional District Democraticv Party candidates' debate Saturday at Claude & Annie's, Fishers, on "CDN," plus Greg Purvis.

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 22, 2014 at 6:02am — No Comments

JT's Grille and Bar: today's Show w/candidates, "Fashion News & Muse," Sports, "Tail of the City," and more.

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 19, 2014 at 6:23am — No Comments

Candidates pledge to refuse passes to suites---an update.

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 16, 2014 at 6:02am — No Comments

Candidates on the April 19 Show at JT's Grill and Bar.

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 15, 2014 at 5:52am — No Comments

"The Foundry," Indianapolis Int'l Film Festival and J.D. Ford, Democratic candidate for Indiana State Senate.

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 12, 2014 at 5:35am — No Comments

Challenge to candidates: turn down perquisites.

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 7, 2014 at 8:26pm — No Comments

Corporations score another "win," and people are less.

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 6, 2014 at 6:00am — No Comments

"The Sinking Ship," MLB predictions for 2014 and J.D. Ford, Democratic candidate for Indiana State Senate.

   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…

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Added by Mark Small on April 5, 2014 at 5:59am — No Comments

Candidates: take up our invitation to "Civil Discourse Now"!

   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.

Added by Mark Small on April 1, 2014 at 6:03am — No Comments

Today's Show: from Clarion West with candidates, the lawyer who argued the Voter ID case at the US Supreme Court, and MORE!

   Tune in from 11 am to 1 pm as we will have Congressional candidate Allen Davidson, Marion County judicial candidate David Hennessy, Lawyer Bill Groth who argued the Indiana Voter ID law to the United States Supreme Court, Kimann Schultz with "Fashion and Style," and---the inaugural episode of the satirical radio satire "Tale of the City"! Streamed from the Cabin Fever Weekend at Clarion Convention Center, just west of I-465 and just off Crawfordsville Road!

Added by Mark Small on March 29, 2014 at 6:21am — No Comments

Corruption in a Big City: Focus of a new segment of The Show.

   We have a newspaper that acts as a cheerleader for a Mayor who openly showers campaign backers with neat gifts. We use Tax Increment Finance ("TIF") districts---now banned by statute, as a local government funding mechanism in the State where they first were developed because they destroyed local economies---to create slush funds for a Mayor who seems to care only for the wealthy. There is no check on corruption---a plague that does not necessarily involve illegal conduct.

  On…

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Added by Mark Small on March 28, 2014 at 6:00am — No Comments

March 29 Show: streamed live from Clarion Waterfront Hotel during "Cabin Fever Weekend" sponsored by Coldcock Whiskey.

  Clarion Waterfront Hotel is on the west side of Indianapolis on Crawfordsville Road, just west of I-465 at 2930 West Waterfront Parkway. We stream live from 11 am to 1 pm on Indiana Talks dot com. A focal topic for The Show  will be legislative efforts to restrict voting rights.

   Our guest panelists include: Bill Groth, who litigated the Indiana "Voter ID" law before the United States Supreme Court; and a representative from the Marion County Clerk's Office, the office responsible…

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Added by Mark Small on March 26, 2014 at 5:48am — No Comments

Candidates in the May 6 primaries: an invitation to appear on "Civil Discourse Now."

   The primary elections of the two major political parties, as "major" political parties are defined by Indiana Code, will occur on Tuesday, May 6, 2014. Civil Discourse Now was started in the interest of fun and enlightenment. With primary elections---plural because more than one office is in play and more than one party is holding a primary---a few weeks away, it is important for voters to know the candidates from whom they can choose. If you are a candidate for an office in the May 6…

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Added by Mark Small on March 20, 2014 at 5:56am — No Comments

Brackets not printed in The Indianapolis Star: one of that paper's last functions gone.

   Every year for a long time my ritual on NCAA(r) picks Sunday---or whatever the formal brand name for the day has become---has involved watching the NCAA(r) draw of teams for the tournament and filling in the brackets on the form printed in The Indianapolis Star. I used to purchase of a copy of the Sunday Star, but after I graduated from law school I subscribed for home delivery of the daily publication then owned by the Pulliam family.

   A savvy lawyer in trust laws figured out…

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Added by Mark Small on March 17, 2014 at 5:40am — 1 Comment

March 22 Show: Wrap-up of the 2014 General Assembly with special guest panelists John Ketzenberger and Jon Easter, from the Antelope Club.

   We shall do a "wrap-up" of the 2014 Indiana General Assembly on Saturday, March 22, from 11 am to 1 pm. Our guest panelists will be John Ketzenberger and Jon Easter. CDN Senior Contributor Matt Stone also will be a panelist. CDN will stream live from the Antelope Club, 615 North Delaware Street.

  

Added by Mark Small on March 16, 2014 at 5:47am — 1 Comment

Call "Connect 2 Help" 211 hotline for help with a troubled child? You might invite DCS (f/k/a CPS) into your home and lives.

   Mayor Greg Ballard, in Indianapolis between jaunts overseas, has spoken out on how to address problems here in Indianapolis. Yesterday Mayor Ballard announced a new initiative---"Your Life Matters"---targeted, as noted by Indy Democrat blogger Jon Easter, "specifically towards troubled and at-risk young people." The Indianapolis daily newspaper noted: "Ballard pledged a $75,000 investment in the Connect 2 Help 211 telephone service. The nonprofit connects people, especially parents who…

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Added by Mark Small on March 13, 2014 at 6:08am — No Comments

Lack of pizza delivery as a gauge of the ways in which the Broad Ripple area has "slipped."

   On Monday evening, I stayed up late. I did not go to bed until nearly 10 p.m. As I have grown older, the wild days of youth, when I would stay up until 11 p.m., have faded.

   I was hungry and decided to order a pizza.

   Even several years ago, there were several choices for delivery. Noble Roman's deep-dish was a favorite. Bazbeaux's whole-wheat crust was healthy, tasty, and local. There were the corporate fall-backs---Pizza Hut and Domino's (and I know Noble Roman's…

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Added by Mark Small on March 12, 2014 at 5:43am — 1 Comment

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