"Civil Discourse Now" was scheduled to stream live this morning from the Athanaeum, downtown. Unfortunately, weather forecasters overlooked a storm front. A lot more snow was dropped on Indianapolis than predicted, and the folks at the Athenaeum will not open until later in the day. Consequently, we will stream live from our good old "undisclosed" location, from 11 am to 1 pm. Gary Welsh will be our guest panelist, if he can manage to navigate his Bradley Armored Personnel Carrier through the Ballard-maintained streets of Indy.

   In the meantime, over at "Ogden on Politics," Paul Ogden, once again, has mis-read his tea leaves. He claims Indianapolis Mayor Ballard is "liberal" for our erstwhile mayor's tax-and-spend activities.

   "Liberal" is defined as "favorable to progress or reform, as in religious or political affairs." American College Dictionary, 1962 ed., p. 702. Mayor Greg Ballard is not "liberal." Mayor Greg Ballard is corrupt---"dishonest; without integrity..." Ibid. at p. 273. In 2007, Ballard ran on a platform of---what? He implied he would bring in a breath of fresh air, as compared to Bart Peterson. Instead, Mayor Ballard has become as much a source of public funds to friends as Mayor Daley I of Chicago. In that regard, Ballard was dishonest to the people of Indianapolis. There are people who would say Daley I's administration was anything but "liberal"---e.g., his treatment of racial problems in Chicago, his police attacks on demonstrators during the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

   Unfortunately, corruption is a bipartisan quality. Corruption is not limited to any single political party. So, Paul Ogden is incorrect to label Mayor Ballard's policies as "liberal." Mayor Ballard is corrupt, not liberal.

   Now---will someone, with more than an ounce of integrity and ability pleasePleasePLEASE announce her or his candidacy for Mayor to oust Ballard? Okay---an ounce is enough. Anything would beat this incumbent for ability and integrity. The guy is no liberal---or conservative.