Northwest Indiana Comical Politics

Indiana's Obama Campaign is Sinking Fast

Senator Barack Obama was finally in Northwest Indiana (NWI) today, speaking in Munster, Indiana.  Maybe it was just me, but it seemed as if the people of NWI had little care for this fact.  His appearance might be described as "elitist" considering that it was by invitation only, which means it was a controlled small audience.  He spoke in a town, Munster, which leans heavily Republican, and more importantly is a non-union, non-Hispanic, and non-African-American town.  Citizens in Munster will vote in the Democratic primary, because that is where the fun is, but they will vote for Hillary Clinton not Barack Obama.  And these same people who vote for Hillary in the primary will not necessarily vote for her (or the Democratic presidential nominee) in the fall. 

        The latest poll, from today, shows that Obama is trailing Clinton by 3 % in Lake County and she has the rest of the State.  The largest Democratic vote in Indiana is in Marion County, i.e. Indianapolis, and here in NWI, in particular Lake County.  For Democrats, the primary is won or lost in these two counties.  The reality of the demographics of Indiana is that they favor traditional Democratic candidates during the primary season.  One of the sad realities about the State of Indiana is that it has one of the lowest rate, forty-sixth in the Country, of individuals with a college education.  There is no question that this is quickly becoming Hillary Clinton land.

        Lake County is the most tribal political area in the Country, even surpassing Chicago.  Most of the white voters in the NWI are (sarcasm alert) the gun toting, religion loving, union workers that Obama detests.  He has already indicated his distaste by characterizing them as "bitter."  They are going to be bitter when they vote against him because what really makes them exceptionally bitter is his "spiritual mentor.” 

One thing that is true in Lake County that was not the case in Pennsylvania is that people here in fact are familiar with Rev. Jeremiah Wright's ideology of America.  Why?  Well, it is not just about proximity to Chicago, there is probably a good deal of Rev. Wright's ideology peddled in Gary, Indiana as well (in fact, Lake County, Indiana, is one of the most de facto segregated areas in the United States and if we are to believe Rev. Wright's NAACP speech that is how it should be given those left-brain, right-brain learning differences he espouses).

The only group that will vote un-equivocally for Senator Obama is the African-Americans in Gary and Indianapolis.  That is a given; Obama has been getting approximately 90% of the black vote and there is nothing (even Jeremiah Wright) that appears able to hurt him with that voting demographic.  But statewide, African-Americans only make up about 9% of the overall population.  Gary as usual will fudge the numbers up; but not enough to make a real difference.

Lake County has the highest concentration of Hispanics in Indiana.  Although their turnout generally is low, it will probably be relatively good for this primary because there is a real effort to energize that Hispanic base, especially by Senator Clinton.  Hispanics, in the aggregate, are more likely to vote for Clinton than for Obama.  Some of this has to do with a general distrust by Hispanics of African-American politicians; when Blacks have won positions of power politically in Lake County the perception of Hispanic is that they have had no interest in Hispanic issues, only in getting their vote.  This does not help Obama with that voting demographic. 

On top of all this is the growing perception that Senator Obama's campaign is over.  The "spiritual adviser" of twenty years, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, has shown the reality of what Obama had to commit to so as to get elected in the City of Chicago.  There is nothing that Obama can say to put him outside this belief system that is not going to be strictly opportunistic.

Especially in NWI and Lake County, no one believes that he did not know about Wright's ideas.  Even if they continue to support Obama, they just do not find the Obama "I did not know" defense a credible argument.

Obama, as opposed to Clinton, has had to spend all of his time shoring up his national campaign.  National TV shows that he is currently doing to brace his campaign is of little value in Lake County.  The only thing he has going for him is that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright decided to wait until April/May to go public.  If this had happened in February, there would not be an Obama campaign.

However, it is clear though that the Obama campaign does have a lot of throw away money.  He cannot be here; but his campaign has spent a fortune on mailings.  In Lake County everyone is so used to this that it really is of little electoral consequence; but Hillary's walking door to door here is a Lake County political tradition that does carry weight.

Finally, in the NWI primary, especially Lake County, almost no one votes in the Republican primary, The reason for this is that no one ever runs in the Republican Party in Lake County, because the County is completely controlled by Democrats.  On the Republican side there is not a single contested race.  What occurs in most primaries is that independents and Republicans will, as usual, vote in the Democratic primary.  This will be a good chunk, approximately 25%, of the vote and the majority of it will go to Senator Clinton.  When the general election occurs, most of these people will all vote for McCain.  Indiana is one of the best states for the voters splitting their ballots in the general election.  The president is always Republican and the Congressional delegation is a mixture, even tending toward liberal Democrats.

Five days out, I would project that Senator Clinton will take Indiana by over 10%.  Seeing the disintegration of the Obama campaign in Lake County, a stone's throw from his home, I would further project that Hillary Clinton will beat Obama in North Carolina, or come close enough to count as a win for her.  If these predictions occur, although it is too late to change the delegate numbers, it does comport to the fact that Obama is un-electable.

It's the People, Stupid!!!

This past Saturday night (1/26/08) at the Black & White Ball, which honors and raises funds for the Ophilia Steen Center in Hammond, I was asked by a local politician why he had not heard from me for a while, i.e. no new commentaries. 

Honestly, I really couldn't answer the question as there was no particular reason.  I thought about it afterward and wondered -- only for a moment -- why I had not been pursuing the usual corruption and bad management of Lake County (and Northwest Indiana) with my usual zeal.  After all, it is not as if there isn't plenty to write about (such as publicly funded "educational" materials to promote the South Shore -- I mean, really, just how long did the various public officials dishing the -- these were educational materials -- have to practice that line before they could say it with a straight face).  But I digress.  Then I read a recent blog by Mr. Jerry Davich and I knew exactly what he was talking about.

Jerry Davich of the Post-Tribune Newspaper wrote what is probably the best piece recently of why it is not worth someone's time to write about politics in NWI, especially Lake County. Of course, I firmly believe that I'll pick up the "pen is mightier than the sword" motto once again and start writing away.  But, still, what he said struck me as the cold, hard truth. 

This is his piece: It's the People!!!

Lake County Needs to Continue the American Revolution

Traditional American political values always presumed that the best government was the one closest to the people.  The reason for this is that government close to the people would be more easily controlled and influenced by the citizens, whose lives the elected officials effected.

To keep elected officials under control, i.e. ensuring the people's interests, especially when it came to taxes, the citizens would directly, i.e face-to-face, confront their neighbors, the elected officials.  It was not uncommon for American citizens to picket and harass the elected official at their homes to demand explanation or a retraction, especially when it came to taxes.  Remember the elected officials are the citizens' neighbors and essentially their employees.  In many cases to make sure the elected official understood where the people stood, the citizens, i.e. the people, would not be beyond giving a good spanking or whipping to the elected official, or even burning the wayward elected official's house down (for those who doubt me, an excellent book, The Patriots, detail many such instances).

Although it sure would feel good and would be well deserved by our elected officials, I am not suggesting extreme actions against the Lake County Council members who voted for a 33% increase in our income tax as our 2007 holiday present. 

Nonetheless, there should be no opposition to any jurisdiction arresting Councilman Will Smith on general principles.  Since he is a convicted felon, a low-life criminal, one can be sure that he has committed many more crimes for which he has not been convicted.  So a little more time in jail, especially on Friday, can only equalize the scale of justice.  The only reason he is at the Council voting is the deal he has made with the "mayors" to get a job when he returns from the Federal penitentiary.  (Maybe he is in line to help Mayor Rudy Clay's son take pictures for an additional $25,000 per year.  It is true that picture taking is back-breaking work and Rudy is in line for the best dressed mayor award with the mayor of Detroit.  G-d help us all.)

It is going to be a very, very sad day for Lake County when the one man, Fran DuPey, serving in an elected position in Lake County Government retires.  The only person with guts in that whole building is Commissioner DuPey.  I have said that from my first writing about NWI, over ten years ago, and amazingly it still holds true.  She is the only Democrat to have taken a consistent anti-tax increase and pro-effective government commitment, even when this required opposing members of her own party, e.g. the northern mayors.  No one in Lake County political circles has the "fortitude" to even hold a candle to her.  All those Lake County male politicians, and the female ones too, are so fake, I can assure you they take "fake hormones" to make sure they are not mistaken for dead.

There are two things all the citizens of Lake County must to do to keep our honor as Americans.  First, attend todays (12/28/07) meeting of the Lake County Council (at 4:00 p.m.) and stop them from overriding the veto of the Lake County Commissioners (by any means).  If we have over a thousand people show up, that will tell them what we think and what we are about to do (say, take away their paycheck at the next election), it will actually scare them and they will have to take more hormones.

Second, if they get away with voting for the income tax, start picketing their homes, their work, and everywhere they go, include their supporters, such as the Mayors of the three northern cities.  In that process, make sure that no one is re-elected.  Show the Lake County Democratic Party that this is a Party vote and if the Party votes for it, you as a voter, and a true American, will make the Party pay in Lake County in the next election. 

This is the only way we will get any change in Lake County.  Alternatively south County needs to succeed from the united County.

The Hammond NWI Christmas Spirit

The following Christmas ode was written by "The Preacher," a NWI radio personality on WJOB radio.  It is currently published on the NWI Discussion Boards.  In the interest of the season, I thought it should be shared by everyone in the great State of Indiana.  All Hoosiers deserve a good laugh during the holiday season; this is especially true of the citizens of Lake County who on Friday had their State income tax increased by 33%.  This was the present (coal?) given to the citizens by their County Government. 

You can see the Ode here (and just in case, I have it available below).

(For those who do not have a translation available for the "Shakesperian" references in this Ode, one is provided at the end of the Carol.)

'Twas the night of the "Penquin"
By Mr. Crackers

‘Twas the night of “The Penquin” and out on the street
he spreads propaganda on tiny webbed feet.

His tuxedo was hung by his bedside with care,
in hopes that Tom Junior soon would be there.

Team Hammond was nervous, and crawled under their beds,
in fear that Tom Junior would lop off their heads.

And with Marty and Eddy perched on his lap,
Dappy got ready to gift wrap more crap.

As his war chest of cash grew fatter and fatter,
Wes Miller asked questions, but, it didn’t matter.

Then Marko showed up at his victory bash,
and the mayor tossed him out by the hairs on his stash.

So, Chico and Tony jumped into the fray,
but, they were no match for Big Al and Repay.

Then right out of nowhere on the board did appear,
a red-headed “Penquin” with his beak up Tom’s rear.

Then laying his finger aside of his snout,
the mayor gave him a job, exercising his clout.

And I laugh when I saw him separating my trash,
then, he flick his cig butt, and was gone in a flash.

But, I heard him exclaim as they drove down the street,
“Your taxes are paying to shoe my webbed feet!”

"I just can't stopped that monkey from writing once he gets in the holiday spirit!
All the characters feature in the above are figments of Mr. Cracker's imagination and are not real people, as far as I know."

Penquin = Steve Fowler; Tom or Tom Junior = Tom McDermott, Jr. Mayor of Hammond, Indiana; Team Hammond = loyal opposition; Marty = Marty Wiggels, Mayor's Chief of Staff (keeps watch, i.e. control, of the son for the father); Marko = Robert Markovich, Hammond City Councilman (highest vote getter in the City, which  embarassed Baby Mac who opposed his re-election); Chico = Chico Hinajosa = City Councilman (used to think well of Baby Mac); Tony = Anthony Higgs; Big Al = Al Salinas (dumbest City Councilman, a true embarassment, and supporter of Baby Mac); Eddy or Repay = Dan Repay, City Councilman (son of a descent local politician, father forgot to provide son with backbone); Mr. Cracker = The Preacher.

Hammond Mayor's Garbage in and Garbage Out

Mayor Baby Mac has continued to implement the negative management of the City of Hammond that I have been critical of all along with the new clarification of the financial cost of the City to its citizens.  The Hammond City finances continue to spiral out of control with no serious reduction in sight.

The first reduction, the Health Depatment, was a political test of wills of meaningless financial value to the City or its citizens.  The only reason it was aliminated was its lack of employment of Baby Mac's friends.

The second part was the shift of the sanitrary functions from the City's books to the Hammond Sanitary District's books.  This allowed Mayor Baby Mac to claim a reduction in the City's property tax levy while simultaneously sticking it to the citizens of Hammond with additional service costs.

The newspapers have now officially reported the "screwing" of the citizens of Hammond.  The elderly's costs will increase from $3 a month to $9 and the regular citizens's costs will go up from $5 per month to $15.  That is a 200% increase.  It is an annual increase of $72 for the elderly and $120 for regular citizens.  It is actually going to raise a ton of money for the Hammond Sanitary District because it will also collect money from not-for-profit entities that previously did not pay property tax.

Since Baby Mac controls the Hammond Sanitary District, it is going to be a good source of employment for his and Daddy Mac's friends, acquintances, and political allies.  The citizens continue to get screwed and pay for gain and benefits of the "old-boy" network.

The Lake County Government Thieves and Charlatans Are at Your Door!!!

The Lake County Government Council is about to vote on implementing a local county income tax.  An individual income tax of 1% on income earned in Lake County.  The overall affect of this tax will be to dramatically shift funds from south Lake County to the northern cities of Lake County.  It has no other value.  It is a way for the mayors of the three incompetent, corrupt, non-performing, and generally financially bankrupt cities to pick the pockets of the citizens of Lake County further.  There, literally, is no additional benefit for this effort.

The Lake County Council, who is about to vote on this tax, is so afraid of the truth coming out, that they have forbidden Mr. Michael Griffin, Clerk/Treasurer of Highland, from making a power point presentation to them on the inequality and ineffectiveness of this tax and its consequances.  There is no one who disagrees with the assessment that Mr. Griffin is the most knowledgeable individual in Lake County, if not the State of Indiana, on local government financing.  The man is not only brilliant on this topic, among others, everyone, Democrat or Republican (or in between), know him to be of the utmost integrity as well as fair and unbiased.  He is real credit to all public and elected officials. 

To deny him the opportunity to present his case speaks volumes about what the Lake County Council is about to do and their commitment to "not be confused by the facts."  I therefore take this humble opportunity to make available the power point presentation that Mr. Griffin would have presented to the Council if he had been given the opportunity.  The following is his presentation: Income20tax20talk1.ppt.

The central idea is two fold.  One, it is a shift of money from south towns to the northern cities.  Two, the tax only addresses, as usual, increasing the source of government funds not with reducing any of the costs.

This continuous feeding of the northern cities insatiable appetite for other people's money and their incompetent governorship must be put to an end.  The only way to do that is like dealing with an addict, cut off the source of juice.  You are therefore encouraged to call, fax, or write your Lake County Commissioners and Lake County Council members and tell them: "NO!!  and Hell, NO on the income tax!!"  If you do not do it now, do not cry later. 

The following are all the elected people in position to make a difference and their phone numbers:

LAKE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Frances DuPey, Commissioner, 3rd District

Building 'A', 3rd Floor, 2293 N. Main Street, Crown Point, IN 46307

Phone: 219-755-3205

Alt. Phone: 219-933-2808

Fax: 219-755-3064

Gerry Scheub, Commissioner, 2nd District

Building 'A', 3rd Floor, 2293 N. Main Street, Crown Point, IN 46307

Phone: 219-755-3200

Fax: 219-755-3064

Roosevelt Allen Jr., Commissioner, 1st District

Building 'A', 3rd Floor, 2293 N. Main Street, Crown Point, IN 46307

Phone: 219-755-3056 Fax: 219-755-3064

Gary Courthouse, 400 Broadway, Gary, IN 46402

Phone: 219 881-6078

East Chicago Courthouse, 3711 East Main Street, East Chicago, IN 46312

Phone: 219 397-6728

LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL

Ted Bilski, Councilman

Elsie Brown-Franklin, Councilwoman

William (Will) Smith, Jr., Councilman

Thomas C. O'Donnell, Councilman

Ernie Dillon, Councilman

Larry Blanchard, Councilman

Christine Cid, Councilwoman

2293 N. Main Street

Crown Point, IN 46307

Phone: 219-755-3000

Fax: 755-3283

DO IT NOW!!!  THERE REALLY IS NO TOMORROW ON THIS.

How to Spin an Ugly Duckling Into a Princess!!!

The suck-ups to Mayor Tom McDermott, Jr, (Baby Mac) have been out in force spinning his election win in every way but the truth. 

Only in the minds of midgets (or the other way around) or people on drugs can the mayoral election in Hammond be described as anything but a goodbye send off to Baby Mac.  (It may very well be the kiss of political death to his partner in crime and fooling of the citizens of Hammond, Dan Repay.) 

The new spin is that Baby Mac almost lost the election, winning by only 400 votes, because he took the tough stand of cutting governmental costs by reducing services, specifically the health department.  To my direct knowledge, the people who are responsible for wholesale distribution of this spin are the two local newspapers, The Times and The Post-Tribune and Dr. Dan Lowery on his "Anyday NWI Will Be Like Heaven" show on Channel 56.  The newspapers gave this lie in their editorials and Lowery repeated this mantra not once but at least twice on his show.  The second time it was repeated on Lowery's show by Jim Wieser (a useless Democratic Party operative). 

First, all these people are lying about the Hammond Health Department.  And if they really don't know that they are lying, then they are just not smart enough to comment on public affairs.  (This is analogous to Dennis Miller's comment that if we are to believe Hillary Clinton that she really didn't know about Bill's extra-marital affairs, then she is just not smart enough to be president.)  The Good Government Initiative specifically recommended NOT doing away with the Hammond, East Chicago, and Gary Health Departments because their unique services were needed and could not be duplicated by the County with any net savings to the citizens.  What is it about "NOT" that these mastodons don't understand?  Baby Mac did not reduce the cost of government he only shifted its cost to all the citizens of Lake County. This is clearly shown in the 11/22/07 article that talks about Lake County creating a satellite office in Hammond.  And why is a satellite office in Hammond needed?  According to Baby Mac, it is because "a local office is needed for low-income, uninsured residents who cannot afford to travel to Crown Point for inoculations or health records."

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL WANTS TO DO WITH THE LAKE COUNTY INCOME TAX.  TAX ALL LAKE COUNTY CITIZENS -- SEND THE MONEY TO THE NORTHERN PART OF LAKE COUNTY -- TO PAY FOR THE THIEVERY AND INCOMPETENCE OF BABY MAC IN HAMMOND AND HIS FELLOW COHORTS IN GARY AND EAST CHICAGO.

Dan Repay for County Commissioner?

Dan Repay for Lake County Commissioner?   Say it isn't so.   

This blog called the bait and switch scheme by Repay and his "boss" Baby Mac in previous blogs here, here, and here. These previous blogs argued that Repay and Baby Mac were cooking-up this scheme starting before the Hammond City Council primary.  That means, Repay knowingly and willingly lied to the voters, the citizens of Hammond, during the primary and again during the general election.  He has always known he has no intention of serving on Hammond's City Council in the new term because it is rumored that his blushing bride hates Hammond and this earns him a "get out of Hammond" card.

Their lackey Steve Fowler made all kinds of claims about his knowledge of Repay and how everything I said was not true.  Gosh, could Fowler -- nondescript Mayoral flunkie -- be peddling untruths (otherwise called lies)?  If so, maybe it is just all part of his training under Baby Mac. 

The problem Dan Repay now faces is that, as everyone but him knows, Baby Mac cannot deliver.  Baby Mac, with a $400,000 campaign war chest, could not muster a landslide against the $2,600 campaign an old man in a wheelchair.  No, if Repay is to have a chance at winning Lake County Commissioner, then Baby Mac is going to have to ensure that Repay has no opposition.  How might Baby Mac attempt to do that?  Enter stage right, Daddy Mac and his billionaire friend.  It is the only way Repay can win. 

Cantrell, Patronage, and Election Fixing

The buffoons at The Times newspaper published a story, that they made sure to "hold" until after the election so as to ensure the re-election of Baby Mac to Mayor of Hammond.  The story is of how Baby Mac's super-qualified wife (as evidenced by the number of high-profile law firms seeking to employ her) decided that she would forgo getting a job based on merit but decided that it was better to gain money and influence from the daughter of her husband's former political-consultant Robert Cantrell.  (If it's not too much to ask, maybe Judge Cantrell can make Mrs. Baby Mac's cover letter and resume -- you know -- the one she must have submitted when applying for a job -- available for all to see.  Shouldn't be too hard to produce, now should it.  And while Judge Julie is at it, maybe she can produce the job advertisement because I'm just absolutely sure there was an actual job search conducted.)  That's right, the federally indicted Cantrell -- the one who, according to previous Times news articles, illegally obtained medical insurance for both Julie and John (otherwise called, Bob Cantrell's children).  When it comes to criminal and fraudulent behavior, I think it's safe to say that the apples didn't fall far from the tree. 

There is no doubt that if the story of illegal patronage of Mrs. Baby Mac by the medical defrauding judge had come out in the newspaper before the election, Mr. and Mrs. Baby Mac could have been reduced to kicking their dog back under their house porch waiting for David Hamm to come save it.  What would have been intriguing to see is -- if Baby Mac had lost the election -- would both he and the Mrs. still have been able to keep their "patronage" jobs at Purdue Calumet, which under Cohen has turned into just another Northwest Indiana political patronage cesspool where all the Democratic Hammond politicos go to earn a little extra spending money and give themselves "academic" credentials that look good on the political resume?

Baby Mac Sent Back to the Nursery

The local elections -- the ones for mayors, city and town councils and clerk-treasurers -- are now completed in Indiana.  The results are not surprising. 

Indianapolis returned to sanity and returned the mayorship and City/County council back to the Republicans.  Greg Ballard is the new Mayor and Bart Peterson's political career is over; it actually never started.  I had always argued that his career would never "take" even as there was "chatter" he might run for Governor.  The voters spoke.  He is in retirement. 

As I have mentioned before, the Democratic Party had called on Martin Jischke, the former President of Purdue University to run against the current Governor Mitch Daniels.  With Peterson's career "officially" over, now Jischke is one of the only candidates -- if not the only -- the Democrats might have to offer.  If not for Governor, then they could run him in the next U.S. Senate race -- but the Democrats first choice is to run him for Governor.  Why do you think Jischke was spending all that public university money on advertising himself during his last two to three months as President of Purdue?  It even became more obvious, when, last week U. S. Congressman Pete Viclosky sent out a free mailing to everyone in the first Congressional District with the two of them together smiling like old Washington D.C. buddies.  Can anyone spell "retirement" -- it is looking a lot like it is spelled p-o-l-i-t-i-c-s. 

The Democrats lost because they had no reasonable and competent plan to deal with the property tax problem in Indiana and the spiraling government costs that drives it.  The increased costs of government at the local level is at the feet of the Democrats.  This is a constant.  Just look at NWI.  Governor Mitch Daniels at least came up with a plan that is problematic but competent.  Something that the Democrats keep on avoiding like the plague.  The consequence is the election that one sees. 

Now it is fair to say that Indianapolis was a reasonable race; it was competitive.  Although the incumbent lost, at least the challenger had a campaign and money and support from the Republican State Committee.  Although Bart Peterson's political career is over, he at least was not a buffoon and a thief.

Now that cannot be said for NWI.  It is still one of the mysteries of life why anyone votes for a Democrat in Lake County -- existence here is, politically, in the stone-age.  But a great miracle did occur.  The best funded campaign of an incumbent young energetic Mayor was thrown into a stupor by a handicapped, wheelchair bound, broke campaign of a retired Republican banker.  Baby Mac, commonly referred to as Tom McDermott, Jr. won by only four hundred votes out of ten thousand even though he had one of the best funded campaigns in the State.  The voters recognized that he was truly an incompetent buffoon as has been pointed out consistently in these blogs.  The only people who did not see it are the blind buffoons at The Times Newspaper.