Northwest Indiana Comical Politics

RDA and Economic Development

In my previous column, I looked at the two approaches to economic development in NWI: the East Chicago and the Munster Plans.  As was suggested, only the Munster plan is really economic development, while the East Chicago plan is an immediate band aid that helps to get local Democrats elected for further pilfering of the public treasury. 

The critical factor in attracting new business into NWI is the quality of life and the quality of life has to be improved beyond the basics of low crime and good public education. Those are necessary but not sufficient conditions. 

The only Regional Development Authority program of any value to bring new economic energy into NWI is Congressman Visclosky’s Marquette Plan. Its basic purpose is to create a public zone all along the southern lake front in NWI. This is important because coupled with our proximity to Chicago that combination is our sole competitive advantage. 

But just having public access to the lake is meaningless. It is useful to look at the influence of former Hammond Mayor Duane Dedelow and take a page out of his play book to see what an economic development plan would look like. Former Mayor Dedelow, with all the criticism against him (and I am responsible for my fair share) is frankly the one other individual – in addition to Don Powers – who attempted a comprehensive 21^st Century economic development plan that had the potential to transform NWI economically. 

Dedelow had an economic development plan for downtown Hammond, and other areas, such as Lost Marsh Golf Course. One must presume that he recognized the only way to develop NWI economically is to attract and encourage a new class of people that currently do not and will not reside in NWI without real social and cultural environment changes occurring. This was to be accomplished by making Hammond attractive to creative people who were being dispossessed by skyrocketing housing prices in Chicago. This was a plan that in combination with the Federal Courthouse and the medical developments at St. Margaret’s Hospital could have worked. The problem was, beside that he lost the election to economic neophytes, funding never reached a critical mass, the lack of support from higher education, and the lack of ultimate political will on the part of the Democrats to give this approach a chance.

How does this apply to the Marquette Plan? This program must be the top priority for funding and development by the RDA. In addition, the RDA must develop a continuous public boardwalk from the Illinois State Line to the beginning of Miller in Gary. Without it the only thing we have is proximity to Chicago, an advantage all the suburbs of Chicago have. This boardwalk must neither be primarily a tourist attraction or an access for the masses to the “water”; but as a way of improving social and cultural conditions in NWI by combining the lakefront with upscale boutique stores, restaurants, music venues, and art galleries. In addition to making sure it is accessible to walking, bicycles and jogging.   

In other words the lake front must be completely transformed by following, in general, the model that was never given a chance in downtown Hammond. This is a plan for all of northern Lake County and would be a massive lifestyle transformation of NWI.

Planes, railroads and buses are not 21^st Century economic development. The RDA must implement alternative economic development plans (a topic for the next column), rather than their current corporate welfare programs. Pre-1960 economic development ideas will not bring NWI out of the poverty, unemployment, and general lack of forward movement.

The Times in Pocket of McDermotts

The Times newspaper of NWI has again shown itself to be completely incompetent in its editorial policy and biased or bought by the McDermotts.  This is the newspaper that dared refer to me as "spewing my spleen" when they have no idea of what they are talking about or their editorial policy has never been right (except for when it favors the McDermotts).

Today they are telling the Gary/Chicago International Airport to be optimistic.  The only thing optimistic is the name.  The newspaper agree that Hooters air will go the way of all other airlines that have participated in Gary: out of business.  How completely ignorant can the editor be? 

The reality is there is probably a way the McDermotts are going to make money of the airport expansion and so Nangle is supporting it; just as he has always refused to criticize McDermott, Jr. until he is sufficiently embarrassed by the Post-Tribune so he has to print something.  That is what occurred with the quid pro quo between Cohen and McDermott. 

The Times is so happy about everything it could create a positive spin on a serial murderer.  It therefore sadly is of no value to NWI advancement -- except for wrapping fish.  I guess we don't do that much anymore.

The truth is, in spite of the desire of the Times otherwise is that what I have argued for has generally come to pass.  If the citizens of NWI want to progress then the place to find the answers is here and where ever I present my next ideas. 

The fact is I am a professor of political science and public policy.  I do this for a living and I do it well.  I am not doing it because of my daddy's name or because I could not make a living as a lawyer or in some other profession like banking.  With some exception, all of our politicians are failures at making a living so they become politicians or State administrators at some level.  They are still incompetent but are being protected by Bill Nengle. 

The worst of these are the McDermotts. 

As Predicted: Gary Airport is Dead

It is difficult being right most of the time when being right shows that morons are running NWI.  It is also difficult because these morons are spending the people's hard earned money and deceiving them into believing that there is some benefit to those very citizens who are paying the bill.

I indicated a long time ago that Paul Karras was a fraud and should be removed and that the "Gary/Chicago International Airport" was nothing but a name to which corporate welfare could be attached.  I was right on both counts.

Now the airline that cannot fly out of anywhere but Gary is quitting during the prime flying season to Florida and Las Vegas.  The big lie is Paul Karras who has no idea what he is doing.  Although he does know how to spend the six figure consulting fee he is getting.

Paul Karras is a lackey of Chicago.  The only value of the so called airport is a holding mark for Chicago to expand O'hare and Midway.  No one ever really intended for Gary to be an airport it was never in the cards

As technology expands there is even less of a reason for a third airport.  Technology within the next couple of years will allow planes to land at ever closer distance reducing the airport landing congestion problem. 

Finally the ground problem is a none-existent one for true travelers of which there are a rare few in NWI.  I am also predicting that once O'hare and Midway are on their way to expansion, Boeing will also move their planes from Gary.  That was a favor to Mayor Daley to keep Gary in the game as a holding chip while O'hare was expanded.

Understand Gary is a pit.  That has not changed and there is not going to be anyone who is going to be willing to stake their corporate future on this so called airport.

Your politicians, "dufus" Dobis, John "know nothing" Aguilera, Scott "I have done nothing for ten years" King, Tom "I am a lunatic" McDermott, Jr. and so on are useless and always have been.  The citizens of Lake County need to start listening to what I see or they will find themselves as useful as an airport without Hooters.

Purdue University's Political Support

Purdue University as  a State institution is now supporting with "in kind" political donations to the forthcoming mayoral campaign of the former Republican turned Democrat Mayor of Hammond.  This is the one who defeated the incumbent Republican Mayor of Hammond, Duane Dedelow.

Purdue is providing free press advertising, Internet advertising and most importantly credentials and status building to the turncoat Democrat.  One never knows how legal these are for a state institution.  But in NWI legality is a matter of flexibility and don't talk about ethics, even the people who are pushing to ethical "rules" won't speak against anyone breaking them.

It is amazing though, out of self interest, that a Republican Governor, Senate, and House would put up with this situation.  It should be an embarrassment to them to be taken advantage of so easily.

Intellectual McDermott

"Professor" McDermott, Jr. has officially decided that the book to use for a course on Lake County Politics is John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage.  It can now be officially said that this is a fraud that knows nothing about political science and even less about Lake County politics as would be reflected in a university by a political scientist.

The Chancellor has no problem with this because he also has no desire to see any credible intellectual quality on this campus.  For $190,000+ a year why should he worry.  He is only short changing a program to the lowest level of quality and make us, including myself, into a laughing stock of the academic community. 

Tomorrow I will address why this is being done.  The direct attack of free speech and the politics as usual method of attacking critics.

I am sorry for the students.  If one looks on the enrollment record one can easily see that the course is only getting students because every other upper level course is full.  So students have no choice.  This is the same trick the Chancellor has been pulling for years to justify classes in south county.  There was never any demand except for the fact that we limit and close courses in Hammond so that students are forced to go to Merriville.

People should thank the Chancellor and the Mayor of Hammond for this great event.  Shipping work out of the city to help south county.  And you thought that this mayor cared.  Well now you know better.

McDermott Big Looser Again

Once again Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott, Junior is the big looser in the North Township Trustee Vote.  His man Nutall lost and Marvan's man Flores won.  Anyone connected to the McDermotts we know is incompetent at best or at worst a user. 

Junior has not been able to complete anything since being Mayor except for having tantrums.  The only things he has completed were started by the last administration, which I did not favor but one has to be truthful.  Mcdermott is the worst disaster, even than Pastrick, to ever happen to any city.  It is truly great that he has lost this vote and control of the North Township.  Now it is up to Marvan, Jr. to win on his own, after cleaning up the North Township form its previous thief.

It's Official: McDermotts are Big Fat Liars

It is official.  The McDermott clan are big fat liars.  This was confirmed by Cabellas when they announced their decision to build in Hoffman Estates.  Cabellas stated that the choice between Hoffman Estates and Northwest Indiana was not an either/or one; but rather one could compliment the other.

In other words by building in Hoffman Estates they were not precluding building in NWI.  This is the official word from the Cabellas spokesperson.  This is their official stand in relation to the State of Indiana.  Not surprisingly, it is the exact opposite of what the lying thieves, McDermotts, would have you believe.  It is 180 degrees the opposite of what the Mayor and his father were “officially” saying.  The McDermotts always claimed that if we did not move with Woodmare Country Club sale, Cabellas would move to build in Hoffman Estates.  They also claimed that they were being kept up to date and knew everything that Cabellas was thinking.

This means that either the McDermotts are big fat liars or a publicly traded corporation is going to take a chance on loosing everything with an SEC investigation to please the mayor of some small city in Indiana.  My bet is that the McDermotts are lying.

The second point that Cabellas made is that they have a department that fully tracks consumers and were the best site would be for building in all fifty states.  In checking with a number of commercial real estate lawyers this is how a large commercial mall operation works.  Cabellas was quoted in both local newspapers that they have all the information necessary to make a decision of where and when to build in NWI – all developed internally.

Where is the need for a broken down ex-mayor to be hired as a consultant?  That is jus normally not done.  One would suspect that Tom McDermott, Sr. did not bring Cabellas to NWI; but, rather NWI brought Cabellas to Tom McDermott, Sr. Caballas probably approached Hammond and was told if they wanted to get anywhere they would have to put some money into the McDermott clan retirement fund. So we have Sr. hired as a do nothing consultant and the second son, or brother of the mayor, has the rights for commercial development of the Woodmare Country Club beyond the Caballas store.

If you are going to be a big fat liar than you need to coordinate with the people you are lying with. I hope the Governor takes this to heart and gets himself extricated from this unethical mess.