Northwest Indiana Comical Politics

Who is the Fake Democrat?

The Mayor of Hammond is unbelievable in the mental gymnastics he can convince himself of doing.  Either this ability is developed as a new U.S. Navy psychological weapon against Taliban intruders or a mental "restructuring" is sorely needed for Hammond's Chief Executive.

In a story by Susan Brown in today's, Saturday,The Times newspaper he actually said, the following about his opponent in the primary race for mayor:

"He's never participated in the Democratic Party in Hammond," McDermott said. "He's simply using the party to further Duane Dedelow's agenda. We're not going to be silent while they're trying to use the party like that."

Not only is this factually incorrect; it clarifies the lack of substance of the incumbent.

His opponent Dennis Terry has always been a registered Democrat, and except for two elections, always voted in the Democratic Primary.  In addition, he, and his wife, have lived and worked in Hammond most of their adult lives.

The Mayor never voted Democratic, except for once when he was running as an actual candidate.  He was always a registered Republican.  Only moved to Hammond a year before he ran for office and he and his wife spent most of their time in Munster and Dyer.

The current Mayor has shown only manipulation, greed, and cynicism about the Democratic Party of Hammond and the State of Indiana.  Dennis Terry has been a committed Democrat who has always been willing to work bi-partisanly for the betterment of Hammond.

Mayor Tom McDermott supported Dennis Terry's work and valued the support Dennis Terry, as a Democrat, was willing to give for the improvement of Hammond, even during a Republican administration.  That, Mayor McDermott said, is the difference between a person who cares about the City of Hammond and the spoiled child who is currently in office.  Oh!  My mistake that is Mayor McDermott, Sr. speaking.  The Republican former mayor of Hammond who is pulling his son's strings.  The son who had never met a Democrat he liked until it suited the father to fake a Democrat to run for office.

The son should learn that it is better to keep your mouth shut especially when you are the fake Democrat and alway have been.  No decent Democrat should vote for him.  He is the worst type of carpet-bagger in politics -- all smoke and mirrors and no substance -- one who would be anything to anyone to be in power.

McDermott Slanders Professor; Must Remove Web Site

Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott, Jr. slanders me, again, on his campaign's web site in his discussion of his opponent Matt Saliga.  McDermott claims that Saliga is "a 28 year old pupil of Maurice Eisenstein."  Implying that I am somehow directing and in contact with him.  McDermott is also clearly stating that any academic association with me is unprofessional (pupil) and degrading (otherwise why include a blatant lie).

He also clearly implies by this and other comments that any relationship with me academically is negative and bad for an individual, therefore attacking my employment and attempting to deny me an opportunity to make a living (as he has done with others).

Since I have no association, nor have I had any association, with Mr. Saliga and McDermott knows this with certainty, he is slandering and libeling me.  I suspect that is why his lawyers told him to take down his web site.  It certainly wasn't for lack of money.

Mayor McDermott Supports Electioneering on City Time

The Mayor of Hammond, Tom McDermott, Jr., seems to be in full support of using city time and resources for electioneering by incumbents as long as those incumbents support him and his foolhardy policy.

Councilman Salinas used a Hammond City truck on City, i.e. taxpayer, time to go to Crown Point to file as a candidate for the Second District Council seat in Hammond.  This was so public that it has to be supported by the Mayor.  Certainly Salinas did not think there would be any problem or consequences from this and there weren't any.  Where is the archaic press in covering this flagrant misuse of the taxpayer's resources?

Maybe this can explain it: Mayor McDermott, Judge Harkin, Salinas, Salinas' father (Salinas' speaker) threw a pizza party for the senior citizens in the Second District a  week ago.  All this happened on Hammond City time.  McDermott must have not heard that it is illegal to use tax payer resources for political purposes.  But Judge Harkin certainly should know.

But what a bad example are these grown-ups setting for their "protege" Salinas.  Another criminal in the making; but he does need to learn how to show up in court when his case comes up.  It also explains how Salinas can physically beat up a co-worker and still remain on a City job without any penalty.  He just has to make sure that McDermott does not suddenly stop.

HB 1001 Leaves NWI in the Cold

House Bill 1001, the State budget for the next two fiscal years, was just passed by the House Ways and Means Committee on straight party lines.  It is the Democrat's budget.

The only member of the NWI delegation on the House Ways and Means Committee is Representative Kuzman.  Our other representatives are too busy worrying about whether any citizen is having sex with a chicken or whether any Hoosier citizen is getting too fat in grade school.  None of them have sufficient foresight to look at the most important committee and bill HB 1001 -- who pays the money and who gets the money.

For everywhere but NWI, this is project number one.  For NWI, there is no proportional tax dollars coming back.

When one looks at HB 1001, one sees the same sad story.  It is the worst case of economic un-development that cannot be overcome with another box store.

Basically more tax dollars, (from income, sale, corporate, and property tax), is going to Indianapolis than is coming back to NWI.  That money being taken out of the economy of NWI and not returned, makes NWI that much poorer.  This is hundreds of millions of dollars that can never be made up through retail stores.  As a matter of fact, given the talent of our State legislators, the sales tax collected by the the new retail enterprises actually makes the situation worse.

The State gets richer and NWI gets poorer -- very basic.

But when you look at HB 1001 the one thing that strikes you is that every part of the State is growing faster in terms of tax dollars in, than is NWI.  Guess whose money is that?

The bill now goes to the Senate, which is majority Repulicans.  I have no confidence that the Republicans will do any better for NWI. 

We remain the fools and it is no ones fault but our own.  Neither Indianapolis nor Evansville will look out for us when we cannot take care of ourselves.  We first have to stop being a joke to ourselves, if we expect anyone else to take us seriously.

RDA the on going NWI Scam

As this author predicted almost two years ago, the Regional Development Authority (RDA) has now established itself as being a monetary and developmental fraud perpetrated on NWI citizens.  This writer alone, (standing against massive criticism from the Governor, local politicians --including mayors and legislators-- and their hired "consultant" guns), predicted that there neither was any unaddressed need for the RDA nor was there any economic development benefits to be gained from it.  As a matter of fact, this author predicted that the RDA would take money away from the current cities and in the end cost all of NW a lot of money billed to the tax payers, which we will all regret.

After all the laughter and joking made at the expense of this writer, the "chickens are now coming to roost" and everything predicted has come to fruition.  The local politicians like Mayors Pabey and McDermott should be so embarrassed at their obvious incompetence as political leaders, they should all be checking into rehab.

Public transportation as envisioned by the RDA is dead and always has been in the United States.  As reported in Sunday's Chicago Tribune Newspaper, in Chicago and Cook County the ridership of the Metropolitan Transit Authority is at its highest point ever and the fares are at the highest ever projected, even after their huge increase in 2002.  Nonetheless, the MTA now must ask (demand) for $400 million dollars a year from the Illinois taxpayers for operations, on top of the $10 billion they are requesting for capital improvements.  This does not include an immediate infusion of $250 million because of current year short fall.

In other words, public transportation cannot pay for itself and never has.  The big lie was that it ever could in NWI.  Even if it is built, whether as a train, bus, or airport and people do utilize it (a big if), it will continue costing the citizens of Lake and Porter Counties hundreds of millions upon millions of dollars each year into infinity for daily operating costs.  This has been the experience with public transportation everywhere showing that the RDA, the Governor, and the local mayors have been lying through their teeth to the citizens of NWI.

It has now come out in the local papers that the incompetence of the RDA has exceeded all bounds.  Not only did they hire as consultants friends of the members of the board of the RDA (the least qualified of the three competing companies); those consultants have had the brilliant idea of raising millions of dollars for the infrastructure costs of the RDA's plans through the imposition of new income and sales taxes on the citizens of Lake County and Porter County.  Why was the archaic press missing in action when the RDA so obviously hired their friends? 

The story showing the gall of the RDA and their consultants can be found at this link:  Report: RDA will need local tax to fund projects

Included with this story you will also find on the right hand side a list of names that represent those who will pick your carcass like vultures until there is nothing left to pick from the citizens of Lake and Porter Counties.  How lucky and smart was LaPorte County to listen to this writer and to their own intelligence and NOT join the RDA?  If the citizens there continue to be smart, they will vote all the politicians who supported joining the RDA out of office.  They should be voted out because they have shown they are incapable of making the proper policy judgments when it comes to economic development.  They were completely wrong, and "out in left field."  They are like the politicians of Lake and Porter Counties, captains of the "Titanic".  They are so sure of themselves and so full of their certainty, while sinking the counties into a "watery" grave.   They truly represent ignorance in economic development where ignorance means that they don't even know that they don't know.

Sadly, this commentator is again shown to be correct.  The captains of the "Titanic" known as Lake and Porter Counties are listed on the right side of the story.  Every voter in every municipality should take note of these "captains" and remove them from office with their overstuffed unelected cronies.

The problem with NWI is that incompetence and ignorance has been the standard by which people have been promoted and elected.  This has ensured that mayors, legislators, council members, etc. never get embarrassed by those who truly know something.  It also insures that the thievery can continued, unchecked, by their friends and family.  This by the way has been shown to be the case in many situations by the new "good government report."  So many family members employed, so many consultants giving advise, and so many lawyers paid by taxpayers to argue with each other.

By the way, why isn't the archaic press pursuing the visit by a local mayor to testify in front of a grand jury about four weeks ago?  The local press must be too interested in the success of some local project that it is protecting.  Why is this never reported when they know it is happening?  That is the same reason they have never called the RDA to task.  Who are the archaic press protecting?

Hey Lake and Porter County citizens now who is laughing?  Knock the smile off the face of the mayors by voting them out of office in both counties.  If you don't, you will get what you deserve.  Just hope they leave some rusy nails behind.

Three Comics of NWI Politics

Since this is a blog about comics masquerading as political leaders in NWI, it seems appropriate to regularly show examples of this comedic behavior in our midst.

I therefore present three examples in recent weeks of jokesters playing at politics.  The three are: the one who is sex driven, the one who knows not what he knows, and finally the one who knows not that he is a racist.

The first one, for those who have not figured it out, is State Representative Linda Lawson.  Although Representative Lawson has been in the State House for many years, most of her legislation support has gone to laws that are related to and require investigation into sexual activity of the general public.  Of this kind of focus, Freud would have alot to say.

On the other hand, I had been willing to give her a pass with the assumption that there is a need for some of these criminal laws in Indiana.  Although I was doubtful of its value for NWI because of the many problems that have priority in this region.

Now Lawson's focus on sexual activity of Hoosiers has gone too far.  She is working feverishly on passing legislation to make it a crime to have sex with an animal and then turn it into dinner.  One did not realize that this was such a major problem for NWI and Hoosiers in general.  I am aware of one case in NWI where an individual took a chicken to a hotel room for a tryst and then turned it into Kentucky fried chicken.  As obscene as that is, I do not believe that this is where the downfall of NWI comes from.  Nor does it explain the complete vanishing act that Lawson performs when she becomes unavailable to her constituents while she is doing research on Hoosier sexual behavior.

The second comic, the one who knows not what he knows, is State Representative Vernon Smith.   Dr. Smith's specialty is education.  He should know better than anyone that the Gary School System is not just a failure it is non-existent except as a patronage system and a way of laundering public funds.  Any correlation between the Gary School System and education is strictly accidental.  How dare he even attempt to justify the unjustifiable -- especially because he is being paid a salary by IUN to be an expert in knowing that this is not true. 

He also knows that Ball State is the only state university that has stepped up to the plate and been willing to support alternative educational opportunities under the charter school system.  The other universities, Purdue and Indiana Universities, have a long tradition of continued institutional racism against Gary and NWI as reflected in their complete lack of support, in both resources and mission, for campuses in NWI.  This information he should also know since he works at IUN.  As an educational specialist he should know that Muncie, where Ball State is located, has a superlative educational system compared to Gary and any city in NWI.  (This is also reflected in the job creation happening in Muncie but not in Gary.  Fannie Mae is coming into Muncie with 400+ high paying jobs.)

The link to see Rep. Smith's comedy, and his embarrassment to NWI, can be found in the Indianapolis Star:

Expresso___indystar.com.pdf

Rep. Vernon Smith shows NWI elected officials to be the comics that this blog has always claimed they were.  It should be noted that preliminary historical research has uncovered the fact that "foot-in-mouth disease" was originated in NWI.

The final comedian is Mayor Tom McDermott, Jr., the racist who did not know he was one and neither did the archaic press know a racist when they interviewed one.

The Times newspaper February 1, 2007 story by Susan Brown included the following paraphrase from the local comic: "McDermott said Hammond doesn't have a lot of fat to cut. Costs are greater in an older city with high poverty rates that produce more crime, he said."  Now I understand that Susan Brown is not a journalist, that one can tell from her opening statement in the article: "The city was noticeably absent from remarks this week in which state Rep. Chet Dobis, D-Merrillville, chided not only county government but the cities of Gary and East Chicago for their spending habits."  There is no journalistic basis for this statement; only a love affair with McDermott making her into a McGroupie, not a journalist.  The basis for the above statement is McDermott: "Hammond escaped Dobis' censure because the legislator is aware the city administration has tried to cut costs though it hasn't always succeeded, according to Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr."  Again, since there is no basis to believe the veracity of this statement, Susan Brown proves she is not journalist only a pom-pom groupie for McDermott. 

It is interesting that if there was any interest in what "My Man Chester" intended, she would have called him and asked.  Rep. Chester Dobis has complained about all of Lake County's governmental units expenditures with no identifiable exception.  What is really sad is that Ms. Brown missed the most obvious, which is the racist statement made by Mayor McDermott against poor Hispanics and Blacks.

When McDermott identified very clearly poverty as the cause of crime in his city, he is continuing to promote a lie about crime in genral and is also indirectly saying that Blacks and Hispanics cause crime.

The lie is that poverty causes crime.  No self respecting academic would put forth that theory as the source of crime.  That has been debunked decades ago.  The notion is primitive and shows a complete lack of education and sophistication on the part of the speaker.  What is worse though is that this is a code for Hispanics and Blacks causing crime in a community.  Who are the majority of the individuals who are poor in the northern cities?  Blacks and Hispanics and this is the racist attitude of the Mayor.  It is doubly sad to see the local paper repeat the lie and its racist implications as though they are fact.

And ......the NWI comedy continues. 

Rep. Bob "I love to spend other people's money" Kuzman

NWI State Representative Robert "I Love to Spend Other People's Money" Kuzman has now proposed and gotten passed by the House Ways and Means Committee a disastrous tax bill for Indiana.  This is a looser of a State Representative who is everything that is bad about the Democrats, which is I only know how to spend.

His new tax proposal to increase local sales tax is just another way to pick the citizens pockets without requiring the local governmental units, especially Lake County, to change any of their bloated spending habits.

I as well as everyone else knows that the local Lake County Budgets can be cut by about 40% without any loss of service.  There will be loss of patronage jobs and there will be loss of guaranteed re-election.  All of this will make Mayors McDermott, Pabey, and Clay run for the Kuzman cover and continue to pick our pockets for more money for their scandalous life style.

Hammond got by with seven uniformed police officers on the Fourth of July.  If that is all that they need for a big holiday, then they can really reduce their budget on other days and there is no reason, except for patronage and assured re-election, for not cutting the city's budget in half, as I have always claimed could be done.  Gary's budget can be reduced by 60% and the same holds true for East Chicago.

It is time for tough love to be applied to these politicians.  Sadly only Representative Chester Dobis and Commissioner Fran DuPey seem to understand this on the Democratic side.  All Hoosier citizens need to write and/or phone their State representatives and senators to tell them no to this "new" way of picking our pockets.

The citizens of Indiana, all of Indiana including NWI, are not going to give the free-spending politicians a free ride any longer.  Say no to Rep. Bob "I Love to Spend Other People's Money" Kuzman.

My Man Chester Dobis

NWI's State Representative Chester Dobis is the real front man in the current session of the Indiana State Legislature.  My new moniker for Mr. Dobis is "My Man Chester."

Now many of you will recognize that Mr. Dobis and I have had our differences over the years and I have been plenty critical of him when we have disagreed.  But when Mr. Dobis is right, I must support him with the same strength as I have been a critic.

Representative Dobis has consistently shown that he recognizes the realities of over bloated budgeting and useless expenditures of tax dollars by most units of local government in NWI.  He has specifically indicated the gross failures of Lake County Government and of the three largest cities of NWI: Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago.

Mr. Dobis has specifically challenged the political leadership of Lake County Government and the Mayors of the three cities to put up or shut up.  That is not a threat by him or a wish, it is a reality.  The rest of the State of Indiana is not going to keep on getting the unwilling and the incompetents out of the fiscal troubles by increasing tax revenues.

Specifically, the 2% cap ,which is now law to extend the cap to rental units and businesses, will not be amended solely to "save" Lake County without some serious efforts on the part of the political units in Lake County to correct their ongoing thirst for other people's money.  Mr. Dobis was even more specific.  He said I don't buy your promises and I am not going to try to sell those promises to my colleagues.  I have heard those promises before and as soon as the Lake County Mayors and County politicians get their way, they forget their promises.

It is truly time for tough love being directed at Lake County governmental units.  Mr. Dobis is right and everyone in Indiana should let him know they support him in continuing the fight for decent government in Lake County.  Lake County's political leaders are addicted to other people's money and it is time to force them off this addiction.

Thank you My Man Chester.