Check out these sites

No time to add these to the blogroll. I am not sure anyone even looks much at the blogroll. So just going to put these links in the post here:

WORKING ASSETS BLOG - for opinions and news from the center to the left. Which also carries Tom Tomorrow!

The website for David Sirota. A new voice and I like what he is saying.

The Muncie Star-Press is running Truck-only lanes studied: Could I-69 benefit from one? this morning. The bottom line is that a truck only lane is pure speculation.

I am backing Barry Welsh against Mike Pence for Congress. I suggest everyone take a look at Barry’s Blog. I see no reason for any Democrat to vote for Pence. I think those of you independently minded voters will find much to like about Barry Welsh. For all us, we need a representative more attuned to our area of Indiana than Mike Pence. I think it is a safe bet that Barry Welsh will not confuse an Indiana farmer's market with a Baghdad market.

For those who want some fun with their presidential politics, take this Select A Candidate Quiz. I am a bit surprised that I came up with Dodd (but not exactly shocked either).

Some updates for Sunday - toll roads, gay marriage, slot machines at Hoosier Part, and Bush follies

Either I have no one really reading this or no one wanted to chime in with anything. That is what I see from the dislike for the open thread suggestions.

I have been trying to keep with work, so I apologize for the scarcity of posts here. Not that there has been a lot going on here and in Indiana and every place else. I have been putting time in at work and my other two blogs which are oriented to my day job: Indiana Divorce and Family Law and Indiana Civil and Business Law.

This is my running commentary on some things. Some things deserve a whole lot more attention and I hope to get to them later:

• Daniels gives up on the Interstate Commerce Connector. This one deserves a lot more attention but Taking Down Words has a damned good post on the subject that can be found here. TDW contains the whole of the press release. Some of the comments to the TDW post are spot on - except for the trolls. I still wonder why Daniels is so gung-ho on toll roads. Is he really making a big noise over them to show how small his ideas really are or is there a hidden benefit to him in selling off Indiana? I agree strongly that if Daniels had a Republican General Assembly that he would not have changed his mind regardless of the public outcry. If there some benefit for him actually exists, then this road will be back. The Indianapolis Star has an article here.
  
• The U.S. Attorney firing may turn out to be a real scandal. I caught a bit of Scarborough Country on Thursday night (I think). Pat Buchannan actually reversed his earlier stance that this is just a matter of politics. What made him qualify his position was someone suggesting that one or more of U.S. Attorneys was fired to prevent them from investigating Republicans. If that is so, then the problems for Bush just keep growing. On the other hand, some one will suggest impeaching the twit and that is not a good idea. Impeaching him would be a distraction when there a need exists for action. Besides, we have two more years to use him as a poster child for Republican incompetence and mendacity - and the poverty of the Bush gene pool.
• One more thought about the U.S. Attorneys firing, I really do not understand why the Bush Administration just did not go to these U.S. Attorneys and ask them to resign. They were all Republicans. They were all political appointees. I assume they were all good Republican soldiers. Why not just go to them and say that they wanted them to step aside so that someone else could add United States Attorney to their resumes? If so, then why lie about the reasons for the dismissals? Dumb and dumber or just crass arrogance? It looks like someone finally got the idea that offering a new job for the departed might be a good idea - see this Washington Post article.
• I really do think that George W. Bush is hellbent on destroying the Republican Party. Really, I do. Mitch Daniels seems on the same track with Indiana Republicans (he did not seem to care about the large swath of land that would be taken by the ICC through strong Republican areas of Indiana.) Seems The National Review feels somewhat the same. In one way, I think that is a good thing and in another I know it is a bad thing. The really fascinating question is why do Bush and Mitch want to destroy their party?
  
• Even if Bush does destroy the Republican Party, it does not mean that the Democrats will rise to the occasion and offer a solution palatable to the public. David Broder wrote about this in today's Washington Post. Articles like this from Matt Tully in the Indianapolis Star give ammunition to those who see Indiana Democrats as obstructionist.
• By the way, obstructionism becomes a good thing when the idea being obstructed is stupid or dangerous. Obstructionism only becomes a bad thing when action needs taken and no better idea is offered to substitute for the stupid idea being stopped. In other words, Democrats need better ideas and explain why they are better ideas.
• The Indianapolis Star lists the top speeding traps in Central Indiana. I have a lead foot (sometimes) and thought it was interesting till I read it. No real explanation why these areas are the top spots. I know I have been through a couple of them and never seen a cop.
• The Herald-Bulletin wet itself over the idea of slot machines at Hoosier Park (articles here and here.) But the big article posed the issue as a comeback for Anderson and that is here. I want to write some more on this but my general theory is that it is not going to mean the return of a healthy economy to Anderson. Short reason for this: Hoosier Park has been here for over a decade and I have seen little to suggest that those from out of town do not hit the racetrack and then hit I-69 not much else.
• The Indianapolis Star reports on job losses possible from these slot machines.
• Two articles on ethanol caught my eye. The Muncie Star-Press has In the race for renewable fuel sources, farmers both winners and losers and the Washington Post has Corn Can't Solve Our Problem. Then consider how much our Governor has emphasized ethanol. Oops?
• George Will thinks we all ought to play better together. Wish I could remember his stance on the Clinton impeachment.
• Lee Hamilton implores the House and Bush to come together for an Iraq solution. I wonder if our Hoosier values are not outdated in this political era.
• Local man does good: Tom Snyder appointed president of Ivy Tech. Taking Down Words has a post on this covering the political angles.

Well, that those are the odds and ends for the week that I could get out in short post .

Mass Transit hearing

I just found that this hearing was online: http://realvideo.ind.net:8080/ramgen/encoder/supremecourt

Why it is on the Supreme Court's site, I have no idea. Not had time to view. I will later and may have some comments.

Mass Transit Coming to Noblesville

From the Noblesville Ledger about IndyGo extending bus service north.

Rapid development on the north side is driving the need for a commuter bus service from Lawrence and Hamilton County to downtown Indianapolis, which IndyGo officials are hopeful will start this year. The only holdup is funding.

I have not seen similar reports from anywhere else. First, it seems that mass transit is coming regardless of what some might think. Second. the only viable form of mass transit for us in Madison County and beyond is light rail - how much longer must we wait? Third, how does this affect the congestion around I-69 and I-465 that prompted the Governor's Interstate Commerce Connector?

Alltolled has an updated calendar - toll road events

Here is the calendar. Anyone interested in the Interstate Commerce Connector should check out this site. I do have it listed in my links.