Commentary
Restoring the GOP’s legacy of the environment
Across generations, Republicans can trace a strong legacy of leadership on the topic of the environment. Conservation – the protection of God’s green earth – goes back to the early leaders. And yet, for decades now, Democrats have co-opted environmental issues to advance their agenda, Republicans, in turn, have stepped away from the topic and […]
‘Profiles in Ignorance’ are so common they are hardly noticeable
When I first heard about Andy Borowitz’s new book, “Profiles in Ignorance,” I knew it was moving to the top of my must-read stack. Then I found out he was reading the Audible version himself, and so I am now that guy walking down the street who spontaneously bursts into laughter at seemingly nothing. As […]
Bringing up the Rear
In Indiana, there’s been no serious effort to reform campaign finance laws since the mid-1990s and neglecting the issue has gained us another Hall of Shame moment. A recent study published by the nonpartisan Coalition for Integrity ranked Indiana’s campaign finance laws 51st, weaker than every other state and the District of Columbia. From transparency […]
Name-calling in politics grabs headlines, but voters don’t like it
Spending on political advertising is setting records in the midterm elections. But evidence shows negative messages might discourage voters from casting ballots altogether. As the 2022 midterms get closer, political attacks in campaign advertisements are on the rise. In November, Rep. Paul Gosar shared an anime cartoon video showing him physically attacking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat, […]
Privacy at heart of many state, federal laws
The underlying fight on abortion is about privacy, and specifically whether a woman can make private medical decisions that the government shouldn’t be part of. I am not a lawyer, but what I can say is that while the word “privacy” isn’t explicitly in the Constitution, state and federal lawmakers pass laws based on the […]
Keeping criminals out of classrooms
The teacher shortage is devastating schools and families across the country According to Dr. David Bateman, a professor at Shippensburg University, “The talent pipeline has literally dried up. This is the new normal. We are expecting this drought for at least the next five years because the well has completely run dry. There are no […]
Focus on service in Secretary of State race
In the Secretary of State race, the commitment to service matters. I find myself teaching this simple lesson with more enthusiasm lately: elected positions in American government exist as opportunities to serve. “Yea, yea, old man, we know that” is often the expression I see on the faces of my students when I start. Occasionally, […]
Librarians left out of literacy initiative
As an educator, I was initially thrilled by the announcement that the state of Indiana and the Lilly Foundation are partnering to invest millions toward improving early literacy rates in our state. It is alarming to see a nearly 10% decrease in the number of third graders who have met reading benchmarks over the past […]
School start times and screen time late in the evening exacerbate sleep deprivation in US teenagers
With the school year underway around the U.S., parents and caregivers are once again faced with the age-old struggle of wrangling groggy kids out of bed in the morning. For parents of preteens and teenagers, it can be particularly challenging. Sometimes this gets chalked up to laziness in teens. But the main reason why a […]
Can RFRA take down Indiana’s new abortion law?
It is the height of irony that the new GOP-backed abortion restrictions could be undone by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. RFRA caused massive controversy in 2015 because conservative groups and some Hoosiers wanted to use it to justify discrimination, specifically against gay and lesbian Hoosiers who they disagreed with based on religious beliefs. Think […]
Most Hoosier voters aren’t extreme. Why are our lawmakers?
Voters in Madison, Delaware and Henry counties might reasonably suppose they sent their state senator to the Indiana Statehouse to represent them. But instead, Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, declared on the Senate floor this summer: “I’m up here today to represent Jesus.” Gaskill was explaining why he would vote to ban nearly all abortions in […]
Royal coverage should help us learn how ‘royalty’ even exists
For many Americans, including me, the attraction to the exhausting news surrounding Great Britain’s royal family is dumbfounding. The mere existence of a “royal” family is so antithetical to my view of our culture, I usually open my participation in any conversation about the Windsor’s with an eye roll, not a bow. Elizabeth II’s passing […]