Published: October 22, 2009 05:01 pm         

Readers' forum: Oct. 23, 2009

Daniels should show flexibility in other areas



Congratulations to Gov. Mitch Daniels for acknowledging that the experiment in wholly privatizing the delivery of welfare services by the state’s Family and Social Services Administration was not working as he had hoped and for taking positive steps to correct the situation. It takes courage for anyone, but especially a high-profile political figure such as our governor, to admit publicly that a program for which he or she was responsible failed to deliver as promised.

To his credit, Gov. Daniels’ tenure has been marked by innovation and action. But even as he has proceeded with an aggressive agenda, there have been times when he has demonstrated the flexibility to reconsider and adjust his position as new information or public reaction dictated. Canceling the IBM contract with FSSA is the latest example of this. He demonstrated similar flexibility when he decided not to pursue the Central Indiana “commerce connector” highway when the public failed to embrace his vision of a 21st century transportation network.

Times change; circumstances change; the economy changes. When those changes happen, government needs the flexibility to react. That’s why it is so difficult to understand why our governor, who has demonstrated the courage to acknowledge that major policy initiatives don’t always play out as anticipated, is so adamant that the 1-2-3 property tax caps — which are already placing severe hardship on many local units of government — should be locked into the state’s Constitution.

Indiana Farm Bureau and its members heartily endorse the governor’s initiative to control spending at all levels of government. We agree that measures to reign in excesses need to be pursued. At the same time, we recognize the danger in irrevocably committing to any initiative before its ramifications are fully understood. We don’t want Indiana to end up like California where overly ambitious property tax controls have driven the state into virtual bankruptcy.

Therefore, while we applaud Gov. Daniels for his courage and wisdom in addressing the FSSA situation, we ask him to exercise similar conservative discretion and reconsider his endorsement of the constitutional amendment to render the 1-2-3 property tax caps irrevocable.

— Bob Kraft

Director of State

Government Relations

Indiana Farm Bureau Inc.



Heartfelt thank you for the Golden Knights



A heartfelt thank you to the Eighth Grade East Golden Knights football team.

From the bottom of our hearts, there are not enough words to express what this football team has meant to us.

We have watched these amazing young men grow from timid third graders with no idea of what they were doing into the strong and proud team that they are today.

This team has meant more to us this year as our son, a member of the team, has been battling a disease that touches so many of us. His first concern after receiving the diagnosis was whether or not he could play football this year. And he was devastated. This is just what he did during the late summer and fall. They played as a team and they won as a team. He was part of that team.

Throughout the season, this team has made efforts to keep in touch with our son; he has remained on the roster; he has remained a part of the team, at least in spirit.

And so we thank each of you, each of your parents and each of your coaches, for helping to mold you into the fine and thoughtful young men you are today.

And, we wish you the best of luck in yet another championship!

Go Golden Knights!

— Molly Barrett

Terre Haute



Expert panel should craft health care bill



If Congress wanted a workable health care bill, they would appoint a committee of people who are experts in the health care field and let them draft a working bill. Don’t let the script writers for the Three Stooges put together a bill about health care. TV, talk radio and experts are saying this bill that is being written is a mess and will hurt a lot of seniors. Congress wants to pass this bill ASAP because they have their own insurance plan and will not be covered by the health care bill. And you can bet they will stick some riders on the bill that will benefit them and the district they represent.

It isn’t only Congress that doesn’t know what they are doing. In Indiana, the governor cancels a $1.3 billion welfare contract. They don’t tell you how much it cost in time, meetings, supplies and manpower it took to put this contract together. That money just went down the sewer.

However, we put these people in office so I guess we will have to live with it until next election.

— Fred Roberts

Terre Haute