Congratulations Neighbors

It was approximately 6 weeks ago, and I went to Meadowood Park with my wife and family. I was absolutely stricken by how beautiful and well-kept our neighborhood looked that day. On Saturday (Race Day Eve?), I rode down to 15th and Main for a party. Again, the entire ride was breathtaking. On Monday, I again took a ride through the Meadowood Park neighborhood and it was just verdant, lush, and beautiful.

I lament that I do not have any pictures of any of it, but please take my word for it that it was pristine, lush, delightful, lovely, groomed, and manicured. Congratulations to my fellow citizens of Speedway. Your yards looked wonderful, and I thank you for it; your efforts assuredly redound to my benefit.

How Magnanimous

I see that the Indy Star's resident "thinking man's conservative" Tim Swarens has made a concession to reality so magnanimous, so big-hearted, that even this card-carrying liberal just can't help but applaud.

What is this concession, you ask?

 A political leader assaulting a journalist is simply unAmerican and unjustifiable, regardless of party, and should be condemned from all sides.

Well, that sure is groundbreaking. Why, I remember the good ol' days when it went without saying that physically assaulting someone for doing his job was wrong! How soft we used to be!

Of course, Swarens can't help but throw in some good ol' fashioned "both sides do it" arguments.

Before something even worse happens, it’s imperative for both sides — conservatives and journalists — to step back and rethink how they approach each other. As one of those rare people who is both a journalist and a conservative, let me offer a few thoughts for both camps.

So, to be clear, journalists need to stop asking difficult questions about policy, and contemporary "conservatives" need to stop reacting violently to these difficult questions. Uhhhhh.

Blame the media is an old game on the right, and one too often used to cover up real mistakes and weaknesses. And it’s ultimately self-defeating for conservative ideas and values if leaders attempt to avoid hard questions by constantly trotting out the “you can’t trust the media” defense. 

OK. I think Good Cop just came back into the room. I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. The corollary that I would add for our benevolent Republican overlords, particularly here in Indiana, is that if your policies are so good, you should not have to lie about them to sell them.

Let me say that again.

If your policies are so good, you should not have to lie about them to sell them.

Now, here comes the Bad Cop again.

For my fellow journalists, I’d like to suggest that we call on one of our most important qualities — our insatiable curiosity — to help build bridges to conservative audiences. I get that the vast majority of you line up on the left, and there’s little chance that will change anytime soon.

Tim, perhaps journalists line up on the side of objectively verifiable truth. Perhaps they live in the reality based universe. Perhaps it is true that facts have a well-known left-wing bias.

The most common complaint I hear from conservative readers — and I’ve talked to a lot of them over the years — is that journalists show an utter lack of respect for who they are as people and for their values.

I have nothing but respect for who conservatives are as people. I live in Speedway and am surrounded by conservatives (at least those who lean conservative on national issues . . . I believe these labels are essentially meaningless at the local level). However, (1) be explicit as to what those values are, and (2) respect goes both ways my friend.

Here comes Big Tim's Big Takeaway:

What happened Wednesday night in Montana is wholly unacceptable, especially in a democracy dependent on free and aggressive journalism. All of us, on the right and the left, need to reflect on what we can do to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

So, those of us on the left, who did not body slam or punch any journalists in the face, need to reflect on how we can make sure this never happens again? Those of us on the left who have never demonized the media, including Fox News (the largest single member of the media and a house organ for the Republican party), have to reflect on what we can do to make sure it doesn't happen again?

Come on Tim. You're better than this, even if you are part of the RepublIndyStar staff.

Topping your Trees

Dear Neighbor,

It is not my practice to tell people how to live, and please don't take this to be that. Nonetheless . . .

I can't help but notice that many of the beautiful hardwood trees throughout the Meadowood Park neighborhood have been "topped." For those who don't already know, "topping" a tree is exactly what you think it is: cutting the top off of your tree.

Found on Google images . . . could be any "topped" tree

Please stop.

It is not good for the tree.

It turns something beautiful into something ugly.

There are no fewer than a billion other reasons to not top your trees, but those two should suffice. For more information, please see here.

Case Study in Contrast: Wilshaw v. Marriott

I couldn't help but notice in the Town Press recently that there was an article celebrating the groundbreaking for a new Courtyard by Marriott. The contrasts between the town's quiet embrace of this Courtyard by Marriott vs. the "embrace" it has given Wilshaw could not be starker.

Now, as a preface to this, I am agnostic as to whether Marriott got any public money, directly or otherwise. My feelings on public money lining private pockets are generally well known and I won't get into it here.

Nonetheless, I note that there is no "bland motel committee" forming in Speedway. While those who live near Main St. have been given copious opportunity to rail about a supposed lack of parking, nobody was given any platform to rail about a lack of creative thinking. I mean, look at this:

I'm pretty sure if you look up "bland, disposable building" in the dictionary, this is it. While Wilshaw is designed to be a mainstay on Main St. for decades, this will be a Super 8 within 20 years and a brothel within 40 . . . Who remembers the last time this area was filled in with motels?

While I applaud the efforts to get investment in Speedway, particularly the efforts by the Redevelopment Commission, I am more than a bit put off by the difference in reception that Wilshaw has gotten vs. this. And why?

Parking.

As they say, "This is why we can't have nice things."

And the award for most competent public official goes to . . .

I'm not really talking about the Town Council, but they are included in this observation. So far as I can tell, here are the people who represent me at all levels of government, starting here in Speedway:

• Eileen Fisher (R), Speedway Town Council
• Joe Hogsett (D), Indianapolis Mayor
• Rep. Karlee Macer (D), IN House of Representatives
• Sen. Mike Young (R), IN Senate
• Gov. Eric Holcomb (R), IN Governor
• Rep. Andre Carson (D), US House of Representatives
• Sen. Joe Donnelly (D), US Senate
• Sen. Todd Young (R), US Senate
• Pres. Donald J. Trump (R)

Of all of these people, I would say that I have the most confidence in Gov. Holcomb. While I tend to disagree with some of his priorities, I believe him to be a competent manager of people who is in the office because he wants to do something as opposed to being in the office because he wants to be something.

As pertains the remainder of those on this list:

• I have no doubt that Eileen Fisher is a nice lady. I have been fortunate to meet her and found her pleasant and agreeable. However, I have not seen much by way of any policy ideas that she has pushed. Insofar as she has acquiesced to the extortion over parking that is going on down on Main St., my feelings on this are well known.
• Likewise, Joe Hogsett seems like a nice enough guy. However, his track record as US Attorney leaves much to be desired.
• Karlee Macer is a nice lady who I have had the pleasure of meeting. She likewise seems pleasant and agreeable, and I am glad to have at least a few seats in the state legislature occupied by anything other than the self-proclaimed "conservatives" of the Republican party. However, I am unable to identify any major achievements of hers.
• Mike Young is your typical pseudo-conservative politician: feed at the public trough while lecturing others for doing the same . . . make sure that policy comforts the comfortable and afflicts the afflicted. 
• Andre Carson . . . inherited his seat from his grandmother and has no legislative accomplishments.
• Joe Donnelly. Caved on the Neil Gorsuch nomination. Resides squarely in the "Joe Lieberman/centrist/spineless" camp
• Todd Young - see my comments on Mike Young, and multiply by a thousand.
• Donald Trump - turn on the TV.

Gov. Holcomb, however, actually has ideas and is willing to take risks to do what he believes is in the state's best interest. Could you imagine Mike Pence agreeing to raise taxes, for any reason, at any time? Me neither. Gov. Holcomb recognized that roads need to be paid for, and taxes pay the government's bills. He recognizes that if the populace wants "stuff," they have to pay for it; "starve the beast" has been a miserable failure, perhaps "serve the bill" will work to shrink government.

Gov. Holcomb also recognizes (unlike the US Atty. Gen.) that the opioid epidemic is a public health problem and not merely a criminal justice problem. Again, can you imagine our ex-Gov. Empty Suit Mike Pence conceding something this monumentally obvious?

So, congratulations Gov. Holcomb, you have the vote of confidence of TableTop Joe. Congratulations, or something.

Jennifer Messer - the $20,000/month Question

So, Jennifer Messer is on retainer with the Town of Fishers for $20,000/month. Huh. I'm sure that has precisely nothing to do with the fact that she is Mrs. Congressman Luke Messer.

I don't know a whole lot about the precise nature of the work she performs, and perhaps she performs handily. However, let's take a look at some numbers by comparison:

• General Counsel for most State of Indiana agencies makes right around $100,000. That includes the Utility Commission, IDEM, FSSA, the Indiana Finance Authority, etc. Mrs. Congressman Luke Messer makes that from the Town of Fishers by June 1. Assuming that she devotes her full time to this, can we really say that she is twice as good as every single attorney that acts as general counsel for every single state agency?
• Partners at Bose McKinney, Ice Miller, etc., generally bill approximately $450/hour. The Town of Fishers would have to put Jennifer Messer to work for approximately 44.5 hours/month at that rate to round out the $20,000. Does she do 44.5 hours of work/month?

Also, to clear up any misunderstanding about retainers, attorneys have to bill against them. In other words, it's an up-front payment for services to be rendered. If Jennifer Messer does nothing, she has to give the $20,000 back. If she bills more than $20,000 in the month, then the Town of Fishers owes her more. I have not seen any information on this either way.

I have no problem with people paying top dollar for legal work. It is important work and it is important to get things right, lest you find out the hard way that you got taken for a ride (a painful lesson for many public officials to learn).

I do have a problem with (a) the lack of transparency around this, particularly the unwillingness to reveal how much she is being paid, and what she is being paid to do; and (b) the fact that her husband preaches on and on about fiscal responsibility and "belt tightening" when it comes to such frivolous things as meals for the poor, elderly, and disabled, yet he seems to have no problem feeding his own family from the trough.

As they say, pigs get fed; hogs get slaughtered. Thus far, the Messers are pigs. Perhaps this AP story turns them into hogs? 

Don't hold your breath. They have the bulletproof vest Republican party affiliation to protect them. See previous post on mindlessly pulling the lever.

Where is the townhall meeting?

In case you missed it, the GOP just passed a healthcare "replacement" for the Affordable Care Act. While this law would materially benefit me, I think that it is, on net, bad for America. Certainly people disagree with me, and that is their right. However, should not those who "represent" us in Washington, D.C., and vote on such matters as national healthcare policy, make themselves available for questioning on their positions and votes?

I have put together a handy little chart of Indiana's congressional delegation, and whether they are holding any townhall meetings during the present recess.

Close to home, let's start with Todd Rokita, who represents the area just west of Indianapolis. Here is his district:

No plans to appear publicly in Indiana. If you are so inclined, here is his contact information. Send him an email and let him know what you think.

Moving on, let's talk about Susan Brooks. She is a nice lady who plays a moderate in public. Regrettably, her voting record does not support the reputation of "reasonable moderate conservative" to which she aspires. Here is her district:

Rep. Brooks does not have anything on  her web page that shows events. I take that to mean that she is not having any. Here is how you can email her. Please note, unless you live in her district, she doesn't give a damn what you have to say. She won't take your comments. Just saying.

Next, we have good old Luke Messer, Mr. "My wife gets $20k/month from the Town of Fishers, but I think the government spends too much money on poor people" Conservative. I always believed he was a little too slick, and this kind of $hi+ surprises me not in the least. Anyway, here is his district:

Again, no information whatsoever as to whether he will hold any townhalls. I presume this means he will not in any meaningful sense make himself available for questioning by his constituents. Real class act, this one . . . Anyway, here is how you can contact him and share your thoughts. Again, if you don't live in his district, he doesn't want to hear from you. Remember this when he inevitably runs for senate in 2018.

Speaking of worthless (I'm a bipartisan hater), how about Rep. Inherited my Congressional Seat from My Grandma Andre Carson. At least he has an "Events" section on his web page, even if it only lists events that have already happened (kind of defeats the purpose). If you have thoughts on how he has comported himself in Congress, here is his contact info. Again, he only wants to hear from people who live in his district. I doubt he will ever run for any higher office, so if you don't live in Indianapolis south of 38th Street, you're stuck with him. Here's his district:

Last but not least, we have Tennessee Trey Hollingsworth. Here's his district:

I'm sure you'll be shocked to find that he has no intention of holding any public events. Here is his contact info if you feel like carrying on a conversation with a coffee table.

In sum, it seems clear to me that the entirety of the central Indiana congressional delegation is either incompetent (in the case of Andre Carson) or indifferent (the rest). Ain't democracy grand?

Mindlessly Pulling the Lever

I have been told that Speedway will never elect anyone but a Republican to its Town Council. Perhaps, but I have some thoughts on that.

I have noted the frustration with which many have viewed the town officials and decisions made regarding redevelopment. As an example, I got the following comment yesterday:

and I might add the Wilshaw company just got done building themselves a nice office area on Main Street. The Town is corrupt, with all of the players from the redevelopment, town council and chamber all being in on the happenings, each member jumping from one group to another playing president or some other such office. The sad thing about all this TIF talk is just that-talk. Everything has already been decided behind closed doors. The players just think they are being transparent when they "legally" inform the public of these bond hearings, but as any public person can tell you, the players have already made up their mind about how it will go.

This is a commonly voiced frustration: that the same people are in charge of everything and take no input from those they putatively represent.

Am I the only one who sees the disconnect here? If you don't like what your officials are doing, vote them out. You can't simultaneously bitch about the performance of your public officials and then either (a) fail to vote or (b) mindlessly pull the lever for the same party over and over. As they say, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is textbook insanity.

I understand partisan loyalty, mind you, but these greater ideological differences between Republicans and Democrats have no bearing on local government. Consider;

• Speedway's local government has precisely zero say about abortion, gay marriage, or any other social issue
• Speedway's local government has nothing to do with any foreign policy on any level
• Speedway's local government has very little to do with your tax burden

They do, however, have a lot to say about how our local amenities are constructed, financed, etc.

I suppose what I'm saying is that if you have a problem with your town councilor, vote for someone else in the next election. The political parties do not hold primaries and instead "slate" their candidates based on the internal decisions of the party. When the residents of Speedway mindlessly vote Republican, and the "slated" Republican candidate is guaranteed victory, that is democracy in name only and a willful forfeiture of your right to choose your political representatives.

Vote, and do so after considering the candidate, not the party.

TIF Explained

It occurs to me that the post below used the term "TIF" as though it is a well-known term, and perhaps it is not.

What TIF refers to is "tax increment financing." Essentially, what happens is a developer comes into an area and increases the value of the property and then the increased tax revenues associated with that increased assessment are then poured back into the infrastructure to support the project.

Let's have an example:

A developer buys an acre of land for $10,000. She then invests $1m into the acre, thereby making the acre worth $1.5m. The tax rate remains the same, let's say 1%.

Prior to the developer, the government would collect $100/year on that acre. After the development, the government would collect $15,000/year on that acre. There is $14,900 additional tax revenue as a result of the development.

Developers often want a piece of that money. So, they cut a deal with the local government whereby the local government creates a "Tax Increment Financing District" or TIF District, whereby that $14,900 in additional money is diverted from general government funds to dedicated funds to develop infrastructure around the project, think sidewalks, sewers, etc. At least that is the way it is supposed to work in theory.

Unfortunately, that money often becomes a slush fund for well-connected developers to get big fat taxpayer handouts. (The irony is not lost on me that so many of the people involved in these deals rail away about government "handouts" to the poor, but I digress).

Anyway, that is what a TIF district is. That increased tax money then goes into a developer's (or local politicians . . . sometimes they're the same person) project, usually to make payments on a previously issued bond. The money does not go to police, schools, etc. Remember this the next time the City of Indianapolis pleads poverty when it comes to parks, police, schools, or any other traditional government function, yet has the money to subsidize well-heeled developers (ahem, Simon Properties, ahem, excuse me . . . there was something caught in my throat).

I'm not averse to TIFs in principle, but they are too often abused to give kickbacks to well-heeled developers. I don't know enough about Speedway's TIF districts to make any sort of assessment on the propriety of them.

I do believe, however, that the redevelopment has been a good thing, warts and all.

Wilshaw, Bonds, and Rube Goldberg Devices

I have been thinking more and more about the bond that will be issued to support the Wilshaw Project.

For starters, understand that issuing a bond is essentially no different than taking out a loan, except you're not borrowing from one lender but instead borrowing from hundreds or even thousands of lenders. Each of those lenders is entitled to be repaid.

So, in light of that, here is my understanding of the money flow with respect to the bond. If either reader of this blog know of reasons why this understanding is incorrect, please let me know.

1. The bonds will be issued (i.e. the money will be borrowed) by the Town of Speedway. I have surmised this from the "Notice of Public Hearing of the Speedway Economic Development Commission."

The Bonds will be issued by the Town

2. The Town will then lend the money raised through the issuance of the bond to another entity, the Speedway Municipal Facilities Corporation.

The Town will lend the proceeds of the Bonds to the Speedway Municipal Facilities Building Corporation (the “Corporation”) to finance the construction of a portion of certain economic development facilities, consisting of a two level parking facility, site development work, foundations and related costs (the “Parking Facilities Project”).

As I have stated before, I believe that incurring debt to build a parking facility is short sighted and wrong, but I understand that some in the community disagree with me. We'll agree to disagree over whether publicly financing parking is appropriate.

3. The Speedway Municipal Facilities Corporation will then take the money to finance the construction of a parking garage, the majority (if not the entirety) of which will be for use by Wilshaw.

4. Wilshaw and the Speedway Redevelopment Commission will jointly and severally lease this parking facility from the Speedway Municipal Facilities Corporation.

5. Payments on that lease will be made to the Speedway Municipal Facilities Corporation by Wilshaw and the Redevelopment Commission. The money will come from either TIF money, the Developer, or a special benefits tax levied by the Redevelopment Commission pursuant to IC 36-7-14-27.

The Redevelopment Commission’s lease payments under the Lease will be payable from (a) tax increment revenues generated in the Redevelopment Area (the “TIF Revenues”), (b) payments under the Developer Obligations Agreement and Third Party Guaranty (each as defined in the Economic Development Agreement), and (c) to the extent TIF Revenues and payments under the Developer Obligations Agreement and Third Party Guaranty are ever insufficient to pay lease rentals, from the revenues of a special benefits tax levied by the Redevelopment Commission pursuant to Indiana Code 36-7-14-27.

Presumably, Wilshaw will increase the value of the land upon which it is built so much that the increased value of the land will raise the tax revenues on the land to the point where the debt pays itself. Additionally, Wilshaw has some sort of "Developer Obligations Agreement" that is likely available for viewing at Town Hall from 9-4 M-F (precisely located squarely within the time frame during which I, and most of my neighbors, earn our living) and has not, to my knowledge, been posted online. There is also some mention of a third-party guarantor, the identity of whom is not revealed. Is that the citizenry of Speedway? Vladimir Putin? God only knows. Should neither of those options suffice, the Redevelopment Commission will levy a special tax on the Main St. TIF area.

Schematic Representation of this Financing Deal

I have a variety of thoughts on this scheme, not all of which have been thoroughly sorted out. However, as a first draft:

1. As mentioned above, I believe that spending taxes so that people have a place to park their enormous iron machines (i.e. cars) is a waste of tax money. We don't ask the public to provide us a place to work or sleep. Heck, this nation has had a revolt of late over asking the public to provide us basic medical care, but we don't bat an eye when it comes to spending public money so that people can park their cars? Priorities people. Priorities.

2. Why the rube goldberg device for where the money goes? If we (however wrongly) do decide to publicly finance a parking garage, why all of the misdirection as to where the money goes, comes from, etc? I can't help but think that this is one of those situations where we, the Town of Speedway, shoulder all of the risk while Loftus-Robinson (i.e. Drew Loftus and Kyle Robinson) stand to profit. As they say, if you're sitting around the poker table and can't tell who the sucker is, it's you.

3. The notice mentions a statute but never indicates the import of it. I can't help myself here, as I am a nerd about this kind of stuff. Here is what I think the relevant portion of the cited statute (IC 36-7-14-27) is:

The redevelopment commission, with the prior approval of the legislative body, shall levy each year a special tax on all of the property of the redevelopment taxing district, in such a manner as to meet and pay the principal of the bonds as they mature, together with all accruing interest on the bonds or lease rental payments under section 25.2 of this chapter. The commission shall cause the tax levied to be certified to the proper officers as other tax levies are certified, and to the auditor of the county in which the redevelopment district is located, before the second day of October in each year. The tax shall be estimated and entered on the tax duplicate by the county auditor and shall be collected and enforced by the county treasurer in the same manner as other state and county taxes are estimated, entered, collected, and enforced. The amount of the tax levied to pay bonds or lease rentals payable from the tax levied under this section shall be reduced by any amount available in the allocation fund established under section 39(b)(3) of this chapter or other revenues of the redevelopment commission to the extent such revenues have been set aside in the redevelopment bond fund.

Note that this is a bit opaque. After about a half hour of research attempting to locate the exact locale of the TIF district for Speedway, this is what I was able to come up with:

How much will this cost?Approximately $120 million of infrastructure will be funded by public investment, which will help attract an additional $400 million in private investment in Redevelopment Area One.

How will the public investment be generated?

The Town of Speedway has the financial strength necessary to make the investment through the creation of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district, which provides the town with a healthy revenue stream and credit. 

Given that they want to obligate people to repay  over a hundred million dollars, you would think that we could get an easily accessible map or something. The best I could come up with is this, with a map on pg. 5 of 33.

I note that, should this not work out, the other business owners on Main will be on the hook to pay for this parking garage.

Seems like a bad idea to me.

I don't suggest for a moment that our officials on the Redevelopment Commission, Town Council, etc., are in any way acting in bad faith. However, please remember that Loftus-Robinson is a fairly new company that does not have an extensive track record, and Ice Miller has been playing this "get public money for private projects" game for a long time. Please see Lucas Oil Stadium as Exhibit A.

It seems to me that we are allowing ourselves to be lured into quite an obligation that benefits Wilshaw rather handsomely and is rather dubious with respect to its benefits for Speedway. As I've stated before, if we want to publicly fund a garage, we should do it and have the Town of Speedway own it, operate it, and service the debt. Straight forward.

When I hear the words "public/private partnership," I tend to assume that I'm about to be taken to the cleaners. If it's worthy of public money, then it's worthy of public ownership.

My Healthcare Wish List

1. Lower Premiums
2. Lower Deductibles
3. Consistent, predictable coverage that pays when I need it.

Senator Young's "Response" to My Letter

I can't imagine why people believe that their "representatives" fail to represent them unless they bring a big fat campaign donation. Here is Senator Young's response to my letter, annotated with my comments:

Dear Mr. XXXXXXXX,

          Thank you for contacting me regarding efforts to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

I suppose my letter was about your effort to "repeal and replace" Obamacare. If you had a better idea than Obamacare, you would have my wholehearted support. Your efforts, since going to Congress, have only been an attempt to make healthcare less affordable for people like me. Your efforts have been focused on making healthcare more profitable for the providers and less affordable for the patients.

          While the PPACA – the law known by most as Obamacare – sought to address skyrocketing health care costs and access to care issues, it largely failed, and Americans are now experiencing collapsing health insurance exchanges and soaring premiums.  

It is nice that Sen. Young now concedes, after a mere 8 years, that Obamacare was not some secret socialist plot to destroy America and the "greatest healthcare system on earth" (objective statistics be damned). As to your comments, Senator, on collapsing exchanges and soaring premiums, you now own these problems. You asked the American people to put you in charge; with power comes responsibility. Every penny that my premiums go up, and every benefit that is dropped from my health insurance, now rests with you. IT IS ON YOU.

The law also lacked sufficient regard for the doctor-patient relationship and consumer choice, and levied new taxes, fees, and mandates - many of which hit low and middle-income families and small businesses. 

Interesting that this bill is so bad that you have to lie about it Senator. The taxes contained in Obamacare were not aimed at low and middle-income families or small businesses, but the subsidies were. The taxes are on individuals' investment income in excess of $250,000/year. Raise your hand if you make more than a quarter million in investments a year. That is not low income. That is not middle income.

As to small businesses, that is a slippery term if I ever heard one. I know we all like to think a small business is a used record store, but it also encompasses each and every REIT, hedge fund, and capital investment group. I'm sure Brixmoor Properties is a "small business" in Senator Young's eyes, notwithstanding the fact that it owns an asset (real estate) worth several million dollars and collects hundreds of thousands, if not millions, in rental payments per year.

Further, please explain how Obamacare "lacked sufficient regard for the doctor-patient relationship and consumer choice." I suppose your bill is better in the consumer choice regard if that means "you get to choose everything you can afford." That sounds a bit like "the rich and poor alike are forbidden from begging and sleeping under bridges."

As to the doctor-patient relationship. Sen. Young, pass a law that states that a doctor owes a fiduciary duty to his/her patients, and you will not reek of hypocrisy. Until then, I can smell you from here.

          Obamacare has failed Hoosiers.  

Senator, you have never participated in the exchange. I have. If you are saying that it needs improvement, I agree. However, your purported "fix" to the American health care system makes every single problem with the system worse. As indicated above, you now own every problem with America's terrible health care system. Congratulations. 

Further, I note that the House bill contains a provision allowing states to opt out of consumer protections for me, but not for you and your staff. So, what am I to make of that? Good enough for me but not for thee?

One of my first votes in the Senate was to start the process of repealing and replacing this law that is collapsing under its own weight. 

When you say "collapsing under its own weight," I hear "our Republican sabotage of the law was working." I tell you what, Senator Marine, let's go out into the ocean on a boat; I'll start drilling holes in the boat and that can be evidence that boats don't work and we shouldn't rely on boats. How about that, Senator?

 Now that the House has sent over its bill, I look forward to working with my colleagues on a replacement that works for Indiana.

Why don't you work with your constituents to see how your votes will affect them? Why don't you see how many people will lose their insurance coverage as a result of your actions? Why don't you see what will happen to the cost of healthcare for those who get to keep their coverage? In a nutshell, why don't you please, for the love of God, consider the effect of your actions on the most vulnerable out there?

          Again, thank you for contacting me.  It is an honor to represent you in the United States Senate.

You're not welcome, Senator. I know you don't care about what I think, and you will never deign to explain yourself to "someone like me." Just remember, though, that when all is said and done, we have to answer to the Almighty for our actions. When I stand before St. Peter, I will answer for my actions. So will you, Senator. So will you.

Sincerely,
Todd Young
United States Senator

When we vote for people who profess to believe that the government can't make our lives better, we should be unsurprised when those people pass laws that utterly fail to improve our lives and indeed make our lives more difficult. Similarly, when the best the Indiana democratic party can do is pull Eddie Haskell Lobbyist Governor's Son Evan Bayh off the reclamation heap, then not only has Senator Todd Young failed us, so too has the Indiana Democratic party.

My Letter to Sen. Todd Young

What with the House of Representatives having passed the so-called "American Health Care Act," I reached out to Senator Todd Young who ostensibly represents me in the United States Senate. Here is the text:

Sen. Young,

I am writing to you to refrain from voting for the American Healthcare Act until you find out how it will affect my family. I am the sole provider for a wife and two kids. I work as a lawyer and carry approximately $XXXXXX (a scarily large number) in student loan debt from law school. I am gainfully employed in Indianapolis and earn nearly XXXXXXXX per year. Nonetheless, my firm is small and does not provide health insurance for my wife and two young kids (4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter). The premiums for my health insurance are nearly what my mortgage costs (as is the monthly payment on my student loans). I am earnestly trying to provide a better future for my family, working no fewer than 60 hours/week. If my health insurance costs go up, or if my family faces a serious illness, I will be facing bankruptcy.

You represent my interests in congress every bit as much as you represent IU Health, Eli Lilly, Anthem, and Stryker (to name a few IN healthcare corporations). There are literally hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers in my position. Please, before you vote for the AHCA, consider its consequences. If you believe, objectively and based on the evidence, that the AHCA will materially improve the lives of your constituents (the human ones, if not the corporate ones), then please vote yes. If you do not so believe and instead would rely on materially dishonest talking points to explain the vote, I beseech you to vote no. 

Sincerely,

NOTE: my modest midwest roots preclude me from publicizing actual figures regarding my income and debt load. I provided such figures to Sen. Young so that he could make an informed decision on the impact of his vote on my life (if he actually cares), but I will not publicize those numbers here.

ALSO: my firm does make insurance available for my wife and children, however I have to pay the full premium, which would be double what a "silver" plan costs on healthcare.gov.

"Tabletop Joe"