Another blogger this morning launches an attack ("Mike Young's Act Is Still Old") on Senator Michael R. Young, R-Indianapolis, spurned on by his amendment to exempt the Speedway and Beech Grove library systems from county-wide consolidation of services. While I generally do not agree with Senator Young on his opposition to consolidation, I believe he is just representing the strong feelings of his Speedway constituents. Isn't that his job?
What I take issue with is the attack on Senator Young's character as it relates to his opposition to Tom John becoming Marion County Republican Chairman in 2007. I have worked in Marion County politics for years, and worked with Mike Young on the Rex Early campaign in 1996. Mike is one of the few Marion County Republicans who has survived the Marion County slating gauntlet election after election without having to sell his soul to county chairman and other Marion County Republican leaders like John Keeler, Tom Schneider, Jack Cottey and now Tom John. And that ticks off a lot of people. You may not like Senator Mike Young's conservative politics, but he is a man who is willing to tell it like it is. His willingness to publicly oppose Tom John as chairman in 2007 is a testament to his character.
During the 2007 election season, Chairman John's support of now Mayor Ballard was tepid at best, and he only actively supported one of the Republican at-large council candidates. Past sins could be forgiven if they led to changed behavior. But this past past year, Chairman John had an extraordinary opportunity to work behind the scenes to set this Mayor on a populist course that could lead to his re-election and the re-election of a Republican majority on the council. Instead he has stood idly by while the Mayor's Office was taken over by a local law firm. Did he utter a ward in opposition? Not only did he not, he publicly condoned the takeover of the 25th Floor by Barnes & Thornburg. As one Republican explained, "Tom John wants to be the next Bob Grand." And therein lies the problem.
The Marion County Republican Party can no longer win county-wide elections playing the game of using local government to transfer taxpayer money to local law firms and their big corporate clients. Yet that is exactly what is going on and continues as the Capital Improvement Board has apparently already decided to give more taxpayer money to the Pacers, a client of Bob Grand who is sits in on regular meetings with Mayor Ballard and is chairman of the CIB. Yet, where is the Republican county chairman on the issue of defending taxpayers against the big corporate interests that run Indianapolis? Nowhere in sight.
What is getting "old" is the corporate welfare schemes and law firm control of city government that Tom John wants to perpetuate at the expense of the future of the Marion County Republican Party. Mike Young told the truth in 2007. The Marion County GOP needs more truth, not less.
16 comments:
It's time for Abdul to come clean about who he is collecting those consulting fees from. His pay at WXNT isn't enough to live on. His head is always up Tom John's and Ballard's asses. It's pretty obvious whose payroll he is on. The guy doesn't have the ethical character to disclose it to his listeners. The radio station should demand it from him.
I heard that he takes his marching orders from a couple of Barnes & Thornburg attorneys. Do you suppose they gave him the assignment to smear the good senator?
Abdul will do anything to be in the mix. Between putting spyware on Beth White's computer then working with Tom John to share their findings with his audience to actually begging (yes begging) for a consultant contract to use his radio program to attack Ballard's critics and to be his apologist.Nothing really has changed however it is amusing how man insecure elected officals who actually trust the guy. He's poison.
What would happen if Abdul had a show and no one listened? Would he talk himself into a corner?
Paul, please don't waste your tears on Ballard. Shortly after the '07 election he Joe and Bob took him on a drive down to southern Indiana for a political event. On the way down deals were made. Ballard agreed to be a one term Mayor and retire to a teaching position in exchange for being a figure head and care-taker for 4 years. They hope to hand off the seat to a more suitable GOP insider, I'll let you guess who. All that you are witnessing is nothing more than pre-season antics. Ballard is locked into the agreement and simply enjoying the ride.
Gee, even I think you all are being way too rough on Abdul. I like to think that he's just misguided, betting on the wrong horse. I think he's seizing on to what he thinks is an opportunity, but is in fact sacrificing short term gains for long-term damage to his career and credibility.
I put Abdul in much the same boat as Ryan Vaughn. I'm sure Ryan thinks he's advancing his career and short-term he is. Long-term though he is losing credibility with the people whose support he needs to go further in his career. But quite frankly, if I were in his position as his age with a chance to make a lot of money in a terrible job market for attorneys, I might well have also hitched my wagon to the Bob Grand/B&T wagon not knowing the cost associated with doing so.
I don't think most people are by nature bad people. I have trouble believing Abdul is deep down a bad guy. He's just making some bad decisions with those he has cast his lot with and the things he is saying against people who are simply being honest about what is going on.
Ryan should take a look at how B&T treated Karen Horseman. As soon as she was no longer a councilor, they kicked her into the street.
Paul, You have no sense of humor, or set it aside for a cheap "Bob Grand" jab at the Mayor.
Abdul's quote ("State Senator Mike Young said current Marion County GOP Chairman Tom John would get the job over his dead body. Tom got the job and Mike didn’t keep his promise") was to note how bad Youngs prognostication was, much like yours ("If Tully knew how angry Indianapolis Republicans are at their own Mayor and his discarding the ethics platform on which he was elected, he would not be suggesting that a unified, energized Marion County Republican Party is going to boost Daniels.")
Young had just as bad a pulse on the GOP as you do.
Quick Reminder:
Tom John is Ice Miller, not Barnes and Thornburg. If that were Tom John's agenda, he'd want some "juice" for his own firm.
Does Paul Ogden have an unhealthy obsession with Barnes and Thornburg?
Find out at http://ogdentruthsquad.blogspot.com/
It seems that you're the one with the obsession, "Mary Jo". Did you think taking on a female pen name would throw readers off as to your true identity? The truth hurts, and it's not just Paul who is sick and tired of the way some B&T attorneys operate. Your attempts at damage control are amusing, "Mary Jo"/Bob.
Sorry Mary Jo, your blog is boring. Discussions are healthy when they are two sided. At your blog you throw banana peels and they’ve lain there for so long they are starting to smell. Just because B&T represents the Mayor/city doesn’t make it legal or ethical for them to attempt to take over the mayor’s job. You are judged by the company you keep and the taxpayer’s money you squander. I am still waiting to find out about that quarter of a million dollars and that too is beginning to smell. I have a feeling it went into someone else’s pocket and not to the criminal corporation it was slated for.
Leslie Sourwine says a skunk is a skunk regardless of the political hat it wears
Abdul is a bottom feeder. He'll sell his mama if he could get a laugh and a few bucks. Afterall, who need her anymore, she already gave birth to him....
Congrats Paul...you've riled them so much they've created a hate blog for little old you, written anonymously of course.
That's a good sign! Keep on your path.
They attack you personally and anonymously. And you honestly address the problems in our city and sign your name to your opinion.
Who are people gonna believe?
Republicans stand for nothing. After seeing them attack Ogden, and after seeing some of the horrible hires in Corporation Counsel, it's obvious that Republicans stand for nothing but their own power.
I'm ashamed I ever voted for them.
Paul needs to realize that the GOP views believers in principles as useful idiots who are supposed to vote as instructed, since the other guys are an intolerable evil.
Damn them both. Vote LP.
Abdul sold-out to Bob Grand and Joe Loftus.
Hey Abdul, how is your application for an attorney license coming? Remember, you don't meet the 5 years of practice in Illinois requirment to qualify for reciprocity because you've been full-time in Indiana for the past 5years, so you'll have to take the bar examination.
We'll be watching to see if you lie to the law examiners....WE don't need YOUR kind here.
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