Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. May 9, 2024.
Editorial: Now state officials care about mixing politics and investments
Adlai Stevenson once said that a political hypocrite would cut down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation.
We considered this when listening to Indiana State Treasurer Daniel Elliot proudly announce a further $5 million investment in Israel Bonds, bringing the state’s total investment in the U.S. ally to $110 million.
As treasurer and chief investment officer, Elliott oversees Indiana’s portfolio, valued at nearly $17 billion in state assets.
Though S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investor Service downgraded Israel’s credit score as a result of geopolitical risks in the Mideast, investing in Israel Bonds, free of political considerations, is considered reliable enough.
But let’s back up to the dependent clause “free of political considerations,” as this bond buy by Indiana is a conscious political act to support Israel.
The support of a foreign government seen as an ally is not problematic for this board, though we’re confident it may be for a portion of our readers.
Indeed, if Elliot wanted to use a portion of the state’s money to support environmental, social and corporate governance issues that also provide a good rate of return for Hoosiers, then go right ahead.
Oh, wait, Elliot and the supermajority told us there was no place for that kind of politically motivated outlay with the people’s assets. For someone who helped ax “woke” investments as part of the state’s strategy, Elliot has inadvertently and farcically made a case for it.
Israel is one of the world leaders in developing innovative water, agriculture and renewable energy technologies to be more resilient to climate change. Ironically, due to the supermajority’s actions in 2023, this state couldn’t invest in an Israeli company doing great work, no matter how good the return on investment.
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Terre Haute Tribune-Star. May 10, 2024.
Editorial: Primary results set up competitive 2024 election
Indiana gives Hoosiers too many reasons to be nonvoters. Tuesday’s Indiana primary reaffirmed that reality.
The state was among the first to require a photo ID to vote. Residents must provide a qualifying reason to vote absentee by mail. The deadline to register as a voter ends 29 days before Election Day, which is the time period average people start paying attention to political campaigns. Early voting opportunities are helpful, but those waiting until Election Day will find the polls close by 6 p.m. on those Tuesdays. Indiana’s congressional and state legislature districts are so gerrymandered — drawn by sitting state legislators to favor the ruling party — that races for those elected offices often go uncontested, squelching voter interest.
As a result, voter turnouts in Indiana have been among the nation’s weakest.
And Vigo County’s turnouts have ranked near the bottom among Indiana counties for much of the 21st century.
A total of 13,773 Vigo Countians cast ballots in the Indiana primary, which concluded Tuesday. That amounts to 19.96% of the county’s 69,017 registered voters. The statewide turnout will not be calculated for a couple weeks, but most localities reported turnouts between 20% and 25%, the Indiana Capital Chronicle reported.
Vigo’s turnout was a drop from 25.2% in the last presidential primary in 2020, but there is a caveat. That primary occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic’s outset, and Indiana wisely expanded absentee voting to allow all registered residents to vote by mail, and avoid large gatherings where the coronavirus could spread. While that primary unfolded smoothly, the state promptly returned to its more restrictive voting policies.
The small sampling of voters involved in the 2024 Vigo County primary etched the Republican and Democratic nominees onto the November general election ballot. The choices assembled mark a fairly competitive contest for local offices, slightly more lopsided matchups on the state level and a tight, heated presidential race between incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
On Thursday, both chairmen of the county political parties expressed optimism about their chances in the fall. “We’re obviously excited about our ticket,” said Vigo Democratic Chairman Joe Etling. His counterpart, Republican Chairman Randy Gentry, cited his party’s strategy to attract more qualified candidates. “The net result of that effort over the last 10 years has given us a very strong ballot that will serve voters and this community well,” Gentry said.
November’s general election includes multiple Republican and Democratic incumbents in county offices seeking reelection, and only a couple of uncontested races. Those choices alone offer compelling reasons for nonvoters to navigate Indiana’s voting hurdles and join the civically engaged. Local officeholders’ decisions affect people most directly.
Good choices exist in statewide races, too. Voters can choose its next governor between Trump-endorsed Republican Mike Braun, Indiana’s one-term U.S. senator, and former state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick. Braun, a wealthy businessman, promises to expand entrepreneurism in Indiana. McCormick won the superintendent’s position as a Republican but irritated party leaders with her independence and became a Democrat who supports more accessible childcare and universal pre-kindergarten for Hoosier kids.
Federal offices include challengers for open seats. Vying for the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by Braun will be equally Trump-ish U.S. Rep. Jim Banks and Valerie McCray, a clinical psychologist and Indiana’s first Black female major-party nominee for senate. The 8th District congressional race pits Jasper conservative state legislator Mark Messmer against movie theater manager Erik Hurt, the Democrat.
And, of course, Biden and Trump are rematched in the presidential race, with issues like preserving democracy, reducing healthcare costs, strengthening Social Security and immigration policies on the line.
If you are a regular voter, help a nonvoting friend or acquaintance register and get to the polls this fall. Every voice matters.
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