Although I belong to the same political party as Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, the more I hear about him the less I like him. There are basically two reasons for this:
1) Earlier this year Daniels made a big push for all-day kindergarten. Excuse me, but this very issue was championed by far-left Democrats in California recently. It baffles me that a Republican is pushing for this—definitely not what I would have expected. Essentially this issue is about free (paid-by-the-state) daycare. Why is it one of Daniels’ top priorities to expand government programs and encourage mothers to be separated from their five-year-old kids for a full day, when otherwise many mothers would opt to spend more time with their young children?
2) Today I heard on the radio that Daniels was “surprised and disappointed” that the legislature failed to pass a tax hike on cigarettes. He was hoping to use the 25-cent per pack hike to expand government health care programs. We also recently faced this issue in the California legislature—and, again, it was the Democrats who supported it and the Republicans who opposed it. Last time I checked, I thought Republicans believed in a) limited government, b) keeping taxes down, and c) personal freedom (i.e., that the government should refrain from micromanaging personal decisions). Although I personally think that smoking is an unwise choice, I don’t think the government should reach in and hike the taxes on someone’s personal choices, just because those choices happen to be politically incorrect.
Until Daniels proves himself to be something other than a liberal in Republican clothing, I doubt he’ll be getting my vote.
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Unfortunately, most of the GOP governors from the Midwest in recent memory have been horrible ~ Ohio's left office last year as one of the worst on record. Welcome to our world!
Allow me to defend Gov. Daniels a bit. First of all, let me say that I am in total disagreement on full day kindergarten. I am opposed to having to pay for someone elses daycare bill. Besides, nothing in the current budget bill paves a way to pay for full day kindergarten, but we have the Democrats to thank for that.
But I did agree with the now failed raise in the cigarette tax. Indiana has some of the lowest prices on cigarettes in the nation and the lowest, I believe in the midwest. Indiana also has the highest amount of smokers in the nation. The initial proposed amount of increase was 50+ cents, but the Dems whittled it down to 25. Good for them if you want to say. And we all know that the money was going to fund the statewaide health care program. We also know that many of the people people who use state health care are smokers.
Gov. Daniels isn't saying that Indiana should institute a statewide ban on smoking. That would be true government intrusion and I'm against that, even down to the county wide level. But what he is saying is that those who contribute to their own health problems should pony up the dough to help pay for their own problems rather than you or me paying more than we should have to by being non-smokers. To me, that makes sense and is more of a true conservative principle.
I hope that all made sense. I am in no way a 100% Daniels backer, but I firmly believe he has done more good than not for this state. He has also been more of a conservative leader for this state than we've seen in the last 16 years of Democrat gubanatorial leadership and right now had my vote should he run for re-election in '08.
Josh, thanks for your input. I have to admit that my opinions have been formed by default--what I've happened to read and hear--vs. me investigating what all Daniels stands for. When it comes time for his relection, I plan to give him a better look.
And, I agree that, if it can be shown that smokers cause an x-amount increase in medical expenses shouldered by the taxpayers, a tax hike of x-amount of dollars makes sense. I would be a lot more eager to support it, if that were the case. The way the issue was framed by the media, it didn't sound like the tax hike was for the purposes of covering additional expense caused by smokers but to expand gov't health care programs in general. But, again, I didn't do my own investigative research. :)
Thanks again for your comments.
You'll find there are a vast number of Republicans who support sin taxes. Taxes are necessary for the things gov't is supposed to provide (yes they have too many programs but they do provide those roads you travel on and the army that keeps you safe). The thinking behind sin taxes is that instead of taxing everyone, tax those that will pay a little more for a habit or a pleasure. I don't mind paying $.50 extra for a cigar cause I enjoy a good cigar. I don't mind paying and extra 1% sales tax when going out to eat cause I love football and the Colt's, plus the economic benefits that they bring to the city are huge. If you have a sin tax people choose to pay it, they don't have too and they aren't forced too, we choose cause we are willing to pay extra for that pleasure.
All day kindergarten. Economically makes since. We are bussing these kids to school and back in half a day, then do it again for the other half. So we send out gas guzzling buses that pick up only a partial load of students and we do this twice a day. You look at it as a day care, yet it's costing just about as much for that half day for the child as it would as a full day. Plus what's wrong with them being in full day? They should learn more have a better handle on things for the first grade. I had full day at Heritage.
No two people believe the same things, just cause you don't agree with the man on these issues doesn't make him a bad Gov. I don't like some of the things he's done but that doesn't mean I'm going to through my vote away.
And don’t compare us to Cali, we don’t deserve that ;^p
While I don't think I would personally put Avery in all-day Kindergarten, many of my teacher friends like the idea. Carmel has the option for full-day, and one of our friends who teaches 1st grade there said he can tell night/day difference in the kids that had full day vs. the kids that had half day. I don't like the idea of Avery being gone all day at such a young age, but I know I can provide her with the extra academic support she may need at home. With so much pressure being put on schools to succeed these days, any extra instructional time (if the parents choose that for their child) will only benefit them academically. The school bus issue is also relevant, though I know some districts require you to drop off/pick up one way, depending on if your child attends morning/afternoons. Yes, for some it will be the answer to the daycare dilemma, but money (if invested wisely) in education is never wasted.
~Emily
Here's more info on the failed ciggy tax and what the Illinois Demo Gov is doing to cover some 500,000 uninsured.
http://frugalhoosiers.typepad.com/frugal_hoosiers/2007/03/thats_not_an_en.html#comments
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