Indiana Flag

Promise-keeping, including honoring contracts, is the default position of a lawful society. But suddenly, many citizens’ legal claims are merely starting points for negotiations with an overbearing government.

-George Will

In an editorial after the general election, Bill Ruthhart wrote in the Indystar of the event where the eleven members of the Indiana electoral college voted for Obama.  In a quaint display of imagery, he describes how these Democrat electors innocently stumbled through the ceremony, since it was clear that none of them had done this before.  After all, it has been 44 years since Indiana last voted for a Democrat for president.  After they placed their votes, those in the room had a definitive Obamasm.  This is a nice piece of imagery to describe the general election.

One elector of note was Charlotte Martin, a retired school teacher.  Of the event she said, ”Indiana has not (voted for a Democrat) since 1964, and to think I was an elector — it’s just amazing.”  Amazing indeed.  I wonder how amazed she is now that her retirement benefits are on the line because of Obama’s policies.

Recently, Indiana’s Governor MItch Daniels, has labeled Barack Obama’s policies as shock and awe statism.  He and the state treasurer are denouncing Obama’s treatment of Chrysler’s creditors.  Apparently, the pension fund that supports Indiana’s retired school teachers owns $42.5 million dollars of secured Chrysler debt.  Of course, according to Obama, as purchasers of secured debt the Treasury of Indiana has engaged in irresponsible “speculation.”  While it is true that there is an Amendment in the Constitution, the 5th one to be exact, that says the Government can’t take your personal property, it is possible that Obama sees a deficiency in this amendment.  Even though it spells out what he can’t do, it doesn’t spell out what he must do for the UAW that in many ways contributed to his election – probably especially in Indiana.  The answer for Obama is to say, “Screw the law, Screw legal contracts, Screw the NEA, Screw retired

Obama's Speech Writer

teachers, Screw Indiana, I’ve got constituents to pander to.”  I don’t envy his position.  Who do you choose to pander to?  Americans who think the Constitution is important?  That pesky document.  The NEA?  They supported you too after all.  Indiana?  They bought into your “Hope” snake oil, and voted for a Democrat President for the first time in 44 years.  Hmmm!  How do you keep everyone happy when the interests of one of your constituents directly contradict the interests of another of your constituents?  This sounds like a problem for Barack Obama’s speech writer to solve – PETA should interfere to protect the rights of that poor overworked chimp.