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Kole Hard Facts of Life

  • I Like Trains, But...

    Number of comments: 1
    Russia's high speed passenger train apparently derailed. Per CNN:
    A passenger train running from Moscow to St. Petersburg derailed Friday, causing 25 deaths and 63 injuries, state-run Russian television reported.

    Russian state radio said the crash occurred 280 km (174 miles) from St. Petersburg at 9:34 p.m. (1:34 [...]

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    Posted: November 27, 2009, 8:44pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • By The Same Token, Obama's Allure

    Number of comments: 3
    Just as I don't get Sarah Palin's great allure among so many conservatives, I'm similarly not understanding the very high approval ratings President Obama gets among Democrats. Pollster.com compiles polling data from the polls you know, and places Obama's approval rating among Democrats above 82%.

    Are Democrats no [...]
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    Posted: November 22, 2009, 9:52am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • What Is Palin's Allure?

    Number of comments: 7
    I don't get it. If you can't hang with Katie Couric in an interview, etc., how do you translate yourself as big-stage political material? Are conservatives that desperate? Apparently, yes they are. A thousand lined up in Noblesville, one town north of me, to get 30 seconds of face time [...]
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    Posted: November 20, 2009, 9:18am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • I keep an eye on reports ...

    Number of comments: 1
    I keep an eye on reports like the one at the Indy Star today, advising of more Ash Borers being spotted in a variety of Indiana locations:
    The tree-killing emerald ash borer has reached another four Indiana counties, boosting the insect’s foothold in the state to 30 counties.

    [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 4:40pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • There was a lot of predictable spin ...

    Number of comments: 3
    There was a lot of predictable spin on the recent elections that follows partisan lines. The race that most interested me was NY-23, where a Democrat ultimately won in a district that had elected Republicans for more than 100 years.

    This happened because the Republicans nominated a fairly liberal [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 10:22am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • The Predictable World of BaseballI ...

    Number of comments: 4
    The Predictable World of Baseball

    I am not watching the World Series. There is not a shred of interest. Oh? Did the Yankees make it? Now, who woulda thunk it? Big surprise. The Phillies? Knock me over with a feather.

    It's hard enough being a sports fan in' [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 8:01pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • A Friendly, God-Fearing Bank RobberThis ...

    Number of comments: 1
    A Friendly, God-Fearing Bank Robber

    This one is bound to make national news. From the Indy Star report:
    A robber holding a gun on an Advance America cashier Monday apologized to the woman for his actions, but went ahead with his robbery even after praying with the victim.
    [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 12:40am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Dow & Gold At Highs?Ok, ...

    Number of comments: 5
    Dow & Gold At Highs?

    Ok, I'm confused. The Dow cracked 10,000 yesterday for the first time in a year, while gold finished today at $1,050/oz, which is just off an all-time high. This doesn't make a lot of sense, with gold so often being strongest when stock markets [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 1:01am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Reason on Whole Foods

    Number of comments: 0
    Reason on Whole Foods

    Interesting to hear some Whole Foods employees speak, alongside Whole Foods protesters.

    [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 3:34pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Yet Even Still More Smoking Ban for ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Yet Even Still More Smoking Ban for Marion County

    It seems like there is endless restlessness by those who wish to use the power of government to force businesses to involuntarily adopt no-smoke policies. From WTHR 13's report:
    A City-County Council committee approved a tighter ban in a' [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 3:12pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • So, Who Will Pay?With the ...

    Number of comments: 0
    So, Who Will Pay?

    With the health care debate, the proponents seem to be stuck on a nuance-free, black & white answer: The Rich(tm). After all, they can afford it.

    Alas, the reality is that it isn't just the rich. Turns out it could be people working manufacturing' [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 8:10am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Limbaugh To Own The Rams?I ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Limbaugh To Own The Rams?

    I was amused to see that one former painkiller addict wouldn't support the other. From the AP:
    Rush Limbaugh's bid to buy the St. Louis Rams ran into opposition within the NFL on Tuesday. Colts owner Jim Irsay vowed to vote against him
    [...]
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    Posted: October 13, 2009, 11:53pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Rewarding SaturdayI was very happy ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Rewarding Saturday

    I was very happy to deliver a talk to potential Libertarian Party candidates this Saturday, on the subject of beginning the race. Mainly, as the most recent candidate for Secretary of State, my top secondary objective, apart from winning, was to establish four more years of automatic [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2009, 4:20pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize?They ...

    Number of comments: 6
    Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize?

    They must just give that thing away to anyone. To give the Peace Prize to the president who has not ended the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but extended them? The Prize has no value any longer, and what a horrible message: Words matter, [...]
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    Posted: October 09, 2009, 12:39pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Saturn Rings The BowlGM announced ...

    Number of comments: 4
    Saturn Rings The Bowl

    GM announced today that Saturn is being closed down. From an AP report:
    General Motors Co. said today that it would shut down its Saturn brand after an agreement with Penske Automotive Group Inc. to acquire it fell apart.

    Penske, citing concerns of [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 11:48pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Souder Begs Of Me?I was ...

    Number of comments: 2
    Souder Begs Of Me?

    I was fairly surprised to get a beg letter from Congressman Mark Souder, a Republican representing Indiana's District #3, covering the northeast corner of the state. Surprised, because I live in District #5, in the central part of the state.

    The gist of the' [...]
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    Posted: September 30, 2009, 9:28am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Feast / FamineI haven't posted ...

    Number of comments: 3
    Feast / Famine

    I haven't posted in several weeks, because the work was overwhelming. A great problem to have, as now illustrated by having almost none.

    With some down time, I've decided to go forward with one of the many projects I've put to the back burner for' [...]
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    Posted: September 24, 2009, 12:45pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • A Useful Way To Think About Health ...

    Number of comments: 1
    A Useful Way To Think About Health Care Solutions

    I was very taken by Harvard economist Greg Mankiw's blog post about institutions and trust. He and I are of a like mind.

    In sum, Mankiw asks, If you are more apt to trust government as an institution' [...]
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    Posted: July 27, 2009, 5:35am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • We Want To Give Power?Why ...

    Number of comments: 0
    We Want To Give Power?

    Why am I so opposed to government run health care? Because I'm hard pressed to think of anything important that government does well. For reference, consider our economy.

    Yes, the Federal Reserve is a private bank, but it is given power to control' [...]
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    Posted: July 23, 2009, 10:43am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Indy Star Rushes to IrrelevanceIs ...

    Number of comments: 6
    Indy Star Rushes to Irrelevance

    Is it just me, or did anyone else notice that trying to view the Indianapolis Star online now requires a password? Go ahead- give it a whirl: [www.indystar.com]

    The management seems hell-bent on making sure nobody reads. If I can't look for' [...]
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    Posted: July 19, 2009, 8:36am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Obama Explains Shrinking American Job Base, Inadvertently

    Number of comments: 1
    Obama Explains Shrinking American Job Base, Inadvertently

    Freudian slip! From a NY Times report:
    One evil he came here to fight is the pernicious mix of greed, famine and war that has kept Africa down. He delivered a blunt message that from his predecessors might not have been [...]
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    Posted: July 13, 2009, 12:45pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • RIP Billy MaysNow, here is ...

    Number of comments: 0
    RIP Billy Mays

    Now, here is a celebrity I'll miss. From CNN's report:
    The 50-year-old known for his shouting OxiClean ads was pronounced dead at 7:45 a.m. The Hillsborough County medical examiner will perform an autopsy, Tampa police Lt. Brian Dugan said.

    Mays was on the US [...]
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    Posted: June 28, 2009, 11:33pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Pathetic(Charlevoix, MI)- So, we arrived in ...

    Number of comments: 5
    Pathetic
    (Charlevoix, MI)- So, we arrived in Charlevoix for Ame's first marathon, and after a long drive dinner was beckoning. TVs were on in the place, and it was all Michael Jackson.
    I could care less.
    Really- We have a vote on cap & trade coming up, North Korea throwing' [...]
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    Posted: June 26, 2009, 9:29am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Craig Coxe Interview PostedI was happy ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Craig Coxe Interview Posted
    I was happy to see my lengthy interview with ex-NHL player Craig Coxe posted at last on HockeyFights.com. 
    The main thing that delayed the posting was the ambition of it. There is so much that could be done with it, because the interview was videotaped [...]
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    Posted: June 25, 2009, 11:30pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • How Did This Happen?I received ...

    Number of comments: 0
    How Did This Happen?

    I received a copy of the property tax statement from the Hamilton County Treasurer, and found that my property taxes went down by about 12% from last year.

    This is remarkable, because they went down 10% the year before. I am astonished. So, why?
    [...]
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    Posted: June 23, 2009, 1:02pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Light Rail Crash in DC Area

    Number of comments: 0
    Light Rail Crash in DC Area

    No mode of transportation is without risk. Rail commutes are often touted as a safe alternative to auto commutes. I'd like to see comparisons on injuries and fatalities per passenger mile. I know this: When the train wrecks, many people are injured at' [...]
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    Posted: June 22, 2009, 11:04pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • No Doubt About ABC's BiasFor ...

    Number of comments: 0
    No Doubt About ABC's Bias

    For years, many have asserted that the media is biased to the left, and many others have countered that it isn't, or that corporations own the media, so it is biased to the right. Then there's Fox News.

    Say what you will for' [...]
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    Posted: June 18, 2009, 4:16pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Good For Him!The Indiana soldier ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Good For Him!

    The Indiana soldier on his way to Iraq who put his original 1788 copy of The Federalist up for auction has cashed in. Per the Indy Star report:
    An Indiana soldier’s rare leather-bound first edition copy of volume one of “The Federalist” has sold for [...]
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    Posted: June 16, 2009, 11:51pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Bailouts & Stimulus Are The Problem

    Number of comments: 1
    Bailouts & Stimulus Are The Problem

    You've probably heard of Peter Schiff- the man who was the town crier, telling anyone who would listen that the sub-prime market would collapse, and then it did. Here's Schiff on the Daily Show:

    The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon -' [...]
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    Posted: June 15, 2009, 12:01pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Federalist Papers Going Once!I love ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Federalist Papers Going Once!

    I love this item. A Hoosier soldier had the good fortune to stumble across an original edition of The Federalist, edition 1788, and picked it up for $7. From the Indy Star:
    A rare leather-bound book that played an influential role in America's early [...]
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    Posted: June 15, 2009, 11:37am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Tooting My Own HornThe most ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Tooting My Own Horn

    The most recent installment of the Libertarian Party of Indiana's Weekly Podcast turns the tables on me. Rather than hosting as the interviewer, I am the guest, as the Chair of the Hamilton County LP. The guest host was more than capable. LPIN Executive Director [...]
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    Posted: June 12, 2009, 12:07am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • No TV? No Big DealIn ...

    Number of comments: 2
    No TV? No Big Deal

    In five days- you know, unless they can't pull it off, as was the case in January- all the broadcast TV stations will switch to digital, and the Kole household will lose the remaining 7 or 8 channels we have had since we pulled' [...]
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    Posted: June 08, 2009, 7:53am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Best Wishes, Andy HorningWith Andy ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Best Wishes, Andy Horning

    With Andy Horning departing Indiana for Texas, after so many mostly Libertarian campaigns for office, we're seeing many nice tributes to the man, several of which go, "I'm a Libertarian because of Andy Horning".

    Well, I can't say that's my story too. I was [...]
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    Posted: June 05, 2009, 7:27pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Never Wonder Why Some Libertarians Dislike Democrats

    Number of comments: 0
    Never Wonder Why Some Libertarians Dislike Democrats

    I couldn't believe what I was reading this morning, in an article on Andy Horning's leaving Indiana later this month. From the Indy Star report:
    A confident public speaker and skilled debater, Horning has been the face of the Indiana Libertarian [...]
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    Posted: June 04, 2009, 8:58am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Hamilton County Libertarian Meet-UpOur Meet-Up ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Hamilton County Libertarian Meet-Up

    Our Meet-Up group meets the first Thursday of every month. Come join us tomorrow in Noblesville! The discussion is informal, the food & beer is delicious, and our group is growing each month.

    Thursday, June 4, 2009
    Barley Island, Noblesville
    7pm - ?
    [...]
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    Posted: June 03, 2009, 4:17pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Quick Reaction To Sotomayor NominationI ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Quick Reaction To Sotomayor Nomination

    I don't know much about Sonia Sotomayor. Why would I? Judges are not known to us the way lawmakers are, or even governors of other states are. I figure that's as it ought to be, justice being blind and all.

    So, the [...]
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    Posted: May 27, 2009, 1:16am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Bush's Third TermI hope the ...

    Number of comments: 2
    Bush's Third Term

    I hope the folks who sported the "No Third Term" bumper stickers in the Fall of last year as tasting the buyer's remorse. President Obama is changing so little besides the names we call certain policies. It's so apparent, that even the commentators on the Left' [...]
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    Posted: May 23, 2009, 1:21am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Excellent ConventionI spent Saturday in ...

    Number of comments: 3
    Excellent Convention

    I spent Saturday in Clarksville, Indiana (north of the Ohio River of Louisville) for the joint conventions of the Libertarian Party of Indiana, and of Kentucky. I was rather impressed.

    Right off the top, I liked the cost savings made available by working jointly. Rather than [...]
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    Posted: May 17, 2009, 7:58pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Podcast PostedThe latest is an interview ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Podcast Posted
    The latest is an interview with Mark Rutherford, former Chair of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. Mark reflected on his tenure, and the many ways the party grew during that time, and since. 
    I think the most insightful comments were about the Party surviving certain transitions. Small and [...]
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    Posted: May 14, 2009, 1:08am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • NPR on Pepsi ThrowbackBecause all ...

    Number of comments: 1
    NPR on Pepsi Throwback

    Because all politics and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Linkage.

    Then again, the reason high fructose corn syrup is used more generally than cane sugar is political, with tariffs making sugar more expensive than true market price, and subsidies making HFCS [...]
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    Posted: May 06, 2009, 2:26pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • iTunes Now Carrying Podcast!I'm very ...

    Number of comments: 0
    iTunes Now Carrying Podcast!

    I'm very excited to report that the Libertarian Party of Indiana's Weekly Podcast is now available to anyone worldwide via the iTunes Store!

    I had recently submitted the podcast feed information, and just checked a few minutes ago with the search 'Libertarian Party', [...]
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    Posted: April 30, 2009, 1:27am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Hooray, Pepsi!I've never been a ...

    Number of comments: 6
    Hooray, Pepsi!

    I've never been a big fan of Pepsi, as I was raised in a Coke household. I like Coke better because it's not as sweet as Pepsi. I'm sweet enough already, thank you.

    So, this post may seem ironic, because I'm celebrating PepsiCo's "new" product line,' [...]
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    Posted: April 29, 2009, 2:25pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Build It And They Will Come, Eh?

    Number of comments: 0
    Build It And They Will Come, Eh?

    (Crawfordsville, IN)- One of the current 'stimulus' spending targets is high-speed passenger rail service, and as a railfan, it caught my attention that one corridor singled out for attention is Cincinnati to Chicago, through Indianapolis. From an Indy Star report:The administration [...]
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    Posted: April 24, 2009, 9:35am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Kole At Hoosiers For Fair Taxation

    Number of comments: 1
    Kole At Hoosiers For Fair Taxation

    I have accepted Melyssa Donaghy's invitation, along with Indianapolis City-County Councilor Ed Coleman, and recent Congressional candidate Sean Shepard to contribute to HFFT. Here's my first post there:

    Introducing Mike Kole

    Many thanks to Melyssa for her invitation to me [...]
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    Posted: April 21, 2009, 9:23am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • The Kole Garden

    Number of comments: 2
    The Kole Garden

    For the benefit of my old hockey teammate Colin Sikon, here's the visual proof that there really is a garden, and that I'm not merely a great fiction writer. Goalies always are a little odd.

    The reason I decided to build a [...]
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    Posted: April 19, 2009, 10:31am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Garden Largely PlantedI got a chuckle ...

    Number of comments: 1
    Garden Largely Planted
    I got a chuckle out of the reactions to my Facebook comments that I had pretty much planted my garden, what with Fishers being relatively in the Deep South as far as all of my gardening friends back in Cleveland are concerned. Yes, we get a good [...]
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    Posted: April 19, 2009, 12:08am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Yesterday Was Tax Freedom Day!I was ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Yesterday Was Tax Freedom Day!
    I was surprised to learn that April 13 was 2009's Tax Freedom Day.
    What is that? It's the day the average American is now working for himself. Up to this point, from January 1 through April 13, every cent you earned was committed to paying [...]
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    Posted: April 14, 2009, 9:11am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • New Podcast - Libertarian Participation in Tea ...

    Number of comments: 0
    New Podcast - Libertarian Participation in Tea Parties

    I sat down with Travis Zellers for the latest podcast. Travis is the membership coordinator for the Marion County Libertarian Party, and is helping to coordinate Libertarian participation in the Indianapolis Tea Party.

    Listen via this link [...]
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    Posted: April 14, 2009, 9:01am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Tea Party? Count Me In!I ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Tea Party? Count Me In!

    I will be participating in the Indianapolis Tea Party, proudly. Sure, the message isn't about 'taxation without representation' as it was in Boston back in 1773, but the spirit seems the same to me. It's about justice.

    The Colonists objected because they [...]
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    Posted: April 13, 2009, 1:50pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Partisan Civil Liberties Disorder

    Number of comments: 1
    Partisan Civil Liberties Disorder

    I love political cartoons for their ability to sum up so much using so few words.
    Major hat tip to Varangianguard, who directed me to this very recent Matt Bors comic: This is what I've been on about lately! The' [...]
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    Posted: April 09, 2009, 8:35am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • New Podcast PostedFor LPIN Weekly Podcast ...

    Number of comments: 1
    New Podcast Posted
    For LPIN Weekly Podcast #19, I took a different approach, reaching outside the roster of Libertarian Party leaders and recent candidates to Doug Masson, a Lafayette blogger and lawyer who has common ground with libertarians, especially on civil liberty issues, but is not a partisan Libertarian.
    Several [...]
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    Posted: April 09, 2009, 8:01am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Today's Government Spending, Graphically ExplainedIf ...

    Number of comments: 1
    Today's Government Spending, Graphically Explained

    If reckless spending is what got us into this mess, is more spending really the answer?



    As Democrats were pointing out during campaign season, one of the great hallmarks of the glorious Clinton Adminstration was the SURPLUS left behind. Anyone think' [...]
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    Posted: April 08, 2009, 6:11pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Obama Indistinguishable From Bush, Yet Again

    Number of comments: 1
    Obama Indistinguishable From Bush, Yet Again

    Civil libertarians are getting a real good look at what Obama meant by 'change'. It means, 'status quo'. Cue up that line from that Who song, and read this item from the Electronic Frontier Foundation:
    Friday evening, in a motion to [...]
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    Posted: April 07, 2009, 7:17pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Free Speech Under AttackThe wolf ...

    Number of comments: 4
    Free Speech Under Attack

    The wolf comes wearing sheep's clothing. American newspapers are faltering for their refusal to evolve (covered in this previous post), and here comes a US Senator, offering to 'help'. From Reuters report:
    With many U.S. newspapers struggling to survive, a Democratic senator on' [...]
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    Posted: April 07, 2009, 11:55am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • The More Things Change...So, Obama has ...

    Number of comments: 0
    The More Things Change...
    So, Obama has ordered more troops into Afghanistan. I get the feeling the nation could have had that by voting for McCain. From Time Magazine's article, "Obama Afghanistan Plan Breaks Old Ground":Did George Bush leave one of his old speeches in the Resolute Desk? As' [...]
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    Posted: March 28, 2009, 2:50pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • More Change You Can Believe In ...

    Number of comments: 2
    More Change You Can Believe In
    I might have thought that this one was made up by The Onion. Alas. The Washington Post reported this item, that should turn anyone who is half-conscious or has even a shred of intellectual honesty into a cynic:
    The Obama administration appears [...]
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    Posted: March 25, 2009, 9:14pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • RIP, Jonesy's Jukebox & Indie 103

    Number of comments: 5
    RIP, Jonesy's Jukebox & Indie 103

    You may have noticed a little set of links to the lower right under the header of "Stuff I Like". Nothing political there, just other things that brighten the world for me.

    Well, sadly, Indie 103, a Los Angeles radio station, was' [...]
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    Posted: March 24, 2009, 8:16pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Yes, We're In San Francisco Now(San ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Yes, We're In San Francisco Now
    (San Francisco, CA)- A notice was just slipped under the door by the hotel's management. It seems that there is going to be an anti-war rally and march very near to the hotel, and management wanted to let patrons know so that they could [...]
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    Posted: March 21, 2009, 12:06am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • My Mecca (San Jose, CA)- After ...

    Number of comments: 1
    My Mecca
    (San Jose, CA)- After about 30-35 road trips to see the San Jose Sharks play places other than San Jose, I finally went to the HP Pavilion, aka the Shark Tank, to see my favorite team play. It was an excellent experience!
    I started the evening with [...]
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    Posted: March 20, 2009, 8:32pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Bay Area Fun(San Francisco, CA)- I ...

    Number of comments: 2
    Bay Area Fun
    (San Francisco, CA)- I have often raved about the medical profession, for their genius in placing conferences in places people actually like to visit. This stands in stark contrast to the engineering profession. I've gone to conferences in Madison, WI in January, Pittsburgh and New Jersey. No,' [...]
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    Posted: March 20, 2009, 11:45am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • New Podcast AddedThis week's edition ...

    Number of comments: 0
    New Podcast Added

    This week's edition of the Libertarian Party of Indiana's Weekly Podcast features 2008 candidate for governor Andy Horning. We discussed the Indiana Federalism bill vis-a-vis state sovereignty, and why he loves constitutions: rule of law vs. nation of men.

    Check it out via this [...]
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    Posted: March 16, 2009, 12:31pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • New Podcast PostedI spoke recently ...

    Number of comments: 0
    New Podcast Posted

    I spoke recently with Chris Spangle, the Libertarian Party of Indiana's Executive Director, about the sort of nuts-and-bolts things an executive does to run a state party.

    The thing that struck me is that he's an organizational person. That's different, because when there are many' [...]
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    Posted: March 13, 2009, 1:13pm EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • New Podcasts PostedGo to the ...

    Number of comments: 0
    New Podcasts Posted

    Go to the LPIN podcast archive to check out the following:

    3/9: Two-term Hagerstown Judge Susan Bell discusses her election and re-election, and her acceptance as a Libertarian office holder.

    3/6: Tim Maguire talks about the political fallout related to Ed Coleman's party' [...]
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    Posted: March 10, 2009, 10:02am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Dying NewspapersA friend who grew ...

    Number of comments: 1
    Dying Newspapers

    A friend who grew up in Cleveland with me sent me a link to a Time Magazine article, saying that Cleveland's only remaining daily newspaper might close, and is among the 10 most endangered US papers.

    I have a twinge of sadness about that, because' [...]
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    Posted: March 10, 2009, 9:20am EDT
    by Mike Kole

  • Yet Another New Podcast PostedBeyond ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Yet Another New Podcast Posted

    Beyond the petty retribution Ed Coleman received, another thing revealed was that the City-County Council may have rules that address the political parties and where they fit into the structure of power, those rules are vague at best, and at worst do little more [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: March 06, 2009, 11:19am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • More Podcasting on Ed ColemanWhen ...

    Number of comments: 0
    More Podcasting on Ed Coleman

    When then-Republican City-County Councilor Ed Coleman left for the Libertarian Party, I felt 100% certain that there would be a political price for him to pay. Talking with party insiders, the general consensus was that he would probably be removed from one or more [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: March 06, 2009, 9:29am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Still In IraqBarack Obama has ...

    Number of comments: 1
    Still In Iraq

    Barack Obama has been President 42 days, and we're still in Iraq, and looking at the prospect of increasing war activity in Afghanistan.

    If McCain was elected, I doubt that the left would agree that August 2010 would be soon enough for withdrawl from' [...]
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    Posted: March 03, 2009, 7:18am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Latest Podcast Posted#10 features

    Number of comments: 0
    Latest Podcast Posted

    #10 features Ed Angleton, the former 2-day Jeopardy champ and recent candidate for Indiana House in Marion County's District 100. Ed contributes to the Libertarian Party of Indiana's legislative review blog, and shared his thoughts on the best and worst law before the state's' [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: March 02, 2009, 10:09pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Great OratoryI watched the Obama ...

    Number of comments: 1
    Great Oratory

    I watched the Obama speech last night, and on the whole found it pretty useless, even though it was excellent oratory. He's easily the best speech giving President in my lifetime, better than Reagan or Clinton even. Impressions:

    Obama is a quick study. After months of' [...]
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    Posted: February 25, 2009, 7:44am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • New LPIN Podcast PostedThis week's ...

    Number of comments: 0
    New LPIN Podcast Posted

    This week's edition features Hagerstown Libertarian Rex Bell. He ran for Indiana House in District 54, and put up some fantastic numbers:

    2006: 14.3% in a 3-way race, D-L-R
    2008: 33.5% in a 2-way race, L-R

    One of the planks of Rex's platform [...]
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    Posted: February 24, 2009, 10:34am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • This Can't Be TrueThis is ...

    Number of comments: 4
    This Can't Be True

    This is a hoax, right? Mencken and the 'Bathtub Hoax', but more mean-spirited, right? From the Lafayette Journal & Courier:
    BUFFALO, N.Y. - Police say an upstate New York television executive who sought to improve the image of Muslims in the media beheaded his' [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 19, 2009, 8:26am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Ed Coleman Press Conference AudioIt ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Ed Coleman Press Conference Audio

    It is available now, in an unedited form, on the latest podcast.

    Ed Coleman is now recognized as the highest-ranking elected Libertarian in the USA.

    Here is the statement of welcome, from Libertarian National Committee Chair William Redpath:
    "I commend" [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 18, 2009, 4:26pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • No Change ChroniclesI was discussing ...

    Number of comments: 1
    No Change Chronicles

    I was discussing with a friend Bush's Shock Doctrine, as described by Naomi Klein. Darned if the tactic doesn't seem exactly what Obama used to promote the 'stimulus'.

    Yesterday's Cato Daily Podcast discusses exactly this, with David Boaz citing Rahm Emanuel, Paul Krugman, and Arianna' [...]
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    Posted: February 18, 2009, 11:42am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Podcast With Ed ColemanI ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Podcast With Ed Coleman
    I was able to sit down with Ed Coleman this afternoon, to discuss his defection from the Republicans to the Libertarians. Coleman is a sitting Indianapolis City-County Councilor, who was elected 'at-large' in 2007.
    Link to Podcast archive.

    [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 17, 2009, 9:13pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Welcome Home, Ed!In about an ...

    Number of comments: 2
    Welcome Home, Ed!

    In about an hour, sitting Indianapolis City-County Council member Ed Coleman will take the podium at a press conference, announcing his switch from the Republican Party, to the Libertarian Party. From Coleman's press release statement:
    This is not a decision I take lightly, nor did I' [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 17, 2009, 9:16am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Old Boss, New Boss ChroniclesThe ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Old Boss, New Boss Chronicles

    The more I see of President Obama, the more I think he's the four-year extension of the Bush Administration McCain was supposed to be. Likewise, the Democratic Congress. I love this passage, from a NY Post article:
    The push to get the bill' [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 16, 2009, 8:00pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • New Podcast PostedI've added a ...

    Number of comments: 0
    New Podcast Posted

    I've added a special edition of the Libertarian Party of Indiana's Weekly Podcast, to include more dialogue from Dr. Eric Schansberg. I asked him about the prudent ways Indiana should spend the stimulus money, since it seems certain that we aren't going to pull a' [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 14, 2009, 11:00pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Incongruous Thoughts on LincolnYesterday was ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Incongruous Thoughts on Lincoln

    Yesterday was Lincoln's 200th birthday, and of all the nice things said, I hadn't noticed anywhere that Abe Lincoln was once making a living in a way quite impossible to now: as a self-taught lawyer. If it was good enough to be self-taught then, [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 13, 2009, 12:13pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Podcast Update There are now five ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Podcast Update
    There are now five installments of the Libertarian Party of Indiana's Weekly Podcast available for your stimulation, and download. The most recent, just posted minutes ago, features Dr. Eric Schansberg, discussing the bailouts and stimulus, and whether the diseases might be less threatening than the cures.
    Here's [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 11, 2009, 4:25pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Cato's RetortObama made the claim ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Cato's Retort

    Obama made the claim that:
    There is no disagreement that we need action by our government, a recovery plan
    that will help to jumpstart the economy
    To this, the libertarian think tank The Cato Institute created a full-page newspaper ad that ran in several papers,' [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 11, 2009, 8:38am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • The Sky Is Falling!President Obama ...

    Number of comments: 0
    The Sky Is Falling!

    President Obama is going all-in on the first hand dealt to him. That does one of two things in a poker tournament- it doubles your chip stack (political capital) or it sends you out of the tournament (see you in four years). That's a heavy' [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 11, 2009, 7:52am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • What Would A Libertarian Do?President ...

    Number of comments: 4
    What Would A Libertarian Do?

    President Obama really alienated me last night with his press conference/sales pitch for the 'stimulus' package, going out of his way to single out people who would prefer we did little or nothing in terms of government intervention. This had to be a jab [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 10, 2009, 11:31pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Dog And Pony Show For Failure

    Number of comments: 0
    Dog And Pony Show For Failure

    It was mere months ago that Republicans were alarmists. So, what is President Obama's tone? It was mere months ago that President Bush's borrow-and-spend was failed policy. So, why are we to believe it is no longer failed policy?

    So, here is [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 09, 2009, 12:57pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Out of the Frying Pan, Into the ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire

    Or, as The Who sang, "Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss".
    Then-candidate Obama was 100% correct when he described then-President Bush's bailout as 'Bush's failed economic policy of borrow-and-spend'.
    Unfortunately, President Obama calls the same economic policy [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 07, 2009, 8:19am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Let Me Tell You About My Narcissism

    Number of comments: 1
    Let Me Tell You About My Narcissism

    My friend, Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Laura DeMarco, writes a weekly entry on visitors and ex-Clevelanders returning to Cle, with their impressions of the city. She quoted me on the immigrant backgrounds of Cle vs. Indy, sausage and corned beef, and [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 05, 2009, 9:58am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Smoking Ban TestimonyI was reminded ...

    Number of comments: 1
    Smoking Ban Testimony

    I was reminded yesterday what an unpleasant business law-making is, as I testified before a House Committee in opposition to Indiana HB 1213, which proposes a statewide smoking ban in private workplaces.

    Two hours was alotted for the proponents, and then two hours for the [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 05, 2009, 8:35am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • New PodcastThe Indiana House Public Policy ...

    Number of comments: 0
    New Podcast
    The Indiana House Public Policy Committee is hearing testimony Wednesday morning on House Bill 1213, which would ban smoking in all Indiana workplaces if passed. 
    I spoke with Chris Ward, the 2007 candidate for Lawrence Mayor in a special edition of the Libertarian Party of Indiana's' [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: February 03, 2009, 11:39pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Great Editorial Cartoon

    Number of comments: 0
    Great Editorial Cartoon

    Sometimes, a picture really is worth 1,000 words. This one says a lot about the reality of it:
    Michael Ramirez does fine work. He appears in the Investors Business Daily, a fine newspaper if there ever was one.
    (h/t Duncan Adams) [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 30, 2009, 11:30am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Poor WinnersI generally dislike end-zone ...

    Number of comments: 7
    Poor Winners

    I generally dislike end-zone celebrations after a touchdown. I can see some exuberance after a score, especially one to end a long drive, or on a play where several tackles were broken. In that case, go ahead- spike the ball.

    I prefer guys like Barry Sanders [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 30, 2009, 9:07am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Podcast UpdateI have now conducted two ...

    Number of comments: 3
    Podcast Update
    I have now conducted two interviews for the Libertarian Party of Indiana's Weekly Podcast- one with LPIN Chair Todd Singer, and now newly elected Marion County Chair Timothy Maguire. Both had great insights to share, and I really appreciate their willingness to visit me in my 'home studio'.
    [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 29, 2009, 12:50am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Big SurpriseSo, when the libertarians ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Big Surprise

    So, when the libertarians were saying that losers shouldn't be bailed out, because bailouts allieve them of pain, and cause them not to revise bad decision making, this is one of the things we were talking about. From the NY Post:
    High-flying Citigroup executives, trying desperately' [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 27, 2009, 9:44am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Legislative ReviewThe Libertarian Party of ...

    Number of comments: 0
    Legislative Review

    The Libertarian Party of Indiana has been reviewing legislation being proposed in the state House & Senate for the past several sessions, and 2009 is no exception. A slew of bills have already been reviewed, and while the cynic might expect Libertarians to be opposed to all [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 26, 2009, 1:22pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • New PodcastI had been mulling ...

    Number of comments: 2
    New Podcast

    I had been mulling about for sometime on what to do next in my effort to promote liberty, and rather than running for another office, I kept returning to broadcast media. Being in studio last week with Abdul-Hakim Shabazz on WXNT for the State of the State [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 23, 2009, 12:16am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Never Wonder How We Got Soft

    Number of comments: 8
    Never Wonder How We Got Soft

    It starts with school, or, in this case, lack of school. It's -10 degrees out there, and I say, "BIG DEAL". Get in the classroom and learn. 306 school closings in Central Indiana? There isn't even any snowfall!

    They don't even [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 16, 2009, 8:53am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • State of the State ReviewedThe ...

    Number of comments: 1
    State of the State Reviewed

    The speech sounded like one delivered by a governor re-elected to his final term by a landslide percentage. In fact, he sounded rather like a libertarian, sounding the call for tighter budgets as the only common sense approach to tough economic times.

    It [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 13, 2009, 9:58pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • For Your Listening Pleasure...Or discomfort. ...

    Number of comments: 0
    For Your Listening Pleasure

    ...Or discomfort. I'll be on a special edition of WXNT's "Abdul in the Morning" show, this evening at 7pm, to discuss the governor's 'State of the State' speech. I will represent the Libertarian Party, alongside the other guys. Tune in to 1420-am, or listen online [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 13, 2009, 3:25pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • We Vote With Our FeetThis ...

    Number of comments: 6
    We Vote With Our Feet

    This is a theme I have returned to many times over the years, because I myself have done it a few times.

    I once lived in Cleveland and worked in suburban Parma, OH. Each city had a municipal income tax of 2%. When [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 13, 2009, 8:56am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Obama Takes Lesson From BushChange? ...

    Number of comments: 4
    Obama Takes Lesson From Bush

    Change? Seriously, when will we be seeing some of this change Obama spoke of for about a year?

    We can split hairs on this down the page, but the bottom line is this: Obama criticized outgoing President Bush for tax-cut-and-spend policies. Now Obama [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: January 05, 2009, 5:07pm EST
    by Mike Kole

  • When Idealism Becomes RealismMany of ...

    Number of comments: 3
    When Idealism Becomes Realism

    Many of the things that have come home to roost lately are things libertarians have been warning against for years. Back then, it was the stuff of conspiracy, of loony tinfoil hat wearing eggheads, studying things that looked like such minutiae in the glory days [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: December 20, 2008, 7:43am EST
    by Mike Kole

  • Smoking, AgainIt appears that Indiana ...

    Number of comments: 1
    Smoking, Again

    It appears that Indiana is poised to consider a statewide ban on smoking in places of public accommodation. No sir, I don't like it.

    I don't smoke. Never have. I detest the smell of tobacco smoke. What I do like are property rights.

    There's no [...]
     | Rate | Archive
    Posted: December 19, 2008, 3:33pm EST
    by Mike Kole
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