Curt Smith: Undermining the freedom of religion
Who defines what it means to be Catholic? The short answer is Catholics.
Forefront
Articles
Abdul-Hakim Shabazz: The problems with reparations
I have a problem trying to hold people accountable for something they either didn’t do or had nothing to do with.
Glenda Ritz: The Buttigieg argument for debt-free college
In the past 20 years, our largest public universities have accepted more and more out-of-state and foreign students.
Ryan Dvorak: It’s time to stop the insanity of college debt
I am not set on any single idea—but I need more partners to get the job done.
Randall T. Shepard: Free-tuition proposals are problematic
If all tuition is free, how will it be decided what tuition rates should exist at colleges?
Controlling your own data destiny
Every year, the amount of consumer data available to companies climbs exponentially. By the year 2020, 1.7 megabytes of data will be created every second for every person on the planet. Currently, however, only 0.5% of this data is being analyzed in any meaningful way. This makes the seemingly endless news reports of data breaches […]
In the words of Fred Rogers, won’t you be my neighbor?
You cannot watch the local news in central Indiana and not see a story about crime in Indianapolis. This is a municipal election year and we are sure to hear more about crime. In November, we will vote for mayors and for councils in Indianapolis and in excluded cities of Lawrence, Beech Grove and Southport. […]
Let’s help foster families with adoption subsidies
It was 1971 when James and Katherine decided to increase the size of their small, middle-class family. James and Katherine had tried for a decade to have children on their own but with no success. In 1968, they brought home their first child, a boy via adoption, and now they were looking to add a […]
The rights and the responsibilities of citizenship
The summer months bring the holidays we celebrate related to the privilege of living in a country where our citizenship is the foundation of our society. Citizenship can exist only in a democratic society. The uniqueness of a democratic society is that political strength is available to all who choose to participate in it. This […]
Engage with candidates to have your message heard
We’re approaching the part of election season when we should all become comfortable asking our incumbents seeking re-election, “What have you done for me and my community lately?” And with asking new candidates, “What do you plan to do that improves upon what is being done for me and my community?” Municipal election years should […]
Thanks to a lawmaker who truly understood the role
Recent news that Rep. Susan Brooks will conclude her service in the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of her fourth term has generated an incredible amount of buzz in Indiana political circles. One simple reason is that, because it’s the middle of summer in an off-cycle year with no statewide or federal elections, […]
Candidates should focus on quality of higher education
Nearly all the 2020 presidential candidates have tackled the cost of attending college, with some proposing the elimination of tuition and all fees at public universities. What has been missing from candidate proposals is how we support innovation and boost quality in higher education. I recently returned from my undergraduate college reunion with a new perspective. […]
Let’s create a lunar economy in Indiana
There’s no question that Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon 50 years ago was a giant leap for mankind. But many scientists and entrepreneurs will tell you many more steps are needed to take full advantage of this achievement. As museums, libraries and Armstrong’s own Purdue University mark the momentous anniversary next month of the Apollo […]
Editorial cartoonists are important but disappearing
In 1978, Harold Trulock, the late editor of The Muncie Evening Press, told me, “You’re good, kid, but we can’t afford to pay a guy to draw cartoons.” His words were prophetic in more ways than he knew. Even large newspapers have counted the cost of a cartoonist and decided they can’t afford it. This […]
View from other side of Legislature is not impressive
Having spent 24 years in the state Senate and more than six years as a layperson working on state commissions, I am now looking through the other side of the lens. What I see is far different from what I experienced the previous 24 years. For example, unlike legislators, those serving on commissions must take […]
Youth e-cigarette use is accelerating like a runaway train
E-cigarettes were introduced to the United States in 2006 with a primary goal of helping adult smokers quit. Today, one in five American high schoolers uses e-cigarettes, and there’s been a subsequent rise in the use of all tobacco products among youth under the age of 18. This increase in tobacco-product consumption comes after a […]
Gay rights have come a long way—but have far to go
June is Gay Pride Month. If the number of people who attended and participated in the celebration is any indication, the size of the community and its supporters is impressive. As the month comes to an end, and the fight for equal treatment continues, I think it is appropriate to reflect upon how far we, […]
American dream shouldn’t be only for the upper 20%
On June 17, Time magazine released a report that reveals life expectancy based on ZIP code. To no surprise, yet nonetheless unsettling, data showed those living in poorer ZIP codes have a shorter life expectancy, and not by just a few years. In some places, the disparity in life expectancy is 20-plus years. This study resonated […]
Time for a divorce: Business should give up on the GOP
Is the GOP the party for business interests? Indiana businesses are facing new problems. First and foremost, they simply lack adequate numbers of well-prepared employees. Our business leaders have reflexively turned to the Republican Party for help. In response, they have been given lots of “workforce” programs but no real assistance. Real help would mean effective […]
GOP fosters the growth of businesses—and people
Is the GOP the party for business interests? Low taxes. Balanced budgeting. Responsible reserves. Great government service. These common-sense Republican policy solutions—and more—have created an attractive environment for business growth in Indiana that benefits not only our state’s economy, but most important, the people who live within our state. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look […]