BOEHM: States should steer clear of refugee policy
Governmental actions classifying people by nationality, like race and gender, rarely survive judicial scrutiny.
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MILLER: Hoosiers deserve paid family leave
Paid family leave is a unique issue in that it can unite both pro-choice and pro-life groups.
SPALDING: A state that works (to erase RFRA from memory)
What we knew back then is now confirmed—the RFRA local and national backlash in 2015 was a big concern for the Pence administration, and rightfully so.
BARLOW: LGBT battle lacks real cases of discrimination
The Legislature pulled off a feat of magic that even the past valedictorians of Hogwarts would be jealous of: They created an environment of discrimination that hadn’t existed simply by affirming the right of religious objection.
TOMES: More criminal violence raises need to carry guns
SB 259 would allow employees of the General Assembly to carry a handgun within the Statehouse and surrounding grounds if they possess a valid Indiana license to carry. It’s an important safety measure for those who work for the General Assembly.
BREAUX: Let’s keep reasonable limits on right to bear arms
I deeply respect the right to gun ownership, but we rightly place rational limits on it. We don’t allow violent felons to purchase weapons, and any Joe off the street isn’t entitled to a bazooka. It’s my belief that those rational limits should extend to the Statehouse.
SOWELL: Emotions trumping reality in voter support for Trump
Today’s big puzzle is how so many otherwise rational people have become enamored of Donald Trump, projecting onto him virtues and principles that he clearly does not have, and ignoring gross defects that are all too blatant.
DOWD: Palin is so bad that she’s actually good for feminism
Before Palin, if a woman flamed out in a spectacular fashion, it was considered an X through the X chromosome. But when Palin turned out to be utterly unqualified and unintelligible, it did not reflect poorly on women as a whole—only on her and John McCain.
BLOW: Hillary Clinton’s attacks on Sanders only sully her
There are a tremendous number of echoes starting to be heard between the way Clinton ran against President Obama, and the way she is running against Bernie Sanders. If Clinton can’t find a positive, energetic message to project, and soon, she is going to be swept away by Sanders.
BROOKS: Feelings of powerlessness are perverting 2016 election
Today we live in a world of isolation and atomization, where people distrust their own institutions. In such circumstances many people respond to powerlessness with pointless acts of self-destruction. The American election has been perverted by these feelings of powerlessness.
IRELAND: Finally, signs of life in the state superintendent’s race
Republican leadership has been itching to see Glenda Ritz out the door but struggled to recruit a candidate to lead the charge. Even though this is a no-brainer priority race, it took Indiana Republicans until the end of January to field a viable candidate to challenge her: Jennifer McCormick, the current superintendent of Yorktown Public Schools.
SPALDING: Is this campaign the making of a terrible president?
As Hoosiers consider which person to choose as our next president, I urge them to approach the task as if they were interviewing candidates for a job at the company they own. So far, those running for president are not making a good first impression.
MEREDITH: Experienced teachers reduce costs to raise learning
Retaining veteran teachers maintains stability in the classroom, which leads to the creation of stable learning environments. By contrast, a University of Pennsylvania study found that Indiana spent $20 million to $40 million in 2008-2009 on teacher attrition and turnover costs.
MILLER: Hoosier leaders attack reproductive freedom, again
Last month, state Sens. Jim Banks and Scott Schneider introduced Senate Bill 144, called the “Indiana Heartbeat Act.” The bill makes it a felony for physicians to perform an abortion if the fetus has a detectable heartbeat. This bill is bad by telling women they are not qualified to make their own choices.
DIETER: Indiana already at risk of Flint-style water problems
I have zero faith that something like the Flint disaster can’t happen in Indiana. Govs. Mitch Daniels and Mike Pence have fought environmental protections at every turn and weakened the state’s ability to go after polluters.
SHEPARD: Bicentennial is a chance to improve Indiana’s future
The 2016 Indiana bicentennial can serve both as party and as a springboard for thinking about our future. The state’s bicentennial commission has laid plans that both bolster Indiana’s statewide opportunities and promote local initiatives.
WAGNER: Dems need clear ideas to fill Pence leadership void
I have some strategic advice for my fellow Hoosier Democrats who’ve signed up to be on the ballot: It’s time for us to stop talking about the lack of Republican leadership on big issues and instead begin providing Democratic leadership on big issues.
MASSON: Hoosier history shows need for stable road funding
History has shown that internal improvements benefit the economic prospects of our citizens and that failing to secure reliable funding for the improvements can result in fiscal disaster for the state government.
SHABAZZ: Indiana needs more than a pothole solution for roads
Indiana needs a long-term fix for its roads and bridges. For too long, Indiana’s road-funding solution has been to pour more short-term money into projects while never addressing the state’s long-term needs.
BOEHM: Problems loom in plan for picking Marion County judges
The present law establishing the process for selecting Marion County judges has been held unconstitutional. So Sen. Mike Young, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and four other senators from Marion County have proposed a bill to overhaul the process.