Take Your Ball and Stay Home

"Honestly, it's a bit of a relief that I didn't win because going up to Indianapolis all the time was going to be a huge hassle and take a lot more time away from my family. Now I will have many fewer worries and obligations than I would have if I won. On top of all that, I knew that I wouldn't realistically be able to accomplish much in Indianapolis, especially since we only won one other seat in the Senate. I may have had a slight impact, but there is still an overwhelming Republican super majority, so all of the additional effort for me to be in Indianapolis would ultimately not create much real change. So there is definitely a silver lining to losing. Freedom."

-Anna Murray

So here we are, post election. I've been sitting back watching all the former candidates. Some of them are now "office-elect" and others are just former candidates. So far most have been gracious with the exception of two. Anna by far is the biggest disappointment in how she's handled herself. 

Above is from a public Facebook post she made on November 8th. Such a let down. What a slap in the face to all that supported her. 

"...relief I didn't win..."??? 

For a person to come off after an election where she so humbly asked for people to support her only to find out she didn't want to be there in the first place is truly a let down. I respect anyone who puts themselves in a position to hold office but complaining about what it would've been like to have won is not the kind of people we need to have in office. 

I compare it to the person who shows up to work everyday pissed off they are there. They are always negative, disconnected, and always place blame on others. Not to mention they have no allies to work with and are generally ineffective. 

I think Southern Indiana as well as our state dodged a bullet by not electing Anna to the Senate. Let's hope she stays away although rumor has it she is looking at running for a local office. Mark my words, if she does and manages to get elected, her mark on our community will not be a positive one.

What do you think?

Do you have the scoop?

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Anna Murray Violates IN Law

UPDATE on Indiana Senate 46 Race

Anna Murray (D) Knowingly Violates Indiana Campaign Finance Laws

A development in the IN Senate District 46 race everyone needs to be aware of. Attorney Anna Murray didn’t follow Indiana campaign laws. She violated the law 4 separate times for not reporting a total $15,000 in contributions in accordance with the state statute. 

Ron Grooms’ quote says it all. As an attorney, she knows better but violated the law anyway. It’s just another example as to why Senator Grooms is the best person for the job. 

RACE WATCH: Watson V. Hollingsworth

RACE WATCH: Liz Watson V. Trey Hollingsworth

Democrat Candidate Liz Watson is by far a superior candidate to challenge Republican Trey Hollingsworth than his previous opponent. Liz has been able to capture the "new" democratic party voters who believe a socialist government is the way to go. 

Here's the other side of the story. Regardless of how vocal her supporters are, there are far too few of them outside of Bloomington to make an impact. The Bernie Sanders Democrats are funny to me. They are listening to a Senator who has spent more time in congress than they've been alive while believing in "change". 

While they attack Trey about being a Washington insider, they conveniently forget the fact that Liz IS a Washington insider. She spent all of her professional career in Washington as a lobbyist. This is something that has not been brought to the front of the conversation by the Hollingsworth campaign yet, but I believe it is probably one of the most important items that voters are not aware of. 

When it comes down to it, the 9th District used to be a coin toss. In more recent history, it leans heavily to the right. I believe it is because of this "new" socialist-democrat platform. I think that if the democrats fielded a moderate Bill Clinton type of candidate, for any race, they would have a really strong chance of taking hold of congress. 

In this time of divisiveness, I think both parties and the county as whole would be in a better place if everyone took two steps to the center of the political spectrum. The extreme right and extreme left are pulling this country apart. I long for the time of non-partisan common ground that we saw in the late 1990's. It wasn't about who controlled congress or the presidency, but about doing what was right for the country.  

...I digress...

While Trey is more "right" than some would like and Liz is more "left" then others would like, I think Trey wins this race easily. While not everyone agrees with his stances, there is no doubt he is engaged in the process, extremely knowledgeable about the topics, and in my experience very easily accessible. This is especially true if you are willing to have a productive conversation. Now, if you are one of those who only wants to make a scene and yell, that's a different conversation totally. 

I know he has taken some heat for not having townhall meetings. I honestly don't blame him. When the far left take advantage of those situations by making a scene so their group can record and edit it to make attack ads, nothing productive comes from those meetings. We have seen over and over again where those people crash the event and make a circus out of it. Some people do not conduct themselves with dignity, class, and patience. If "those" people would take a chill pill to have a REAL conversation, be open minded about what the responses might be, then maybe some elected officials would be more open to "townhall". A large dose of understanding is needed to comprehend that you are not going to agree with every thing someone else does. But be an adult and don't be turned off because of one or two issues. 

Liz Watson and her core followers have perpetuated the cycle of this type of behavior. Most recently this was showcased at the local Farm Bureau Meet the Candidates event. Liz and her group highjacked the event by preventing real conversations from being had. She brought a very rude group who automatically placed everyone on high alert. She falsely accused Hollingsworth of skipping the event when even the moderator stated he was never scheduled to be there because he was already committed in a different part of the district before the Farm Bureau event was planned. It was such a self centered showing, it even upset the local democrats because she showed no concern for what they had to say. When there is a limited time per candidate, out of respect for everyone, stick to your time. Don't overrun your time by more than double then have your people play "gotcha" by feeding a 6 year old little girl the questions. To me it was a shameless display that disrespected everyone who attended to learn about each candidate including her fellow democrats.

Below is a link of a website I follow. This site compiles different polls into one forecast. 

Midterm Election Forecast Indiana 9th District

All things being considered, I predict Hollingsworth by 9-10 points.

Do you have the scoop?

What's your thoughts?

Put them in the comments below.

RACE WATCH: Perkins V. Garten

RACE WATCH: Perkins (older) Vs. Garten (younger)

I have written on this subject before. However, they have both videotaped a series with WLKY where they both answer the same questions. Obviously they are going to have opposite answers. What really stands out to me is not just what they say but how they say it. The image that is projected from each is very telling. I have my own opinions but I'll keep them to myself. You be the judge.

Check them out below.

Perkins-----> WLKY: Perkins in his own words

Garten-----> WLKY: Garten in his own words

JUST JOKING! Of course I'm going to tell you what I think. This isn't a newspaper, it's my blog.

Perkins looks like a tired old man, unsure of himself and in what he's saying. It is clear to me he is well past his prime and is only reading what someone has told him to say because it's popular within the new democratic party. Garten, on the other hand, looks like a leader. Someone in his prime who is ready to make a real impact and not play games.

When the time comes for who I would want to by my representative, hands down Garten.

Projection: Garten wins by more than 25 points.

Do you have the scoop? 

Tell us what you think.

Put your comments below. 

RACE WATCH: Murray V. Grooms

                    

          Senator Ron Groom                 Vs.          Senate Hopeful Anna Murray

RACE WATCH:

Anna Murray V. Ron Grooms

Two candidates could not be more polar opposite. On one side is Anna Murray, a Dan Canon disciple California democrat who is as far left as Bernie Sanders, maybe farther. On the other is Ron Grooms, an even keeled old school republican who has spent years making a positive impact on our community.

I find this race interesting to watch. With the overlap of Urban Clark County, Rural Floyd County, and Urban Floyd County weighing in on this race, I feel it will be a good test to how much of the republican base has eroded due to President Trump. It may be true that New Albany is an apparent Socialist Democrat stronghold here in Southern Indiana, but will that base turn out for Anna Murray? Only time will tell. My guess is that they will.

Ron Grooms has been a longtime elected city official and now 2 term state senator. Because of the name recognition and voting history of Sen. Grooms, I'm going to not review his stats in-depth. The Grooms highlights compared to Anna's website are (IMHO):

-On the surface, Grooms may be against medical marijuana because of how it's being pushed. But I don't think he's flat out against it, just the rush to embrace it. Remember, marijuana is still a controlled substance under federal law. I think that plays into his decision more than anything. Years ago, synthetic opioids were pushed the same way medical weed is being pushed now, as a fix all for pain. Now we have an opioid epidemic. Weed may have some benefits medically, but without hard evidence Grooms will be hesitant to jump on board the train. However, I do know he is open to it. Remember, he is a pharmacist. He understands the impact of drugs better than most.

-Anna talks about respect. I've known Ron for years and he is one of the most respectful people I know. In fact, I know a lot of people who could learn a thing or two on how to treat people by learning from him.

-Anna talks about gerrymandering for votes. That is a mythological issues that someone has told her to use on a website. She refers to districts in other states as having issues. She can't even put an example of a district in Indiana to support her claims. Instead she has a district picture outside Pittsburg? In fact, we don't really have much of that here. If you know our community and the way the districts are done, it is in an attempt not separate neighborhoods while meeting the population requirements.

-And of course, like every good Democrat, Anna is supportive of Unions and raising the minimum wage. If she would take a step back from drinking the socialist democrat Kool-Aid for a second, she would see that raising the minimum wage would do nothing. There are jobs EVERYWHERE! Please, show me one that pays $7.25 minimum wage.  Go ahead. I'll wait... Waiting....  Waiting...….   You can't because there are none. This is called a free market. No one is going to pay $7.25 because when there are so many jobs they have to compete for workers. Don't like working where you are, drive down the road to one of the 5000 now hiring signs and apply. If they don't pay more that you are making now, keep looking. In all seriousness, there are 100's if not 1000's of local jobs right now that are paying $16-$18/hr starting out.

So what would raising minimum wage really do? Increase inflation. Grooms understands this. He also understands that if someone doesn't like how much they are being paid, that person can go find a new and better one that pays more. I guess Anna is a "handout mother figure" type of lady while Ron is more of a "responsibility for yourself" type guy.


Anna is a really nice woman. If you speak to her, she's very personable and easily likeable. But once you scratch the surface, I have found someone who is out classed compared to Sen. Grooms who has no real experience in the arenas that make up her platform. Most of her thoughts are based on feelings instead of facts, theory instead of proof. Of course she's endorsed by every union and LTGB group there is because they won't speak to anyone who's not a Democrat. I really don't put much stock in those endorsements nor most endorsements for that matter, for either side.

When the sun sets on this November election, one question will ring true: Did the very vocal minority of Socialist Democrats make enough headway to pull the old school conservative Steve Stemler type Democrats into their camp?

I say no way that happens. Every major Democrat running in this upcoming race is too far left to really have an impact in my opinion. If they were just left of center, everyone of them would probably have a real shot. The fact of the matter is they are all left of left and that is just too big of a swing for a majority of Southern Indiana Hoosiers.

I predict that Anna works hard with lots of little signs out but Ron has the edge in this race and will live to see his third term in the statehouse.

What are your thoughts? 

Do you have the scoop?

Let us know in the comments below.

9/11 and Our Children

For so many of us, 9/11 will forever be on the surface of our emotions. Even after 17 years, the memories and feelings of that day are as new and vivid as the moment the Earth stood still.

I remember sitting on the edge of my bed that morning (it happened to be my day off work) tuning into the Today Show after making a cup of coffee. I had just picked up the phone to call my Mom to tell her to turn on the TV because a plane flew into a building in New York. As I was sitting there telling her about it, you could see another plane come in from the edge of the screen only to disappear into the building turning into a giant fireball.

I remember the feeling in my chest and turning of my stomach as I sat there in disbelief. I can remember the horrific and immediate realization that I had just witnessed the deaths of so many people only to realize later the full scope of the devastation of that day.

Stories like that are plenty and common as we all reflect on where we were. As a parent of young child who is starting to understand the mysteries of life and death, this morning I found myself trying to wrap my head around how to explain the memory of this day.

It was only a few weekends ago I listened to Joe Lieberman speak of his friend, John McCain. As I sat there listening, I found myself in tears thinking about the man our country had lost. I chuckled at Presidents Obama and Bush's take on a man who was their rival but also partner. A partner who had his beliefs but also understood his were not the only beliefs. A man who embodied the word forgiveness for his leadership with those who were his captors. A leader who knew our country must have balanced politics because partisanship would be our downfall. If you did not hear Lieberman, Kissinger, Bush, and Obama speak about McCain, you should.

As I sat there driving and listening in tears, my child ask me what was wrong. It was not a question I was prepared for. I did the best I could in terms that could be understood by a child.

Fast forward to today. This generations version of "a day that will live in infamy" is a day that needs to be shared and taught to the next generations. If you have young children, don't rely on the history books for this. Share your story with them. Help them understand the meaning and impact on you.

To help me work through how to handle explaining this day to my child, I found the below article I thought I'd share.

In honor of all those who lost their lives on 9/11 in New York, the Pentagon, and Flight 93:

I Pray for You and Your Families. Your deaths will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN in my heart or my home.

--------------------------------

How to talk to your kids about 9/11

by Sarah Caron

The date September 11, 2001 became is now etched in history. How do you explain to kids the sheer magnitude of what happened? And how do you reassure them about the acts of terrorism on U.S. soil?

For so many people in the U.S., September 11, 2001 is a day forever engraved so deeply in memory that it could have been yesterday. That Tuesday, the brilliant blue sky, warm sunlight and crisp morning air striking in its beauty was shattered when everything changed fundamentally in an instant.

But for children — both those who were very young on that day and those that hadn't yet been born — the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 are a little removed. What were they? What does it mean? And how did it all change our world?

As parents, it's our job to explain these things to our children.

Explaining 9/11 to kids

Whether your children are in preschool, elementary, middle or high school, it's important that you speak about that tragic and devastating day with them so that they understand the heartbreak that America collectively felt. September 11, 2001 is a part of our modern history. How should you do it?

Be real

Honesty is important when talking about September 11 with your children, so don't be afraid to share how you really felt that day. "Kids pick up on how you really feel beneath your words. They will become more frightened because now they know they can't trust you to tell them the truth," says Carole Lieberman, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Coping with Terrorism: Dreams Interrupted.

Do something

There are so many opportunities to turn the pain of September 11 into something more positive. Mark this year's anniversary with actions that help someone else — or remember those that were lost. "Do something as a family on 9/11 to memorialize the day and pay tribute to those who died. For example, go to your house of worship, light a candle at home and say a prayer, donate money to a 9/11 fund for survivors," says Lieberman.

Be proactive

Terrorism didn't end with the death of Osama Bin Laden. It's OK to explain that to your kids so they understand that although there is still a threat of terrorism, there is a lot being done to prevent another attack from happening. "Talk about the ongoing threat of terrorism and how you will prepare as a family by doing things to keep yourselves healthy — psychologically and physically," says Lieberman.

Using books to talk about the attacks

Books can really help you with explaining 9/11 to kids, when you aren't sure where to start. "Sometimes it's hard to know what to say. But there are lots of age-appropriate children's books about 9/11 that can help get the conversation going," says Michael D. Baran, Ph.D., a cultural anthropologist and director of Cambridge Diversity Consulting.

Here are a few that might be good for your kids:

• The Little Chapel that Stood by A. B. Curtiss (ages 4 and up)
• America Is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell by Don Brown (ages 6 and up)
• I Survived the Attacks of September 11th, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis (ages 7 and up — note: fiction)
• September 11, 2001: Attack on New York City by Wilborn Hampton (ages 10 and up)

Keep it age appropriate

Older children are probably ready to hear and see more about the attacks so that they can understand what happened more deeply. But for younger children, it's enough to be truthful without sharing everything. "To the younger children they will be told that there are some people who do not like our country. These bad people thought that it was important to hurt the United States in a very bad way. What they did caused many people to die and suffer much pain," says Lorna Kemper, a 1st grade teacher at Gethsemane Lutheran School in Tempe, Arizona.

And really, isn't that what it's really about? In the simplest of terms, the attacks of 9/11 came down to decisions that were made to hurt innocent people because of a hatred for the country that we love. Teach your children to take pride in the country they live in by honoring days such as 9/11 each year. Most adults will remember vividly in the days, weeks and months following the attacks how many homes raised an American flag and flew it proudly. Fly your flag and remember those who were lost, and you not only help your kids learn, you help our country band together.

RACE WATCH: Fleming V. Owen

New Comer Dr. Fleming     Vs.     Councilman Matt Owen

LOCAL RACE TO WATCH

In 2016, Republicans dominated the local scene on the Trump wave. Early numbers are showing that steep advantage has all but disappeared, at least at the Federal level. But could that equate into a major upset of the Jamey Noel backed Governor Holcomb supported Prince of the Clark County Republican Party Matt Owen? 

Let's do a quick rundown. Matt is a multi-term At-Large City Councilman who came on the scene when he was just 18 to run for Mayor. He backed off of that idea and ended up on the council. Every time he has ran (and won), he was the top vote getter in the Jeffersonville elections. But will that strong name recognition carry over to other communities where he is not as well known?  

Dr. Rita Fleming is a longtime resident of Jeffersonville who has served on the Plan Commission for years. Outside of that, her name is common with families of which she delivered babies for. A bleed blue democrat and daughter of a union worker, she is a very strong union supporter herself. With virtually no name recognition to the masses, can she work hard enough in the district to overcome the Owen advantage?

Both of these candidates offer a wide range of options for the local voter:

·         While Matt is younger than most, that has not appeared to hinder him on the Council. Matt has always seemed pragmatic and commonsense. His EMT experience gives him a unique perspective to deal with the opioid issues that are facing our state. He is usually soft spoken but if you watch him you can tell he is taking it all in. When he does speak it is with purpose and he knows what he's talking about. I have a hard time finding anything he's done that could be considered negative while in office. The only blip on the radar (I would not consider this a negative) was some social media comments he made against the Republican Party after this year's convention. As I understand it (please correct me if I'm wrong), there were those who were pushing to change some stances on inclusivity of the LGBT community to which some within the party showed their bigotry. Matt did not take kindly to it and called them on it publicly as he believed the changes should have been made. 

·         Rita on the other hand is nearing the end of her professional career as a doctor of obstetrics & gynecology. She has a large family with multiple grandchildren and spends her free time renovating buildings in Jeffersonville. Her main talking points have always seemed to be healthcare and personal accountability. While she doesn't have much a public voting record, her time on the Plan Commission has seemed to be pro-growth with the exception of a couple items. Most notably her making the motion to deny a by-right project that resulted in a lawsuit of which the plaintiff won. After more digging, I found it is in the appeals court.  

 So there you have it. Fleming V. Owen. Young V. Old. Who will better represent us in the House from District 71. Steve Stemler leaving has opened up some very large shoes to fill. He was respected on both sides of the aisle. A democrat at heart but carried strong conservative fiscal values. Owen is a lot like Stemler in the fiscal arena and probably closer to center than far right on social issues than most older republicans. Rita is left on just about everything the best I can tell. I have heard her speak only a few times and she has virtually no online presence so it's really hard to tell where she is on everything. With Matt, because of his time on the council and social media presence, you know where he stands. 

To pick a winner, I'm going with Matt Owen in a tight race if he doesn't take his advantage for granted. 

November Results Prediction: 51-49% Owen over Fleming 

What are your thoughts?

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Who Voted How? Detailed Map of 2016 Election

Very Telling Map of 2016

Everyone knows the pundits of the 2016 Election were caught off guard by the victory of now President Trump. The New York Times has now published an interactive map to show each precinct across the county and how they voted in the Presidential Election. 

It's no secret that urban areas went for Hillary, we know that the night of the election. What does that mean? Well, it would take a lot of study to come to the true answer to that question. I'll let you come up with your own conclusions.  

(Click the picture to view the map)

The real question is, will the R's be able to hold this footprint in November or will the D's find a way to spread their blue over the region? 

To answer that, we will have to wait until November! In the mean time, I will be putting the SIOM predictions out soon. Stay Tuned!

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