Indiana Governor Mitch “The Truce” Daniels will not get my vote for President. No way. No how. And I think most of you will agree.
Check out what he said today about pro-life legislation:
He told 6News in Indianapolis that conservatives in the state legislature can move forward with pro-life legislation so long as it doesn’t distract from the economic and education-related legislation he prefers to push.
“As long as it doesn’t get in the way of the really crucial (objectives) — keeping Indiana in the black, improving our economy and bringing big reform to things like education. As long as it doesn’t get in the way of that, there’s plenty of time and capacity,” Daniels said.
The really crucial issues? Seriously? LIFE doesn’t count as a crucial issue?
Is this guy trying to tick off social conservatives?
If you ask me, Daniels’ presidential run ended on this day. Here lies Mitch “The Truce” Daniels’ presidential aspirations, killed under the weight of his own words. The voters thought it crucial to keep him away from the Presidency.
Hot Air has the whole story.
December 11, 2010 at 11:59 am
To put some perspective on it, Indiana is one of the most conservative states in the union. We normally don't see the drama some other areas do when it comes to pro life issues. Mitch was saying that there IS plenty of time and capacity to push pro life items through. He wasn't elected on the life issue, he was elected on the fiscally conservative, cut taxes and pay the bills issues. So he's playing to his base here.
To be honest, I was disturbed that in the couple of mentions at a presidential run (by others, never by him) he kept the same talking points for a national stage.
My opinion? He's smarter than that. He absolutely, positively does not want to be president. He has no interest in running, but others keep urging him. Perhaps this is the way he's assuring his own demise as a viable candidate.
December 11, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Mitch Daniels also favors a giant boondoggle that's been in the works for many years — an extension of I-69 from Evansville to Indianapolis.
Rather than improving and widening current roads, all the fat cats in government want to break new ground, appropriate a lot of land by eminent domain, spend fabulous amounts of money and reward all their supporters in the concrete-pouring industry — all to cut 20 minutes off the travel time.
If you put it to a referendum of the people of Indiana, it would fail resoundingly, but our government is just frothing at the mouth to spend money (in the right places).
December 11, 2010 at 2:58 pm
SOME MORE INFO about the huge money pit Daniels favors, from "Daniels accelerates I-69 expansion," The Indianapolis Star, May 20, 2010:
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Gov. Mitch Daniels dramatically ramped up the timetable for the I-69 extension from Indianapolis to Evansville on Wednesday, but critics continued to question how he’d pay for some portions of the project and keep others within budget. . . .
When Daniels and the state legislature leased the Indiana Toll Road* for $3.85 billion in 2007, he set aside $700 million to build I-69 from Evansville to Crane.
But a Star analysis of the state’s environmental impact studies showed construction estimates for that stretch ranging from $820 million to $989 million — or at least $120 million over budget. . . .
[T]he savings have come from designing a highway that might cut costs now but is not built to last, and will cost more in the future.
Thomas Tokarski, president of the leading I-69 opposition group Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads, and Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, said INDOT is cutting corners by allowing bids for asphalt instead of concrete, but reducing the thickness of asphalt, decreasing the size of shoulders and shrinking the width of medians. . . .
“This is more about political decisions than good policy decisions, because the good policy decision — if you really believe in this highway — is to build it correctly in the first place,” Pierce said. . . .
After the Toll Road deal, Daniels detailed Major Moves, his 10-year program of highway construction projects across the state supported by the lease proceeds and regular highway funding. . . .
“Talk is cheap, but I-69 is not cheap, regardless of what the governor is saying. This is a hugely expensive project,” Tokarski said.
* "Indiana lawmakers . . . passed Gov. Mitch Daniels' Major Moves bill on nearly party-line votes. . . The bill includes a $3.8 billion lease of the Indiana Toll Road to a private, Spanish/Australian consortium."
December 11, 2010 at 6:21 pm
I think you need to be more forgiving of politicians who are trying to do the right thing and get re-elected. I read his remarks as simply fending off criticism from the opposition that he is not spending enough time addressing the economic and educational needs of the state.
As long as the pro-life legislation is passed, I think it's smart to appeal to a broad base of the electorate. A governor without a successful track record of getting things done on education and economic issues doesn't stand much change in the national arena. If the pro-life legislation becomes derailed because of his inattention (or if you really hate the I-69 extension, I guess), then I can see voting against him. So watch what he does rather than what he says he will do.
December 11, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Mike Pence for President!
December 11, 2010 at 10:31 pm
social conservatism is antithetical to the idea of liberty.
December 11, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Julie– not until he does at least 4 years of governor! We need him at home!
December 12, 2010 at 2:31 pm
I think you need to be more forgiving of politicians who are trying to do the right thing and get re-elected.
He's not running for re-election. He's term-limited.
social conservatism is antithetical to the idea of liberty.
You're so right. It's always social conservatives who look to the state to implement their notions of morality – like enacting smoking bans, regulating the content of food, banning prayer in school, making sure that nativity scenes are removed from public grounds, etc.
Oh. Wait.
December 13, 2010 at 2:11 am
Typical Republican politico…use the prolifers to get votes, but don't take them seriously. Actually it is refreshing to see such candor. Maybe someday prolifers will get out of bed with the Republicans and go either post partisan or even bipartisan.
When the SBA managed to sock it to prolife Democrats, destroying the growing prolife voice there, they pretty much committed themselves to the Republican party, didn't they? But this is what they get. Don't anyone be surprised! And quit crying foul! This is what professional partisan politicians do… they don't care about any particular special interest except insofar as it helps them get elected. This guy's just being honest.
December 13, 2010 at 6:07 pm
Another idiot politician–watering down and making the party weaker. We don't need them. I am so sick of hearing how we need to help out with education—money being flushed and always using this con to hide behind for everything. With all the money spent–what improvements have been made? Now they want to teach our children about sex, diversity, what foods to eat—that is not education they need to provide. Teach them to read, do math, science, and history.
December 18, 2010 at 7:32 am
Toki – Just as statism undermines society from the top libertarianism undermines society from the bottom. It doesn't allow a society to exist. I would like for all of the really conservatie states in the union to secede with a few that lean conservative and the rest can be liberal. Two countries.