New phrase echoing in Red Indiana.... "Ditch Mitch!"

In little over a year, Gov. "My Man Mitch" Daniels has become widely distrusted and disliked. The first republican gov. of Indiana in sixteen years - has been an arrogant flop. His survey USA numbers were recently in the 40%s - but that was before he forced the vote in a short session on his "Major Moves" initiative to lease the northern Indiana Toll Road to a foreign consortium for the next 75 years - even though only 33% of the state supports the proposal. He gets a quick 3.8 Billion (how much will go to cronies?) in the deal to spend on highway projects (needed) and says that this way he prevents having to raise taxes - even though the toll increases will make the northern folks pay more - but disproportionately as the highway projects will be all over the state. Folks across the state are angry - as they think he is also about to turn an existing (free) highway into part of a proposed new interstate that he will also lease and make a toll road. Can't wait to see his April 06 Survey USA numbers.

How are major repubs doing where you are? Anyone else trying to take their whole party down with them as the arrogantly push through very unpopular measures?

Things keep going this bad in this state .... we just might see ourselves vote blue for a presidential candidate for the first time since 1964. Seriously. Most folks are just THAT mad.

I never refer to him otherwise. He has wrecked the state and as usual, I suspect cronyism abounds.

Authority per Major Moves.... quoted a lot of former Mitch supporters (one who said something along the lines of he thought his vote for Mitch was one of conscience, but it turns out he must have been unconscience when he made the vote) who are very angry... and here is the best news... references from voters per disappointment with folks in the State House (reps and senators) for voting to approve the deal despite their constituents opposition (hoosiers are against it 2:1). Point being, this is a case where the discontent is spreading past the "Key Figure"....Very good chance to take back the State House - and at least slow down the train wreck that is Mitch.

Yep, it's possible that Indiana could go red in '08. My vote for prez might just count for the first time in my life! My daughter will be voting for prez for the first time in '08. It would be nice if her vote counted from day one, wouldn't it?

As I have noted on DU before, I grew up in a connected Republican family and even though I have been successfully deprogrammed for more than 20 years I can still speak their language enough to read between the lines of their nonsense. They are scared to death, both in Indiana and nationally. The Dems MUST capitalize on this.

are in transplants for the U - so I grew up in a very atypical hoosier political climate. However college at Quayle's alma mater and various work positions have me periodically working in mod/bus republican settings. These folks were concerned about the state of Indiana, the foolishness over budgets (eg the NOT raising taxes and thus seeing deficits grow) and blamed it not on Obannon/Kernan, but on the politicized Senate... they back Mitch - viewing him more as one of their own (eg Business leader for Lilly) rather than bush's OMB director.... I haven't had these conversations lately, but knowing their concerns over the years, I can't help but thing that they are more than a little nervous, and not happy at all with the front and center role the religious repubs have taken in the past year in the state house. I mean - Bosma grandstanding to claim that gay marriage (already not legal) being banned in the state constitution was the most important issue facing the state... please... and Bosma hadn't previously come off as a far right religious fanatic legislator.

My sense has been that folks are uncomfortable with the political tone - and down right angry with the political power plays per DLS and Major Moves. But I don't have the regular contact that you do to sense how real the discontent is. Thanks for the insight.

As I have said elsewhere, I think that Hill has a great chance to regain his seat, that Hostettler is at great risk of going down, and Chocola - to a slightly lesser extent. But each flop by Mitch, and by W - somehow makes the chances of gaining those seats better and better. Think about it - still a long shot, but by this time next year, Indiana could have a majority Dem delegation to the House of Representatives in DC.

Thanks Mitch :D

brilliant, are ignorant, ideologically blinded fools who need to be restrained. Problem is, people don't live long enough to keep the public consciousness sufficiently elevated to avoid the repeat of the same idiotic behavior, again and again.

By making the same poorly educated conclusions they install incompetent, tunnel-visioned purists, who then proceed to introduce chaos by, in one long swell foop, attempting to dismantle the painfully assembled society of the anti-slavery crowd.

We need a new approach to keep them in check. Disdain, scorn, derision and an unwillingness to compromise on ethical principles coupled with an appreciation of the importance of using words like liar, crook, incompetent charlatan, etc may well be very important.

in your state... GOP so foiled by their own disasters... can't find a candidate... find an empty suit with a boatload of baggage... get a loonie carpet bagger radio personality... all faced down to a campaign which emanated strength, compassion, character - it was quite a distinction. Am thinking we may see more such races ... mostly due to the quickly burning themselves out in blasts of corrupt/incompetent flames from GOP candidates making the stark contrasts easier to draw.

He's a loathsome fascist.

but this time - it isn't just perceived as a figure-head problem (ala its just Daniels but the party is okay)... there is so much anger that the blame is starting to blur over to the party that rubber stamps his policies. In this red state, it is very, very interesting.

I couldn;t stand the guy when he was a Bush spokesman, and I couldn't imagine having to live under him as a governor.

But then again, we have Mitt Romney in Massachusetts...

Whatever he wants, he rams through with his lapdog buddies in the legislature. This is just a recent example of the kind of garbage we have to deal with from this scumbag every day (read the top post).