The president just awarded 78-year-old economist Arthur Laffer the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Some call the namesake of the so-called Laffer curve a kook and a fake; others see him as a hero.
Facing unprecedented challenges from all sides, American higher education is in need of new thinking and new action from campus leadership. Flat enrollment, public skepticism of traditional higher education and proposed federal lending caps are just some of the factors creating uncertainty. These complex problems demand dynamic and flexible responses that colleges and universities are […]
At this point, only about 1% of all autism research funding is focused on adults. That’s simply not enough to equip us to address the coming surge in adults with autism.
A federal judge now holds Indiana House Enrolled Act 1211 in the balance. The law is Indiana’s contribution to the national effort to restrict access to safe abortions. By banning a safe and medically necessary method of second trimester abortion, it threatens both the health and constitutional rights of Hoosier women. Like Alabama’s and Missouri’s […]
When Susan Brooks retires at the end of her current term in 2020, she will likely leave the U.S. House with one fewer Republican woman. That’s a big deal if you believe, as we do at IBJ, that having diverse representation is important in both parties and in all states. Women make up less than […]
I think I finally get it after reading former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard’s book—“Less Oil or More Caskets—The National Security Argument for Moving Away from Oil.” It shouldn’t have taken me this long to snag a clue, because I’ve heard Ballard discuss this topic many times publicly and privately during his term as mayor—and after. […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
