Politics and other nightmares

Remember the time, oh, about 10 years ago, when Democrats were in favor of kicking out illegal immigrants?

Things are tough all over:

The recession has directly hit more than half of the nation's working adults, pushing them into unemployment, pay cuts, reduced hours at work or part-time jobs, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Indiana's biggest newpaper seems mostly unimpressed with the Supreme Court's pro-Second Amendment decision in the Chicago case. It will barely affect us here, since, you know, this is such a gun-nut-friendly state anyway:

In Indiana, much of the pro-gun work already has been done. Indeed, the state has been a counter-example of virtually every gun-restriction measure even the conservative Supreme Court approves.

It will cost Porter County $168,703.60, which it takes from the county's casino fund, to pay for this year's "longevity fund" for county government employees:

A West Virginia native now an editor of The Journal Gazette explains why the "King of Pork" sobriquet for Robert Byrd always made her angry:

Byrd tirelessly steered millions of federal dollars to West Virginia

The Indiana Supreme Court has upheld Indiana's voter ID law:

The League of Women Voters sought to overturn the law. Oral arguments on the case were held in March, and the court ruled 4-1 against the League.

At a time when the prison population nationwide has actually declined a bit, Indiana is one of a handful of states with the most growth. Gov. Mitch Daniels tried to get some prison space expansion approved, but the legislature wouldn't approve it, so we're at about, I think, 99 percent capacity.

Is this a good idea?

The city of Fort Wayne has hired a consultant from South Carolina in an effort to make a stronger pitch to hold on to 1,000 or more jobs at the Navistar design center.

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The contract with Williams calls for him to be paid up to $95,000 for helping in the “Navistay” effort.

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Oh, well. So much for the 200-mile-high club:

Commanders do not allow sexual intercourse on the International Space Station, it has been disclosed.

 "We are a group of professionals," said Alan Poindexter, a NASA commander, during a visit to Tokyo, when asked about the consequences if astronauts boldly went where no others have been.

The medical device and supply industry is big in Indiana, employing about 20,000 Hoosiers and paying about $1.1 billion a year in salaries. The president of just one company, Cook Medical of Bloomington, estimates the new taxes on the industry required by Obamacare will cost it $15 5o $20 million a year. Zimmer Holdings, an orthopedics maker based in Warsaw, estimates a $50 million a year cost.