Politics and other nightmares

Indianapolis architect Jim Schellinger must feel like an idiot. He got in early for the race against Gov. Mitch Daniels, spent a lot of time and raised a lot of money, and he's dead last in the hearts of Democrats:

Just in case any of you thought our sharp political divide was not affecting the courts:

The minute you label yourself, whether it's "conservative" or "liberal" or "libertarian" or whatever, you become judged by that label. People will study everything you say to see if it lives up to the purity of that philosophy. Much better to just say what you think and let others come up with the label for you.

Well, this certainly helps me make up my mind:

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Much of the hip-hop community seems to be embracing Sen. Barack Obama in the race for the White House, but rapper 50 Cent may prefer the Illinois Democrat's chief rival.

Another economic hard-luck story as a struggling family tries to get by:

Last week Ohioan David Coterel, 65, came forward to collect the $300 million he'd won in a Powerball lottery jackpot in Indiana. So why are Coterel and his co-winners - son, David Jr., and daughter, Lynn Hiles - walking away with only $145.9 million, before taxes? Because they had to choose either cash or yearly annuity for their winnings at the time of the ticket purchase - and they chose the full cash option.

Given shifting American attitudes about health care, we'll probably be talking about Hillary Care for some time. So many people want government to do something, anything, that it's probably a question of when, not if, we have some kind of national plan. To even complain of "socialized medicine" seems somehow quaint these days. But please be skeptical when any of the proponents talk about the cost:

Does it rock your world that, while almost the entire public conversation in America is about how to get us out of the Mideast, the French Surrender Monkeys have a greater grasp of what the world situation is than we do?

PARIS (AFP) — The world should brace for a possible war over the Iranian nuclear crisis but seeking a solution through talks should take priority, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Sunday.

Last week, I wrote that both News-Sentinel columnist Kevin Leininger and I thought that Republican mayoral candidate Matt Kelty's martyrdom posturing over his campaign-finance violations was wearing a little thin. That might not be the prevailing opinion out there among the voting pubic.

We must honor the wall of separation between church and state. We cannot tolerate the pollution of public spaces with religious expression. Of course, that's if you're a Christian, not, um, a Muslim:

Three times a day during their shifts at the Indianapolis International Airport, more than 100 Muslim cab drivers wash their feet.

I know there have to be government policies, and I know those policies have to be followed. Those of us who write about accountability for public funds even insist on it. Still, the bean-counting bureaucrats should use a little common sense. If I understand this story correctly, this is what happened:

1. County employee attends a conference in Chicago. Instead of paying $40 a day for parking , she has her husband drop her off and pick her up.