Getting the word out

Gov. Daniels spent much of his State of the State address bragging about the relative solvency of Indiana government, and that annoyed The Journal Gazette:

If there's solace in knowing how poorly Michigan, Illinois and California are faring these days, Gov. Mitch Daniels was a welcome voice in his sixth State of the State speech this week. But comparing Indiana state government's plight to others' was likely no consolation to Hoosiers long out of work, to young teachers worried about losing their jobs or to any mayor wondering how to keep the parks open and fire trucks running.

I don't want to beat up on the JG for citing relative performance when it fits the JG's agenda (such as deploring Fort Wayne's status as the country's fattest, most unfit city) and pooh-poohing it when it aids in smacking a hated Republican. That's the kind of tunnel vision we're all apt to have on occasion.

And some of the observations in the editorial are certainly true if not as universally accepted as deplorable as the JG would have it -- the state is doing well in large part because it forced local governments to cut services or raise taxes. And bragging about how well you're doing is obviously no substitute for doing what you should be doing, although not all of us would agree with the JG on what exactly that should be.

But there is a very good reason, not mentioned in the editorial, to keep pounding away at how well Indiana is doing compared with states such as Michigan, Illinois and California. The best way for the state to stay solvent and even get healthier (for the consolation of those Hoosiers "long out of work") is to attract more businesses to Indiana. And one way to do that is to keep reminding those companies how much more tax-friendlier we are than those other states and how much smarter it would be for them to come here instead of going there.