Gov. Mitch Daniels is a very smart person, but sometimes he's too clever for his own good, which can give him the insufferably arrogant demeanor of your average high school sophomore. The latest case in point is his reaction to critics of his plan to privatize the lottery as part of an effort to keep Indiana's best and brightest in the state:
Gov. Mitch Daniels says, "I would say to those who have questions about it, 'What's your plan? What is your plan about the Brain Drain? What is your plan to lift us over the next 10 years to a position we really must have?' We're focusing on marvelous opportunities here, but let us note, as always the cost of inaction will be tremendous."
Sorry, governor, those are two separate questions. There are lots of ideas for combatting brain drain, some good, some bad, some still needing debate. There are lots of reasons to be for or against privatizing the lottery, a controversial proposal in its own right. Trying to conflate privatization and brain drain into one issue is a transparent effort to change the subject, one that is all too easy to parody, as in: "I have a marvelous plan for legalizing prostitution in Indiana, in state-approved brothels at which cocaine will be sold and false IDs manufcatured for use by illegal aliens, terrorists and anyone else who needs them. This will raise hundreds of millions of dollars our young students desperately need. You don't like that? Well, what's YOUR plan for all-day kindergarten?"
