Dr. Phil and the Anderson Mayors

According to the Anderson Herald-Bulletin, via WTHR, talk show host and publicity hound Dr. Phil McGraw has offered to help in the Anderson mayoral debacle.  While the two candidates cannot agree on much, they did agree to decline the offer–THANK GOD!

It appears Dr. Phil has given up his pseudo “therapy” to work on more important issues in an effort to garner even more publicity.  Recently, he met with Britney Spears (I swear I’m not making this up) in an effort to get her to stay in treatment after her most recent run in with the courts and police.  He was as equally unsuccessful in that endeavor as the ones featured on his television show. 

(H/T GameLife for the pic)

 [Blogmeister Note:  I know, it sounds like I have issues with Dr. Phil.  I know I should'nt have lost it and posted this.  BUT, how else can one get Britney Spears' name on a political blog?  I can play the publicity game too.  I can hardly wait for the hitcounter to go supersonic on this one .]

Lobbying the General Assembly

With the Indiana General Assembly beginning it’s 2008 legislative session tomorrow, the Indianapolis Star has a great story about what is legal in state lobbying.  The answer, just about anything.  Lobbying firms regularly take legislators out for dinners and lunches, but what else do they do?  Turns out there is no way to tell…and it’s all perfectly legal.

However;

Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, and Rep. John Day, D-Indianapolis — say it’s time for a change, and they’re pursuing legislation to that end.

Under current law, lobbyists must report making a gift of $100 or more, but they don’t have to reveal what the gift is, nor its full value.

Senate Bill 59, filed by Delph, would require reporting of all gifts given in a single day that together are worth $25 or more, or any single gift worth $25 or more.

Day wants to go even further. His legislation, House Bill 1063, would prevent legislators from taking most gifts or meals at all. Day said he would allow legislators to accept only $50 of gifts in a calendar year, enough to cover a couple of lunches or so.

But don’t hold your breath.  This is not the first time this legislation has been tried and it has never gotten a hearing.

Senate President Pro Tempore David Long, R-Fort Wayne, has assigned Delph’s bill to the Senate Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee, which Delph acknowledged in the past has been considered a “graveyard” for doomed bills.

And Day’s bill has yet to be assigned to a committee.

Even if it does get a hearing and is passed, both big ifs, it won’t stop the practice;

Delph said he favors more reporting of what legislators accept, rather than barring gifts as a handful of states have done.

“Philosophically, I come down on the side of permitting people to do and give whatever they want,” Delph said. “But the public should be provided disclosure. The idea is to bring more transparency into government.”

He said the proposal has been received better among newer legislators than by those who have served longer terms.

“I hate to say it, but I think there’s a sense of entitlement on the part of some,” Delph said.

Mistaken Presidential Candidates Snub Michigan

According to a story in the South Bend Tribune, no write-in votes will be counted in the January 15 Michigan Primary.  Candidates had until Friday to file a form indicating they would accept the votes.  None did.

Republicans didn’t need to as they are all on the ballot.  However, Democrats John Edwards, Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, and Joe Biden are not, as they took their names off the Michigan ballot to appease Iowa and New Hampshire.  Those states were less than pleased about Michigan attempting to usurp their early status in the primary process.  Hillary Clinton, Dennis Kucinich, Mike Gravel, and Christopher Dodd are still on the ballot.

All this is important because if one is not on the ballot, a supporter may vote for another candidate, thus giving the other candidate delegates at the national convention.

Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer on Friday urged Democrats to vote in their own primary and to vote for “Uncommitted” if they didn’t have a favorite on the ballot.

“For the supporters of … John Edwards, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson, I recommend that you vote uncommitted. If you vote uncommitted, and “Uncommitted” receives sufficient votes, delegates will be sent to the national convention who will be free to vote for whichever candidate they like, including one of those four,” Brewer said in a video posted on YouTube.

In addition;

The Michigan AFL-CIO, which has not endorsed a candidate, said in a Friday release that Obama and Edwards may have made a tactical error by not competing in Michigan’s primary.

“The organization has reminded its affiliates that it was the decision of the Obama and Edwards campaigns to remove themselves from Michigan’s ballot. Both campaigns may now regret this decision,” the union organization said.

Colin Powell to Speak at Butler

From the Indy Star:

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell is scheduled to speak about “Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust and Values” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in Clowes Memorial Hall, an event that will mark the 20th anniversary of Butler University’s Celebration of Diversity Distinguished Lecture Series.

Read the whole article for more information and where to get tickets.  However, students, faculty and staff will get tickets first, with any left over going to the public.