By Dan Carpenter
TheStatehouseFile.com

What do you call a court action, or non-action, that makes a whole bunch of people deliriously happy, leaves a great many others pleased or indifferent, and incenses a substantial minority who come away unharmed?

Dan Carpenter is a columnist for TheStatehouseFile.com and the author of “Indiana Out Loud.”
Dan Carpenter is a columnist for TheStatehouseFile.com and the author of “Indiana Out Loud.”
How about a home run?

I can’t help noticing, as I tap out this essay in the wake of the U.S. Commentary button in JPG – no shadowSupreme Court’s refusal to take up appeals of marriage equality victories in Indiana and four other states, that I am still married.

The archbishop of Indianapolis is still unmarried.

The men who’ve made careers of “defending traditional marriage” are still married, if they were married before Monday and have not followed their common practice of getting divorced in the interim.

We have, in short, expanded civil rights. We have not taken away rights, which was the perverse purpose of laws and constitutional amendments over which we have been squabbling and spending all these wasted years while an earnest minority of the population sought only to be recognized and financially secured as good bourgeois conservative neighbors.

Now, just like that, not by the meddling of an activist judiciary but by the passivity of a conservative one, the struggle is ended, the dream is reality, the nightmare we’ve been warned against must work its evil with the lights on and the coffee brewing.

Both sides by and large might have preferred a definitive ruling in favor of equality or state religion; but I’m perfectly happy with a clean, simple, quick ending that demonstrates this court doesn’t want the same-sex marriage issue. My layman’s mind-reading tells me the liberals and conservatives alike feared a 5-4 outcome, and Chief Justice John Roberts preferred to bypass the drama of casting the swing vote one way or the other. Quietly serving the interests of corporate manipulators of elections and taxation is more his métier.

Quietly is how this landmark event should play out, as contrasted with rulings for racial equality and the constitutional change giving women the vote. Those were large, highly visible groups whose range and depth of denial required strenuous, even traumatic adjustment on the part of society as a whole. The jury will be out forever on the costs and benefits of school desegregation, for example.

Gay people getting married? America is evolving that way anyway; we’re not surprised that celebrations of Monday’s news have extended far into the straight world, especially the younger sector. And whether the folks on my block congratulate or denigrate the guys in the white Cape Cod on the corner, their possession of a piece of paper from the county clerk won’t wreck our market values. It ought to make the guys more pleased to be here, having shed their second-class status and all, and eager to boost their contribution to the community that’s never demurred from collecting their taxes.

Nobody’s hurt – indeed, not even the traditional marriage champions. (Some are following the very old and still-practiced tradition of polygamy, only serially). As has been foreshadowed in the righteous rhetoric of the Curt Smiths and Micah Clarks and Mike Delphs, they’ll keep their loins girded to guard against further loss of “our” religious freedom. They join my own Catholic hierarchy in warning of church’s being forced to perform same-sex civil marriage.

And they’ll continue to enjoy their power and draw their paychecks. The wonderful historic moment of Oct. 6, 2014 left them with their fear of otherness to exploit. It left gay people and their friends and families with the challenge of going forth as graceful victors. Talk about a win-win.

Dan Carpenter is a freelance writer, a contributor to The Indianapolis Business Journal and the author of “Indiana Out Loud.”

Staff report
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS – State tax receipts fell below projections in September for the third straight month but remain ahead of revenue for the same period last year.

During the first quarter of the fiscal year, state revenue was nearly $39 million behind estimates released in December. That’s about 1.1 percent below forecast.

Individual income tax collections are dragging down the totals. For the fiscal year, which began July 1, Hoosiers have paid about 4 percent less in income taxes than projected.

However, sales and corporate tax revenues are beating projections.

Lawmakers will receive an updated fiscal forecast in December, just before they begin work on the next two-year state budget.

By Jacob Rund
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS – As the speculation of possible 2016 presidential candidates continues, Gov. Mike Pence has done nothing to quell the rumors about his political aspirations.

Analysis button in JPGAlthough his recent activities seem to suggest he is considering setting his trajectory for the White House, Pence has yet to confirm – or deny – any intention to make such a move.

While it is hard to tell for sure whether he will run for president, he does appear to be testing the waters and attempting to strengthen an ever-growing national constituency.

Take his recent travel schedule, for example. In the previous two months, Pence has attended events in both Iowa and Texas – appearances that stirred up quite a bit of national buzz.

While in the Hawkeye State, Pence spoke at a Midwest-Japan economic conference and gave a speech at a fundraiser for Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad. This is a significant series of speaking events, mainly because it allows him to garner increased exposure in a state outside of Indiana, especially in one as influential in the GOP race as Iowa.

And, in one of several trips overseas as governor, Pence visited Germany and criticized President Barack Obama’s foreign policy.

“This is definitely something a possible presidential candidate would do,” CNN Politics Digital Reporter Eric Bradner said.

The biggest hint thus far at a possible presidential run is Pence’s appearance at a summit in Texas sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, a group backed by Charles and David Koch – billionaires noted for their monetary support of conservative candidates. The event suggests he is attempting to build a strong financial base should he decided to make a run for president.

Perhaps more interesting than his attendance at the Texas summit, are the strong ties Pence has to the Koch brothers. Two of his former staff members during his time as a congressman are now employed by Koch-owned businesses.

This connection could prove vital for Pence if he decides to bypass a potential second run as Indiana’s governor and throw himself into the mix of presidential candidates.

Pence also is expected to attend an event in Michigan in the upcoming weeks, where he could be speaking alongside Rick Santorum – a former presidential candidate in 2012.

An article by Matthew Yglesias for Vox.com places Pence’s impressive collection of “friends in high places” as a more important factor in a possible presidential bid than his public appearances and speeches.

“Journalists tend to overrate charisma and public-facing speeches while underrating networking,” Yglesias wrote. “But politics isn’t so different from any other industry. Networking matters, and Pence is good at it.”

Throughout the past year, Pence has received a surprising amount of national press attention concerning his 2016 intentions. He has been dubbed, by some media outlets, as a dark horse candidate should he choose to run.

Pence’s “pseudo-run” at president is not uncommon. In fact, it is the preferred way for potential candidates to gain a sense of their popularity and expected financial backing.

It is unclear exactly what the threshold of support – both monetary and political – might be, but it appears he could be getting close.

As the months wear on, look for Pence to continue his trend of nationwide appearances, but don’t expect him to make a public decision until he is certain of how he is perceived nationally. And how long this will take, no one knows for sure.

Jacob Rund is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.