IEDC getting

the job done

For those critics calling for an overhaul of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC), I suggest taking a look at the big picture.

In its eight years of existence, the IEDC has secured record numbers of job commitments and business investment. In the past two years, agreements have been reached with 470-plus companies that are either expanding or relocating to Indiana. The job prospects for Hoosiers in the last few weeks total more than 4,100 with announcements from ExactTarget, Angie’s List, Land O’ Frost and more.

While some focus on the few businesses that struggle to get off the ground, one must remember that any incentives offered are not paid unless the jobs materialize. The IEDC approach is a low/no-risk proposition for the state and Hoosier taxpayers.

An accomplished, bipartisan board of directors meets publicly each quarter to discuss strategy and results. The governor serves as an active leader, chairing each meeting over the past eight years. The public-private partnership model is transparent and effective. Because of its success, that model has been replicated in other states.

Indiana’s ascension in its economic development climate has been well documented. The performance that has followed is due to strong leadership and a hard-working staff that has our state out-producing its competitors. And when the national economy finally begins a return to normalcy, the state is positioned for even greater success.

We should be proud that our state is one that is getting things done — and the IEDC is a major part of that effort. Let’s work together to help it achieve even more in the years ahead.

— Kevin M. Brinegar

President and CEO

Indiana Chamber

of Commerce

Indianapolis

New gun laws

won’t solve

our problems

With the atrocity at Sandy Hook, Conn., the media covered the event nonstop. Posting the number of people killed as the second largest number of innocents gunned down by some madman. Making it sound like a competition. The crime scenes had not been processed before the politicians and gun haters were dancing in the blood of the victims, calling for more gun control.

The perpetrator is dead; the person who supplied him the firearms is dead. So now we have all of these investigators running hither and yon to gun ranges, gun stores, frantically searching for what? Some third party to blame?

This 20-year-old male subject was allowed access to firearms in his home that he should never had access to. Did mom really buy these firearms for herself? Doubtful, but if she did, then she should also have bought a gun safe to store them in.

People are screaming about the guns, but what happened to common sense, people? You have a mentally unstable child in the house and you arm him?

As far as “assault weapons” go, we already had a ban for 10 years. It was a failure and legislators knew it would be a failure and had a 10-year “self-destruct” clause in the bill. This was necessary to just get it to the floor for a vote.

And what it banned were certain semiautomatic firearms: a firearm that fires single rounds with a single pull on the trigger. And magazines that held more than 10 rounds. In skilled hands a shooter can reload a magazine-fed firearm in one second, or simply switch to another weapon.

Legislating firearms and magazines is not about stopping these types of shootings. Let's deal with the real problems, instead of the implements used. Our country is turning into an open-air insane asylum, because special-interest groups don’t want mentally ill people institutionalized.

We need to see that these people are being treated, and if non-responsive to treatment, then we need to put them in an environment where they cannot harm others or themselves. Certainly, isolate them from weapons.

As parents and grandparents, we need to supervise our children and not allow them to be influenced by these violent video games and slaughter that we see in these games, movies and on television.

It all boils down to two words: responsibility and accountability. Our society has some very serious issues and a new set of gun laws is not going to come close to solving them.

— Bill West Jr.

Terre Haute

Irresponsible

gun opinion

I respect your editorial board’s right to have its own opinion. However, since you are a newspaper with a large circulation over several counties in Indiana and Illinois, I expect that editorials you write should be reasoned and correct and responsible, not simply based on opinion.

The editorial you produced for publication on Dec. 19 was full of misleading and just down-right wrong information about assault weapons. I don’t know if this was done purposely or just an omission because of ignorance of your subject. You said that banning assault weapons does little to infringe on citizens’ Second Amendment rights. Saying that a ban would infringe little on Second Amendment rights is like being a little bit pregnant. Any infringement violates the right to keep and bear arms, which is an inalienable right guaranteed by my birth as an American citizen. You said that assault weapons are tools of war and should be banned. Obviously you are not aware that those weapons have been and are banned from the public and have been since the 1935 Firearms Act was passed.

“Assault weapons” is a term which you use loosely and are defined as a weapon that will fire semi full auto by use of a select fire switch. These types weapons can only be obtained by law-abiding citizens by use of  special permits, which are secured from the government and each person applying is  investigated by the ATF (Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms department) before getting such license, then each time an assault rifle is purchased a transfer of the weapon occurs and is supervised by the federal government.

Of course, when a criminal wants an assault rifle he steals it or obtains it from other criminals. The point is, more laws do not work because the criminals do not obey the law anyway, so all that would be accomplished would be infringing on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

You speak of banning assault rifles because these weapons accept high-capacity magazines. Evidently you are not aware that these so-called assault rifles, which are no more than semiautomatic rifles, are no different in operation then any other semiautomatic weapon. The point is, this weapon only fires one bullet with each pull of the trigger, therefore it does not matter how many bullets the magazine holds these weapons. It will not fire a sustained burst of bullets.

In your article you glance over the fact that if a person is bent on doing great damage they will find a way. You are correct. Have we forgotten Timothy McVeigh or the planes flown into the Twin Towers in New York City? No weapons, assault or otherwise, were involved. It seems that the outrage by editors seem to be reserved for weapons because they are bothered by the fact that certain freedoms are guaranteed American citizens and not extended by the government, therefore the government cannot take them away.

Maybe you should be introspective and write an editorial about the covert methods employed by unethical news media to attempt to advance a liberal progressive agenda using mass media. In closing, let me pose a question to you. Where in the U.S. Constitution did you find the passage that a little infringement on any amendment is acceptable?

— John R. Lewis

Terre Haute

Appreciation for

chance to serve

In January, I will be begin my second term on the Vigo County Council. I will continue to serve and be a voice for everyone in my capacity on the council. I look forward to working with other elected officials toward the continued growth and prosperity of our county.

I would like to encourage the community to attend the county meetings or contact me with your concerns. I will promise to do my best for the good of the entire community. I believe that I do have a purpose on this council and that is to strive toward meeting our goals for the county. I will work with other elected officials to keep jobs local and assist with attracting business to our county.

I can never thank those enough who assisted me with this election with their assistance and continued support. It is an honor and a blessing to serve you another term.

— Ed Ping

Vigo County Council

Terre Haute

A duty to serve

all the people

We, the people of America, need to ask what are the politicians of this country wanting to cause to happen to the people? Would it cause people to die because lack of money from Social Security, from which they would not have enough to pay bills, or doctors, hospitals, or buy medicine, or even have enough to buy food?

Trying to make retirement depend on buying stock is not going to help people if there is a recession or depression. That income would vanish.

If Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are reduced, it will cause poor farms and poor houses to come in, which in most cases, states and cities will not be able to finance, then which will cause those poor farms and poor houses to become concentration camps.

Do these politicians even care what they do to the people? Or do they only care about themselves?

Our politicians are supposed to have been elected to do the best for all the people and not just for a fewer amount.

— Wayne Fitzgerald

Terre Haute

Dealing with

the tragedy

Twenty young children, just the right age for Santa, haunted me in church yesterday. My only hope is a new four-step waltz I’m learning, thanks to “Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going Crazy,” by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone:

1) Go back to my own body; gratefully, I can see, hear, walk, talk — feel grateful.

2) Look at what happened at Sandy Hook briefly and let myself feel whatever: shock, insecurity, rage.

3) Think differently. Acknowledge the helplessness I feel and that I am a compassionate, caring person. Pray. Let it go. Pray.

4) Get up and do something: take a walk, fix supper, wrap presents, put music on to lift my mood. Be mindful of what I’m doing.

— Mary Moloney, SP

Sisters of Providence

St. Mary-of-the-Woods

Off-duty EMT

to the rescue

On Dec. 14, while waiting to be seated for lunch at the Olive Garden, a lady fell outside and severely lacerated her head. Several patrons and staff went to her aid.

There was an off-duty EMT named Stevens also waiting to be seated. He quickly went to the lady’s aid and began first aid. He did a fantastic job of assessing her condition and staying with her until help arrived.

His selfless behavior and actions are a tribute to the organizations that care and protect all of us in our daily lives.

Great job, EMT Stevens.

— Don Bradshaw

Carbon

Prized opinion

on education

Mark Bennett’s column in the Dec. 13 issue of the Tribune-Star proposing pre-school education was great. Mark, a great writer, laid out the evidence supporting early childhood education by connecting present-day resistance to the concept put forward by Charles Dickens in “A Christmas Carol”: less education means more poverty.

Do I sense a Pulitzer here for Mr. Bennett?

— Robert F. McDavid

ISU professor Emeritus

Terre Haute

Raise speed limits

on some streets

Why are streets like Fagin, Springhill and Fruitridge all 30 mph speed limits when other busier streets like Fort Harrison or Margaret all 40 mph speed limits? Most cars of today won’t shift into some of their higher gears at 30.

I saw a state trooper on a motorcycle stop two cars for exceeding the 30 mph limit. I think the limit on some of these outer roads should be raised to 40 mph.

— Jack Hendrixson

Terre Haute