Repost: Conservatives should Oppose the Death Penalty

Good Morning Friends! We at the blog are working on some more stories for the coming weeks and months. So we thought that while we have to unfortunately keep you waiting, that we would repost some of our earlier work. This post is from back in March 2018. We were inspired to write it because of a wonderful article by Sarah Quinlan over at Redstate. This was of course before Redstate purged itself of  its talent and decided to become shills for the Orange Man Baby Trump. We stand by every word of this post and hope you all will enjoy this little gem from our vaults. Have a blessed day brothers and sisters!

Monday, March 26, 2018

Conservatives should Oppose the Death Penalty 

Recently we all were pursuing online and came across an intriguing article called “Republicans Should Seek to End the Death Penalty Not Expand It” by Sarah Quinlan over at Redstate. The article is well worth reading in it’s own right. IR being conservative Republicans and believing christians one area in which we are at variance with many of our fellow conservatives is in our opposition to capital punishment. We oppose this on many grounds rooted in our Christian faith as well as being a natural outgrowth of our desire to limit the power of the state to the functions it MUST absolutely have in order to defend the lives, liberty and property of its citizenry. 

Those of us who are opposed to abortion must if we are to be intellectually and morally consistent must at the very minimum be as equally concerned about the death penalty. It is an irreconcilable quandary to us to favor limiting government power but to also allow the state which we at best view as a restrained monster the power of life and death over its citizens. We are not opposed to killing in self defense or defense of others. Or in defense of the United States in time of war. Those are very different circumstances than executing a person convicted of a crime. As Christians and conservatives we are all to familiar with the reality of sin or of fallen human nature. We are all to painfully aware that sin and vice have one of there greatest breeding grounds in government. For that reason alone we should abolish the death penalty if only to possibly avoid being victims of it ourselves. After all anyone may potentially be wrongfully convicted of a capital offense. This maybe just us speaking here but we don’t feel like being sent to death row.

For more information visit Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty by clicking this link: https://conservativesconcerned.org/

Goodbye to Frank Bonner AKA Herb Tralek

Frank Bonner AKA Herb Tarlek 1942-2021

One of our favorite all time tv series is WKRP In Cincinnati. To this day we still often watch episodes of this great classic of American television. One of our favorite characters has always been Herb Tarlek the shady sales manager at WKRP. We were sorry to find out that Frank Bonner the actor that played Herb Tarlek passed away a few days ago. Our old friend the late great blogger Gary Welsh often told us how much he loved WKRP when he was growing up and we think his affinity for white belts was something he might have picked up from Herb Tarlek. 

Variety reported on his death and had this to say about Frank Bonner’s passing:

Frank Bonner, the veteran actor who became famous for portraying Herb Tarlek on the TV sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati,” died Wednesday. He was 79.

Bonner’s family confirmed to TMZ that the actor died as a result of complications from Lewy body dementia.

Desiree Boers-Kort, Bonner’s daughter, posted in a “WKRP In Cincinnati” Facebook group, saying that the actor “loved his fans and was still signing autograph requests up until the last few weeks of his illness. Thank you to all who followed his career. He will be forever missed.“

Bonner appeared in 88 of the 90 episodes of “WKRP in Cincinnati,” which aired for four seasons from 1978-82. He also directed six episodes of the sitcom, which followed the misadventures of the staff of a struggling rock radio station in Cincinnati. Bonner’s character was a tasteless sales manager at the station who often failed to secure deals with major advertising agencies. From his signature white belt and shoes to his polyester suits, “plaid boy” would often come into work and be laughed at for his loud outfits. His catchphrase, “Hokay, fine,” was a response used when acknowledging decisions that he didn’t particularly like.

Indy Republican sends our deepest sympathies to Mister Bonner’s family and friends. We can think of no more fitting a tribute to this man than to play the theme song to his most successful show. Here it is the WKRP theme song:

It’s Not Unusual, Tom Jones turns 81

Good Morning Fellow Babies!

Sir Tom Jones

IR and the gang hope you are all doing well today, and remember if you overslept for work, don’t go in! Because you are already late! 

A few days ago one of our favorite singers Sir Tom Jones turned 81 years old. Tom is well known for his television show from the 1960’s and for appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show. He will always be known for some of his greatest hits “She’s a Lady”, “Green, Green Grass of Home”, the theme to the classics James Bond film “Thunderball” and the unforgettable “It’s Not Unusual”. He has also appeared in films including the criminally underrated 1996 comedy “Mars Attacks”. We thought we would share with all of you some sampling’s of Tom’s to help brighten your day!

Take it away Sir Tom!

It’s Not Unusual:

Tom Jones cover of Kung Fu Fighting:

Tom in Mars Attacks:

Green Green Grass of Home:

She’s a Lady:

Theme to James Bond “Thunderball”:

Happy Memorial Day!

Indy Republican would like to wish you all a safe and happy Memorial Day! Throughout the day please take a moment to express your gratitude to our veterans that are still with us. And pay our respects to those who gave all for our freedoms. Also we would like to express our everlasting thanks to our friend and mentor the late, great Gary Welsh. Though Gary never served in the military he was a genuine patriot and hero. He like others that have gone before us are gone physically, their memories and spirits live eternal!

In that spirit let us celebrate and honor America’s Best! Listen to the great classic “Ballad of the Green Berets”:

Praise be to God! Amen!

The Great Humor of Ronald Reagan

We the Indy Republican Posse do sincerely miss, and look to the late great President Ronald Reagan for both inspiration, as well as a contrast to the freak show antics that was the Presidency of Donald Trump. A great friend of the blog came across this footage from the late 1970’s of then Governor Reagan of California speaking at Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roast of George Burns. 

Watching this we not only laughed, but saw how a real statesman acts. And why Donald Trump could never be Reagan. What some forget is that Trump actually attacked Reagan in the 1980’s. Check out this this 2015 article that reports on Trump’s spat with Reagan in 1987.

Here’s some much needed comedy from the undisputed king of political wit, Ronald Reagan:

The Differences Between Real Republicans and Trump Imposters

In the near future we plan on outlining in greater detail why we, as Anti-Trump Conservatives are the true followers of Conservatism and Republicanism. Unlike the tangerine con man Trump. 

For now the picture below though short of a thousand words, illustrates briefly the extent to which the modern Trumplican Party has left we Republicans politically homeless:

Ricky Gervais Puts Hollywood Elites in their Place

We just found this kickass monologue by the very talented and funny British comedian Ricky Gervais. This is from his presentation at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards. If more talent like his gets put on stage at awards shows we will start watching them again!

Here’s some classic Gervais:

In a Victory for Hoosiers Marion County Judge Rules Attorney General Curtis Hill Violated Public Records Law

Former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill 

There is some good news and IR thought we would share it with all of you. Johnny Magdaleno writing for the Indianapolis Star on April 1, 2021, reported that former Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill had broken state public records law when he refused to disclose the personal email addresses of public officials.

Magdaleno writes:

IndyStar investigative journalist Ryan Martin requested records on employee turnover from the attorney general's office in July 2018. One of the records that fit the request was a PowerPoint presentation on the office's budget that was sent to the personal email addresses of Hill and then-Chief Deputy Aaron Negangard.

Before sending the record to Martin, Hill's office redacted the personal email addresses it contained. His office acknowledged to Martin that the addresses weren't exempt from public records law, saying that "we would provide the information to you if you request it." 

So Martin requested the addresses. When the office still didn't provide them, he filed a complaint with the state's Public Access Counselor, a custodian of public records disputes.

The counselor issued an advisory opinion siding with Martin. "While not prohibited, the use of private email for public business invites oft-unforeseen problems down the road when those emails are requested," counselor Luke Britt wrote in the opinion.

After Britt weighed in, Martin reported that IndyStar sent five emails requesting the information over a 22-day period. The office responded with a new reason as to why it wasn't providing the records, claiming that they were part of Hill's and Negangard's personnel files.

IndyStar finally brought the issue to Marion County court in the form of a civil suit in July 2019.

In January 2021, Judge James Joven ruled in favor of IndyStar. In his decision, he wrote that Hill's attorneys failed to show why personal email addresses should be exempt from public record laws. Such laws protect personnel files related to work but don't protect information that doesn't have to do with the management of employees, Joven wrote.

Joven also ordered the attorney general's office to pay IndyStar $49,150 in attorneys fees, and Hill was fined $100 in civil penalties. Britt told IndyStar the civil penalty may mark the first time that an Indiana law sanctioning public employees for not complying with records requests has been applied in court.

We here at Indy Republican would like to applaud Johnny Magdaleno, Ryan Martin and the Indianapolis Star for filing this lawsuit and forcing the issue into the open. If this gets to be a trend their might be hope for the Indianapolis Star yet.

We strongly encourage our readers to contact the Indianapolis Star and tell them to do much more work advocating for good government. Somewhere in this universe Gary Welsh is smiling down at this.

Workforce Development’s Failed Attempt to Combat UI Fraud

Yesterday we wrote about Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development being besieged by unemployment fraud and its inept response to the situation affecting countless out of work Hoosiers. As we promised yesterday we will be going into more detail as to what the state has attempted to do so far to fight back against the rising tide of unemployment insurance fraud and identity theft. 

Bob Segall in his report at WTHR states:

“ 13 Investigates also obtained the agency’s $500,000 contract with ID.me, signed in November to reduce the state’s high rate of unemployment fraud. In the contract, DWD admits “the fraud schemes have evolved in concert with our efforts to thwart them,” and the massive problem has led to an “extraordinary volume of claimants currently locked” out of their accounts.”

Click here to read the state’s contract with ID.me. Apparently the locking of unemployment insurance accounts by the state is part of their strategy to prevent further fraud. DWD began implementing steps to combat UI Fraud back in the summer of 2020. The company the state hired to help verify unemployment claimants identities ID.me is run by it’s CEO Blake Hall. Hall’s company has also been hired by Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona to do assist with verifying claimants identities. ID.me’s identification process as reported by WTHR is

“ The verification process requires unemployment applicants to show documentation – sometimes even engaging with online representatives by holding their driver’s license photo next to their face during a video chat – to prove their identity.

The ID.me executive said the verification process has caught scammers trying to hold up a photo of someone else in an effort to fraudulently pass an identification screening. It regularly detects con artists trying to submit an unemployment claim for a U.S. citizen while they are using a computer or cell phone thousands of miles away in foreign countries. And the verification process quickly flags accounts that change a cell phone number or bank account number immediately after passing verification.

“From what I’m seeing and from the audit we’re doing … it looks like the fraud rate is about 40 percent if not higher,” Hall said. “We’re blocking about a billion dollars in fraud per week. In California alone, we’ve blocked $9 billion in fraud.”

Now DWD’s locking of a suspicious account may help to stop or prevent fraud until the disputed unemployment claim is resolved. That would be okay except for the fact that according to WTHR it can take 12 to 16 weeks to investigate and resolve a disputed claim. Also if someone who is just the victim of unemployment fraud has there account locked it punishes them because they cannot file a claim for money they are entitled to. 

Segall points out that a “13News investigation revealed 1,256,463 of the unemployment claims filed by Hoosiers who were unemployed during the weeks ending March 7 through Oct. 3 were still classified as “pending” in late October. That same investigation showed hundreds of contracted workers hired by DWD to handle calls from people who filed for unemployment are not trained in how to resolve pending claims. The state says some of its backlogged claims are pending due to showing signs of fraud, but DWD did not elaborate on the actual number. 13 Investigates has requested more updated data from the state to show its current number of backlogged claims, but DWD has not yet provided that information.”

To add more insult to injury the state refuses to say what if any system they have in place to notify Hoosiers that there is suspected fraud on their unemployment insurance. As Bob Segall points out you can be a victim of unemployment fraud, even if you never file for unemployment.

Bob Segall reveals that his Social Security Number was stolen by scammers who used it to open unemployment accounts in various states. As Segall recounts:

“ My first warning sign was a debit card I unexpectedly received in the mail. It is from US Bank, and when I called the bank, I learned it had been sent to me because I had applied for unemployment benefits in the state of Ohio. Of course, I had not.”

ODJFS (Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services) confirmed someone had used my name, address, former phone number, date of birth and Social Security number to submit several PUA claims in October totaling $8,694. The state had already paid $1,746 of those benefits – not to the debit card I had received, but to a Wells Fargo bank account the scammer had set up in my name. The ODJFS staff member I spoke to said the state was getting ready to make another payment to that bank account when I called to inform the agency that I have never applied for unemployment benefits in Ohio.”

Segall than went to DWD’s website here in Indiana and as he feared someone had setup an Unemployment account in his name. Segall recounts: “ I looked at the DWD website and attempted to set up an account, figuring it might allow me to speak directly with a fraud investigator. But when I tried to set up a general account, the DWD website told me I had already created one and was now entering the incorrect password. My suspicion was correct. Someone opened a DWD account using my name, address, work address and Social Security number in mid-September. Whoever created the account had not yet filed any vouchers, but a DWD customer service representative told me it was likely just a matter of time.”

Segall was amazed that he could be a victim of this without ever filing a claim. Here is what Segall did next:

It took me about eleven hours to get ahold of all three state unemployment offices to report the fraudulent claims and accounts in my name; to contact the Equifax, Transunion and Experian credit bureaus to initiate a year-long credit freeze; to speak with law enforcement agencies in all three states and to file a police report in Indiana; to file a stolen identity report with the Federal Trade Commission; and to reach US Bank and Wells Fargo to deactivate the debit cards and fraudulent bank accounts opened in my name.

Fortunately Segall was able to take care of his issue while being unemployed. But most others are not so lucky. It is nothing less than a travesty of justice and fiscal irresponsibility that after all these years the state of Indiana continues to have such a colossal wreck of a state unemployment system. We all remember back in 2012 when Paul Ogden and the late, great Gary Welsh wrote about how whistleblowers at the state pointed out how mismanagement at DWD contributed to the insolvency of Indiana’s UI Trust Fund. As well as the awarding of a contract to DWD to a company that the then head of IT at DWD Roy Templeton had a financial stake in which Gary and Paul also reported on. 

What must be done is the management and DWD as well as Governor Eric Holcomb need to be forced by the citizens of the state to actually do their damn jobs! Also the United States Department of Labor needs to get off it’s ass and reign in DWD once and for all! Yes we have heard excuses that USDOL has bigger problems to deal with. That is complete and utter nonsense! As is the inaction of the US Attorneys Office in Indianapolis regarding corruption and white collar crime here in Indiana. Take for example their refusal to look into Governor Eric Holcomb’s shady deal to attempt to get an Amazon distribution center moved to Indiana which we wrote about previously on this blog.

Here is what we all suggest reach out to DWD and Governor Holcomb and let them know that this continuing waste and mismanagement of taxpayer money will not be tolerated! Here’s the email addresses and some phone numbers for you all to call and complain. Don’t just call and leave messages, or send emails. Call them every 15 minutes! Also call and email your state legislators and voice your displeasure. Here’s the contact information for you all!

Let the Games Begin!

Governor Eric Holcomb:

Office of the Governor is located at 200 W. Washington St., Rm. 206, Indianapolis, IN  46204

Phone Number: 317-232-4567

To send an email click on: http://www.in.gov/gov/2752.htm  then select " To contact the governor with questions or comments unrelated to the above, click here."

Reach Governor Holcomb on Twitter:

@GovHolcomb

Reach Eric on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GovHolcomb/

Reach out and leave a message for Eric on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmcggUX5rA1za_ya16joSKA

Or go to his Instagram Page:

https://www.instagram.com/govholcomb/?hl=en

To give DWD a piece of your minds:

Indiana DWD Benefit Call Center:
1-800-891-6499 (M-F 8:00 am to 4:30 pm EST)

DWD Mailing address:
Department of Workforce Development
10 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46204

DWD Fax:
(317) 633-7206

DWD emails & phone #’s where available:
Commissioner Fred Payne - Send DWD Commissioner Fred Payne your thoughts, complaints, gripes to this address:

Commissioner Fred Payne

c/o

Department of Workforce Development
10 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Or by email: FPayne@dwd.IN.gov

Chief of Staff Josh Richardson - JRichardson@dwd.IN.gov 

317-232-0766

Chief Communications Officer Bob Birge - RBirge@dwd.IN.gov

317-232-7472

To find your state legislators go to this website:

http://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/