August 20, 2025 • 29 mins
The fight to redistrict Indiana to pick up seats in the House of Representatives was not going over well with many Republicans in the Indiana General Assembly. Enter Charlie Kirk. The broadcast behemoth took to Twitter and threatened to primary any Republican who opposed redistricting. Quickly the narrative changed, including an embarrassing flip-flop from Representative Craig Haggard. Will the Indiana General Assembly allow themselves to be bossed around by a broadcaster from Arizona? It certainly appears that way. Rob Kendall, Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, and Jim Merritt discuss on Statehouse Happenings.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(01:29):
Rob Kendall, Jim Merritt, ab Dula keep Shabaz the program
at State House Happenings your weekly look at what's going
on with Indiana politics and government. Before we begin in
the show, let's meet the award winning panel. You know
him from thirty years in the Indiana Senate, the Great
Jim Merritt. Hello, Robert, and you know him as the
owner and operator of Indiepolitics dot org a Dula keep Shabaz.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Hello, it is a beautiful day of the neighborhood, my friend,
A beautiful day.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
All right, Let's see, Okay, where do we start, well,
you know, like it's all redistricting now, and I'll start
with you. You know, it's bad when you and I
are firmly in agreement on something.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
And we both think it's a bad idea.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, this is I mean, this proposal to rig these
maps further in favor of the Republicans. For no, at
least Texas can say, we've had a bunch of people
move in. There's no viable reason to change these maps
that they just declared fair a couple of years ago,
other than we want to use the electoral process to
(02:28):
score more victories in the US House for the Republicans.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
And it is it will be a pyrhic victory at best,
because let's say you get more. First of all, Republicans
are already seven to two in the Congression delegation.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Cook, I think that's important Indiana. Basically, let's say if
you go off the last election is basically fifty eight percent.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Sixty forty.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Yeah, we'll even go higher, right, Okay, So by that center,
then it should be six to three, and it should
be sixty percent in the House and sixty percent in
the sent Instead, it's seven to two in the US House.
It's seventy percent in the Indiana House and it's eighty
percent in the Senate. So they've already drawn the maps,
like they people. Well, illinoy this, and illinoy that we
(03:12):
have already done this too.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
First of all, for and being from both places. I
always thought it was interesting when when my when my
Indiana brothers and sister trying to use Ellinois as an example,
use this an example for what not to do. So
now Eloy is brilliant and genius because they redistricted and
drew the maps. So democrats have a permanent advantage. So
now you want to do the same thing. Yeah, okay.
This also means that you want to, you know, get
rid of charter schools and vouchers because Illinois does that,
(03:35):
and also want to get rid of right to work
because Ellinoid does that too. I love that. I love
the sort of the selected, the select division and all this.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
But we're already doing this. That's my point, Jim.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
We act like we're some moral high horse holy rollers here,
and it's like, no, you guys have already, like every
other state in the Union, drawn the maps to your favor,
to the most upwarding extent that it could still pass
some sort of legal muster.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
It's if I was just thinking about this on the
way down today in Illinois. In Illinois, they have districts
for Supreme Court justices, and what they do is they
crowd them all around Chicago, and then they have all
of south of Illinois for one or two Republicans, and
you kind of wonder where we're going with this. But
(04:22):
this is something that is it's a bridge too far.
It's it's going to win when the governor calls them
the special session, and I don't think there's any doubt
about that. Now, it's going to cost money. It's going
to take time, yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Real quick. He's trying to say one hundred and fifty thousand.
There's no way, there's seventy eight.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
He has a number, yeah, because he was trying to
say hundred fifty the other day. There's no way they're
doing that one hundred fifty thousand dollars, well.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Two seventy eight. I don't know where they get that figure,
because they it's gonna take it's going to take some time,
probably twelve business of that figure.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Just pull it out of your backside. No, if you
if you a sort of the because there's in session
per DM, there's out of session per D him too,
because I don't know how long it's gonna last exactly.
But but the guests mean is if it takes a
week to get all this done. And by the way,
I also got committee hearings, and yeah, that's.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
A pretty odd number. Good on you.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
If it ends up being two seventy eight, you're gonna
win some sort of the first ever prize.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
What they're gonna do, just think about staff time. What
they're gonna do is they're gonna try to prepare all
the all the maps, all the bill, the bill, if
you will, and and then bring the legislature in have hearings. Uh,
the maps have to sit on the desk for a
certain amount of time and then and then it's got
to go through the Senate or it's got to go
through the House, and then it's gotta it's got to
(05:36):
go to the Senate and then go through hearings. And
there's just a lot of time involved here. And then
you've got lawsuits yeps.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
So as soon as the governor signs that, trust me,
someone's gonna press sin on odyssey.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Yeah, one of your friends is gonna be getting rich.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Yes, but you know, several of my friends gonna be
getting rich with this because because I gotta remember, this
isn't just Indianapolis. I mean, you've got voting rights legislation
come in here, You've got Common Cause coming here, got
legal women voters come here. Basically anybody and everybody who
complained about the last round of maps, which by the way,
we're about as good as you could possibly get, are
going to be even more energetic, more more energized to
deal with this.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
But what data and what districts are going to be impacted?
Speaker 3 (06:15):
So this is and this there is the thing itself,
and and we I think, right, well, the thing itself
is the is they're redrawing these maps, and that's bad enough,
and I think we're all in agreement that that's bad.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
But then there's the.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Just shady, dishonest behavior from some of these people, including
Craig Haggard, who came on our Kennel and Casey program
just last.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Week and I listened to it, and he was great.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
He was adamant, like, hey, the maps are fine. Greg Stirwald,
who drew them, did a wonderful job. It's very fair.
Indiana's good, Okay, it's like cool, some guy who's saying
the truth. He's saying what he thinks. He may not
win the vote in the end, but at least they're saying.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
In an interview, you said, well, you know, if you've
become members, we're going to call you out on we
could He said, call me out.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yeah, And so buddy boy, because because he within one
week has completely flipped, acting as though he never said this.
And what I think is the grossest part of all
of this is Craig Haggard is being bullied by Charlie
Kirk in Arizona.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
That's pathetic.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Yeah, there there are a lot of bullies out there
and that's just one of them. And it's just amazing
how just kind of the the swear of the breeze
and all of a sudden we've got we've got a
special session on the front porch.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I mean that that is a weird abdul that like
Charlie Kirk, who wouldn't be able to find Zionsville on
a map other than being born in Illinois, which is
a neighboring state. He has no ties I'm aware of
to this state that he can just put out some
sort of tweet and these lawmakers just fold. What do
they think Charlie Kirk is going to be recruiting candidates
in Reelsville or Kendallville to run for I mean.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Get out of here. See.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
And and if if you did recruit a candidate, first of all,
you gotta have money.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Number one, what's he gonna be putting millions behind each
one of these people?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
And then and then number two, what are what is
the challenge you're going to run on?
Speaker 5 (08:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (08:03):
What property taxes? No? No, health care, no education. But
you know we're gonna complain about these maps? Okay, what
was wrong with like maps? You can't even get past
the maps?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Hard that's not even a campaign item ever.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
No, the average versus is a care No.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
And they don't know. I mean people are still getting
their kids back in school and they're still coming back
from vacation. They have no idea what's going on.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Right And by the way, people have October proper tax
bills coming out relatively soon.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Here and they're not focused on that at all.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
No, no, no, So I just got my proper text bill,
my assessment went through the room. Try to figure I'm
going to pay this stuff. And you're talking about maps.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Well, you and I and again you know sad when
you and I are in a correct plate agreement, you
would you get you actually gave me credit for something
which rives well.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
I should go on.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
When you are as a state legislator or the governor
saying we will not call a special session to help
you with the SIGNATORI is you in the state, and
then you'll call a special session to rig the elections
in favor of your political party. Just tell people how
much you hate them. Just straight come out and say
we hate you.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
You know it's I won't I won't say hate. I
will say that your priorities are not our priorities. Our
priorities are taking care of Charlie Kirk out of Arizona.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
You wouldn't believe the the texts that I'm getting from
the establishment that that r imk is right, Rob Kendall
is right. These are the people that bug me about
once a month about why I'm giving you all the
credibility of being on your show, and I'm getting these
I'm getting these this input about they can't you know,
(09:42):
because the establishment, the quiet establishment, can't believe we're doing this. Well.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
That's because even a broken clock is right twice day.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Well look everybody, Look, if I'm if everybody likes me,
I'm not doing my job. If everybody hates me, then
I am doing my job right because we are insistent
and consistency says that if you're going to look at
the people of Indiana as they did a couple of
years ago and say these maps are fair, Okay, reasonable
people can disagree, but you the legislature, have made that
(10:11):
definitive statement that, to the best of our ability, these
maps are fair. Then you don't get to come back
a couple of years later and go, well, we need
to redraw these maps again.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Well yeah, with no data. I mean, where where is
the data they're going to take? And I think we
need to talk a little bit about these congressional districts
because you can't take Frank Mrvan's first district, Frank Mrvan,
Junior Member of Congress Democrat. You can't take that and
massage it if you will, terrible word, but you did
(10:41):
change it and not have an impact. Jim Barrett in
the Rudyakam or Rudyokam who represents the South Bend area,
you can't change it without you know, water finds its level.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
And by the way, also it also impacts the fifth
district and the third district right right, and so and
actual those Democrat voters have to go somewhere, and I
wouldn't be surprised be impacted the sixth and the eighth
of the ninth.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Right, It's all about It's all about balance and and
and you also have those factors out there that that
a court's going to look at.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
And the thing is in the first district through through
natural demographic changes, the first direct is becoming more Republican
every every other day. So why even mess with it.
I'm thinking about my lovely, late, lovely mother lately when
some things happening to a world and I wasn't her favorite,
saying I hate you, but you can't even.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Do wrong, right, Well, this this is the question.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
So like Congress dot Gov has this if be able
to do a deep dive for it. But just to
kind of simplify this, like, there are things that have
to be considered when you're drawing them these maps, right,
equal population is one of them, the voting rights and
racial action, racial fairness. You gotta have the compactness, contiguity,
(11:54):
and the the job of these maps.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
And by the way, also maps usually done at the
after the twenty twenty year that zero sens in the
one year.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Yeah, and so like when you think about compactness, if
you're going to stretch my district, which is the fourth
up towards the region to try to help up there,
Now I'm what am I up in Portage? Like, like,
where what do I have in common with the region?
Speaker 5 (12:21):
Nothing? There's nothing that there.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
They don't think you have a combination both from Indiana exactly.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
And you know.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
In the past what is what is not talked about
is most of the time the map makers and that's
a terrible term, but the people that draw the maps,
the staff that does all the research, and they have
all the software for this and everything. But they also
try to keep the members of Congress in their current district.
And so that's going to be really interesting to see
(12:50):
how they can they can accommodate the actual incumbents.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Now, this is what I can't figure out because the
the theory is now they're not just going to go
for the first, They're going to try to go for both,
which is seven, which is Carson and Marion County. You
just had to draw Carson's disc district more safe because
Sparts is such a goof that you had to make
(13:17):
her district more Republicans so she didn't blow it and lose.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
So if you undo.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
That, like, how are you going to do draw car
the amount of Republicans you would have to put into
Carson's district to make that competitive.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
You have to go well, actually, actually no, Here's what
you do is you do what you do with the
one map, and you basically put the seven disc like
a spinning wheel. Like this picture of the pie is
the fourth. The sex of the pie is the fifth.
The sex and pie is this, sex by this, pecks
by this, so it's a pie. Everybody kind of yeah,
everybody cuts a piece.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Of the pie.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
But eventually, within because of the irresponsible, out of control growth,
eventually within the next six to ten years, all these
other districts are going to become blue.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Was see. But here's the actually when you have to
wait that far, because here's what's going to happen if
you start messing around with the seventh Congressional district. First
of all, you got voting right stuff out because you
only got one African American. Let me ask you that
real quick, because that's where it's gonna go to.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
This is the one that cannot figure out how they're
going to get around, which is the Voting Rights Act.
And you got a factor in racial fairness, so you
can't dilute the voting power of minorities. I don't like,
I don't understand how they're possibly especially you've got basically
a six to three court Roberts I think is regularly
ruled in favor on like on some of these other
(14:29):
maps from these other states. With the liberals. I think
Cavanaugh would, I think Barrett would like. I think I
think Clarence Thomas would act. Well, that's what I understand
is how they're going to screw with the seventh and
not violate that you can't.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah, and.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
You got the legal issues out there, but also you've
got the political issues because once word gets out, mate,
I would argue the words out right now from our conversation,
because you know, people listen to us on all sides
of the political spectrum. It's like, hey, those are you?
Even Republicans want to go after Andre Carson and get
rid of Andre Carson and make the district U break
it up. The h I keep using this term over
and over and over again. The crack ends with an
(15:06):
s that you will release because you've got all these
people who just don't really get vote, don't really get involved,
kind of say the truth. And not only will it
impact the seventh aggression district has impact, it has the
ability to impact Stayed wide because forty five fifty thousand,
Because in the end, it really is if you look
at the grand scheme of thing used what like thirty
forty thousand votes give or take Stayed wide, And if
they do this in two thousand and six, it's.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Why you guys folded on riff Ray. You didn't want
to wake a bunch of people up who otherwise weren't
going to participate.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Well, we did wake a lot of people up, and
that's why you.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
And think about this. Could you, guys, what to do
for Diego Morales?
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Well, this is what I just say was because die
I want to read his quote in a second. But
the big winner here, if indeed he decides to run,
will in it being bow By. Because if bo Bye
evan By's son decides to run for secretary serious, which
it certainly looks like he's running for something based on
the fact that he's and I think it's something bigger
than Congress based on that he's out there doing the
speaker circuit. Now, Diego Morales is already seen by a
(16:02):
large person of the population as a grifter onun ethical, corrupt,
and now you're going to throw this on top of
it motivate a bunch of people who otherwise wouldn't participate
in a midterm. He's the big loser on all that.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
And I want to say, Diego came out in favor of.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
He He would you like me to read you to
the please quote are us here? It's of course it's
always some bull crap with him, But I'll just read
you the final part of it. Maybe they'll subject the
prisoners at Guantanamo to the whole thing. The trust includes
the responsibility to draw congressional maps that reflect the will
(16:37):
of the voters. No, it doesn't maps that will send
a delegation to Washington committed to And this isn't all
in bold advancing President Trump's America First agenda. That is
so offensive from the guy who's in charge of elections
to say that the job of the map makers is
(16:57):
to promote Donald Trump's agenda. You are in charge of
enforcing election laws not just of this state, but of
this country. And for him to say that that is gross.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Actually it's legally damning because once again, if the maps
were drawn, the lawsuits come come out. One of the
first things in like, Ah, there's a statement that was
made by the Secretary of State, the guy who says
he's for free and fair elections. It's basically saying that
is to help the agenda of Donald Trump.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Well, you know, looking at the political end as well
as the underbelly of so many people, so many state
representatives and so many state senators, I can tell you
don't want this to happen.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
So what do they say something?
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Actually, actually I was thinking about that actually while Jim
was talking, and I think it's kind of talking out
of both sides of your ass, is what it is.
Because on the one hand, you're saying, you know what,
I don't believe this. I don't think we should do it.
But you know, actually, Todd Young had the best line.
He said, no, I trust the will the legistature to
do the right thing.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
You can always count on Todd Young to not have
an opinion on anything controversy.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
But but this, but this one is actually really this is
really threatened the needle because I'm not coming out against
Donald Trump, not come that against a disctate. He said,
I expected the legislature.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
But what is that? What is the right thing? Well,
the right thing is to do nothing. Well exactly, so
why didn't he say that?
Speaker 2 (18:19):
But but this is this is also a governor Braun
who you know, you you would think that would be
forceful in calling them back into session, but he wants
them to have a conversation and then if they agreed,
then he would call them back into session and in
special session and and so you know it's a hotpitato
(18:39):
right now.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Yeah, and Bron's playing the difference. It's like, well, I'm
not saying I'm in favor of it, but if they
decide to do it, then we'll have to go forward.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Like dude, come on, bro, help help me out here.
Rob Kendall, build a Jabaz. Jim Merritt's program at State
House happenings are weekly. Looking what's going on with that? Say, NEDA,
Politics and Government. Yeah, this is the problem. Everybody's just
afraid of Donald Trump. Everybody's afraid. I mean the fact
(19:06):
that all of the Congress people within like six hours
of each other, after saying nothing for weeks, and then
within six hours, all the Republican Congress people issued statements
in favor like they were going one after another. Okay,
they're all in cahoots together. You've got again. I just
come back to. If you're Craig Haggard, who's a state
rep from what it's Morgan Johnson Hendricks County. He's got
(19:28):
one of them finally drawn districts, right, how do you
possibly look people in the eye going forward? And how
do you get past Because at least Jim Baird was
just like, yeah, I'm for it if you're Haggard. If
you're Baird, you running his Haggard. You just played this
guy lied. You can't trust him.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
Well.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
First of all, Craig Haggard left the legislature to go
to Israel when they're in session.
Speaker 5 (19:48):
Yeah, we're going to be talking about that a whole bunch.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
So because things that get forgotten, you remembered real quick when.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
You lie to me.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Yeah, to take a vacation to Israel in the middle
of a budget session when you have sixty five thousand
constituents relying on you to make that vote, to voice
their interests uh. Then to run against a war hero
and Congressman Baird, and then this it just really it
(20:15):
just poses the question of.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
What the hell are you people thinking? Yes, now, look,
Baird's a Baird. Would Baird would drop kick himself in
his own in his own face if Trump ordered him
to do it. So let's not act like he's some
independent voice of reason out here. I was gonna say
something else, but this is our family, is not Kendall
and base Uh. Like, it's just it's all awful. It's
(20:40):
all awful, and the voters are the what and what
blows my mind? And you guys got to help me
with this. People who have always seemed like rockside, I
stand on the constitution, I stand on the rule of
law are twisting themselves into these mental pretzels to support this,
and it's like they're just doing the things that you
lament the Democrats doing. So now you've lost any ability
(21:03):
to complain or anything else, because when you have an
opportunity to do it, you're doing the same thing. You're
for the same thing.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
So well, back when, back when I was a kid,
Jimmy might remember this, there were these toys that you
could basically take the arms and stretch them and you
like with wrestlers.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
Like the LN figure.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Yeah, yeah, this is what Republicans are doing right now,
who are like, hey, I'm not in favor of this,
but I got to figure out a way to say, well,
the consoition doesn't allow us like a guy's this, this
is not going to end. Well, let's stop the madness.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Now Here's what I can't figure out, Jim If clearly,
because these lawmakers are basically saying it that there's nobody
beating down your door begging you to do it, then
what are you afraid of just say we're done. Hey,
Charlie Kirk, nobody told me they're for it. Bugger off?
Speaker 5 (21:47):
Like what what?
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Like?
Speaker 5 (21:48):
What?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Why are they so afraid to just say my district
doesn't care about this, I'm not doing this.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Thank you, have a nice day.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
When all this started bubbling up, if I were still
a caucus, sure, and I would say to all of
our members, do not speak on this whatsoever, and and
and and you don't. You don't have a voice on
if we're gonna go special session or not. Leave that
up to the governor and then we make a decision. Uh,
(22:15):
you have to go to session and it's a lot
like any other special session that you you you gabble
in and then you gabble out and they and they
call you again because you've got to stand for something.
And uh, it's it's it's just a it's really a
show of the times where people it's back to your TikTok.
(22:35):
It's back to TikTok candidates where it's all about the
it's all about the shot, it's all about the idea
of politics of the moment. And you're creating a precedent
here of of you could you know, Democrats if they
if they get into into power again, immediately they will
redraw because nothing stopping them from doing it.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
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zero three. State House Happenings also wants to thank our
fine friends at Freedom Foods Indiana. Farmer Ryan Schleiman and
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the folks at Freedom Foods Indiana have been delivering fresh
fruits and vegetables right to people's doors for years, and
Freedom Foods Indiana is a big supporter of State House Happenings. Now,
Freedom Foods Indiana has some big things coming. We can't
wait to tell you all about it in the near future.
Right now, though, we just want to say thanks to
our friends at Freedom Foods Indiana for supporting State House Happenings.
(24:28):
Rob Kendall, Bill Kem Shabaz jam Merit the program of
State House Happenings, your weekly look at what's going on
with Indiana politics and government. A couple of minutes left here.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
Wow, that was quick. Well he remember when we're like
every year, we're like, what are we going to do
all summer long?
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, Benjamin, pendulum, pendulum really swings at times.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Well, this is the pit, this is well, this is
the point these guys after a disastrous session where they
totally screwed up property taxes, by the way, taxes, there's
a big rumor that if they open this special session,
if they're going to repeal the tax cut in the
property tax bill that was the big one of those
robo polls out there was asking about that. And they
(25:04):
screwed up property taxes. They couldn't pay their bills without
raising taxes by a billion dollars. They got this disastrous
SMR thing that is going to raise utility bills.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
And you're not focused on fixing any of that.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
You're focused on rigging the election system because you guys
aren't governing well in Congress. So we got to rig
the map to try to get a couple more seats
across this custal.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Also, they tried to figure out, and they did, how
to pay medicaid, and so they raised taxes.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
Right and by the way, throw this in there too.
All this for a guy who say, is going to
threaten to primary challenge you with no primary? With what primary?
Richard Bagby, who's taken on Ronaltein, really this well, that's
the point.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Charlie Kirk doesn't have the time, the money, or, let's
face it, the interest to actually follow through on primarying
fifty sixty seventy Republicans. Right, It's like Fred Krueger, if
I just ignore you, this is what I've never figured
out what these politicians. Now, you ain't gonna be able
to ignore me because I got the OCD and I'm
(26:03):
a pretty neurotic guy, and I got nine months and
I'm here every.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Day exactly and see, and that is the and and
that my friend once again well paying Rob Kendall compliments
to oh my god, thank you, thank you yeah, Because
this is how messed up stuff is. I want to
use another word other than messed up. The fact that
we are here every day you on the radio, me
and these people's faces every day to remind them and
the voters of what silliness these guys did with Charlie Kirk. Okay, well,
(26:27):
I'm all off to the next next thing now right.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well, also, Donald Trump is gonna be gone, right, and
you know it's probably by twenty This is.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
So short sighted because of the out of control growth
in these suburbs. If you draw the seventh into these
suburbs within like I said, the next six to ten years,
you were right, it could be even faster. I mean,
Sparks was teetering on the brink to begin with. In
the fifth you're gonna see a bunch of these districts,
I think, go democrats.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Well take it from me. From nineteen ninety all the
way to twenty two twenty one, Northeastern Indianapolis has changed,
Hancock County is changing, and Fishers they're all purple. Now
there are Democrats in Noblesville, there are Democrats in Carmel
and Zionceville. And it's gonna happen. And this may be
(27:17):
the one film sit.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
It is two thousand and eight all over it. Yeah,
good good. I hope these people lose everything. I probably
won't get that lucky. But the big one, the big
one is if the Democrats can get bo Bai, who
would be about the best candidate they could run. I
think he could beat Diego Morales and that hopefully would
open some eyes from these Republicans about the job they're
doing and even there is a limit to people in
(27:41):
this state that they will tolerate. Jim Merritt, I do
look give Jabaz, thank.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
You, thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
I'm doctor Jim Dalton, President and CEO of Daymar. Daymar
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Speaker 3 (28:08):
At the Honeysuckle Hill bestro in cottage located off I
seventy in Beautiful Brazil, less than an hour from downtown Indianapolis.
Their specialty is hoos, your comfort food like Grandma used
to make, and just like Grandma's house. Their goal is
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came in. The Honeysuckle Hill bestro In Cottage feature some
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and their chicken and pork is raised right here in Indiana.
The Honeysuckle Hill bestro In Cottage is open five to
eight Friday and Saturday and Sunday featuring their incredible breakfast
buffet from eleven to two. For more information call eight
one two four four three three zero zero three. State
House Happenings also wants to thank our fine friends at
Freedom Foods Indiana. Farmer Ryan Schliman and the folks at
(28:50):
Freedom Foods Indiana have been delivering fresh fruits and vegetables
right to people's doors for years and Freedom Foods Indiana
is a big supporter of State House Happenings. Now Freedom
Food's Indiana it has some big things coming. We can't
wait to tell you all about it in the near future.
Right now, though, we just want to say thanks to
our friends at Freedom Foods Indiana for supporting State House Happenings.
Rob Kendall Dull gives your bas Jim Merritt, the program
(29:12):
is State House Happening. It's your weekly look at what's
going on with Indiana politics and government. You can find
Jim Merritt on Twitter at Jim Underscore Merit at Jim
Underscore Merit and check out his Merit in the Morning
podcast on YouTube as well as Facebook. A bill on
Twitter at at TYB Duel at at Tybduel, and bookmark
is very fabulous website indiepolitics dot org.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Me I'm on Twitter.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
At Robimkendall at Robin Kendall and you can hear me weekdays,
nine until noon The Kendall and Casey Show, a ninety
three point one WIBC for ABDULA gives your bas for
Jim Merritt. I'm Rob Kendall. You've been listening to State
House happenings.
Where you work and who you work with matters. I'm
doctor Jim Dalton, President and CEO of Daymar. We're dedicated
to helping vulnerable kids and adults with disabilities. Right now,
we're looking for tough people with big hearts, people who
don't think twice about standing up for someone else, and
who love seeing others grow and succeed.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Is your job.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
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Speaker 3 (00:24):
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and totally worth the trip. The Honeysuckle Hill Bestro in
Cottage is open five to eight Friday and Saturday and Sunday,
featuring their incredible breakfast buffet from eleven to two. More
information call eight one, two, four, four three three zero
zero three State House Happenings also wants to thank our
fine friends at Freedom Foods Indiana. Farmer Ryan Schleiman and
(01:08):
the folks at Freedom Foods Indiana have been delivering fresh
fruits and vegetables right to people's doors for years, and
Freedom Foods Indiana is a big supporter of State House Happenings. Now,
Freedom Foods Indiana has some big things coming. We can't
wait to tell you all about it in the near future.
Right now, though, we just want to say thanks to
our friends at Freedom Foods Indiana for supporting State House Happenings.
(01:29):
Rob Kendall, Jim Merritt, ab Dula keep Shabaz the program
at State House Happenings your weekly look at what's going
on with Indiana politics and government. Before we begin in
the show, let's meet the award winning panel. You know
him from thirty years in the Indiana Senate, the Great
Jim Merritt. Hello, Robert, and you know him as the
owner and operator of Indiepolitics dot org a Dula keep Shabaz.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Hello, it is a beautiful day of the neighborhood, my friend,
A beautiful day.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
All right, Let's see, Okay, where do we start, well,
you know, like it's all redistricting now, and I'll start
with you. You know, it's bad when you and I
are firmly in agreement on something.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
And we both think it's a bad idea.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, this is I mean, this proposal to rig these
maps further in favor of the Republicans. For no, at
least Texas can say, we've had a bunch of people
move in. There's no viable reason to change these maps
that they just declared fair a couple of years ago,
other than we want to use the electoral process to
(02:28):
score more victories in the US House for the Republicans.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
And it is it will be a pyrhic victory at best,
because let's say you get more. First of all, Republicans
are already seven to two in the Congression delegation.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Cook, I think that's important Indiana. Basically, let's say if
you go off the last election is basically fifty eight percent.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Sixty forty.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Yeah, we'll even go higher, right, Okay, So by that center,
then it should be six to three, and it should
be sixty percent in the House and sixty percent in
the sent Instead, it's seven to two in the US House.
It's seventy percent in the Indiana House and it's eighty
percent in the Senate. So they've already drawn the maps,
like they people. Well, illinoy this, and illinoy that we
(03:12):
have already done this too.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
First of all, for and being from both places. I
always thought it was interesting when when my when my
Indiana brothers and sister trying to use Ellinois as an example,
use this an example for what not to do. So
now Eloy is brilliant and genius because they redistricted and
drew the maps. So democrats have a permanent advantage. So
now you want to do the same thing. Yeah, okay.
This also means that you want to, you know, get
rid of charter schools and vouchers because Illinois does that,
(03:35):
and also want to get rid of right to work
because Ellinoid does that too. I love that. I love
the sort of the selected, the select division and all this.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
But we're already doing this. That's my point, Jim.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
We act like we're some moral high horse holy rollers here,
and it's like, no, you guys have already, like every
other state in the Union, drawn the maps to your favor,
to the most upwarding extent that it could still pass
some sort of legal muster.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
It's if I was just thinking about this on the
way down today in Illinois. In Illinois, they have districts
for Supreme Court justices, and what they do is they
crowd them all around Chicago, and then they have all
of south of Illinois for one or two Republicans, and
you kind of wonder where we're going with this. But
(04:22):
this is something that is it's a bridge too far.
It's it's going to win when the governor calls them
the special session, and I don't think there's any doubt
about that. Now, it's going to cost money. It's going
to take time, yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Real quick. He's trying to say one hundred and fifty thousand.
There's no way, there's seventy eight.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
He has a number, yeah, because he was trying to
say hundred fifty the other day. There's no way they're
doing that one hundred fifty thousand dollars, well.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Two seventy eight. I don't know where they get that figure,
because they it's gonna take it's going to take some time,
probably twelve business of that figure.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Just pull it out of your backside. No, if you
if you a sort of the because there's in session
per DM, there's out of session per D him too,
because I don't know how long it's gonna last exactly.
But but the guests mean is if it takes a
week to get all this done. And by the way,
I also got committee hearings, and yeah, that's.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
A pretty odd number. Good on you.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
If it ends up being two seventy eight, you're gonna
win some sort of the first ever prize.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
What they're gonna do, just think about staff time. What
they're gonna do is they're gonna try to prepare all
the all the maps, all the bill, the bill, if
you will, and and then bring the legislature in have hearings. Uh,
the maps have to sit on the desk for a
certain amount of time and then and then it's got
to go through the Senate or it's got to go
through the House, and then it's gotta it's got to
(05:36):
go to the Senate and then go through hearings. And
there's just a lot of time involved here. And then
you've got lawsuits yeps.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
So as soon as the governor signs that, trust me,
someone's gonna press sin on odyssey.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Yeah, one of your friends is gonna be getting rich.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Yes, but you know, several of my friends gonna be
getting rich with this because because I gotta remember, this
isn't just Indianapolis. I mean, you've got voting rights legislation
come in here, You've got Common Cause coming here, got
legal women voters come here. Basically anybody and everybody who
complained about the last round of maps, which by the way,
we're about as good as you could possibly get, are
going to be even more energetic, more more energized to
deal with this.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
But what data and what districts are going to be impacted?
Speaker 3 (06:15):
So this is and this there is the thing itself,
and and we I think, right, well, the thing itself
is the is they're redrawing these maps, and that's bad enough,
and I think we're all in agreement that that's bad.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
But then there's the.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Just shady, dishonest behavior from some of these people, including
Craig Haggard, who came on our Kennel and Casey program
just last.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Week and I listened to it, and he was great.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
He was adamant, like, hey, the maps are fine. Greg Stirwald,
who drew them, did a wonderful job. It's very fair.
Indiana's good, Okay, it's like cool, some guy who's saying
the truth. He's saying what he thinks. He may not
win the vote in the end, but at least they're saying.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
In an interview, you said, well, you know, if you've
become members, we're going to call you out on we
could He said, call me out.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yeah, And so buddy boy, because because he within one
week has completely flipped, acting as though he never said this.
And what I think is the grossest part of all
of this is Craig Haggard is being bullied by Charlie
Kirk in Arizona.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
That's pathetic.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Yeah, there there are a lot of bullies out there
and that's just one of them. And it's just amazing
how just kind of the the swear of the breeze
and all of a sudden we've got we've got a
special session on the front porch.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I mean that that is a weird abdul that like
Charlie Kirk, who wouldn't be able to find Zionsville on
a map other than being born in Illinois, which is
a neighboring state. He has no ties I'm aware of
to this state that he can just put out some
sort of tweet and these lawmakers just fold. What do
they think Charlie Kirk is going to be recruiting candidates
in Reelsville or Kendallville to run for I mean.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Get out of here. See.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
And and if if you did recruit a candidate, first of all,
you gotta have money.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Number one, what's he gonna be putting millions behind each
one of these people?
Speaker 4 (07:58):
And then and then number two, what are what is
the challenge you're going to run on?
Speaker 5 (08:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (08:03):
What property taxes? No? No, health care, no education. But
you know we're gonna complain about these maps? Okay, what
was wrong with like maps? You can't even get past
the maps?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Hard that's not even a campaign item ever.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
No, the average versus is a care No.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
And they don't know. I mean people are still getting
their kids back in school and they're still coming back
from vacation. They have no idea what's going on.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Right And by the way, people have October proper tax
bills coming out relatively soon.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Here and they're not focused on that at all.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
No, no, no, So I just got my proper text bill,
my assessment went through the room. Try to figure I'm
going to pay this stuff. And you're talking about maps.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Well, you and I and again you know sad when
you and I are in a correct plate agreement, you
would you get you actually gave me credit for something
which rives well.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
I should go on.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
When you are as a state legislator or the governor
saying we will not call a special session to help
you with the SIGNATORI is you in the state, and
then you'll call a special session to rig the elections
in favor of your political party. Just tell people how
much you hate them. Just straight come out and say
we hate you.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
You know it's I won't I won't say hate. I
will say that your priorities are not our priorities. Our
priorities are taking care of Charlie Kirk out of Arizona.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
You wouldn't believe the the texts that I'm getting from
the establishment that that r imk is right, Rob Kendall
is right. These are the people that bug me about
once a month about why I'm giving you all the
credibility of being on your show, and I'm getting these
I'm getting these this input about they can't you know,
(09:42):
because the establishment, the quiet establishment, can't believe we're doing this. Well.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
That's because even a broken clock is right twice day.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Well look everybody, Look, if I'm if everybody likes me,
I'm not doing my job. If everybody hates me, then
I am doing my job right because we are insistent
and consistency says that if you're going to look at
the people of Indiana as they did a couple of
years ago and say these maps are fair, Okay, reasonable
people can disagree, but you the legislature, have made that
(10:11):
definitive statement that, to the best of our ability, these
maps are fair. Then you don't get to come back
a couple of years later and go, well, we need
to redraw these maps again.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Well yeah, with no data. I mean, where where is
the data they're going to take? And I think we
need to talk a little bit about these congressional districts
because you can't take Frank Mrvan's first district, Frank Mrvan,
Junior Member of Congress Democrat. You can't take that and
massage it if you will, terrible word, but you did
(10:41):
change it and not have an impact. Jim Barrett in
the Rudyakam or Rudyokam who represents the South Bend area,
you can't change it without you know, water finds its level.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
And by the way, also it also impacts the fifth
district and the third district right right, and so and
actual those Democrat voters have to go somewhere, and I
wouldn't be surprised be impacted the sixth and the eighth
of the ninth.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Right, It's all about It's all about balance and and
and you also have those factors out there that that
a court's going to look at.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
And the thing is in the first district through through
natural demographic changes, the first direct is becoming more Republican
every every other day. So why even mess with it.
I'm thinking about my lovely, late, lovely mother lately when
some things happening to a world and I wasn't her favorite,
saying I hate you, but you can't even.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Do wrong, right, Well, this this is the question.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
So like Congress dot Gov has this if be able
to do a deep dive for it. But just to
kind of simplify this, like, there are things that have
to be considered when you're drawing them these maps, right,
equal population is one of them, the voting rights and
racial action, racial fairness. You gotta have the compactness, contiguity,
(11:54):
and the the job of these maps.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
And by the way, also maps usually done at the
after the twenty twenty year that zero sens in the
one year.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Yeah, and so like when you think about compactness, if
you're going to stretch my district, which is the fourth
up towards the region to try to help up there,
Now I'm what am I up in Portage? Like, like,
where what do I have in common with the region?
Speaker 5 (12:21):
Nothing? There's nothing that there.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
They don't think you have a combination both from Indiana exactly.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
And you know.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
In the past what is what is not talked about
is most of the time the map makers and that's
a terrible term, but the people that draw the maps,
the staff that does all the research, and they have
all the software for this and everything. But they also
try to keep the members of Congress in their current district.
And so that's going to be really interesting to see
(12:50):
how they can they can accommodate the actual incumbents.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Now, this is what I can't figure out because the
the theory is now they're not just going to go
for the first, They're going to try to go for both,
which is seven, which is Carson and Marion County. You
just had to draw Carson's disc district more safe because
Sparts is such a goof that you had to make
(13:17):
her district more Republicans so she didn't blow it and lose.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
So if you undo.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
That, like, how are you going to do draw car
the amount of Republicans you would have to put into
Carson's district to make that competitive.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
You have to go well, actually, actually no, Here's what
you do is you do what you do with the
one map, and you basically put the seven disc like
a spinning wheel. Like this picture of the pie is
the fourth. The sex of the pie is the fifth.
The sex and pie is this, sex by this, pecks
by this, so it's a pie. Everybody kind of yeah,
everybody cuts a piece.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Of the pie.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
But eventually, within because of the irresponsible, out of control growth,
eventually within the next six to ten years, all these
other districts are going to become blue.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Was see. But here's the actually when you have to
wait that far, because here's what's going to happen if
you start messing around with the seventh Congressional district. First
of all, you got voting right stuff out because you
only got one African American. Let me ask you that
real quick, because that's where it's gonna go to.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
This is the one that cannot figure out how they're
going to get around, which is the Voting Rights Act.
And you got a factor in racial fairness, so you
can't dilute the voting power of minorities. I don't like,
I don't understand how they're possibly especially you've got basically
a six to three court Roberts I think is regularly
ruled in favor on like on some of these other
(14:29):
maps from these other states. With the liberals. I think
Cavanaugh would, I think Barrett would like. I think I
think Clarence Thomas would act. Well, that's what I understand
is how they're going to screw with the seventh and
not violate that you can't.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Yeah, and.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
You got the legal issues out there, but also you've
got the political issues because once word gets out, mate,
I would argue the words out right now from our conversation,
because you know, people listen to us on all sides
of the political spectrum. It's like, hey, those are you?
Even Republicans want to go after Andre Carson and get
rid of Andre Carson and make the district U break
it up. The h I keep using this term over
and over and over again. The crack ends with an
(15:06):
s that you will release because you've got all these
people who just don't really get vote, don't really get involved,
kind of say the truth. And not only will it
impact the seventh aggression district has impact, it has the
ability to impact Stayed wide because forty five fifty thousand,
Because in the end, it really is if you look
at the grand scheme of thing used what like thirty
forty thousand votes give or take Stayed wide, And if
they do this in two thousand and six, it's.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Why you guys folded on riff Ray. You didn't want
to wake a bunch of people up who otherwise weren't
going to participate.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Well, we did wake a lot of people up, and
that's why you.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
And think about this. Could you, guys, what to do
for Diego Morales?
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Well, this is what I just say was because die
I want to read his quote in a second. But
the big winner here, if indeed he decides to run,
will in it being bow By. Because if bo Bye
evan By's son decides to run for secretary serious, which
it certainly looks like he's running for something based on
the fact that he's and I think it's something bigger
than Congress based on that he's out there doing the
speaker circuit. Now, Diego Morales is already seen by a
(16:02):
large person of the population as a grifter onun ethical, corrupt,
and now you're going to throw this on top of
it motivate a bunch of people who otherwise wouldn't participate
in a midterm. He's the big loser on all that.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
And I want to say, Diego came out in favor of.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
He He would you like me to read you to
the please quote are us here? It's of course it's
always some bull crap with him, But I'll just read
you the final part of it. Maybe they'll subject the
prisoners at Guantanamo to the whole thing. The trust includes
the responsibility to draw congressional maps that reflect the will
(16:37):
of the voters. No, it doesn't maps that will send
a delegation to Washington committed to And this isn't all
in bold advancing President Trump's America First agenda. That is
so offensive from the guy who's in charge of elections
to say that the job of the map makers is
(16:57):
to promote Donald Trump's agenda. You are in charge of
enforcing election laws not just of this state, but of
this country. And for him to say that that is gross.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Actually it's legally damning because once again, if the maps
were drawn, the lawsuits come come out. One of the
first things in like, Ah, there's a statement that was
made by the Secretary of State, the guy who says
he's for free and fair elections. It's basically saying that
is to help the agenda of Donald Trump.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Well, you know, looking at the political end as well
as the underbelly of so many people, so many state
representatives and so many state senators, I can tell you
don't want this to happen.
Speaker 5 (17:41):
So what do they say something?
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Actually, actually I was thinking about that actually while Jim
was talking, and I think it's kind of talking out
of both sides of your ass, is what it is.
Because on the one hand, you're saying, you know what,
I don't believe this. I don't think we should do it.
But you know, actually, Todd Young had the best line.
He said, no, I trust the will the legistature to
do the right thing.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
You can always count on Todd Young to not have
an opinion on anything controversy.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
But but this, but this one is actually really this is
really threatened the needle because I'm not coming out against
Donald Trump, not come that against a disctate. He said,
I expected the legislature.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
But what is that? What is the right thing? Well,
the right thing is to do nothing. Well exactly, so
why didn't he say that?
Speaker 2 (18:19):
But but this is this is also a governor Braun
who you know, you you would think that would be
forceful in calling them back into session, but he wants
them to have a conversation and then if they agreed,
then he would call them back into session and in
special session and and so you know it's a hotpitato
(18:39):
right now.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Yeah, and Bron's playing the difference. It's like, well, I'm
not saying I'm in favor of it, but if they
decide to do it, then we'll have to go forward.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Like dude, come on, bro, help help me out here.
Rob Kendall, build a Jabaz. Jim Merritt's program at State
House happenings are weekly. Looking what's going on with that? Say, NEDA,
Politics and Government. Yeah, this is the problem. Everybody's just
afraid of Donald Trump. Everybody's afraid. I mean the fact
(19:06):
that all of the Congress people within like six hours
of each other, after saying nothing for weeks, and then
within six hours, all the Republican Congress people issued statements
in favor like they were going one after another. Okay,
they're all in cahoots together. You've got again. I just
come back to. If you're Craig Haggard, who's a state
rep from what it's Morgan Johnson Hendricks County. He's got
(19:28):
one of them finally drawn districts, right, how do you
possibly look people in the eye going forward? And how
do you get past Because at least Jim Baird was
just like, yeah, I'm for it if you're Haggard. If
you're Baird, you running his Haggard. You just played this
guy lied. You can't trust him.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
Well.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
First of all, Craig Haggard left the legislature to go
to Israel when they're in session.
Speaker 5 (19:48):
Yeah, we're going to be talking about that a whole bunch.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
So because things that get forgotten, you remembered real quick when.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
You lie to me.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Yeah, to take a vacation to Israel in the middle
of a budget session when you have sixty five thousand
constituents relying on you to make that vote, to voice
their interests uh. Then to run against a war hero
and Congressman Baird, and then this it just really it
(20:15):
just poses the question of.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
What the hell are you people thinking? Yes, now, look,
Baird's a Baird. Would Baird would drop kick himself in
his own in his own face if Trump ordered him
to do it. So let's not act like he's some
independent voice of reason out here. I was gonna say
something else, but this is our family, is not Kendall
and base Uh. Like, it's just it's all awful. It's
(20:40):
all awful, and the voters are the what and what
blows my mind? And you guys got to help me
with this. People who have always seemed like rockside, I
stand on the constitution, I stand on the rule of
law are twisting themselves into these mental pretzels to support this,
and it's like they're just doing the things that you
lament the Democrats doing. So now you've lost any ability
(21:03):
to complain or anything else, because when you have an
opportunity to do it, you're doing the same thing. You're
for the same thing.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
So well, back when, back when I was a kid,
Jimmy might remember this, there were these toys that you
could basically take the arms and stretch them and you
like with wrestlers.
Speaker 5 (21:18):
Like the LN figure.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
Yeah, yeah, this is what Republicans are doing right now,
who are like, hey, I'm not in favor of this,
but I got to figure out a way to say, well,
the consoition doesn't allow us like a guy's this, this
is not going to end. Well, let's stop the madness.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
Now Here's what I can't figure out, Jim If clearly,
because these lawmakers are basically saying it that there's nobody
beating down your door begging you to do it, then
what are you afraid of just say we're done. Hey,
Charlie Kirk, nobody told me they're for it. Bugger off?
Speaker 5 (21:47):
Like what what?
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Like?
Speaker 5 (21:48):
What?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Why are they so afraid to just say my district
doesn't care about this, I'm not doing this.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Thank you, have a nice day.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
When all this started bubbling up, if I were still
a caucus, sure, and I would say to all of
our members, do not speak on this whatsoever, and and
and and you don't. You don't have a voice on
if we're gonna go special session or not. Leave that
up to the governor and then we make a decision. Uh,
(22:15):
you have to go to session and it's a lot
like any other special session that you you you gabble
in and then you gabble out and they and they
call you again because you've got to stand for something.
And uh, it's it's it's just a it's really a
show of the times where people it's back to your TikTok.
(22:35):
It's back to TikTok candidates where it's all about the
it's all about the shot, it's all about the idea
of politics of the moment. And you're creating a precedent
here of of you could you know, Democrats if they
if they get into into power again, immediately they will
redraw because nothing stopping them from doing it.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
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Speaker 3 (23:22):
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Reservations preferred, but not required. The Honeysuckle Hill bestro In
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featuring their incredible breakfast buffet from eleven to two. More
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zero three. State House Happenings also wants to thank our
fine friends at Freedom Foods Indiana. Farmer Ryan Schleiman and
(24:07):
the folks at Freedom Foods Indiana have been delivering fresh
fruits and vegetables right to people's doors for years, and
Freedom Foods Indiana is a big supporter of State House Happenings. Now,
Freedom Foods Indiana has some big things coming. We can't
wait to tell you all about it in the near future.
Right now, though, we just want to say thanks to
our friends at Freedom Foods Indiana for supporting State House Happenings.
(24:28):
Rob Kendall, Bill Kem Shabaz jam Merit the program of
State House Happenings, your weekly look at what's going on
with Indiana politics and government. A couple of minutes left here.
Speaker 5 (24:35):
Wow, that was quick. Well he remember when we're like
every year, we're like, what are we going to do
all summer long?
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, Benjamin, pendulum, pendulum really swings at times.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Well, this is the pit, this is well, this is
the point these guys after a disastrous session where they
totally screwed up property taxes, by the way, taxes, there's
a big rumor that if they open this special session,
if they're going to repeal the tax cut in the
property tax bill that was the big one of those
robo polls out there was asking about that. And they
(25:04):
screwed up property taxes. They couldn't pay their bills without
raising taxes by a billion dollars. They got this disastrous
SMR thing that is going to raise utility bills.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
And you're not focused on fixing any of that.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
You're focused on rigging the election system because you guys
aren't governing well in Congress. So we got to rig
the map to try to get a couple more seats
across this custal.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Also, they tried to figure out, and they did, how
to pay medicaid, and so they raised taxes.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
Right and by the way, throw this in there too.
All this for a guy who say, is going to
threaten to primary challenge you with no primary? With what primary?
Richard Bagby, who's taken on Ronaltein, really this well, that's
the point.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Charlie Kirk doesn't have the time, the money, or, let's
face it, the interest to actually follow through on primarying
fifty sixty seventy Republicans. Right, It's like Fred Krueger, if
I just ignore you, this is what I've never figured
out what these politicians. Now, you ain't gonna be able
to ignore me because I got the OCD and I'm
(26:03):
a pretty neurotic guy, and I got nine months and
I'm here every.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Day exactly and see, and that is the and and
that my friend once again well paying Rob Kendall compliments
to oh my god, thank you, thank you yeah, Because
this is how messed up stuff is. I want to
use another word other than messed up. The fact that
we are here every day you on the radio, me
and these people's faces every day to remind them and
the voters of what silliness these guys did with Charlie Kirk. Okay, well,
(26:27):
I'm all off to the next next thing now right.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well, also, Donald Trump is gonna be gone, right, and
you know it's probably by twenty This is.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
So short sighted because of the out of control growth
in these suburbs. If you draw the seventh into these
suburbs within like I said, the next six to ten years,
you were right, it could be even faster. I mean,
Sparks was teetering on the brink to begin with. In
the fifth you're gonna see a bunch of these districts,
I think, go democrats.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Well take it from me. From nineteen ninety all the
way to twenty two twenty one, Northeastern Indianapolis has changed,
Hancock County is changing, and Fishers they're all purple. Now
there are Democrats in Noblesville, there are Democrats in Carmel
and Zionceville. And it's gonna happen. And this may be
(27:17):
the one film sit.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
It is two thousand and eight all over it. Yeah,
good good. I hope these people lose everything. I probably
won't get that lucky. But the big one, the big
one is if the Democrats can get bo Bai, who
would be about the best candidate they could run. I
think he could beat Diego Morales and that hopefully would
open some eyes from these Republicans about the job they're
doing and even there is a limit to people in
(27:41):
this state that they will tolerate. Jim Merritt, I do
look give Jabaz, thank.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
You, thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
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(28:07):
at daymark dot org.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
At the Honeysuckle Hill bestro in cottage located off I
seventy in Beautiful Brazil, less than an hour from downtown Indianapolis.
Their specialty is hoos, your comfort food like Grandma used
to make, and just like Grandma's house. Their goal is
for you to leave more at peace than when you
came in. The Honeysuckle Hill bestro In Cottage feature some
of the best made from scratch food in the state,
(28:28):
and their chicken and pork is raised right here in Indiana.
The Honeysuckle Hill bestro In Cottage is open five to
eight Friday and Saturday and Sunday featuring their incredible breakfast
buffet from eleven to two. For more information call eight
one two four four three three zero zero three. State
House Happenings also wants to thank our fine friends at
Freedom Foods Indiana. Farmer Ryan Schliman and the folks at
(28:50):
Freedom Foods Indiana have been delivering fresh fruits and vegetables
right to people's doors for years and Freedom Foods Indiana
is a big supporter of State House Happenings. Now Freedom
Food's Indiana it has some big things coming. We can't
wait to tell you all about it in the near future.
Right now, though, we just want to say thanks to
our friends at Freedom Foods Indiana for supporting State House Happenings.
Rob Kendall Dull gives your bas Jim Merritt, the program
(29:12):
is State House Happening. It's your weekly look at what's
going on with Indiana politics and government. You can find
Jim Merritt on Twitter at Jim Underscore Merit at Jim
Underscore Merit and check out his Merit in the Morning
podcast on YouTube as well as Facebook. A bill on
Twitter at at TYB Duel at at Tybduel, and bookmark
is very fabulous website indiepolitics dot org.
Speaker 5 (29:33):
Me I'm on Twitter.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
At Robimkendall at Robin Kendall and you can hear me weekdays,
nine until noon The Kendall and Casey Show, a ninety
three point one WIBC for ABDULA gives your bas for
Jim Merritt. I'm Rob Kendall. You've been listening to State
House happenings.
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