"How Dare You, Gov. Pence?"

It boggles the mind that GOP legislators and governors have such little regard for the female half of the population.

Obviously these (mostly white, mostly middle-aged men) don't trust women to make their own decisions about their lives.

Gov. Mike Pence (and the Indiana GOP legislators) showed that they preferred political games over women's reproductive rights once again with the anti-abortion bill he just signed. With a prayer, no less.

This Indianapolis Observer thinks Gov. Pence needs a remedial course not only in constitutional law (this sadistic piece of legislation will end up costing Hoosier taxpayers big bucks to defend before it's shot down) but in basic human decency.

How dare he (and his ilk) impose himself on a woman's decisions regarding her own body? How dare he (and his ilk) require a woman to carry a deformed fetus to maturity? How dare he (and his ilk) require women to pay for internment of the results of the abortion?

This Indianapolis Observer knows that if men got pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.

As Suzette Hackney wrote in today's Indianapolis Star, "How dare you, Gov. Mike Pence?"

Mean, Short-Sighted, Scary ... Downright Stupid

This Indianapolis Observer wonders how this absolutely vile piece of legislation passed the Indiana Legislature and wound up on Gov. Pence's desk.

As reported on Salon.com, "Indiana’s Legislature has passed a bill that forces women to give birth if a doctor has detected a fetal abnormality. Which, yes, would mean that a pregnant woman who contracts Zika would lose her right to abortion, while a woman with a healthy pregnancy would retain her right to say no to giving birth. Even some Republicans balked at the sadistic pleasure their colleagues take in the idea of forcing women to give birth to children who will suffer, die or be too much for women to care for.

“'Today is a perfect example of a bunch of middle-aged guys sitting in this room making decisions about what we think is best for women,'[ state Rep. Sean Eberhart, a Republican, said. He voted no on the advice of his wife."

A big shout-out to State Rep. Eberhart for exhibiting common sense and a big slap upside the head to the idiots who voted for this obviously unconstitutional piece of legislation restricting a woman's right to abortion.

Population Control in Indiana's Scott County

Indiana's still in the news for trying to codify discrimination, but we're also getting ink for the catastrophe that is Scott County.

This Indianapolis Observer often wonders how Gov. Pence (and others of his ilk) can sleep at night.

Check out "How They Die in Scott County".

The Economic Effects of Overt Discrimination

Does Indiana really want to drive businesses out of the state?

The American Zeitgeist has changed.

Look at what's happening in Georgia: "Religious Liberty Bill..."

Bye, Bye Good Manufacturing Jobs!

How is Gov. Pence spinning Carrier's decision to abandon its Indianapolis workers in favor of those waiting in Monterrey, Mexico?

Needless to say, the employees aren't pleased that the corporation decided the Hoosier state is a bad place to operate a factory.

One report is here.

"Affluenza" and Park-Tudor

This Indianapolis Observer senses a lot of existential angst in affluent households on the northside of Indy and in Hamilton County as the Park-Tudor child pornography and predation scandal continues to grow.

It has all the hallmarks of a telenovela: bureaucrats claiming ignorance, lawyers withholding evidence, coaches soliciting sex from students, predators encouraging violence against their prey...and the mysterious suicide of the school's headmaster.

Seems that even a tuition north of $20,000 per year doesn't ensure that one's entitled offspring are safe while at school.

Here We Go Again: Hoosiers Against Equal Rights

In Gov. Michael Pence's "State of the State address earlier this month he said 'religious freedom' needed to be prioritized over LGBT rights and that 'no one should ever fear persecution because of their deeply held religious beliefs'."

(This snippet is from The Huffington Post, noting that Gov. Pence is at it again -- doubling down on legalizing discrimination.)

As the article points out, "business leaders have got to know that, ultimately, if Pence wins by promoting homophobic laws, it's a long-term loss for them. The majority of Indiana residents support LGBT rights."

This isn't trivial political posturing. Remember, folks, having a bigot as governor and passing laws that discriminate against LGBT Hoosiers has real-world consequences for our state.

"A new survey from Visit Indy to be released this week reveals Indiana lost at least $60 million due to the RFRA controversy last year. That number will likely pale in comparison if the state passes anti-gay laws this year, or even has a flashpoint around the issue in the national media. More businesses will stay away from Indiana, and the pressure will only build on businesses in the state."