Indiana Democratic Party 11-21-15 Weekly Radio Address Podcast

Chairman John Zody delivers the 11-21-15 weekly radio address:  “Governor Pence’s agenda is one kneejerk reaction after another that consistently sides with his out-of-touch ideology.”

TRANSCRIPT:

This is Chairman John Zody, bringing you the weekly podcast for the Indiana Democratic Party.

This Tuesday’s Organization Day kicked off the official beginning to the 2016 Legislative Session at the Statehouse.

Both chambers met to discuss their priorities for next year, including the issue of granting civil rights protections for LGBT Hoosiers.

Senate Republicans introduced Senate Bill 100, a headline-grabbing attempt that really just gives false hope to achieving true equality in the State of Indiana.

Republicans are trying to confound us by introducing a piece of legislation that’s 20 pages long and more than 8,000 words.

In reality, all it takes to end legal discrimination in Indiana is four words and a comma.

Not only does SB 100 seem to uphold RFRA and pre-empt local communities’ ordinances against discrimination, but it is also loaded with twists and turns that raise questions about intimidation and the provision of social and other services.

It also seems to perpetuate the notion that being LGBT is a choice and as such, these Hoosiers will be held to different standards than others.

With SB 100, it’s clear it starts a conversation, but it raises so many questions that four simple words and a comma could solve with the stroke of a pen.

Further, Tuesday’s discussion further put Mike Pence into a corner – as he’s still silent and “studying” the issue of LGBT rights.

But after putting Indiana in a $250 million economic panic this spring, Hoosiers know what kind of governor Mike Pence truly is for them.

With the state’s top businesses, as well as a majority of Hoosiers, and even the media calling for across the board protections for the LGBT community, Mike Pence’s negligence on one of today’s top issues puts him on the verge of once again embarrassing the state of Indiana.

Governor Pence’s agenda is one kneejerk reaction after another that consistently sides with his out-of-touch ideology.

Hoosiers know they deserve better than Mike Pence, a governor who supported discrimination against the LGBT community when he signed RFRA into law, and who refuses to act on issues that could have a lasting and positive economic impact on Indiana.

And because of that and other fumbles, Governor Pence’s RFRA hangover continues as a new poll conducted by the group Morning Consult released just this week and highlights Gov. Pence’s stagnant approval rating and growing disapproval among Hoosiers.

The governor’s approval hangs at 48 percent, similar to the same findings held by the WISH-TV/Ball State Hoosier Survey done earlier this month.

But this time, today’s poll shows growing disapproval of Mike Pence and his out-of-touch ideology that has provided Hoosiers with low-wage jobs and has thrown Indiana’s coveted reputations in jeopardy.

From telling skilled workers they should just accept low-wage jobs to putting Indiana’s ‘Hoosier Hospitality’ reputation in jeopardy time and again, Mike Pence is throwing commonsense aside in favor of a reckless agenda that embarrasses our Hoosier State.

Simply put, Hoosiers are tired of Mike Pence’s political agenda, and poll after poll shows they are ready to choose a leader who won’t put their out of touch ideology ahead of our state’s overall well-being.

Hoosiers, we can do better than having Mike Pence as our governor. This begins by electing Democrats who will bring forth commonsense ideas that would help lead Indiana and the entire nation into the future.

We deserve better than Mike Pence and Statehouse Republicans leading our state. We must come together and make sure we elect John Gregg Governor, elect a Democratic US Senator – people who will unite and improve the lives of all Hoosiers across Indiana – and we must return Glenda Ritz to the Superintendent’s office in 2016.

Until that time comes, Democrats in Indiana will continue to talk about ways in which we can do better for Indiana’s economy, our education system, and for the overall well-being of Hoosiers.

Thank you for listening.