Opening Indiana's borders
March 26 and April 2, 2006
When Indiana governor Mitch Daniels unveiled his plans to lease the Indiana East-West Toll Road in 2005, he unleashed a debate over the growing connections between Indiana and the global economy. For opponents of the Toll Road lease, it represented the sale of a precious state asset to 'invading' foreign firms. The battle came amid another statewide -- and national debate -- over immigration reform as the state's congressional delegation was, in the minds of many, out of step with nativist sentiment in the state.
What opponents of both the Toll Road lease and immigration seemed to forget was that Indiana was more dependent on globalization -- including immigration and foreign investment -- than at any other time in its history. So the Star Editorial Board and I set out to inform them of this. The result: Two editorials, including a question-and-answer piece on illegal immigration, that shed new light on the overall debate.
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The Collection
It's a big world
Realities about immigration
Related editorials and commentaries
See the world! It'll do a Hoosier good [Expresso, Jan. 21, 2006]
We travel the tollways [Expresso, Jan.23, 2006]
The wrong questions about the Toll Road deal [Expresso, Jan. 24, 2004]
Questions about Toll Road lease? We have some answers [Jan. 29, 2006]
The Toll Road debate: A question of assets [Expresso, Jan. 30, 2006]
Value? What value? [Expresso, Jan. 30, 2006]
Why Pat Bauer should pick up a history book [Expresso, Jan. 31, 2006]
The schism [Expresso, Feb. 19, 2006]
Is it really 'illegal' immigration? [Expresso, March 7, 2006]
Is illegal immigration really a crime? [Expresso, May 3, 2006]