Spanish is Angel Rivera’s first language. He still has strong ties to his native Puerto Rico. And he talks to his parents almost every day.

The traits that he shares with many Hispanics — a language, ties to home thousands of miles away and importance of family — could present Rivera, 27, with a golden opportunity.

As the newest member of the City-County Council and its first Hispanic Republican, he’s looking to bring Indianapolis’ growing Hispanic population closer to city government and to a party that historically hasn’t been successful in winning Hispanics’ votes. — Indianapolis Star

That’s easier said than done, read on to discover the challenges faces Rivera and his eagerness to get to work.

An effort to convince state lawmakers to create a credible plan for the way Indiana designs legislative and congressional districts is likely dead for this session.

Legislators, already meeting later than planned, have been working against time on a few critical issues, among them unemployment insurance taxes paid by businesses. Apparently, some House Democrats do not regard redistricting as critical. At one point during the session, House Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, who does have the power to place redistricting on the active agenda, referred to it as a “distraction.”

He is patently wrong. — Henderson Gleaner

Read on and discover that Republican Leader Brian Bosma has already committed to bring the issue back in 2011, when Republicans are likely to be in the majority.  Since Republicans will control the House, Senate, and Governor’s Office, Bosma has little reason to do so, other than to bring fairness and equity to redistricting, an objective that is clearly lost on our current speaker.

– Bipartisan negotiations on school funding and student reading progress continued yesterday and Democrats and Republicans are close to reaching an agreement.  (Indianapolis Star)

– We’re really starting to enjoy this train wreck caused by Congressman Eric Massa.  He is now claiming that leadership is pushing him out of office because of his opposition to the public option.  Scorched earth, Congressman.  (Washington Post)

– Gov. Mitch Daniels is supporting a bistate commission to oversee the construction of the Illiana Expressway and plans to meet with Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn this week.  (Gary Post-Trib)

– Debate over a delay in unemployment insurance fund increases slogs ahead today.  Senate Republicans have made several concessions to House Democrats who are seeking ‘jobs’ provisions… or at least stuff they can put in a press release.  (Evansville Courier & Press)

– The Saints flag that was flown outside of Gov. Daniels’ office since the Super Bowl is on its way to Louisiana.  A business won the flag that was auctioned on Ebay, with the nearly $7,000 in proceeds benefiting charity.  (WFIE)

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has been critical of House Democrats for hampering negotiations by adjourning until Wednesday afternoon.

“Senate Republicans, typical of them, are here and ready to work, and unlike their House counterparts, have offered a host of concessions,” Daniels said.

Still, Daniels is hopeful that the two sides will find common ground before the official deadline date.

“It’s too bad that the early deadline wasn’t met, but there’s plenty of time, and they could still end early as far as I could tell very quickly if both sides would come to work.” — WIBC

As legislators continue to meet, a historic number of primary and general election challengers are working away back home while the clock ticks in Indy.

– We get busy for two days and miss Pat Bauer’s most recent temper tantrum.  He bailed on taxpayers Thursday evening and blamed Senate Republicans.    Shocking, really.  We’ve seen this movie before, and it ends with a bunch of Democrats losing an election.  (Indianapolis Star)

– Besides the unemployment insurance issue, education funding is a big issue getting a lot of press.  Legislators are debating how to fund schools, what portion the state should support, and what flexibility to give to local districts to move money.  (Evansville Courier & Press)

– Legislation to allow microbreweries to sell carryout beer on Sundays is headed to the governor’s desk for his approval.  Where’s the closest microbrew?  (Gary Post Tribune)

– Axelrod sad.  President Obama’s “message maven” David Axelrod has fallen on tough times since his boss’ popularity started to plummet.  He should probably be talking to Democrats, instead of The New York Times.  (NYT)

– The Oscars were last night.  Since you asked, we were wearing Gap jeans, a v-neck sweater from Banana Republic, and a baseball cap studded with rhinestones, on loan from our friends at Bedazzler.

Democrat State Representative Ron Herrell continued his claim to the title of “King of The Special Interests” when he filed his campaign finance report for 2009. Absolutely none of his campaign money came from individuals. Every last dime came from a special interest group with legislation pending in the Indiana Legislature.

Impressive. For an entire year, he raised $0 (0%) for his campaign from individuals, and about $5,000 (100%) from businesses and unions who were lobbying the general assembly this year. Lest you think he only got a few checks written last year, it’s worth noting that most of that came in $250 chunks. We’re not opposed to them giving to his campaign, but what does it say about you when the actual people in your district don’t give you cash?

– The General Assembly has passed an ‘ethics’ bill that is being hailed as a “starting point” in the neverending quest to legislate unlegislatable behavior.  Who wants to grab drinks and celebrate?  (Indianapolis Star)

– Legislation to enable the construction of the Illiana Expressway is on its way to the governor’s office for final approval.  The project, which had its fair share of hurdles to overcome, is expected to create 10,000 jobs.  (NWI Times)

– President Obama declares that Democrats will use reconciliation to ram health care reform down our throats… to the surprise of no one.  (ABC News)

– You’ve got to love any WSJ editorial that begins like this: “A string of electoral defeats and the great unpopularity of ObamaCare can’t stop Democrats from their self-appointed rendezvous with liberal destiny…”  Fantastic.  (Wall Street Journal)

– The short session of the Indiana General Assembly is wrapping up this week and only has a loose string or two to tie up before finishing a full 10 days earlier.  (Courier & Press)

The U.S. Postal Service plans to propose Tuesday an adjusted mail service schedule, which will likely cut Saturday delivery. The agency will also suggest closing some branches and expanding its use of self-service kiosks in grocery stores and other popular retail spots, as part of its effort to work its way out of a mountain of debt.

The Post Office was $10 billion in debt as of Sept. 30 — not far off from its $15 billion debt limit, which the agency expects to hit in its 2011 fiscal year. — CNN

We’ve been singing this tune for nearly two years (Since May 12, 2008 to be exact) and we’ll say it again: the post office is in need of a good leasing.  Going to five-day a week service only saves the USPS $1.9 billion per year.  Assuming volume and debt continue on their current downward trajectory, the post office needs more than a two-day weekend.

– Language in a Senate bill that Democrats pointed to as their job creation package was removed in committee yesterday after Senate attorneys determined it was not germane, as required by law.  Don’t worry about it too much, the bill didn’t have much of hope of creating jobs anyway.  (Northwest Indiana Times)

– Speaking of legislation that has little hope of creating jobs, President Barack Obama announced a new rebate program for consumers that improve their homes to make them more energy efficient.  The gilded age returns.  (Indianapolis Star)

– Dan Thomasson pumps up Mitch for President chatter with a column in today’s Evansville Courier & Press asking, “is this guy too good to be true?”  (Courier & Press)

– House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is a big fan of bipartisan bills that pass on party lines.  In an interview with The Hill she says, “a bill can be bipartisan without bipartisan votes. Republicans have left their imprint.”  (The Hill)

– More Americans are relying on government than ever before.  For the first time since the Great Depression, Americans are taking more in welfare and aid than paying in taxes.  (Washington Times)

Set a group of plugged-in conservatives to talking presidential politics, and you’ll get the same complaints about the 2012 field.

Mitt Romney? He couldn’t make the voters like him last time … Sarah Palin? She’d lose 47 states … Mike Huckabee? Better as a talk-show host … Tim Pawlenty, Jim DeMint, Bobby Jindal, David Petraeus? Too blah, too extreme, too green, and stop dreaming ...

But murmur the name Mitch Daniels, and everyone perks up a bit. Would he win? Maybe not. But he’d be the best president of any of them …

…

Since then, though, he’s become America’s best governor. In a just world, Daniels’s record would make him the Tea Party movement’s favorite politician. During the fat years of the mid-2000s, while most governors went on spending sprees, he was trimming Indiana’s payroll, slowing the state government’s growth, and turning a $800 million deficit into a consistent surplus. Now that times are hard, his fiscal rigor is paying off: the state’s projected budget shortfall for 2011, as a percentage of the budget, is the third-lowest in the country.

But Daniels hasn’t just been a Dr. No on policy. His “Healthy Indiana” plan, which offers catastrophic coverage to low-income residents, aspires to eventually cover 130,000 people, about a third of the state’s long-term uninsured. He’s pushed targeted investments in kindergarten programs, the police force and the child welfare office. And he’s been a pragmatic free-marketeer, rather than a strict ideologue. His controversial decision to lease the Indiana toll road reaped $3.8 billion for the state. But when an attempt to outsource welfare enrollment went awry, Daniels yanked the system back into the public sector.

This story is one that Hoosiers have watched play out for the last six years. It’s no surprise to us that Daniels’ foresight and leadership, his willingness to tackle issues like health care and education and welfare (and other issues that conservatives supposedly don’t care about), and–most importantly–his successful results are finally getting some attention nationally. But it sure is refreshing to watch everyone else get up to speed, especially as Democrats in Washington turn themselves into his perfect foil.