Cathy May, Contributing Writer

Nearly 200 people attended the Jefferson & Jackson (J&J) Dinner to hear Dennie Oxley speak last Saturday night, October 4, at the Napoleon Community Center.

Oxley, who is the choice for Lieutenant Governor for Jill Long Thompson, the Democratic candidate for Governor, is currently the Majority Whip in the Indiana House of Representatives. Oxley has lived in English, a small town in Crawford County, all of his life.

In his remarks, Oxley promised, “We will never sell off Indiana, we will put an end to this privatization madness. Governor Daniels gave a 1.6 billion dollar contract to Texas for FSSA (Family and Social Services Administration). It was such a disaster the federal government had to come in and stop it.” He continued, “He (Daniels) privatized a prison in New Castle. It ended up in a riot. The prisoners had control of the prison. But the worst was selling our toll road in northern Indiana to a foreign corporation. They will make up the 3.8 billion they bought it for in 15 years. Then for 60 years those billions of dollars of tolls will go to a foreign country. That madness has got to stop.”

“Indiana is first in the nation when it comes to losing jobs faster than any other state. Indiana has a 16% unemployment rate, is second in bank failures and sixth in foreclosures. Along with this comes record high prices for gas, groceries and health care. Governor Daniels is completely and utterly out of touch,” Oxley told those gathered at the event.

Oxley told those gathered that the first thing Mitch Daniels did when he got into office is the first thing that Jill Long Thompson will correct if she is elected. That has to do with state employees and collective bargaining.

He went on to explain the One Plan Indiana approach, which would employ about 30,000 people with "Green" jobs. Oxley said, “And, with your help we are going to put our plan in place. Help is on the way. We will work with you and not against you.”

As the keynote speaker, Oxley concluded by posing the question, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago when Mitch Daniels was elected?” He said he hadn’t seen a trio like George Bush, Mitch Daniels and John McCain since Larry, Moe and Curly. He asked people to “stand up and vote for Jill Long Thompson for governor.”

CATHY MAY PHOTO Many local Democrats running for office this year attended the J&J Dinner held Saturday night at Napoleon. They are pictured from left: David Cheatham, candidate for State Representative, District 69; Tim Taylor, candidate for County Commissioner, District 3; Charlie Cook, Ripley County Democrat Party Chairperson; George Ammerman, candidate for County Council at Large; Dennie Oxley, running for Lt. Governor; Lynn Fledderman, candidate for Superior Court Judge; Bill Dramann, candidate for County Council at Large; Cynthia Melton, Ripley County Democrat Party Vice-Chairperson; Mike Keller, candidate for State Representative 67; Carl Taul, candidate for Circuit Court Judge; and Mike Baker, candidate for County Commissioner, District 2.