Indiana Gov. Daniels has lately concluded his popularity could only be enhanced by becoming our "education" governor and is now pushing for full day kindergarten. But, as is so typical of him, he has conjured a way that allows most Hoosiers to pretend it won't cost them anything. He proposes increasing the cigarette tax to fund the program.

In the last General Assembly he gave us "Major Moves", basically a sale of the Toll Road to raise money for a statewide road building spree. He repeatedly said that the the money coming from the Toll Road sale was the equivalent of a "winning powerball ticket" or something to that effect. Something for nothing in other words. Financing this “lottery ticket” was left to the northern tier of counties, particularly those tied to Chicago’s economy, who in reality will foot the bill for the next 75 years. Now he has gone one better. Smokers will finance kindergarten and it will be for their own good (its unhealthy anyway). This is obvious moral posturing and targeting of an unpopular minority. One might observe that smoking declines with income so this bill is be presented to lower income Hoosiers. Ought to play well in Hamilton County.

One wonders though what happens should they stop smoking.

Daniels’ play is pure demagoguery, but smooth.