Former Lilly chief and disgraced Bush Administration appointee Randall Tobias returns to government service soon, thanks to Mayor Greg Ballard.

Members of the Indianapolis Airport Authority got the word today that Tobias will soon be appointed by the Mayor to the top spot on the Authority.

Greg Ballard gets my vote for Politician of the Year in Indiana.  Not only was his victory over Bart Peterson one of historic proportions, he represents the property tax furor that dominated public discussion in this state in 2007.  

Peterson and his loss were the big stories on Election night.  A look back over the events of the year, however, shows Ballard atop the political landscape.

Greg Ballard spent part of last week at a Mayor School run by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns.  The Mayor-elect earlier attended one in Boston.

So far, he has made no appointments, at least not publicly.  Is it late?  Maybe not.

Eight years ago Bart Peterson started unveiling major appointments at about this point on the calendar.  Robert Vane with the Ballard Transition team says that announcements will begin around the middle of next week. 

 The quality of the appointments is always more important than the timing but the Mayor-elect also needs to build support and momentum for his new administration.  With that in mind, it would make sense that he needs to get some things established before the holidays arrive.

My ride to work this morning was a little slow, but not bad.  It tells me that Bart Peterson chose not to engage in snow politics.

The way I see it, the outgoing Mayor had three options:

1-Ignore the snow and show his disdain for the voters who threw him out in November.

2-Collect every flake to preserve his reputation for future political ventures while ignoring the budget he will soon hand over to Greg Ballard.

3-Take a routine approach to a December snowfall (and stay out of sight as he’s done since the day after Election day.)

Peterson chose number 3.

I had a conversation with a state Senator friend last week who was suprised to hear me spout some idealism.  The Senator wondered how I could be an idealist, because I am also a cynic (by his account.)

“The cynicism,” I said, “is based on idealism.”

With that as a backdrop, I have a thought or two on world events that contains no cyncism whatsover.  When you pick up the newspaper and read about an election in Venezuela that could lead to socialism, and an election in Russia that could lead to dictatorship, and yet another election in Cuba that could maintain a dictatorship, you have to appreciate our system.

Greg Ballard won an election in which the other party had all the money and controlled the election machinery.  And now he says he’s getting all the cooperation he needs to take over the government.

We expect to hear that, but often forget how unique it may be.  (Idealism)

Now if we could only get more people to take part in our democracy.  (Cynicism)