Attorney General Carter earns his paycheck (08/31/06)

When it comes to political philosophy and his stand on the big issues of the day, Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter is a mystery to us.

But when it comes to having an impact in a job that's often overlooked, the record is clear.

Most Hoosiers couldn't give you the names of any three attorneys general, and Steve Carter isn't a household name either. At least, not yet.

But when you consider the record he's been building in the job, you have to be impressed.

It was Carter who aggressively promoted the state's do-not-call list and defended it against the telemarketing industry.

It was Carter who initiated unprecedented steps to improve communication with Hoosiers about unclaimed property the state was holding.

For years, state government limited itself to running the minimally required public notice advertisement.

Carter's office has used everything from newspaper advertising to broadcast commercials to the Internet to reconnect folks with property that is rightly theirs.

It was Carter who waded into the messy dispute between Earlham College and ousted board members of Conner Prairie and helped shepherd a settlement.

It was Carter who took on Fort Wayne's troubled Schwab Foundation - after shenanigans were brought to light by The Journal Gazette - and righted the ship.

And it was Carter who, this week, told both political parties that they can't use those annoying pre-recorded phone calls to drum up support and get out the vote.

What's his political philosophy? Who knows?

We'd guess he's a moderate to conservative Republican.

What we do know is he's earning his paycheck, and that's a good start for any public official. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]