State Update

"A deal born of frustration"

Clearly, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) must've been happy to announce that Ford Motor Co. agreed to invest $1 billion in Michigan over the next 20 years. Jobs are far and away the No. 1 issue in her bid for re-election, and Michigan's been hurt by massive waves of lay-offs, particulary by Delphi and Ford. So the announcement, coming three months before the election, must've helped her a little.

But Detroit Free Press columnist Tom Walsh had a really insightful take on what the deal meant to both Granholm and Ford:

(I)t was clear in the comments of Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Ford Executive Vice President Mark Fields that this also was a deal born of frustration.

Frustration felt by many a Michigan autoworker that American consumers have turned their backs on Detroit in favor of Japanese, Korean or European -brand cars and trucks.

Frustration expressed by Fields as he mused in his speech about how poorly "home team" auto companies are regarded in Detroit, compared with how well Asian and European automakers are treated in their homelands.

And frustration in Granholm's admission that discussion of this nine-plant incentive deal began in the wake of Ford's January decision to close its Wixom Assembly Plant -- despite a fat offer of state tax breaks to keep it open.

What's happening here is that Ford and the state, via the Michigan Economic Development Corp., are essentially formalizing something the federal government has long resisted -- a state industrial policy that pledges to do virtually whatever it takes to support and preserve a key industry. In this case, the auto industry.

You should read the whole thing. I don't read as many columnists as I would like, but it's columns like this that makes me wish I could read more.

Home of the brave

Hope everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day. Most of the state stories related to the holiday involved governors signing bills benefitting veterans -- giving them free college tuition in Wisconsin or health benefits in Illinois, for example. President Bush signed a law banning funeral protests at national cemeteries. Colorado Gov. Bill Owens (R) did the same last Friday.

But one story that caught my attention comes from Michigan, where sticklers for flag etiquette are colliding with the supporters of veterans. Now, normally, I imagine, these are two groups that don't disagree often. I mean, we're talking about patriotic people on both sides here.

The controversy? An order by Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) to fly flags at half staff every time a servicemember from Michigan dies.

But critics of the governor's policy want to halt such flag honors, saying they violate the U.S. Flag Code. They contend that the code's compilers never intended flags be lowered for soldiers but only high-ranking government and elected officials.

"The world seems to be caught up in this frame of mind where it's not enough to say we're sorry (for a death) to show our compassion and our patriotism," said Bruce Butgereit, of Kentwood, national patriotic instructor for the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. "We are now taking it upon ourselves to use our national symbols to stretch the Flag Code to its limits."

The story comes from the Washington bureau of Booth Newspapers in Michigan (they have the Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo papers, among others).

Since December 2003, Granholm has awarded flag honors for 67 fallen soldiers. The proclamation starting the practice was signed into law nine months after the war in Iraq began and was prompted by calls from families and local officials. So far, 84 soldiers from Michigan have been killed in the war.

"The U.S. code provides the governor with that option, and the governor has chosen to exercise it," said Liz Boyd, Granholm's press secretary. "Where is the controversy in honoring brave men and women who are fighting for our freedoms in Iraq and Afghanistan? The controversy is lost on me."

For Jeannine Trybus of Grand Rapids, the controversy isn't about what's due brave soldiers, but rather, what is established U.S. tradition. She says a review of the history shows that individual soldiers weren't supposed to be honored this way.

"I think every time that flag comes down it cheapens the gesture," said Trybus, who also objected to the president lowering flags for Katrina victims. "I don't believe the soldiers expect this. There are so many people denigrating the United States. I don't think we should be part of that by denigrating one of our own symbols and its meaning."

There's a lot more to this story, and it could actually pop up elsewhere. The story says governors in more than 12 states -- it lists Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota but not the others -- have similar orders. And Granholm's GOP opponent said he would stop the practice if he were elected governor.

Outlook for bonds

Fitch Ratings panned three states, praised one and remained neutral on the rest in its latest evaluation of state general obligation bonds. (Here's the short version  and the long version -- both PDFs.)

Louisiana saw its standing worsen because of the financial fall-out from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Michigan lost ground because of the auto industry's continued decline there. And Illinois received bad marks for repeatedly raiding its pension funds and putting off the major payments it will inevitably owe them.

California was a bright spot, as the only state to show improvement. Fitch commended the state for shoring up some of its long-term financial problems, although it warned that the initial thumbs-up could change depending on what happens to the budget there.

The long version of the report gives a synopsis for every state.

Wow!

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) is not very popular these days. At Stateline.org today, a Washington reporter for the Record of Bergen County explains why Corzine, despite his business experience, proposed an austere budget that isn't winning him many friends. Pretty interesting stuff.

As if to underscore the point, though, Corzine tops the nation's governors for biggest hit in his approval ratings in a single month, according to SurveyUSA data released yesterday. In the month after laying out his budget, Corzine's positives dropped 15 POINTS.

Liked by a little more than half of those polled in March, Corzine is now viewed favorably by barely more than a third of the respondents in April. In fact, his positive and negative numbers basically flip-flopped in the last month.

Four other govs saw their approval ratings drop by 5 percent, according to the survey:

• Bill Owens (R) of Colorado, where immigration has been a divisive subject
• Mitch Daniels (R) of Indiana, where the toll road lease was recently completed and the state celebrated Daylight Savings Time for the first time
• Michael Easley (D) of North Carolina, which just rolled out its first lottery
• Jennifer Granholm (D) of Michigan, where voters have been flooded recently by ads from Granholm's Republican challenger, businessman Dick DeVos

Here are the govs that made the most gains in the last month:

• Jim Doyle (D) of Wisconsin, up 8 points
• Brian Schweitzer (D) of Montana, also up 8 percent
• Sonny Perdue (R) of Georgia, up 7
• Mitt Romney (R) of Massachusetts, up 6
• Kenny Guinn (R) of Nevada, up 6 too

Strange but true...

Truth is stranger than fiction, as today's news continues to prove:

• Wild pigs, err, feral hogs, are out of control in Texas
• Michigan Republicans call in the police in response to Dems' press conference
• A mother of a high school girl killed by a tiger while posing for her senior pictures tells Kansas legislators to ban many exotic pets
• And a yard-obsessed man killed a teenage boy for stepping on his grass, according to police

And they're off...

Heavy hitters in governors races for Illinois and Michigan, expected to be two of the most hotly contested gubernatorial contests in 2006, rolled out TV ads this week. See for yourself:

Illinois:

On the Democrat side...
1. Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) looks past his primary as he formally announces his candidacy this weekend. He starts off with a 60-second ad.
2. Edwin Eisenradth, the Democrat running against Blagojevich in the primary, rolled out this spot on cable TV in the Chicago market.

And the Republicans...
1. Front-runner Judy Baar Topinka, the state treasurer, promises to end corruption and bring jobs to Illinois. (follow the link called "Now she's running for governor.")
2. Ron Gidwitz takes aim at Topinka in his latest volley, prompting the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party to ask Gidwitz to change the ads or yank them completely.

Michigan
Republican Dick DeVos touts his business background in his first foray into TV. He's challenging Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D).

Strange but true

While perusing newspapers from across the country every morning, we at Stateline.org often run across bizarre stories. Some of them deal with state government, but plenty don't. Still, they're worth a read if you have the time. From this week's round-up:

• Man in animal case argues he shouldn't have to register as sex offender (AP)
• A candidate for the Texas House admitted to working as a prostitute (Dallas Morning News)