Michigan Politics
Granholm's Imprudent Sketch of State Psyche at Odds With Wise Tourism Push
By George Weeks

Michigan faces tough times, tougher than any other state, based on jobless and other rankings. In poll after poll asking residents whether the state is on "the right track or wrong track," about two-thirds pick wrong.

But Governor Jennifer Granholm, who has a commendable $90 million two-year plan to lure tourists and investors, was off track last week when she agreed on a Michigan Public Radio call-in show that the state has an "inferiority complex." It suffers from much. But not lack of pride.

In response to a question from a Ferndale woman about the state's image, Granholm said:

"I'm so glad that you asked, because we in Michigan have a much worse image of ourselves than those outside of Michigan do.

"When I go abroad to try to get investments from outside of Michigan, they have no idea of the image that we generally portray about ourselves. They know that the auto industry has been challenged, obviously. But they also don't have any of the same sort of broad brush negativity that often accompanies some of the media reports about what Michigan is all about, and, you know, obviously our own experience of having lost jobs creates this negative cycle."

Host Rick Pluta asked: "Are you saying we have an inferiority complex here in Michigan?"

She replied:

"Yes, I do. I mean, it's not that it's not based on reality, because we've obviously got challenges to our economy that are unique because of our concentration on manufacturing jobs. But, if you sit back and look at what this state has to offer - the fact that we need all hands on deck, all of our citizens to be part of building this next Michigan. There's a great story to tell."

She intends to tell the story this year by spending, through refinancing of state bonds, a whopping $60 million - "The most amount invested in marketing Michigan that we have ever had for both tourism and business."

Michigan's promotional spending slumped to pathetic lows as Granholm earlier grappled with budget woes. But her vigorous push now is welcomed by northern Michigan legislators and such organizations as the Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association, a vocal voice in Lansing.

Granholm also will soon proclaim May 17-23 as the 2008 Michigan Week. Six governors before her proclaimed this annual event that was started by a coalition of business, labor, and other leaders to spur chestbeating pride by residents of a state then reeling from the "Michigan on the Rocks" image when late 1950s partisan deadlock produced payless paydays for state workers.

The Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries, coordinator of the annual event, intends to capitalize on the well-received "Pure Michigan" TV ads, which has scenes that Granholm told the Ferndale woman "will give you goosebumps."

Lansing/Southfield pollster Steve Mitchell is among those gauging distress of Michiganians with conditions in the state. But he said "there is no data" to support Granholm's embracing of the "the poor choice of words" idea that they have an inferiority complex.

While Granholm, usually precise in language, did indeed embrace the wrong words, there is no danger that she will have had a negative boomerang that Jimmy Carter had with his infamous U.S. "malaise" speech in 1979 (he didn't actually use the word, but that was the widely reported and criticized thrust of what he said).

Granholm is right that "there is a great story to tell." Looks like it will be told.

Suppressed Great Lakes Report?

U.S. Representative Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) has more shoreline - 1,613 miles - than any other congressional district in the continental United States, and the only district bordering three of the five Great Lakes.

Stupak, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, last week announced a probe into whether the Bush Administration suppressed a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that polluted sites in the Great Lakes region could contribute to health issues such as cancer and infant mortality rates.

Among 26 "areas of concern" in his district cited by Stupak were locations along the Menominee River in Menominee and Schoolcraft counties, Deer Lake in Marquette County, Torch Lake in Houghton County, and numerous sites along the Saginaw River and Bay. Other areas cited were in Metro Detroit and in the Muskegon and Kalamazoo areas of Lake Michigan.

Stupak said, "It appears CDC has made a concerted effort to conceal this information."

George Weeks retired in 2006 after 22 years as political columnist for The Detroit News. His weekly Michigan Politics column is syndicated by Superior Features.