Michigan Governor Granholm and state legislative Republicans have squared off over control of the Mackinac Bridge. For decades the Bridge has nominally been under the supervision of an independent authority. When the Granholm Administration recently made moves to rein it in, Republicans responded quickly with criticism and bills to reaffirm the autonomy of the Mighty Mac.
"The interests of the bridge and the people of Michigan will continue to be best served by a body focused solely on those five miles of road. That agency is and always should be the Mackinac Bridge Authority."
http://www.petoskeynews.com/articles/2005/09/14/news/local_regional/news02.txt
From 1921-1991, Michigan had an autonomous Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In the 1990s, after a Republican governor smashed the autonomy of the DNR by putting it under his personal control, and then broke it into two pieces and created a Department of Environmental Quality (otherwise known as 'Permits 'R 'Us'), legislative Republicans were mute when environmental and conservation leaders said the people of Michigan would be best served by an autonomous body (the Natural Resources Commission) focused solely on those five lakes known as the Great Lakes (and the fish, wildlife, and other resources associated with them).
Apparently the works of engineers command more respect from some politicos than the works of the divine.
Posted by Dave at September 19, 2005 07:53 AM