[lonestar67]

Hmm. Let’s see. As you stay on unemployment you cease to be counted as unemployed by the federal govt. How might that fact add to this massive spin of a story.

Or better yet. How might a gulf oil drilling moratorium hurt southern states?

[re_nortex]

And to further your point, the article asserts: "...many auto-producing metropolitan areas in the Great Lakes states are seeing modest gains in manufacturing that are helping them recover from their deep slump."

In my estimation that's part of the Obama scheme to revive the automotive industry (and its allied suppliers) with bailouts, ultimately intended for the union goons. There's little doubt in my mind that the current corrupt administration favors automakers (such as GM and Chrysler) with roots in Democrat strongholds over those with facilities in Conservative regions.