Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, a Republican, was on Fox News Sunday, on a panel with, among others, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat. Gov. Daniels refers to the stimulative effects of “Major Moves,” an infrastructure investment program that included leasing the Indiana Toll Road for $3.85 billion.

From the transcript:

DANIELS: [You] know, before Washington could spell stimulus, we had a pretty robust program almost accidentally here in Indiana.

We’re in the middle of the biggest road-building, infrastructure- building, project in state history. We did it without — by the way, without a penny of taxes or borrowing. You really couldn’t spend a whole lot more than we are in that respect.

We cut property taxes big time last year. The average Hoosier homeowners got $500-plus more in their pocket this year. You know, but there are just limits to what can be done other than to, as Mr. Wynn said, try to create more favorable conditions for natural growth in the — in the private sector.

And you know, I’m very much concerned, as he expressed, that meanwhile an awful lot of energy and an awful lot of policy in Washington is headed just the wrong direction. (continue reading…)

We could spend every hour of the day detailing the disastrous economic course California has taken, the harm done to its manufacturing sector, and warning that Congress and the Administration are inexplicably pursuing federal policies based on the California model.

But today, rather than curse the westness we’ll light a candle to the state of Indiana.

From Inside Indiana Business, “CEO Survey: State Economy Improving Compared to Neighbors”:

A new survey of more than 350 chief executive officers from every corner of the state shows business leaders believe Indiana’s economy is improving relative to neighboring states including Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. The third State of Our Business survey from Ice Miller LLP, the Butler University College of Business and Inside INdiana Business is being released this morning. It also indicates a drop from last year in the number of CEOs concerned about succession planning. They are focusing more on guiding their companies through the tough economy.

And from Governor Mitch Daniels’ office, “Daniels says budget a victory for taxpayer protection; huge step forward for education reform“:

INDIANAPOLIS (July 1, 2009) – Governor Mitch Daniels today said the two-year budget passed by the General Assembly last night is a victory for Hoosier taxpayer protection and a huge step forward for education reform in Indiana.

“This budget is the product of a healthy compromise. In addition to striking a great bargain that protects taxpayers in this state, almost uniquely in America, we’ve done a good thing for our kids, their future and our state’s future. And we still have a billion dollars in reserve when there are tax increases happening all over the country.”

Now THERE’S a model.

P.S. Meanwhile, Iowahawk joins the mourners, “Fans Flock to Mourn California, 1849-2009″

LOS ANGELES – Millions of fans from around the globe gathered along Sunset Boulevard to pay final respects to California today, as a slow moving funeral procession transported the eccentric superstar state’s remains to its final resting place in a Winchell’s Donuts dumpster in Van Nuys. The self-proclaimed ‘King of Pop Culture’ died last week at 160, in what coroners ruled an accidental case of financial autoerotic asphyxiation. The death sent shock waves across the world and sparked an outpouring of grief by rabid fans.

That’s Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, the state with the most manufacturing-intensive economy in the nation.

We read with interest and admiration today’s op-ed in the Wall Street Journal by Gov. Daniels, the two-term Republican governor and former OMB director, “Indiana Says ‘No Thanks’ to Cap and Trade.” Admiration because the Governor isn’t letting the activist/politician/media machine browbeat him into endorsing a fundamental reordering of the economy that will impoverish Indiana’s citizens.

The largest scientific and economic questions are being addressed by others, so I will confine myself to reporting about how all this looks from the receiving end of the taxes, restrictions and mandates Congress is now proposing.

Quite simply, it looks like imperialism. This bill would impose enormous taxes and restrictions on free commerce by wealthy but faltering powers — California, Massachusetts and New York — seeking to exploit politically weaker colonies in order to prop up their own decaying economies. Because proceeds from their new taxes, levied mostly on us, will be spent on their social programs while negatively impacting our economy, we Hoosiers decline to submit meekly.

The Waxman-Markey legislation would more than double electricity bills in Indiana. Years of reform in taxation, regulation and infrastructure-building would be largely erased at a stroke. In recent years, Indiana has led the nation in capturing international investment, repatriating dollars spent on foreign goods or oil and employing Americans with them. Waxman-Markey seems designed to reverse that flow. “Closed: Gone to China” signs would cover Indiana’s stores and factories.

With so many political, cultural and economic forces allied to create a new, not-quite-market-based economy, it’s great to see an elected official call cap-and-trade a terrible idea that will do real harm to people.

And for what, asks Daniels.

No honest estimate pretends to suggest that a U.S. cap-and-trade regime will move the world’s thermometer by so much as a tenth of a degree a half century from now. My fellow citizens are being ordered to accept impoverishment for a policy that won’t save a single polar bear.

Indiana is the most manufacturing-intensive state in the country, and first-term incumbent Republican Governor Mitch Daniels has exerted a great amount of effort at expanding and diversifying the state’s economy. (For a good summary of his philosophy, see these materials from his February address at AEI.)

Earlier in his term, he took on some hot-button issues — statewide Daylight Saving Time, long-term leasing of the Indiana Toll Road — and irritated organized labor. With a strong campaign by Senator Obama in the state, Democrats had hopes in unseating Daniels, the former Bush OMB Director, with former Congresswoman Jill Long Thompson.

Apparently voters appreciate Daniels’ labors, as Associated Press has now called his re-election. Congratulations and keep up the good work on behalf of manufacturing, Governor.