WXYZ-TV 7 in Detroit — Interviews with six of seven candidates for governor.

Detroit Free Press — Poll shows Pete Hoekstra maintaining double-digit lead in the Republican gubernatorial primary and Andy Dillon winning with Democrats.

Detroit Free Press — 40 percent of Michigan voters, across party lines, support the Tea Party movement.

The Detroit News — The Michigan Education Association has decided to back Virg Bernero over Andy Dillon in the Democratic primary for governor.

Grand Rapids Press — A technicality stops the Hangar42 studio $10 million tax credit. The Mackinac Center, a critic of the film subsidy program, originally broke the story about this controversial tax credit and noted, "All but three legislators voted 'yes' to launch the film subsidy adventure back in 2008."

MLive — Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Tom George has pushed a series of bills to "pave the way" for a constitutional convention.

Two Guys Named Joe (podcast) — Political consultants Joe DiSano and Joe Munem discuss how valid statewide polls are and the political implications of elected officials attending the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce policy conference on Mackinac Island.

Off the Record (video) — An update on the governor's race and how the oil spill is affecting Michigan politics. Guests joining host Tim Skubick are Peter Luke, Zach Gorchow, Jack Spencer and Bill Ballenger.

Carpe Diem — The fastest growing class of U.S. millionaires are government workers.

The Blog Prof — The mainstream media places the blame for Al and Tipper Gore's separation on George W. Bush.

Michigan Liberal — Polls show Virg Bernero and Rick Snyder on the rise, but "undecideds" still in the lead.

Health Care and Marriage? Over at Right Michigan, Tea Party leader Wendy Day argues that the federal health care bill is "an attack on marriage." Michigan Messenger isn't so sure.

Wall Street Journal — When the U.S. Congress hiked the minimum wage in 2007, it took away the exemption for American Samoa, raising their minimum wage by about $2 (it will eventually have to match that in the U.S. by 2015). As a result, several tuna canning operations, which account for about 80 percent of the overall economy, have either moved or been forced into massive layoffs. According to the Journal, the unemployment rate has more than tripled, to more than 30 percent. Worse, the remaining large tuna companies have said that they may be forced to close altogether if the minimum wage law isn't repealed.

Quote of the Week

"Why is that when BP screws up we make sure they pay every dime in damages, but if a bank, automobile company like GM, insurance company like AIG, or GSE like Fannie and Freddie screws up, we bail them out with taxpayer money?" -Captain Capitalism

Just how much power Congress has to regulate commerce is at the core of the Thomas More Law Center's lawsuit against President Barack Obama's health care legislation.

The Commerce Clause is listed in the U.S. Constitution and gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce. Just how expansive those rights are is an argument in the battle over the health care law.

The dispute revolves around the individual mandate of the health care plan that states every U.S. citizen would have to have health insurance. The Thomas More Law Center believes this violates the commerce clause of the Constitution.

"I think Congress' grab of power under the commerce clause is without precedent," said Robert Muise, senior trial counsel at the Thomas More Law Center. "If they have this power, then we no longer have a Constitution that places limits on our national government. This transcends health care. It goes to the core of the structure of our constitutional republic."

The Thomas More Law Center recently filed a brief in support of their motion for a preliminary injunction against the health care legislation.

Muise said the federal judge asked for a shorter filing, and he re-filed today.

"Our lengthy and detailed reply to the government's defense of the Health Care Reform Act demonstrates the weakness of the government's superficial arguments," Muise said in a press release. "As evidenced in our brief, we certainly like our chances that the court will strike down this unconstitutional act of Congress."

The federal government's reply to the Thomas More Law Center's charges stated:

• It's premature to claim damages until the health care law starts in 2014. The four plaintiffs are challenging the law four years before it starts and are speculating whether the law will harm them.
• The health insurance mandate is a valid exercise of Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce.
• Apart from its power under the commerce clause, Congress has the power to tax and spend to "provide for the ... general welfare."