Cover Story Jim Blanchard BORN: Aug. 8, 1942, in Detroit RESIDENCE: Beverly Hills FAMILY: Wife Janet and one son, Jay, 31 EDUCATION: Michigan State University, master's in business administration; University of Minnesota, law degree PUBLIC SERVICE: Michigan assistant attorney general, 1969-1974; U.S. Congressman, 1974-1982; Michigan governor, 1982-1990; U.S. ambassador to Canada, 1993-1996 WEB SITE: www.blanchardforgovernor.com ubernatorial candidate Jim Blanchard, a former Michigan governor, said he owes his public service career as a U.S. congress- man to the overwhelming support he received from the Jewish community in 1974. As his congressional career developed, Blanchard showed so much support for Jewish causes that President Jimmy Carter nominated him as the only Michigan member of the President's Commission on the Holocaust, and Blanchard became one of the first permanent members of the Council on the Holocaust. When Jewish members of Congress caucused, only two non-Jews — he and Rep. Jack Kemp of New York — were invited, Blanchard said. Now seeking the office he lost in a low-turnout election in 1990, Blanchard admits that some Jewish leaders "at least temporarily or at least superficially" are throwing their support toward one of his Democratic rivals — Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm — but he's hoping they will be in his camp by Election Day. "When the records are examined and people think about loyalty, stability, reliability in leadership, we will win a decisive victory," Blanchard said. "The Jewish community has a longer memory, and a greater con- sistency on accountability and honesty than anyone, because you can't afford to make a mistake." Blanchard wants to remind Jewish voters that when he was governor, Michigan was the first state to buy State of Israel Bonds — "a wise investment choice, but something I'm still being criticized for in the Detroit Arab community." He said he would invest in more Israel bonds today, especially now, and recently wrote a letter to Michigan Governor John Engler, urging him to invest in Israel. Blanchard said he knows his pro-Israel stance would turn off some in the Arab community. "There's no question that I would be criticized, G 6/21 2002 16 but I've been around too long to think that I could play both sides of an issue," he said. "It's a statement that comes at a very important time. This is the time to do it. I think things are much more tense. It's not just about treaties, it's about terrorism in its rawest form. "There's never a time when there isn't some sort of crisis in the Middle East," Blanchard continued. "And this is about as critical a time as I've seen for years." Doreen Hermelin of Bingham Farms, a long-time Blanchard supporter, said Blanchard has been a con- stant supporter of Israel, and his domestic policy matches well with Jewish supporters. "His track record has been outstanding," she said. "And I think he can hit the ground running because he has so much experience." Outlining The Issues Education Blanchard said he led the anti-tuition-voucher cam- paign in the last election. "I have no problems with private or religious schools," he said. "My focus is to strengthen public education, not to allow public funds to be diverted to private schools of any kind. I believe in a solid wall between church and state, but there's never any perfect wall. My whole life has been supporting public education." Blanchard said he wants to dramatically expand financial assistance and put health clinics in schools. He also wants to strengthen the university system. "We gave an average of 8 percent increase to our universities, but Engler has dropped it to 4 percent," Blanchard said. "Tuition in a Michigan university is 50 percent above the national average. It is more expensive to go to Ferris State than Indiana or Purdue or Iowa. I think that's abominable." The candidate favors a tuition freeze. Affirmative Action Blanchard has voted against quotas his whole career, he said, but supports affirmative action. "Affirmatively recruiting people to have a healthier mix is appropriate, and that's part of school and part of life," he said. "I know enough people that I've helped.get into the University of Michigan that it's perfectly appropriate to look out and try to find otherwise qualified people who represent other points of view. "But no group has had more quotas used against them than the Jewish people, so I'm sensitive to that," he said. "It's a civil rights issue." Comprehensive training dealing with racial and ethnic issues for police and cameras in all police cars will help with the issue of racial profiling, he said. Fighting Terrorism As far as the threat of terrorism, homeland security and civil liberties, Blanchard said, there's no perfect solution. "We need a North American perimeter on immi- gration, synchronized law enforcement, which we're working toward now," he said. "It's appropriate for U.S. officials to interview immigrants and people here on visas. If it's handled properly, they should want to be helpful. They all profess, no sympathy for terrorism." High Technology According to Blanchard, Michigan has the brain- power to become a leading high-tech state. He said he would abolish the single business tax, which is weighted against high tech, because of its emphasis on taxing payroll. He would replace it with an equi- table alternative. Blanchard said he is looking at the job of governor with a fresh perspective and is eager to tackle the challenges — whether it's fixing Michigan's ailing infrastructure, improving schools, closing the tech- nology gap in our state or restoring a sense of com- passion in our institutions. "I don't want a third term, 1 want a new term," he said. "It's a new day and 1 believe we need a new spirit in this state, a spirit of experience, cooperation, compassion and innovation. A spirit that says, were all in this together, we're all one community." Staff photo by I'.rista Husa