While voters across the country are opposed to the government providing additional taxpayer-backed loans to General Motors and Chrysler, 52% of voters in Michigan are in favor of it.

The latest Rasmussen Reports survey in the state, in which headquarters for both companies are located, showed 36% of voters are opposed to additional loans to the struggling auto companies, while another 12% are undecided.

On the national level, 64% oppose any more loans for GM and Chrysler.

Most Michigan voters (55%) say it would be better for the economy to provide subsidies to the automakers to keep them in business, while just 29% say it would be better to let companies like GM fail. Those numbers differ from those found on the national level, where the plurality (44%) say it is better to let one of the companies fail and just 33% say it is better to provide loans to the struggling companies.

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Most Michigan voters (58%) are also convinced the government loans will eventually be repaid by the auto companies, while 37% find that outcome unlikely. Nationally, just 41% say it is likely the automakers will pay the money back.

There is one bit of common ground between Michigan voters and those in other states--55% of Michigan voters say it is likely one of the companies will go out of business within the next few years. Thirty-nine percent (39%) say this is unlikely, while another 5% are not sure.

Despite the auto industry's troubles, 70% of Michigan voters say the companies would not run any better under the federal government, while only 13% say they would. Another 16% are undecided. Those findings are similar to those found nationwide. In December of last year, 42% of Michigan voters said the companies would be worse off if the government took a more active role in business decisions.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of government workers in Michigan are in favor of additional loans to the auto makers, along with 50% of employees of private companies. Just 34% of entrepreneurs agree, along with 64% of retirees.

After Congress failed to agree on an auto industry bailout package in the face of strong public opposition, President Bush in early December authorized loans for the two automakers in exchange for radical retooling of their businesses. Chrysler has borrowed $4 billion and is seeking an additional $5 billion. GM has already borrowed $13.4 billion to stay in business and is seeking as much as $17 billion more. Ford has not sought any government help.

On the topic of the economic stimulus plan passed this week by President Obama, 42% of voters in Michigan believe it will help the economy, while 22% say it will hurt the situation. Twenty-eight percent (28%) say it will have no impact. Those results show Michigan voters are somewhat more optimistic about the plan than voters nationwide.

Similar to national results, 56% of voters in Michigan say that no matter how bad things are, Congress can always find a way to make things worse. Only 23% disagree.

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