[ScranBarre]

Sheesh! Tough crowd! Why hasn't anyone come up with anything constructive to say about the future of the beautiful Wolverine State instead of just quarreling amongst one another with petty bickering?

"CrazyMomDaze" has every right to be upset. Her own father wasted away for 40 years working for a company that promised much but offered quite little in the end. Do I likewise think he was foolish for not diversifying his investment portfolio to have something to "fall back upon?" Yes, especially considering I'm only 20 and am already saving for my own retirement. Am I going to drive her into the ground for it? Of course not. What benefit does that do to anyone besides just hurting feelings?

Likewise, does the fact that perhaps 75% of today's GM, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler vehicles import their parts from foreign nations make those three companies any less valuable to our country? Not at all. In fact, Toyota, which has been flirting with Ford Motor Company to have the highest sales volume of new vehicles as of late, is expanding its empire into our own country, offering great wages and benefits to those whom it employs in Alabama, Tennessee, and others. Who knows? Ypsilanti might be the next stop for a brand new Toyota Motor Company facility, bringing hundreds of lucrative manufacturing positions with it! There's always a silver lining out there folks if you're willing to embrace it. We're becoming a "global village"; while many of our blue-collar jobs are leaving our nation, they are being replaced with a lot of white-collar ones, many of which tend to be higher-paying and require a college degree (which in turn raises the demand for college educations and improves our nation's intellectual capacities).

Don't all be so "gloom and doom." Your state has a lot of potential, and it won't be long before people start to realize it and embrace it. Look at Scranton. In the 1980s-1990s we were a depressed dump as well. Now, the Wall Street West initiative will bring hundreds, if not even thousands, of high-paying white-collar jobs to our region as NYC firms establish back offices in Northeastern Pennsylvania in the event of another terrorist attack or power failure in Manhattan. We're going to go from "bust" to "boom" practically overnight, and a similar announcement might just soon be on Michigan's horizon as well. Please don't give up hope, especially when that's the last thing many can cling to in order to get by.

[Great Lake Boy]

Oh you were saying to yourself back in 60-70's we should be diversifying our economy cause Bush was going to allow countries to devalue their dollar and give US workers a unfair playing field? How many besides you knew this wisdom? Wow I can't compete with the wisdom you hold. I think you should have been running things in the 60-70's and we'd all be driving on gold paved roads in Michigan.

Engler was a **** poor excuse and so is Bu**** for that matter.

[Great Lake Boy]

Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre

"CrazyMomDaze" has every right to be upset. Her own father wasted away for 40 years working for a company that promised much but offered quite little in the end.

The whole Fords F'ed him sounds kinda odd don't ya think. I mean maybe they did, I don't know,we're not getting much info other than Fords F'ed him.

Maybe Fords did what they did because they are running in the red? Maybe Fords decided some pension was better than no pension and needed the money to stay afloat? Like I said all I heard was Fords F'ed him. Driving a car other than Fords I am sure helps the cause, ya know.

Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre

Please don't give up hope, especially when that's the last thing many can cling to in order to get by.

Who is giving up? I am not the one leaving! Michigan will rebound. We got hard working people and pride. Michigan has many resources, wood, water and they land to make ethanol. I wonder how many of these boom states have water and the means to make alternative fuels. Can Arizona make ethanol with that farm land. Michigan is only down not out! 2010-2020 is the come back decade!

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Great Lake Boy

Who is giving up? I am not the one leaving! Michigan will rebound. We got hard working people and pride. Michigan has many resources, wood, water and they land to make ethanol. I wonder how many of these boom states have water and the means to make alternative fuels. Can Arizona make ethanol with that farm land. Michigan is only down not out! 2010-2020 is the come back decade!

Agreed. I think the entire Rust-Belt will rebound by 2020 as the rapidly-growing Sunbelt finally runs out of potable sources of water to quench the thirsts of all of these new residents. The Dallas/Fort Worth area has been experiencing some severe drought problems in recent years, as has Northern Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia. Phoenix, Arizona has just eclipsed Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to become the nation's fifth-largest city. Tucson, Arizona has well over a half-million residents, as does Las Vegas. How much more can the Colorado River be tapped before it runs dry, at which point states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, etc. will rebound?

[Great Lake Boy]

Hmmm appears SC is 50th in SAT scores and 50th in graduation rates. I am talking to someone in a chat that just came up from NC to MI. WOW he turning cart wheels to be here! lol He says SC is a giant festering sleaze pit, he called it Haiti's II! LOL Perfect timing! He said people are moving there and not sleeping at night wondering what the hell they have done. lol

[southernlady5464]

Hmmm appears SC is 50th in SAT scores and 50th in graduation rates.

http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/p20-550.pdf

Actually TX is listed at #50 for graduation.

And since MANY states do not use the SAT it is impossible to be #50 on that one, about half the country administers the AP exam. Liz

[athletesfoot]

Michigan always has raised some of the best and brightest - another reason to move back. Great schools and some of the best colleges in the country! Go Blue!!

[southernlady5464]

While MI is raising some of the best and brightest, and has some EXCELLENT schools, if it doesn't provide jobs after graduation, the state won't keep them.

An example is my daughter and her fiance. Both would have stayed in MI but neither could find steady work. They ended up moving to AL where my husband's parents live. Both are employed full time now. Neither could find a full time job in MI. It's unfortunate cause both would have preferred to stay.

My husband works in nuclear engineering. His potential pool of employers is limited to two. One is DTE, the other in OH. And both were overstaffed. He was the last one hired in 6 years ago so guess who would have been laid off had we not taken the buy out. He now works for a company that is the 2nd largest in the world.

I hate moving. I was settled in, everything where I wanted it. The up side to moving is that we are closer to family and it's better for my health and we now have a job again.

Can't say that in MI, unfortunately.

Google is coming to NC...why not MI? Google Picks N.C. for $600 Million Data Center, Up to 210 Jobs Even if it is only 210 jobs. They still have to build the datacenter. Liz

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre

Sheesh! Tough crowd! Why hasn't anyone come up with anything constructive to say about the future of the beautiful Wolverine State instead of just quarreling amongst one another with petty bickering?

"CrazyMomDaze" has every right to be upset. Her own father wasted away for 40 years working for a company that promised much but offered quite little in the end. Do I likewise think he was foolish for not diversifying his investment portfolio to have something to "fall back upon?" Yes, especially considering I'm only 20 and am already saving for my own retirement. Am I going to drive her into the ground for it? Of course not. What benefit does that do to anyone besides just hurting feelings?

Likewise, does the fact that perhaps 75% of today's GM, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler vehicles import their parts from foreign nations make those three companies any less valuable to our country? Not at all. In fact, Toyota, which has been flirting with Ford Motor Company to have the highest sales volume of new vehicles as of late, is expanding its empire into our own country, offering great wages and benefits to those whom it employs in Alabama, Tennessee, and others. Who knows? Ypsilanti might be the next stop for a brand new Toyota Motor Company facility, bringing hundreds of lucrative manufacturing positions with it! There's always a silver lining out there folks if you're willing to embrace it. We're becoming a "global village"; while many of our blue-collar jobs are leaving our nation, they are being replaced with a lot of white-collar ones, many of which tend to be higher-paying and require a college degree (which in turn raises the demand for college educations and improves our nation's intellectual capacities).

Don't all be so "gloom and doom." Your state has a lot of potential, and it won't be long before people start to realize it and embrace it. Look at Scranton. In the 1980s-1990s we were a depressed dump as well. Now, the Wall Street West initiative will bring hundreds, if not even thousands, of high-paying white-collar jobs to our region as NYC firms establish back offices in Northeastern Pennsylvania in the event of another terrorist attack or power failure in Manhattan. We're going to go from "bust" to "boom" practically overnight, and a similar announcement might just soon be on Michigan's horizon as well. Please don't give up hope, especially when that's the last thing many can cling to in order to get by.

I think everyone would do well to read this post! This a very balanced view, IMHO. Everyone has made some very valid points but lets see if we can disagree without all the petty bickering, shall we?

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by southernlady5464

Greenville has been actively seeking a variety of industry of all kinds since the late 60's. They have a Chamber that gets over 300 global business leaders in every year trying to bring in businesses to the upstate. Even if they only bring in 1 a year, that is quite a bit.

Oh, Hitachi is also in Greenville, so is Ahold Information Services (Netherlands), and Dunlop Maxfli Sports Corp. (United Kingdom).

256 INTERNATIONAL countries...must be doing something right.

Yes, they could all go overseas tomorrow but I doubt all of them would.

Oh, and BMW is in Spartanburg just down the road about 10 miles. Spartanburg is also home to the world headquarters and research facility for Milliken & Company. With over 12,000 associates located at more than 60 facilities worldwide, Milliken is one of the largest privately held textile and chemical manufacturers in the world.

Those are just examples of two cities I happen to be familiar with. They were textile cities back in the 40's...and could have gone into the dust but didn't.

My parents have lived in Greenville since 2001. The moving of Electrolux to Mexico could have devastated such a small town, but instead of ending up a microcosm of MI as a whole, they are the shining exeption to the general rule of the MI economy.