Three Main Problems in Michigan.... (Detroit, Lansing: home, rent, income)

[Bluefly]

^^
that's funny.

Short term solution to Michigan's problems without attracting a new culture of people: Make Michigan the foundation for the next industrial revolution in green / sustainable technologies across many industries. We have all the infrastructure and workforce. I believe we have all the natural amenities people seek and quite a few very nice coastal towns, nice cities.

Just imagine if Michigan used conservation and sustainability as the foundation to its turn around rather than another impediment to it, as most see it today? Not through oppressive regulation, but through working with industry to turn the corner away from destructive technologies; seeing the natural amenities as critical assets for attracting and retaining a viable workforce.

Man, we'd be hopping and once again fundamentally redefine the world as we did in the 20th century.

[One Thousand]

Yep... It's the culture...

Originally Posted by bluefly

Just imagine if Michigan used conservation and sustainability as the foundation to its turn around rather than another impediment to it...

Sounds good in theory. However, the reality is that you-- or anyone else-- will ever know what one investor experiences as an "impediment."

If you have the answers, why aren't you making your green business happen in-- from your perspective-- this exceptionally favorable state?

[UpperPeninsulaRon]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

^^

Short term solution to Michigan's problems without attracting a new culture of people: Make Michigan the foundation for the next industrial revolution in green / sustainable technologies across many industries. We have all the infrastructure and workforce.

I am an optimist by nature. I am also a realist. I often hear about our great strengths - workforce and infrastructure.

Do we really have the workforce that is as skilled and trained as we often hear to take on the "next industrial revolution"? Are we not talking about a much more highly technical skillset?

And infrastructure? Why is ours any better than Wisconsin, Illinios, Ohio, or any other competitor?

We need to move forward, but we need to really think the matter through.

[Bluefly]

Originally Posted by One Thousand

Yep... It's the culture...



Sounds good in theory. However, the reality is that you-- or anyone else-- will ever know what one investor experiences as an "impediment."

If you have the answers, why aren't you making your green business happen in-- from your perspective-- this exceptionally favorable state?

I don't know what makes you think I am not. I'm working on investors right now on incredibly advanced technologies. Probably won't realistically launch for a couple years, though.

As to the doubt about the workforce and infrastructure, I don't see why we need to compete with Ohio, Wisconsin. Basically, we're all in the same boat. Maybe we need to start thinking regionally about what the Great Lakes states and Provinces can collectively offer.

I'm not sure we have the workforce to create the innovations, but certainly to build them. It was only the likes of Henry Ford and a few others who created the mass produced auto and hundreds of thousands who produced them.

[One Thousand]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

I don't know what makes you think I am not. I'm working on investors right now on incredibly advanced technologies. Probably won't realistically launch for a couple years, though.

Just a hunch.

Investors are easy to come by. (For realistic ideas.) There's a lot of money out there looking for someplace to go... Well, unless the tax burden makes other countries more favorable... But I'm sure the right person is out there to fund an aluminum foil cap factory. Did you know, besides blocking brainwaves from being read, they also reflect the sun? That could be an extra selling point.

[Bluefly]

I don't understand your vitrol and condescension based on absolutely no knowledge of what I am involved in. Why can't you simply have an intelligent, mature conversation?

I guess it's people like you who are holding Michigan back - people who don't think out of the box, complain about everything, and are simply waiting for the status quo to reinvigorate a dead way of life that will never come back.

Good luck to you.

[One Thousand]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

I don't understand your vitrol and condescension based on absolutely no knowledge of what I am involved in. Why can't you simply have an intelligent, mature conversation?

I guess it's people like you who are holding Michigan back - people who don't think out of the box, complain about everything, and are simply waiting for the status quo to reinvigorate a dead way of life that will never come back.

Good luck to you.

"Outside-the-box" thinking actually refers to a given person's limited exposure to ideas. The reality is that no such thing exists relative to the knowledge of mankind. Thinking "outside-the-box" is saying "we're trying to re-invent the wheel." It's re-inventing theories and experimenting with them.

However, the answers are already within our reach and someone else has come up with them: Smith,"The Wealth of Nations."


Change is accomplished by individuals. It's not a matter of "we" need to do this, or "we" need to do that. It's "I" am doing this or that.

This is the cause of Michigan's failure. It's a "we" culture. "We" the union. "We" the government. "We, we, we." So the state enacts legislation for "we." In doing so, the "I's" are burdened with a government that has no faith in the capacity of the individual... Instead favoring the encumbered, risk-averse, potential-limiting organization.


I don't know what status-quo or dead way of life you're referring. I'm hoping for government to get out of business so those of us who have real, tested ideas have enough incentive to continue pursuing our happiness by putting them back into action.

I'm waiting for taxes to drop-- entitlement spending-- so that I don't pay nearly fifty percent of my income to people who do nothing more than sponge off me. I don't think the idea of liberty is dead... it's just under severe, irrational restraint right now.


Again, the culture of Michigan-- and America as time passes-- is the problem. The idea that "we" are doing something. The idea that "we" are in this together. It nourishes dependance and is self-fulfilling... except the only thing that is accomplished is that "we" are together doing absolutely nothing to improve the world around us... "We" just talk...

[Cato the Elder]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

Short term solution to Michigan's problems without attracting a new culture of people: Make Michigan the foundation for the next industrial revolution in green / sustainable technologies across many industries. We have all the infrastructure and workforce. I believe we have all the natural amenities people seek and quite a few very nice coastal towns, nice cities.

As I mentioned a couple months ago, a study done by the main alternative energy consortium found MI to rank #1 in a bunch of categories they sought (skilled workforce, natural resources, quality of life, potential for energy production, etc.). Unfortunately, MI ranked last in one category - legislation supporting alternative energy. This one sticking point is making companies look elsewhere to set up shop (not just production of energy, but more importantly production of the heavy equipment needed WORLDWIDE to produce energy). Imagine in a generation when the US gets on the ball and its 300 million residents demand wind turbines for their house. How about in 50 years when China gets on board? The industry is lucrative now with only Europe somewhat on board.

If we produced a good chunk of the turbines, windmils, etc. that are needed for this industry and a bit of the energy itself, experts say it could potentially eclipse what the auto industry has done for MI for 100 years in less than a generation. MI would reinvent itself overnight, but time is slipping away to grab the market. There are many people out there who don't purchase a car for themselves. How many people don't use electricity?

At last count, 24 states have passed the minimum legislation requested by the consortium. Granholm has been supporting this legislation, but the legislative body in Lansing can't get enough traction to enact a law, citing it's not what their constituents want. Can you say antiquated special interests and cultural norms? The pols are basically saying their constituents - i.e. YOU - will not support this legislation. Blame Granholm all you want, but she supports this legislation. The only thing you could maybe blame her for is lacking the courage to hammer it through.

Originally Posted by UpperPeninsulaRon

Do we really have the workforce that is as skilled and trained as we often hear to take on the "next industrial revolution"? Are we not talking about a much more highly technical skillset?

And infrastructure? Why is ours any better than Wisconsin, Illinios, Ohio, or any other competitor?

This has already been thought through by the alternative energy industry; the state didn't have to lift a finger itself and fund a study. We have a bunch of technically trained workers who could transition well into the industry - plumbers, HVAC, electricians, etc.

The production of alternative energy and the equipment needed to produce it requires a tremendous amount of freshwater (mainly for production and cooling - not consumption or dumping). This isn't one monolithic industry, but a diverse group that all share a need for freshwater. In particular, the industry needs waterfront access. As you know, none of the other Great Lakes states can compete with MI when it comes to waterfront access. No other country (China, Mexico, etc.) can compete when it comes to freshwater access. This is why companies, even those from Europe where more and more individual houses are purchasing personal wind turbines, are all looking to set up shop in MI.

Unfortunately, we're likely to lose all the "Henry Fords" looking to establish the industry to other states and countries at this point...

[Freedom Fries]

Tying the state's fortunes to the Big Three auto companies is a problem.

I run a small web design business out of my home NEWSLINK ASSOCIATES.

Granholm was left to sweep up after Engler blew a $2B whole in the state budget, combined with a recession. No glory for her. She does lame things like target violent kid's games ewill the state bleeds money . Not that DeVos would've been any better, he is a retarded empty suit playing with daddy's money (in the style of GW Bush).

Jenny Granholm is not wired in and rather luckless. Her staff are young newbs who aren't the brightest. Still I don't know if I'd call her a "problem".

Kwame is quite disgusting and needs to go away. Dead hookers and an armed mob for security? You're a mayor, Kwame, not a drug dealer. He is a "problem", but the state's luck is not pegged to his antics.

Michigan's fortunes are with the Big Three, state universities, and state government. Which is why Lansing hasn't gone totally into the toilet with burned down neighborhoods like Detroit and Saginaw or block and blocks of boarded up stores like Benton Harbor.

[Cato the Elder]

Granholm reminds me of Jane Byrne, for those who are familiar with Chicago politics, and not just because they are women. Byrne meant well, but she just did not have the gravitas to get things accomplished. For better or worse, playing politics requires some dabbling in the gray areas without losing one's moral compass; it's a fine line and some people can't do it for whatever reason. In this way, Granholm and Kwame are ironically on the extreme sides of this fence. Detroit and MI needs someone like Daley or Rendell to play the dirty role of Colonel Nathan R. Jessep (without the "code reds").