[kimba01]

Originally Posted by One Thousand

What does that have to do with "knowing" you? Conclusions were drawn based on your statements. What does that have to do with "knowing" you? Why wouldn't you say "I am not a neocon?" instead of being ambiguous and unable to be understood?

Ok-point taken.

[Michigansnowflake]

Originally Posted by odinloki1

Because if you can get a job, its a great place to live, it has everything that you could want. The weather is nice and diverse. I'm in Tucson and I hate it because its ALWAYS hot and sunny. Yes its nice, but not every single day. Theres nothing you can do for free here. Even hiking requires a half hour drive and a permit. I go back to Port Huron, there are public beaches that are close and a dollar to park, you can put a small sailboat or kayak in and go wherever you like. You can walk around in a yard barefoot. The trees provide a lot of shade. Economy aside, Michigan is spectacular.

Can I get an AMEN? Michigan IS Spectacular!

[khfar]

Originally Posted by kimba01

Ok-point taken.

FYI, most of the posts regarding neocons and Limbaugh are from the same person. He/she/it just keeps coming here and creating new names. They LOVE to talk about neocons and Limbaugh, and the awful, nasty Republicans! I wouldn't worry too much about what that person has to say to you! I don't think they realize that it's possible to be a Republican and also loathe Rush Limbaugh. LOL!

[JimmyInGreatLakes]

Originally Posted by UpperPeninsulaRon

This is a very distrurbing demographic. When you look at county statistics, there is a large dropoff of the people around age 21. They go to school here and then leave. The older demographic percentage then comes back up when people are 50 plus years old. And those stats are based on old census data.

My problem is the politicians mantra - green collar jobs will save Michigan. What the hell is a green job? And why would a company want to relocate or start in Michigan? Why is Michigan better suited than, say, California or North Carolina for a windmill plant?

Yeah, love the flavor-of-the-month "green jobs". Politicians, especially our Governor, need something to rally behind when they run out of ideas to help create any sort of job. Because of all the (mostly false, in my opinion) hysteria about our energy shortages, warming of the planet (another interesting "cause" that I believe is blown out of proportion), etc. we have people ready to step in and provide "solutions" that will somehow be a panacea to the economy. Take the great ethanol solution that now appears simply as a way to rob Peter to pay Paul...less corn for food, higher prices.

[cardwellave]

Originally Posted by odinloki1

Because if you can get a job, its a great place to live, it has everything that you could want. The weather is nice and diverse. I'm in Tucson and I hate it because its ALWAYS hot and sunny. Yes its nice, but not every single day. Theres nothing you can do for free here. Even hiking requires a half hour drive and a permit. I go back to Port Huron, there are public beaches that are close and a dollar to park, you can put a small sailboat or kayak in and go wherever you like. You can walk around in a yard barefoot. The trees provide a lot of shade. Economy aside, Michigan is spectacular.

Port Huron is fantastic!

[MittenDweller82]

Originally Posted by UpperPeninsulaRon

This is a very distrurbing demographic. When you look at county statistics, there is a large dropoff of the people around age 21. They go to school here and then leave. The older demographic percentage then comes back up when people are 50 plus years old. And those stats are based on old census data.

My problem is the politicians mantra - green collar jobs will save Michigan. What the hell is a green job? And why would a company want to relocate or start in Michigan? Why is Michigan better suited than, say, California or North Carolina for a windmill plant?

And amidst this very true and telling demographic data, we still as a state don't realize the importance of loosing skilled and educated young adults. According to the latest estimates from the Census, Michigan ranks in the top 5 for loosing people aged 20-29. This is central to growth in our future, but yet somehow we can still say there is improving situations. We say this, only because our media inflates reality, reality that 500 jobs will save a mere 80,000 unemployed Michiganders from loosing their homes, or all of their savings. That mantra is an attempt to further slow the population decline that has been in full swing for a decade... while Lansing quietly acknowledges the fact that no matter how many new positions are created, the pool of skilled and educated workforce has gone. Being a teen fresh out of H.S. (even now B.S level) looking for work has to be absolutely horrifyingly . Not only are you faced with competing with much more experienced displaced workers, your 7/hr wage is reduced to 4 when you calculate your fuel expenses to drive a short distance. Its mysterious....here we have many people tired of negativity, but yet Michigan has clearly been in a recession for years, although the public and the government choose to ignore reality and substitute their own.

[wanderer74]

Originally Posted by detshen

It is so annoying that so many people in this state think being negative is reality. Reality is a mix of positive and negative. The whiners are usually the people who do nothing anyway. The world outside Michigan is no paradise, the whole country is struggling. I have lived in many states, and there is good and bad everywhere. The biggest problem Michigan has is all the whining, I'm so sick of it, I have never lived anywhere like this with people whining and complaining all the time. This state is beautiful and has natural resources, and could move in new directions now that the industrial age is over, but people have to step up and have some pride or no one will ever want to come here.

Yes and no. Having lived somewhere else and then having moved back, I understand what you mean about the "grass is greener" type of thinking, as I experienced it myself and then saw for myself that every place had some problems.

However, I'd have to say that it's really not true that the biggest problem MI has is all the whining, or that the rest of the country is struggling to the same degree as we are here. I just returned from a trip to Nashville for a job interview (my first in-person job interview in my field since getting my degree last year, and you'll notice it WASN'T in Michigan!) and I paid attention to what I was seeing, trying to make sure that I wasn't looking at things with rose-colored glasses/blinders on. In any of the major cities I saw on the trip, I saw lots of places that said they were hiring. Even though I believe that a lot of the job growth in a lot of places is comprised of lower paying jobs and undoubtedly believe that things have slowed down everywhere, it was clearly still not like it is here in MI where there's a lot of competition for even the minimum wage jobs.

This state IS beautiful and has a lot of natural resources. I think it's a shame that those positive and valuable attributes are being under-appreciated. However, the economy really is far worse in Michigan, and it's understandable to me why that would sour people's opinions on the state. Being in an environment where so many people are struggling does make it difficult to be positive about where you live, and I've noticed that most of the people who think we're all just "whining" about Michigan are usually the ones who are relatively prosperous by MI standards. I don't think that's coincidence.

[wildfirenow]

wanderer you have said it in a clear and calm way that is very true.
No one can argue that at least for 4 months in the summer, Michigan is beautiful or at least north of West Branch.
But I have also traveled all over the country and can attest that things are much better in almost any other part of the country.
Michigan would kill to have a down turn of Florida.
I still say that there will always be people who want to visit and or live in Florida, it may take a few years but Florida will make a come back.
Michigan has never been a state that is a big tourist attraction.
The only people in mass that visit are people that live near, the very same people that are hurting from lack of work.

[Michigansnowflake]

Originally Posted by wildfirenow

wanderer you have said it in a clear and calm way that is very true.
No one can argue that at least for 4 months in the summer, Michigan is beautiful or at least north of West Branch.
But I have also traveled all over the country and can attest that things are much better in almost any other part of the country.
Michigan would kill to have a down turn of Florida.
I still say that there will always be people who want to visit and or live in Florida, it may take a few years but Florida will make a come back.
Michigan has never been a state that is a big tourist attraction.
The only people in mass that visit are people that live near, the very same people that are hurting from lack of work.

AREGHHHHHHH! I am so sick of people who say Michigan is only nice during the summer, there is only things to do during the summer. Horsepucky!

Hunting and fishing is all year, Spring you have mushroom hunting, festivals and getting out and getting your garden in etc. Summer you have festivals galore along with camping, boating, hiking etc. You cant beat Fall, more festivals, beautiful colors that cant be beat. Winter you have sking, snowmobiling, more festivals, snowshoeing etc. Michigan is a 4 season state that can be enjoyed ALL YEAR LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess only true Michiganders can appreciate that

[funnyfarm1995]

I love MIchigan and have lived here all my life, and will not consider moving to a different state. At the same time, I do think the state is in trouble. For decades the majority of the jobs have somehow tied into the automotive industry, and with the cutbacks and issues going on within that industry now, the impacts are far-reaching. People are struggling. Foreclosure rates in Michigan are very high. Jobs aren't great to come by, even minimum wage ones in some areas. Many kids get a college education and do leave the state to find better jobs. I don't know what the answers to fixing all this is, but I keep hanging on, hoping for brighter days ahead.