[Weirdo2see]

Kinda wondering will it be 5 years or 10 years or 20?Could it be more?Five years is too short.

[michmoldman]

Its gonna take some time, but Michigan and the rest of the U.S will be back. I have absolutely no doubt about that, and when people tell me we are all doomed I just laugh. I mean come on...sure its tough, but give it some time and everything will eventually "rewire" itself. It may not be like it used to be anytime soon, but eventually we will be hopefully look back on these times as a learning experience. As far as Michigan....5-7 yrs.

[malamute]

Why would 5 years be too short? That's far too long for many people still trying to hang on.

[Sparrow_temp]

You have to be able to envision what a "come back" would look like in order to determine how long it will take. I don't believe many people believe the auto industry will come back in MI to any degree so the time period on this might as well be infinity.

I see Michigan's "come back" as continued negative migration until we have enough jobs for everybody and the government recognizes the new norm with regard to taxes and services. If there's a smaller population base and tax base, government actually has to shrink and that's something that most governments refuse to do. Once MI has a population size that it can sustain, it can then institute policies to achieve growth and draw businesses and people from other states.

If MI simply hemorrhages workers and keeps the welfare masses, it'll continue to go downhill. At some point you need more people pulling the cart than riding in it.

[Weirdo2see]

Actually it is worse than you think Sparrow.Unemployment benefits are not given out to every unemployed folk and welfare is denied to everyone except single mothers with children.Michigan goverment does nothing for the working folk.It`s time to dump the american dream aka nightmare and never again buy any car.We paid for this.We paid for the bailouts and cash for clunkers.We paid for this to happen.GM opens up new plants in communist China.Wohoo

[danielj72]

Dont kid yourselves, there are over 9 million people living here and an economic base that will now support maybe 8 million of them. Auto jobs are outsourced for good, there is no reason for all these people to live here anymore. Lots more need to leave before things stabalize. Goverment needs to shrink, unions need to die and we need a more conservative state goverment. Old Michigan is dead, we need a new outlook on what this state should be. We need to be leaner and more productive. The age of the lazy drunken 30 dollar an hour UAW worker is over. The one ace we have in the hole is our abundant water and other natural resources as well as our agricultural base. These things we have no matter how bad people continue to mess this state up.

[Weirdo2see]

Say my rationale was screwed up.....what would you suggest?How about judging corporations rationale....We didn`t find ourselves stuck into this by accident.Btw home prices are to fall an additional 20% in 2010.Who is to say that buying now is a good time?

[Bydand]

I'm not a troll, and I agree that at the very least Unions need to be majorly revamped before we'll see any type of industry come back to the State. I have worked IBEW, my Father was IBEW and UMWA for decades, my Mother was under the Teamsters union for years (never quite figured that one out - she worked at a University in the offices ), My wife works under SEIU & the ANA right now. My Grandfather's were Teamsters and UBC for decades as well. I am not coming from a background of anti-union; I am looking at it realistically and with an eye toward the future of the State, not just a short term "what can I get, right NOW." attitude. Unions are of the "screw the future I want it ALL right now, let the chips fall where they may" mindset, that doesn't work anymore, and with the labor laws they are really unnecessary.

[MittenDweller82]

Well, here's a interesting list to consider...only two Michigan cities and both near the bottom.
America's Fastest Recovering Cities

Full List: America's Fastest-Recovering Cities - Forbes.com

[xlabel]

This question should be presented with a poll option.

A) When hell freezes over

B) When Nuggent becomes active duty and is a tough guy when something actually shoots back at him.

C) In the words of Florence Jean Castleberry....."When donkey's fly"