Why can't Michigan turn it around? (Detroit: property taxes, housing, rent)

[R7d61]

Even our tourist appeal could be gone soon JS Online: Chaos uncorked

If these fish get into the great lakes all of Michigans beauty will be gone.

[tym2retyr]

I've been reading this forum for quite some time now and have heard comments from
a lot of people who state that, for whatever reason, they just aren't happy with the situation that seems
to be at hand here in our great state. WELLLLLLL, do something about it. I mean lets face it,
we are AMERICANS, so start acting like it. This country wasn't founded on BIG BUSINESS.
It was started from the sweat of our ancestors. I'm talking about the farmers, small shop owners,
people that weren't afraid to get their hands dirty. And when things around them didn't go as planned,
they banded together to get the job done. That's just what this country and our state needs Right now.
You have the right to speak, question, and help turn things around. Anyone can just “cut and run".
But it takes strong-minded people to stick it out and solve the problems facing them.
This is a spectacular state to live in and I for one am going to be here for a long time.
I don't work for one of the big three but make a very good wage as a blue collar worker. No one
and I mean NO ONE is gonna hand you the brass ring. You have to make the effort to reach for it
on your own. BUT, once you have achieved that, nothing can ever stop you again.
And with that I mean we, as citizens of this nation, can make a difference if we just make the effort. Get involved
with the local government. Go to township meetings and voice your opinion. You can’t be heard
unless you speak. There’s force and power in numbers. If you and then others get involved,
you would be amazed at what can be achieved to rectify a problem. I didn’t vote for our current
governor. I wanted Devos, as he is a businessman and IMHO could have made a difference
here. But that is water under the bridge now and we have to handle the cards we were dealt with.
Will this state turn around? I would say yes it will. It will take time and a lot of work on ALL
of our parts to make this happen. Picking up and running off to another state may be a good thing
or could be the biggest mistake of your lives. How do you know it will be any better where you
are going than where you are right now? Instead of complaining about the conditions and what
we have here, reach for the ring. Government will only do what they must to get by as long as
no one is there to challenge them on the decisions they make. Those people work for us and should
be held accountable for their actions and any decisions they make on our behalf. Start at
the lowest level of government and work up. Then and only then will things turn around the way
you/we want them to be. If you don’t think one person can make a difference, grab a history book
and do some reading. You’ll be amazed at what one person can and has done on their own.
Now you compound that with other people with like thoughts and things will happen.
Granted, there are times when your hands are tied and you simply can’t do a thing to improve the situation.
But don’t let that one time deter you from what you want and think should be done.
Remember, this is just my opinion and hopefully I didn’t step on anyone’s toes giving it.

[michigone]

I agree with you tym, but big business has been given the goahead to take over. this is not the 30s when a small guy could step up to the plate and take a swing. the current times has big business that the current government has allowed to rip off the public take over and controll the game.
Michigan is an example of a state that has allowed three big companys to run the state. and now that the only people who can rival the players are other countrys it hurts the little and big guy. this is all caused by greed, when the japnese look to the future we in america look to the dollar we can make today even if it hurts business for tomorrow. We have a governtment that has no energy polocy, no domestic polocy. and a forigin polocy that is horrible. We need new leadership to take us in a different direction.

[michigone]

‘One-state recession’ hampers Michigan

here is a link to what the news people think of why mich. cant turn around

[Magnum Mike]

I don't live in Michigan, I am an Arizonan, who has visited Michigan a couple of times in the past and I loved the upper peninsula, especially Mackinac (sp?) Island.

Sounds like many of you folks know more about how to bring Michigan back to its "glory days" than the politicians that were elected to office!

I know 4 people here, who moved from Michigan to Arizona, and they all seem to share some of your opinions about the "Big 3" and Michigan politicians. My next door neighbor was born and raised in Sturgis, and he tells me that auto worker unions also had a lot to do with manufacturers taking their facilities to other states and Mexico. I also do remember when I was growing up in the 1970's, it seemed like I was hearing about constant strikes going on just about every other week.

[and the]

Hey Jenny Two-Penny!! Weren't we supposed to be "Blown away" by now?!?!?!?!

[Great Lake Boy]

Originally Posted by and the

Hey Jenny Two-Penny!! Weren't we supposed to be "Blown away" by now?!?!?!?!

lol Yes it's Granholm's fault that Engler was at the wheel for 12 yrs before and knew the auto industry was leaving and did nothing to steer us in another direction. Engler was like a bad train wreck!

So I think she meant we'd be blown away from the lack of direction from the previous fat cat Engler! Good riddance to him!

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by Great Lake Boy

lol Yes it's Granholm's fault that Engler was at the wheel for 12 yrs before and knew the auto industry was leaving and did nothing to steer us in another direction. Engler was like a bad train wreck!

So I think she meant we'd be blown away from the lack of direction from the previous fat cat Engler! Good riddance to him!

This is true! It's not like Jenny's perfect, but she did inherit the mess, not start it, you know?

[and the]

This is true! It's not like Jenny's perfect, but she did inherit the mess, not start it, you know?

If I were in charge, I'd blame the other guy too. Then, I'd start some serious welfare reform.....Blame the other guy works for the first term. Second one, she's on her own.

[athletesfoot]

Of course, many of us who grew up in Michigan knew that the factories and auto industry wouldn't always be there so we took out loans and suffered being broke through college. Unfortunately, our peers didn't listen when told that. They worked their factory jobs telling us how silly we were and how much more money we could make if we were working. They bought lake houses and SUV's and overextended themselves on their mortgages. They popped out several kids and sent them to private schools. Now the predictions have come true, the auto industry has bailed to cheap overseas labor and robotic technology and they are losing their jobs, their lake houses, and are in danger of foreclosure. They should have taken advantage of their company's education plans and gone to school while they worked, like my father did, so at least he had a back up plan when the steel industry went under and laid off their loyal employees.

But, I guess it's easier to sit back and blame all your troubles on others or the economy. Guess what, it's bad everywhere, even boom towns like Las Vegas. No houses are selling anywhere. Last year you couldn't keep a house on the market for a week here in Vegas, now there are several in my neighborhood that haven't sold in several months. It's not just Michigan that's suffering, although I know that times are hard due to the wastefulness of the auto industry.

Here's advice to keep it from happening to you again. If you work in skilled trades, start learning how to do something else in the information sector. There won't be many trades jobs left in the long run, wherever you go.