[Great Lake Boy]

Ha I found this thread searching for "last one to leave Michigan turn out the lights".

Ya ain't seen nothing yet! This budget deficit was only about 779 million this time around. The next one will be 1.5 billion! Thats gonna cut right to the bone!

I was talking to a neighbor about something totally different and she said her sister worked in a factory in a near by town! I said, "In MICHIGAN?????? Are you sure? I mean haven't we outsourced all of our manufacturing base yet?" Whirpool is still manufacturing here but I think they should leave Michigan, nor reason to manufacture anything here! I was like there are still factories in Michigan? I couldn't believe it! Like I tell people thinking of buying a rice ride, you might as well as there are still people working in Michigan!

*** On a side note we just got a new GM plant and I think were getting another one! Well least were hoping for one!!!!

Is labor day a Chinese holiday now?

Base Ball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and TOYOTA! Bye bye American dream!

I mean its not just cars even though I come from a huge GM working family but everything you pick up now days in Made in China or Japan or outsourced to India. Nothing is made in the USA any more. Electronics, clothes, call centers, etc. are all made over seas! The funny things is we are pissing away our wealth in this country and no one really seems to care about it. There is only so many Taco Bell jobs to go around ya know.

I bought a monitor from Circuit City over the phone and the rep got my address wrong on a 329 dollar monitor luckily I contacted my local USPS and got the monitor! However another rep called to ask how the transaction was. I said I would prefer to talk to people in my own country speaking English!

The whole import thing started out slow and has continued to build as Americans would rather pay less for something made over seas than keeping the US buck in the US. Can you image the US economy if everything was sill made in the USA. Am I a protectionist? Well you figure it out!

Far as blaming Ms. Granholm lets not forget that Engler knew for the 12 yrs he was in office the economy was shifting but decided to fly around the state in a state paid helicopter hitting every buffet from Hougton to Monroe!

But back to the original question. Sell online you can sell to all 50 states without ever leaving your city! I sell hand dipped incense sticks on my own domain Hand Dipped Incense sticks and Hand Dipped Incense Cones, - Incense Supplies - Incense Stick - MI Zombie Incense Sticks This well be my second Christmas shopping season selling online and I have a good feeling about it! My biggest month came this last February (07) when I grossed 275.00 If I can just get that 10 x's I will be very happy!

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G:L:B

Michigan Rocks. I am never leaving Michigan.

American Workers! American Made! Still Made in USA.com: American-made Consumer Products

I'd rather push a Chevy than drive a Toyota! Toyota KISS OFF~!

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by Cato the Elder

This is your most salient point. Things in general aren't that fabulous in the US and in the Rust Belt in particular. If you have a better opportunity in a different state, good for you! I just don't get the bashing of people who chose to come to MI b/c it was THEIR best opportunity. Nope, there are people who are actually moving here for good jobs, and they are not delusional or lying. We should feel bad for people losing jobs and homes, but why not also feel good for people who are suceeding in MI and helping the state move on? I would really like to know what these indiscriminate bashers have personally done to make MI a better place during their time here. And no, just the shear fact of having lived here for 50 years isn't enough b/c you could have easily sat on your @&& getting fat the whole time without a care for others as long as you got yours.

Amen to this! And LMAO @ "underwater basketweaving"

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by wanderer74

Try coming up here to the Saginaw/Bay City/Midland area. There are tons of closed businesses all over up here. The "official" unemployment rate is around 8% here, but that definitely does NOT mean that the other 92% of adults are gainfully employed. My husband has been looking for a full-time job with benefits since Feb 2006 and has not even gotten an interview since March 07 (and that one was with a temp service for a job that paid $11 an hr). He was never a screw-turner and doesn't have the mentality that he expects something for nothing, but it should NOT be so hard for a man with 10+ years of good work experience, 3 years of college education and great references to have such a hard time finding a better job than the one he has. Maybe it is the same in other states, but in this area there is a HUGE gap between the haves and the have nots.

Every week I'm reading of more companies across the country laying off workers, so maybe the problem is not confined to Michigan. But it's bad and getting worse up here in the Saginaw/Bay/Midland area.

Living right by Detroit as I do, I am acutely aware that some areas are harder hit than others. But no one can tell me not to believe my own eyes. I just moved here less than a year ago from southern California. As a new set of eyes to the area, I DO in fact see more closed businesses and abandoned homes than I did in California. But is it at a level that's alarmingly over what I'm used to seeing? It's more yes, but not to the point that some claim, overall. Are some areas worse? Sure. Is ALL of Michigan that bad? No.
Again, I'm only saying what I see, as a new set of eyes to the area.

[CaboolBound]

Cato the Elder..... I'm sorry, you misunderstood, I now take care of my hubby. Being a nurse is a blessing in times like these. If you are in the medical field you can find a job anywhere. We are lucky in that way because I would be able to find a job almost anywhere. My prayers go out to Wanderer74. It took my hubby almost 6 months to find a truck driving job when he was laid off back in 2004. We didn't think it would take that long. Good luck to all that are looking for work here and in other states.
God Bless,
Kim and Jim

[CaboolBound]

cato the elder........ thank you for your condolences. We appreciate it.
God Bless,
Jim and Kim

[adler]

Michigan has a deficet that is only growing, this is not there because of a growing economy, genny is just going to compound the problem by adding more taxes, california did the same thing but it was california and it hurt that state, michigan can not sustain much more before it is so impoverished that it will take decades to rebound.
I have seen so many people move from the state, many I knew and many have been told about, florida is in a slow down, but it is still getting 2700 people a day move in, michigan is in neg. growth.
Even the days of the old people moving to michigan for retirement are gone.
They can not put up with the 6 foot snow, going in the ditch on iced roads, 4 months of good weather,salt destroying you 30k over priced gm pos.
What is good about michigan, lots of water, good fishing,hunting, and now cheap property, what is bad, the weather, extreme cold in the winter. the high property taxes and growing.
the property values dropping like a rock. lack of employment, lack of government that has clue of what the heck to do.
more cloudy days than sunny.
masquitos that can carry off a small child.

[khfar]

Originally Posted by adler

Michigan has a deficet that is only growing, this is not there because of a growing economy, genny is just going to compound the problem by adding more taxes, california did the same thing but it was california and it hurt that state, michigan can not sustain much more before it is so impoverished that it will take decades to rebound.
I have seen so many people move from the state, many I knew and many have been told about, florida is in a slow down, but it is still getting 2700 people a day move in, michigan is in neg. growth.
Even the days of the old people moving to michigan for retirement are gone.
They can not put up with the 6 foot snow, going in the ditch on iced roads, 4 months of good weather,salt destroying you 30k over priced gm pos.
What is good about michigan, lots of water, good fishing,hunting, and now cheap property, what is bad, the weather, extreme cold in the winter. the high property taxes and growing.
the property values dropping like a rock. lack of employment, lack of government that has clue of what the heck to do.
more cloudy days than sunny.
masquitos that can carry off a small child.

YAY! Our favorite optimistic Michigander is BACK!

[JenM]

I learned something in my sociology class this week: The majority of the U.S. became a Post Industrial Society in 1956 (this means that there are more white collar workers than blue collar workers) and S.E. Michigan became a post industrial society in 2003. THat is why we are feeling the hugh crunch in Michigan.

Anywhoo, the longer and longer I am a member of this site, the more I seem to understand about Michigan in general. And the lightbulb finally clicked that those people who are losing their jobs are manufacturers and business people. (well, duh) I've never worked (nor does anyone I know) in that type of setting. Really, I'm not an idiot, just a tad slow I guess

And about this college malarky, it doesn't matter where you go anymore, it matters what type of degree you get! Whether you earn a degree from WSU, WMU, OU, OCC, MCC, NIT, Davenport or Baker the employer wants to see a specific degree.

No longer are these vague degree gonna hold water. I mean nowadays you need a degree that is in one specific narrow field. I mean me for instance, I am getting an ADN Associate Degree in Nursing not a BS. My husband is getting a Bachelors in Laboratory Procedures not a BS. See what I mean? Training now happens in the schools, not on the job!

[jst333]

OK, he's Somewhat far fetched!!, (At least the bugs wont KILL YOU) But seriously, Right now MI. is completely off track. Most people can deal with, and rationalize buying or staying here. But the truth is this beautiful state is not really paying OUR bills anymore. You want to see crazy TAXES move to the N.E. Yes Winter suck's and I'm sure It sucks worse in other place's, But with the economy and the wonderful 90's behind us, What's left? THE SOUTH!. Fifty years ago it was the NORTH. It will be real interesting to see how this play's out. Our company is opening up a new office in Nashville, and Raleigh NC. Basically we are following the $$$. And we can argue all day, but the $$ is leaving Michigan. So in ten years MI. will probably be the next Retirement Mecca. Because of It's beauty and lakes. I say If you live here and can hang on ? Do it!! Because this Island in the middle of the country surrounded by FRESH Water will be worth more than anything. Even some spanish speaking Pan Handle state bombarded by hurricanes, and is hot most of the year, can offer. I'm following the money!, but I'm keeping my foot here in MI...

[CaboolBound]

Hi... My wife has said a lot on the state of the economy, and she is correct. Before my accident I had some college and 14 different trades under my belt. I never had a job. The biggest lie is to think because you went to college you will have that great job afterward. College only prepares you with some tools for the position you want. Experience comes from working in that field, and that is the worst representation of what one gets from college. everyone believes they have experience, but all it is is the basic tools to prepare one for a position. I held a 4.0 in college when I went, even though I was a drop out from HS. I tried colleges and tech schools, only to get nothing from them. I went to the Cleveland School of Machinists, and went through 4 to five instructors in one month. The instructors were machinists looking for additional ways to make money. When I had problems understanding some of the mathematics, instead of showing me and others how to do it, they just handed us a calculator to do the work. If my calculator died on the job, do you think my company would send me out to the store to buy a new one to do my job... heck no. They would expect that I would be able to do it manually since I am educated in college. In Cleveland State, I was in Computer programming, and I had a instructor who had a doctrine in the math of finance. His form of teaching was to sjow us how to pass the tests. The tests were offered to be taken 3 times, and your grade was the best of the three grades. So what did we learn, nothing. When we asked how are we to learn what we are here for, he said you will learn it down the line. If that is so, why were we there? It was wasted time and class I (we) paid the college. In Cleveland community college, My computer logic class was taught by the head of the department, and if he was not late 20 minutes each day, he did not show up at all. This is one reason people do not go, or continue in college. You pay large sums of money to get the minimum education because the instructors feel you owe them beyond what you already paid.

As far as seeing closed buildings in Oakland County. I worked for a company called EDS, which is a global Networking Company. It was a part of GM, but GM decided to separate it from itself. I can tell of all the closed buildings, companies, and the division I delivered for was closed in the summer of 2004 as well as, several GM facilities. and other corporations in the area.

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and I see the changes there as I do here. The only difference is that Cleveland's biggest job holders were the steel mills. US Steel, J&L Steel, and Republic Steel all shut down because of the imported steel products, along with the Fisher Body Plant, and all other Ford, GM, and Chrysler plants continually being shut down for profits. Let me ask you this... have any of you used a money conversion program? It would amaze you what the American dollar is worth. Our dollar is worth 11 dollars to the Mexican dollar. So, if Ford and GM is paying $8 an hour in Mexican money to its employee's there, they are not even spending $1 US dollar per man. So, if a union worker here makes $30 an hour, they can pay 30 men with that same $30 dollars. Yet the cost does not come down on the auto's built there. Right now, the big 3 cry about the lack of sales of the cars, if no one has a job, who can afford their over price pieces of garbage they make today. I also was a auto mechanic/ bodyman at a used car lot, so I'm not just blowing smoke.

It is sad that we fight amongst one another about who deserves X amount of dollars for the type of work they do. This is the down fall of our nation. Instead of working together, we battle or degrade each other. White collar, blue collar it does not make any difference. We are both needed, and at risk of being replaced by technology. Some are afraid of manual work, others do not want to sit behind a desk, does it make anyone worse than the other... no. This is why we are in trouble in the work force. When they move a corporation across seas, is it only the blue collar worker who loses his or her jobs, no even those in the office lose theirs at well. Bottom line is that it matters not the level of education you have, all of us have the risk of being fazed out. The young couple that is buying our house spent thousands in college to only be working for the Red Cross as a truck driver, which is my point. Education, or no education you are still in the same boat when it comes to jobs. Though because I was smart enough to learn all that I could when I was young, I probably would not have problems finding a job because of my versatility. I am not trying to be nasty in anyway, but I am stating fact, though it is not what anyone likes to hear.