And now, this cheery news about Michigan....

[Wolseley]

STATE ECONOMY IN REVERSE

Sarah Kellogg, Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON—Michigan’s economic momentum is the worst among the 50 states, lacking the vitality of even other Rust Belt states and those in the Deep South, according to an analysis of state economic trends.

The latest report by Federal Funds Information for States, a research group financed by the National Governor’s Association and the National Conference of State Legislatures, shows that Michigan’s economic momentum in the fouth quarter of 2006 was moving in reverse.

“Michigan is clearly in the worst shape of all the states,” Marcia Howard, the analyst and author of the report, said Tuesday. “Michigan’s population isn’t growing that much and on top of that you have the whole contraction of the manufacturing sector.”

The Index of State Economic Momentum ranks states based on their most recent performance on three key measures—growth in personal income, employment, and population. The components are averaged, and the national average is set at zero. State scores are expressed as a percentage above or below the national average. Michigan’s score was -1.97.

State officials acknowledged that the last-place score reflects Michigan’s current economic predicament.

“We would never deny that Michigan’s economy is challenged because of globalization,” said Liz Boyd, a spokeswoman for Governor Jennifer Granholm. “Our state’s economy has been built for over 100 years on a manufacturing platform. It is going to take some time to transform that economy.”

Boyd said she had reservations about the index’s findings in the fourth quarter of 2006 because they were slanted due to changes in Louisiana. States are graded on a curve and Louisiana’s robust employment and population growth a year after Hurricane Katrina resulted in poor scores for other states.

Howard concluded that Louisiana’s hurricane recoverey efforts impacted the scoring curve, but she said it still didn’t change the fact that Michigan along wqith a ahndful of other states in the Midwest and New England are struggling.

“Every state around Michigan isn’t doing that well, either,” said Howard, noting that Ohio ranked 48th, Indiana 45th, and Wisconsin 43rd.

Nineteen of the 50 states had negative economic momentum.

 

[Wolseley]

The article lists the bottom five state economies as:

1. Vermont
2. Rhode Island
3. Ohio
4. Connecticut
5. Michigan.

Other articles in tonight’s paper (I typed the whole article above out by hand) states that Michigan is experiencing “structural deficits and revenue slowdowns that have left the state with an estimated $1 billion shortfall in its budgets for this year and the next”.

There is also an article telling about how the local county here is setting up a plan to “convince” debtors to pay their outstanding bills by using property tax liens…the property cannot be sold until the debt is paid, and if not paid, the owner could lose the property to forclosure. The country hopes to wipe out its $440,615.00 in delinquent accounts as of January 1.

Shades of the Great Depression. My own partner went to Wyoming last week to apply for a job and may soon be leaving; and this morning, I myself was in Grand Rapids for my bankruptcy hearing. GM is going down the tubes and more jobs leave every day to go to Juarez.

Let’s all give a rousing cheer to Governor Jennifer Granholm and her magnificent handling of the state’s economy over the last twelve years! Ooh-rah!

 

[rayne89]

Let’s all give a rousing cheer to Governor Jennifer Granholm and her magnificent handling of the state’s economy over the last twelve years! Ooh-rah!

I’m no fan of Granholm but how could she have been handling the economy for 12 years since she’s only been governor since 2003?

 

[Wolseley]

She became Attorney General in 1998. My bad.

It still doesn’t raise her level in my estimation.

 

[hoosiertoo]

I’ll bet DeVos is thanking his lucky stars that he didn’t win.

I lived in MI for 5 years and my wife is from there. My two oldest were born there. I’ve always liked the west shore.

I’ll be in Grand Rapids in June for a conference. When I was there last year there was quite a bit of construction downtown.

In '82 we got out of Muskegon and moved to Indy with little more than the clothes on our backs, so I know about hard times in Michigan. SiL says there are a lot of foreclosures in Muskegon County. I feel for you bro.

 

[davy39]

It’s not much better here in Ohio, with the declining population, and fewer good-paying jobs. And it is all about jobs. You can blame whoever, but the fact is that we can’t compete with countries that pay their people fifty cents to two dollars an hour. We have made giant strides in productivity in manufacturing, but to no avail. The manufacturing part of our ecomomy looks very bleak. I don’t worry about myself so much, since I’m retired, (still working two part time jobs), but I do worry about the kids and grandkids. How will they be able to make a living in the future? I don’t have an answer, and I don’t think the Dems and the Reps do, either.

 

[MrS]

Detroit Free Press… Thursday Jan 11, 2007:

Republican Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Petterson declared on Wednesday:

“The best thing that could happen is that Hillary Clinton gets elected president…and Granholm gets some federal appointment, so we can get her the hell out of Michigan.”

This came hours after Granholm vetoed a bill to allow the county to sell bonds for retiree health care and save $150million in 20 years…

sure wish she would go back to Canada, (and take Soundtruth with her)

.

 

[Josephine66]

We live in Detroit and it is getting really scary around here. Every block in our neighborhood has at least 2 houses sitting empty and 4 for sale signs. Anyone who can get out is getting out. I feel that a combination of high taxes and the fall of manufacturing have just about killed this state. I don’t like Granholm(and didn’t vote for her) but I just don’t see that one person is to blame for all this.

 

[vern_humphrey]

The article lists the bottom five state economies as:

1. Vermont
2. Rhode Island
3. Ohio
4. Connecticut
5. Michigan.

I assume they’re basing that on percent increase, not on actual economy – Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas have not outstripped the states listed!

 

[GregoryPalamas]

Michigan is one of the most beautiful states in the union and one in which I enjoy vacationing. My wife and I grew up there. I would not wish to live there but love to vacation there.

CDL

 

[patientone]

I’m as busy as I’ve ever been here in southeast Michigan and I am grateful for the opportunities. I also realize that many are struggling with the down turn in the economy. I offer no answers or accusations to this current slump, but I will pray
that it is short lived. Speaking about slumps, the Lions need help too!

 

[vern_humphrey]

Michigan is one of the most beautiful states in the union and one in which I enjoy vacationing. My wife and I grew up there. I would not wish to live there but love to vacation there.

CDL

I worked in the GM Warren Technical Center right outside of Detroit for a year and a half. One thing that puzzled me was the traffic pattern.

As you approach an intersection, there is a light before you reach the intersection – you have to stop so traffic coming the other way can make a U-turn in front of you, and then turn right from your side.

Then, at the intersection there is another light, where you stop and let cross-traffic pass.

And finally, if you want to go left there is a left turn lane beyond the intersection – also with a stoplight – so you can make a U-turn, get on the other side and make a right turn.

This puzzled me for a long time, and finally I figured it out – they know no one would voluntarily live in Michigan, so they rigged the traffic system so people who wander in can’t find their way out again.

 

[MrS]

I worked in the GM Warren Technical Center right outside of Detroit for a year and a half. One thing that puzzled me was the traffic pattern.

As you approach an intersection, there is a light before you reach the intersection – you have to stop so traffic coming the other way can make a U-turn in front of you, and then turn right from your side.

Then, at the intersection there is another light, where you stop and let cross-traffic pass.

And finally, if you want to go left there is a left turn lane beyond the intersection – also with a stoplight – so you can make a U-turn, get on the other side and make a right turn.

This puzzled me for a long time, and finally I figured it out – they know no one would voluntarily live in Michigan, so they rigged the traffic system so people who wander in can’t find their way out again.

I think you are on to something here… now, I invite you to return and try out one of the new “turn-arounds”… where you just might be sentenced to an eternity of going in circles…counter-clockwise, no less!
smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_1.gif smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_10.gif smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_7.gif smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_8.gifsmileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_6.gifsmileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_2.gif

%between%

 

[vern_humphrey]

I think you are on to something here… now, I invite you to return and try out one of the new “turn-arounds”… where you just might be sentenced to an eternity of going in circles…counter-clockwise, no less!
smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_1.gif smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_10.gif smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_7.gif smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_8.gifsmileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_6.gifsmileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_2_2.gif

%between%

My home was in Virginia then, and I’d go home every so often. Coming back, there’s an exit that is double confusing, especially in the dark, and if you make a mistake you wind up in a part of Detroit where you don’t want to be, even in daylight.

I also recall a couple of underpasses that looked so decrepit that I’d mutter a prayer as I approached, so they wouldn’t fall while I was underneath.

 

[AELondon]

To all of those who don’t live in Michigan: please understand that not all of Michigan is Detroit! Quite frankly, the rest of us Michiganians are hoping for a California-esque 'quake to shake Detroit off into the drink. (no offense to my East-side friends though).

All kidding aside, Michigan will never rebound as long as our economy is sandbagged by labor unions and liberal tax laws. But who cares, eh. I mean apparently we (read: Michigan voters) care more about pigeons, err… morning doves, than we do about jobs and unborn babies.

As a native of the Up North and a current resident of the West Side, I can state that this rotten economy is hurting more than the industrial SE. Bankruptcies, foreclosures, layoffs, for sale signs everywhere… That should have been Granholm’s campaign slogan.

 

[OriginalJS]

From what I have seen of Michigan on business trips, it seems to me that Detroit is the ball and chain that holds Michigan back. It is a tough, dangerous city that for years lived off the fat of the land brought in by heavy manufacturing. Unfortunately, it got stuck in 1930’s economic and labor-managment policies and can’t compete with foreign manufacturers. Both Ford and General Motors are in a mess because they ignored competition and acted as though their dominance was given to them by the Almighty.

 

[GregoryPalamas]

I worked in the GM Warren Technical Center right outside of Detroit for a year and a half. One thing that puzzled me was the traffic pattern.

As you approach an intersection, there is a light before you reach the intersection – you have to stop so traffic coming the other way can make a U-turn in front of you, and then turn right from your side.

Then, at the intersection there is another light, where you stop and let cross-traffic pass.

And finally, if you want to go left there is a left turn lane beyond the intersection – also with a stoplight – so you can make a U-turn, get on the other side and make a right turn.

This puzzled me for a long time, and finally I figured it out – they know no one would voluntarily live in Michigan, so they rigged the traffic system so people who wander in can’t find their way out again.

Vern,

I know what you mean. I’ve been fooled more than once by that. Wayne County has other traffic confusers as well. Detroit streets are laid out on a spider web then overlaid with a checker board. Man, can a person get lost! My wife lived in Plymouth. Now mind you I grew up in Michigan. I get lost in Plymouth everytime I go and if I venture into Detroit I always get lost. I never get lost in the much larger Cook County of Illinois…well, almost never.

CDL

 

[vern_humphrey]

Vern,

I know what you mean. I’ve been fooled more than once by that. Wayne County has other traffic confusers as well. Detroit streets are laid out on a spider web then overlaid with a checker board. Man, can a person get lost! My wife lived in Plymouth. Now mind you I grew up in Michigan. I get lost in Plymouth everytime I go and if I venture into Detroit I always get lost. I never get lost in the much larger Cook County of Illinois…well, almost never.

CDL

My fondest memories of Detroit are the “Scandal of the Month” on TV – all sorts of corruption was being uncovered, and when they ran out of city departments, they’d go back to the first on the circuit and find more scandal.

And nobody ever got fired. In fact, the standard excuse when caught was for the bureaucrat or politician in charge to say, “No, we’re not going to fire anyone. We’re going to have more** training**.”

One of my favorites was when a woman was killed after calling 911 repeatedly. The Chief of Police was being interviewed and asked, “What is the average response time for 911 calls?”

And his response was, “I don’t know the average response time for 911 calls.”

I kept waiting for the interviewer to ask, “Aren’t you afraid of being arrested for impersonating a Chief of Police?”

 

[MrS]

My fondest memories of Detroit are the “Scandal of the Month” on TV – all sorts of corruption was being uncovered, and when they ran out of city departments, they’d go back to the first on the circuit and find more scandal.

And nobody ever got fired. In fact, the standard excuse when caught was for the bureaucrat or politician in charge to say, “No, we’re not going to fire anyone. We’re going to have more** training**.”

One of my favorites was when a woman was killed after calling 911 repeatedly. The Chief of Police was being interviewed and asked, “What is the average response time for 911 calls?”

And his response was, “I don’t know the average response time for 911 calls.”

I kept waiting for the interviewer to ask, “Aren’t you afraid of being arrested for impersonating a Chief of Police?”

and they keep voting Democrat… please, someone take Conners, Dingel, Granholm, Levin…etc etc etc (and you can have Kilpatrick for free)

 

[Robert_Bay]

Thread Closed

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