Note: Edited for Spelling only; Content remains the same.
Note: This story was originally posted on The Command T.O.C. Blog
I live in Michigan. I love Michigan. It has beautiful coast lines, incredible areas for outdoor sports and, if you are willing to "cross the bridge" and go to the Upper Peninsula (The "U.P.)" you will see some of the most virgin land in the Country. Totally untouched by human hands.
But there is another side; a very troubling and problematic side and that is the economy. Shall I say it is dead? Well, maybe not but it is in intensive care and on life support. There are many reasons for this, which I will discuss, but suffice it to say we have problems. How will we get out of them is the question and it seems the political parties are twisted in how they feel they should help Michigan.
The Democrats believe the best way to help Michigan is to ignore it. 4 Dems(Obama, Edwards, Biden and Richardson) have declared that party rules are far more important than helping those who live in Michigan. They have decided they will not campaign here nor will they, then, answer questions and listen to the people of Michigan.
The Republicans, on the other hand, believe that Government programs are the answer (very interesting). Romney (News About Romney) has vowed to help Michigan pull out of its desperate situation. How? By ensuring Government CAFE standards do not favor import automobiles. This is stupid on two fronts. First, of course they will favor imports because the US car companies REFUSE to make smaller cars. They keep saying Americans do not want them. Well, then how is Toyota so successful if US consumers do not want smaller cars?
Second, it is stupid because it still concentrates on the auto industry. The auto industry, whether we like it or not in Michigan, is diversifying its manufacturing base all across the United States. It will NEVER concentrate in one spot like Michigan again. We can argue if the UAW (News about UAW) caused this, macroeconomics caused this, less expensive labor in the South etc. etc. The bottom line is the reason does not matter. It is a fact and Romney should be focused on high tech, health-care and other industry diversification. Not some baloney about the auto industry again.
Then there is the issue of Detroit (Official Site, News). A city which is blessed by a beautiful natural setting but has been destroyed by years of corruption which continues to this day under the mayorship of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (Mayoral Website, News). This city will never recover until it gets a complete overhaul of industry and leadership. Someone has to be honest with the residents: The auto industry (in Detroit) will never be what it was, we have to attract different industries, we will never accomplish that until crime is eradicated, blight is removed and the UAW is broken. Who, in their right mind, would relocate a company to Detroit knowing the UAW is going to make your life hell? Why bother? Blight, the UAW and corruption together are like one giant "forcefield" on Detroit preventing anyone from moving in.
My belief is the State of Michigan is going to need to tighten its belt very tight before this is over. Some industries and people will need to leave as the state retools and changes its overall economy. As the editorial in the Detroit News said today, the State has no choice. Tough Cuts will have to be made and made quickly. It will cost more to go hunting, we are going to release petty criminals from jail, we are going to privatize the jail system, we are going to have to cut the State payroll, reduce benefits etc. etc.
There is no free lunch and the quicker the state and Governor Granholm (official site, news, Contact Information) realize it the better we all will be. Yes, it will be very tough for a number of years but it will be far better than death by a thousand cuts.