Recession Crushes White-Collar Michigan

Michigan started recession over a year ago, lay-offs, furlow days and cutbacks, way before Obama came into office. We lost alot of jobs to overseas markets then because our economy wasnt very diversified, all our eggs in the proverbial automotive basket, so when they started to fail here because of rising cost they outsourced to Mexico and China for cheap. Now everyone who was trained to do an assembly line job straight from high school is out of work and out of options. Thank the UAW, not Obama.

Serenity - you're saying the jobs were sent overseas because of the UAW? Because the workers in the UAW refused to work for third world wages and no benefits? According to your argument the recession in Michgan would not have started as long as we all agreed to work for two bowls of rice a day. The problems have nothing to do with corporate greed and corporate owned senators and congressmen approving trade treaties that sell U. S. workers down the river.

Face, I think Serenity is talking about one of the things about the summary: all your economic eggs in the automotive industry basket. Never been to Detroit, but the impression I got was that there was no incentive to diversify the industries MI calls home. I'm not sure what industries are there now, but I'm sure the big 3 were KING. The thing about that industry, like USPS, is the middle-class entitlement for people that don't have extensive education. So you found a lot of people going from high school to high-wage job. White collar MI is prolly more blue collar than most white collar sectors. Now, IMO, the entitlement factor for MOST American workers translates into laziness. There was no need to make better cars until the Japanese started handing them their hats. American automakers tried to shame and bully people into supporting their product (don't buy a small car from those Japs) as opposed to people WANTING to support their product because it was BETTER. We've seen it before. Now, thanks to globalization, you can no longer shame and bully people into supporting your product. I'm not saying I'm unsympathetic to the region. I feel for all those out of work while their companies executives take lavish golf outings and such. But I think the American spirit of hard work to get ahead got beaten over the head by the American vice of f*ck you, pay me. Or better stated: LET me f*ck you over, in order to get paid.

detroit flint lansing grand rapids warren mayors and our wonder gov. miss mole face have left mich in the dust. Many companies considered moving here but with our dem leadership and union influence business tax was raised and incentives were repealed. Lucky for our state the west side of mich diversifed into the medical field and alternitive energy. But those lazy bastards on the other side just sat and did thier cities no favors. Thank you so much gov. Grandholm

There is a mostly painless solution. Just a hint: It's not the workers who are running off with all the money and if they pay more than 20% of their income in income taxes, they themselves would be surprised. They'd be surprised too if they find their overseas bank accounts public knowledge. I'm always surprised how much workers want to give all their money to such people, but that's just me.