[RayChuang88]

The biggest problem with Michigan is one county—Wayne County (city of Detroit)—literally bringing down the entire state. Subtract this area and Michigan could actually be reasonably healthy economically.

[PCBMan]

Partially true, but have you seen the unemployment stats for the rest of the state? Pretty high in a lot of non-run-down places also.

[grellis]

Ingham (Lansing) and Genesee (Flint) counties are two which spring immediately to mind when thinking of failed economic policies and downward-spiralling business communities.

It's all about how tight a union stranglehold can be.