Posted on 09/18/2008 11:48:20 AM PDT by MaryFromMichigan
They are killing your state and starving your people.
WHAT IS WRONG OUT THERE?
First, let me say that I do live in Michigan. And, in Ann Arbor (Go Blue!).
Second, I moved here (from CO) with my family 2 years ago so our children could be with family more frequently. My wife and I were tired of living in airports.
And, I am not originally from here. I hail from New York and Connecticut (Go Yanks!).
So, what do I think of the last 2 years being here....
Honestly, naturally, this state is BEAUTIFUL. Four seasons, tons of fresh water, lots of game to hunt, just incredible !!
However, this state is SHELL SHOCKED! Fear reigns supreme. Hopelessness is fused in the psyche of these citizens. Most of Detroit is the closest thing to Mordor I have seen in a while.
It is madness : voting for the same people and policies over and over and expecting a different result ....
Politicians have one weapon here : despair. All the "good" people run away because they believe they cannot make a change. Sometimes, I feel this weight all too often.
Any other Michiganders here want to stop beating themselves down and start fighting?! Kilkpatrick is gone and this the BEST chance in a long time to fix the heart of this state -- Detroit.
It breaks my heart to know how beautiful this state is, and what a rich history Detroit has (350+ years!)and yet, how 'cowardly' the citizens seem to be when it comes to calling people to the carpet for what they've done.
I'm not cowardly; I'm just not sure where to start the turn around.
Population distribution. If you look at the last two presidential races, most of Michigan votes republican. It is areas like: Muskegon county, Kalamazoo(city), Grand Rapdis(city), Battle Creek(city), and almost all of southeastern Michigan(counties like Wayne, Monroe, Oakland) that are voting dem. The upper peninsula does not appear to vote democratic either. Now, it comes down to who is left. The normal working crowd has moved out. We may be left with UAW people and retirees(who vote dem). Then we are left with those who are unemployed and have not moved(those with no gumption)—these typically vote dem to preserve their unemployment checks. Once you get west of Lansing, you find a different crowd of people in the counties outside of city limits. These are the ones voting republican. It really comes down to getting the vote out for McCain/Palin—who will drive you to the poll?
As far as I am concerned, MI’s problems are the fault of the Democrats. Elect Obama and when he goes to pay off his left-wing supporters, it will just cement in place the dysfunctional, politically correct, high tax, public union sytem - and speed the decline even further. Just like us in Upstate NY.
That's a pretty neat trick. The population of Detroit has been falling for sixty years. That population is now LESS THAN HALF the 1950 population.
1950 1,849,568
1960 1,670,144
1970 1,514,063
1980 1,203,368
1990 1,027,974
2000 951,270
2007* 916,952
Over that time period, the population of Michigan has risen from 6,371,766 (1950) to 9,938,444 (2000).
If you want to explain Granholm, Levin, and the amazingly stupid Stabenow, "Detroit" just won't git 'er done.
Detroit was 29% of the Michigan population in 1950, in 2000 it was 9% and is probably still falling.
Look somewhere else.
Casinos are great if out of state money comes in.
Michiganders betting in state only circulates money internally. There is no growth.
...kinda of like paying off a credit card with another credit card's transfer checks ... and then not being able to pay off the new credit card's balance either.
We need to encourage leaders like: Bill Hardiman-state senator for Michigan, Peter Hoekstra, Candice Miller and others willing to take a stand for what is right. The problem we have in Michigan is the same one the country has right now: a liberal media that shows and speaks what they want. I am so tired of watching the local affiliates do the same thing as the national chains. They puke out the same junk. They limit exposure by good republican candidates and blather all over the libs. We can write all we want to, it can help, but truth is: Levin and Stabenow have been useless and they really don’t represent Michigan. They only represent their party in Washington.
I believe this election will be won in the lunch rooms, in the schools, in the homes, door to door and mouth to mouth.
Just imagine if Reagan had the Internet!
With all the technology of going around the papers, radio and TV, the people you mentioned should set up website site with live webcams and pre-made videos, and direct the people (in the lunchrooms, schools, etc.) there.
I also have to believe there is something I'm missing, either corruption or serious intimidation (physical harm, financial ruin, etc.), which keeps things in Michigan this dire.
I don't buy the total apathy argument.
We don’t either! There are lots of people in Michigan who are not giving up or giving in. I have talked with people and told them to hold tight, get your house in order and soon enough, when the dust settles, people like us will be in a position to truly influence every kind of change that Michigan needs. That is the “change” message that McCain/Palin can promote for Michigan.
Your numbers make a strong argument that it can't be just Detroit.
Then, why do we get such crappy leaders?!?! This isn't even a "D vs. R" thing anymore. This is just out-and-out incompetence.
Maybe in another 2 years of living here, I'll figure it out.
Lord Jesus Christ. Have mercy on me. A sinner!
I know there are many in Michigan who are not giving up, but there are equally as many I have met(I hate to say this) who are almost "beyond repair."
How do we "take out the trash" and get back those good folk who need to leave .. just to survive.
If Ireland can do it, so can Michigan! (being of half Irish heritage myself) P.S. Where are you in the state?
I know there are many in Michigan who are not giving up, but there are equally as many I have met (and I hate to say this) who are almost "beyond repair."
How do we "take out the trash" and get back those good folk who needed to leave .. just to survive.
If Ireland can do it, so can Michigan! (being of half Irish heritage myself)
P.S. Where are you in the state?
P.P.S. Honestly, I have prayed for the 'next Reagan' to come from somewhere ... I think she was hiding in Alaska all this time. She needs to be unleashed!!
BUMP for MICHIGAN !!!!
Hudsonville-half way between Holland and Grand Rapids—Go Eagles!
If you want to see how ‘the Messiah’s’ economic policy of HIGH TAXES will do - take a look at Michigan. Jennifer ‘the dumb Candaian’ Granholm is helping McCain, by showing what Obama’s raise the taxes on the worker will do in all 57 states — er sorry, 50 states.
Vot Obama! Export MI’s economy to the rest of the nation!
Good luck trying to sell a home.
Home for sale: Detroit Michigan, 4 bedrooms 3 bath 3 car garage - in fairly nice neighborhood. Motivated owner must sell house $1. Call 1-800-Homes-4- 1.
“For anyone living in Michigan... who gets the blame for the poor economy? I know there is a Democratic governor but do they blame her or point the finger at Washington?”
Here in SE MI, a very blue area, everything is Bush’s fault. When I mention that we have a Dem Governor, they look at me with confused looks. They can’t get the connection....
We would like to give it to Canada, but they do not those people, We would sell it to Mexico in exchange for Cancun, but they don't want it.
I have the new solution -- the Republic of Detroit.
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