Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Taking stock of Michigan and her prospects

I started this Michigan blog project a little over a year ago, hoping to understand our state and our historic shift from a manufacturing economy to something else. Economically, we're still limping and now the national economy has joined us.

Our main challenge persists: to diversify the economy enough so that the auto industry doesn't make or break our future prospects *and* to increase the general education level of the adult population so that higher paying work comes to stay in Michigan.

How are we doing? Hard to say. We've been very distracted with the presidential primary farce and now the tragic intrigue of Mayor Kilpatrick's scandal threatens to become a long-term preoccupation.

I'm not the only one growing weary. The blogger Wizard Kitten remarked earlier this week:
"Sometimes blogging about politics and current events in the state of Michigan has all the charm of being repeatedly hit with a baseball bat. You try to get in a groove, accentuate the postitives, and Bam! something comes along that is so big, so tragic, that it steals all the oxygen out of the room, breaks your heart, and leaves you to pick up the pieces in some vain attempt to put your emotional Humpty back together again."
I couldn't have said it better.

Now, how is it we shall find the energy, optimism and hope to keep going? Consider this an appeal for ideas and recommendations. I want to know what the rest of you are doing to stay in it...this fight for Michigan. Can you share what motivates you with others whose enthusiasm may be waning?

Any tips for remaining audaciously, and perhaps foolishly, hopeful in Michigan?

Yours truly,
CEW