This state was having problems before the whole offshoring trend started.
The "big three" WERE pulling plants out of Michigan decades ago, leaving a big hole in cities like Flint and Detroit. Michigan has a HUGE tax burden, and it just continues to rise, chasing business out.
Because the displaced workers had no skills, what else could they do without training? Because they had such high paying jobs, way out of line with their skill sets, what jobs would they accept?
What was in my opinion, the worst thing for the big cities, was when the requirement about HAVING to work in a cities limits if you work for that city, was removed. All the people with government jobs moved out of the cities and took all the money with them. That meant they were no longer living/shopping/paying property taxes to/in that city. There are some VERY rich places to live (Ann Arbor is rated near the top of favorable places to live in the country) but much is really hurting.
Cities like Detroit ran into budget crunches, and when the locals wouldn't/couldn't allow their taxes to be raised, the city cut fire and police resources. This made bad places to live DANGEROUS places to live, chasing away more of the businesses and people with the paying jobs that could afford to move to the suburbs. They currently have a crook running Detroit, and even through he has been repeatedly caught abusing his position, the residents of Detroit still re-elect their gangsta mayor. They now DESERVE every bad thing that happens to them.
We have the highest unemployment in the country, and are listed number one as the flight state. That is where they look at the number one state that people are moving OUT of. People with skills that can't find employment are moving away, draining the workforce, leaving less people working and a higher tax burden left on those of us that work, to pay for the social/welfare programs.
I have full custody of my twin boys, and no, my ex does NOT pay a penny of support.
This state is quite insane. Jessie Jackson WON this state back when he ran for pres, and he is a major crook.
When you start telling people that it isn't their fault that they did nothing with their lives, they see no reason to START doing something with it. The CORE of Democratic ideals ENCOURAGES underachement. If you can bust your a$$ for 50 hours a week, or not work at all, and still have a nice house and drive a Lincoln Navigator, where is the incentive to work and not be a waste of oxygen? Just go down to the social services departments and watch the cars that pull up.
People need to develop personal responsibility and stop having the government go to their neighbors to take their money because they are to lazy to beg for it themselves. Government is NOT the answer to poverty.
Sorry, kind of a rant, and I may have chased my tail a few times there. If there are parts that you want/need clarified, just ask.
A last thought, if reducing taxes does NOT improve our country, why are we pulling in record "revenues" for tax collections, despite the "Bush tax cuts for the rich"? Why would the DEMOCRAT controlled Congress give us all an EXTRA tax rebate? Because people buying things is what gives other people money because they have jobs selling things and making things to be sold and designing things to be sold. THAT is where people get jobs from, not a RICH congressman/woman (regardless of the letter) giving handouts to buy votes from stupid lazy people. Let people that EARN money spend THEIR money that THEY earned, which in turn gives us jobs.
