Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Wither Michigan
Goodbye Detroit
For a brief time, say in the mid 1990s, it looked as if the worse was over for my home state of Michigan. After growing up in the economically dreadful 1980s, when the auto industry fell apart and old industrial alliances crumbled, it was nice to see a breif resurgance in America's manufacturing heartland. But alas, things have come full circle. Parts maker Delphi is on the ropes, Ford is laying off 20% of its U.S. work force, cuts coming in from Chrysler...
Even before this round of contaction, things in Michigan didn't seem all that 'hot'. On trips back to see relatives, I've noticed even newish suburban office parks vacant. Sad. Many reasons for all this of course...but sad none the less.
The Detroit Free Press is tracking the ongoing decline...check it out here.
For a brief time, say in the mid 1990s, it looked as if the worse was over for my home state of Michigan. After growing up in the economically dreadful 1980s, when the auto industry fell apart and old industrial alliances crumbled, it was nice to see a breif resurgance in America's manufacturing heartland. But alas, things have come full circle. Parts maker Delphi is on the ropes, Ford is laying off 20% of its U.S. work force, cuts coming in from Chrysler...
Even before this round of contaction, things in Michigan didn't seem all that 'hot'. On trips back to see relatives, I've noticed even newish suburban office parks vacant. Sad. Many reasons for all this of course...but sad none the less.
The Detroit Free Press is tracking the ongoing decline...check it out here.
