State of the State; State of the Union

[GRGridGirl]

Okay, we're coming up on the State of the State, tonight 7pm, and the State of the Union on January 31. What do you want to hear & see? After listening to these major speeches, what do you think about the proposed blueprints for our future?

[Greedo]

Great campaign speech, but I heard nothing that would relieve the immediate concerns of manufacturers. Only pie-in-the-sky fantasy talk about how Michigan's going to be super-awesome in five years.

I'm sorry, but Michigan needs help now. Something is drastically wrong with our state when the only two other states to do worse than us economically were devestated by hurricanes.

And were was DeVos' response. That guy is going to fail miserably because he's not out talking about any issues. What a joke.

[GRDadof3]

These "State of.." speeches are all a bunch of talking point promises anyway.

edit: forget I said that other stuff.

[allbusiness]

I agree -- talking points all. But I don't hear much more from Dick DeVos either.

There is no simply answer, but Michigan needs to earn a reputation as a state that welcomes entrepreneurs, allows businesses to thrive and encourages investment. The business tax structure and our heavy reliance on manufacturing jobs has really put us in a bind over the past 5 years.

Add to that the costs of health care and the legacy of old-style, union-demanded, defined-benefit retirement programs and we haven't even begun to see the trouble that our local cities, townships, counties and schools will be facing in the next decades.

We will grow out of this but it will take some time. The migration toward a knowlege-based ecomony -- while not losing the strengths of a solid manufacturing base -- is happening all around us. And it's rippling through the downtown housing market and in other spin off categories.

I saw a presentation about the VAI Expansion and the MSU West MI Medical School by Steve Heacock of the VAI at the Associated Builders & Contractors lunch this week and the number of world-class researchers who have moved and will be moving to Grand Rapids is astounding! Hundreds and hundreds of top-paid professionals who all need homes, schools, cars, groceries... And each job at the VAI and the Med School will create 2-3 other jobs in support industries.

I'm very bullish on Michigan -- or, at least, Grand Rapids!

[GRDadof3]

Now the Mackinaw Center is "Libertarian":

Critics say governor's speech too optimistic

[HolidayInnExpress]

I mentioned before that Michigan

[fishboy]

I mentioned before that Michigan

[HolidayInnExpress]

I have to agree, the inflation fears that were fueling the Feds policy were more geo/political and less economical. The are a little to hasty in raising them. The only way for America to remain a powerhouse in a global economy is to invest more into R&D and less in litigation, which currently is not the case. We need more "yankee ingenuity".

I don