I love the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, but I have no idea why. I guess it's because I'm a sports fan and I'm supposed to love it. I find that when I turn the games on I pay very little attention. It's as if I turn the TV on just for the noise. Mississippi State beat Oregon this evening in the first round and I actually sat through it. If that game was being played in January I wouldn't have spent 30 seconds watching it. The tournament has this weird way of drawing sports fans into watching something that they would give very little time to during the regular season.
I suppose it's similar to my interest in the NFL. I always liked football, but I've become much more interested the last five years due to playing fantasy football. I know that's silly, but it's true. I've gotten to know who many more NFL players are because I'm one of those goofballs who pays close attention to many games on Sunday because the players on "my team" are on multiple NFL teams. In addition, I have money riding on the success of those players.
That's where the correlation between the NFL and the NCAA tournament comes. So many of us fill out tournament brackets, choosing who we believe will win it all. Some people do it just for fun while others pay $5 or more to enter a tournament "pool" or "challenge." We all know that we put more interest into something when we put our money into it. Even if we don't though, we still have that inherent desire to win or be successful. I didn't spend any money on the tournament this year, but I did fill out two brackets and I certainly want to win as many games as possible. Why? I have no idea! It's just some silly thing to do that I got in the habit of doing many years ago.
It's nice to forget about the daily grind and the troubles that each day can bring. Things such as the NCAA basketball tournament do just that. Enjoy March Madness. Forget about work, family problems, politics, money, and everything else. Even if you aren't a basketball or sports fan, do it anyway. Watch these young men work their butts off while they chase their dream. It's fun to watch and, in a way, can lift your spirits.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
A Different Primary Season
Boy, my theory about how presidential candidates win their party's nomination may be going right out the window in 2008. I used to tell my government students, and anyone else that would listen, that the Democratic candidates had to go as far left as possible and the Republican candidates had to run to the right. We refer to that as "playing to the base."
With Super Tuesday fast approaching it looks as if Sen. John McCain may lock up the Republican nomination. That's shocking to me for more than one reason. First, a sitting U.S. senator has not won the presidency since John Kennedy in 1960. I think Americans largely shy away from voting for members of the House and Senate for president because they are seen as the Washington crowd that creates all of our country's problems to begin with. So, why would we choose one of them to try to turn it around? Interestingly, three of the four candidates who appear to have a chance to win the general election are currently U.S. senators.
Secondly, McCain has built a terrible reputation for himself amongst many conservatives in this country. Many conservative icons have either said that they will never vote for him, or they would basically close their eyes as they voted for him and try to pretend like they didn't. McCain has not shown his conservative side when it comes to legislation he has co-authored with liberal senators regarding campaign finance reform and illegal immigration. That sealed his fate with a lot of conservatives.
McCain is very conservative on some issues, but he is viewed as a moderate Republican. Some people have argued that he has a better chance against the Democrat in the general election because he would garner more votes from independents. But there's a huge problem that those people aren't considering. If McCain is the Republican nominee, then numerous conservatives will not show up to the voting booths in November. Many have made it clear that they will not support him, even if that means not voting at all.
The next few days are going to be extremely interesting. I really hope that Mitt Romney does well on Super Tuesday. I'm just more comfortable with a successful businessman and governor with an impressive track record being my next president. As conservative as Romney appears to be, I have been very surprised that he hasn't emerged as the clear choice for Republicans.
McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama represent the Washington establishment that we've all grown to despise. Romney can become part of the establishment, but let's give him four or eight years to do so.
With Super Tuesday fast approaching it looks as if Sen. John McCain may lock up the Republican nomination. That's shocking to me for more than one reason. First, a sitting U.S. senator has not won the presidency since John Kennedy in 1960. I think Americans largely shy away from voting for members of the House and Senate for president because they are seen as the Washington crowd that creates all of our country's problems to begin with. So, why would we choose one of them to try to turn it around? Interestingly, three of the four candidates who appear to have a chance to win the general election are currently U.S. senators.
Secondly, McCain has built a terrible reputation for himself amongst many conservatives in this country. Many conservative icons have either said that they will never vote for him, or they would basically close their eyes as they voted for him and try to pretend like they didn't. McCain has not shown his conservative side when it comes to legislation he has co-authored with liberal senators regarding campaign finance reform and illegal immigration. That sealed his fate with a lot of conservatives.
McCain is very conservative on some issues, but he is viewed as a moderate Republican. Some people have argued that he has a better chance against the Democrat in the general election because he would garner more votes from independents. But there's a huge problem that those people aren't considering. If McCain is the Republican nominee, then numerous conservatives will not show up to the voting booths in November. Many have made it clear that they will not support him, even if that means not voting at all.
The next few days are going to be extremely interesting. I really hope that Mitt Romney does well on Super Tuesday. I'm just more comfortable with a successful businessman and governor with an impressive track record being my next president. As conservative as Romney appears to be, I have been very surprised that he hasn't emerged as the clear choice for Republicans.
McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama represent the Washington establishment that we've all grown to despise. Romney can become part of the establishment, but let's give him four or eight years to do so.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Liberal Thinking
I'm an avid listener of sports radio stations. My favorite host on Sports Radio 1130 WDFN, Sean Baligian, brought up the possibility of the State of Michigan implementing a new tax on tickets for such things as sporting events and concerts. Sean was rightfully outraged, as were all of the callers.
Then I just received an email from a conservative friend living in the liberal/socialist haven of California. The email was a humorous, fictitious story about how big government is.
Whenever a new tax is proposed a group of citizens starts calling radio stations and elected officials' offices, sending emails and faxes, and so on, in protest. What never seems to happen is enough people speaking up and stating clearly why their state or national economy is in the shape it is. Some people will not say it out of guilt. Others will not say anything because they are the benefactors of what all of our taxes are paying for.
We have done nothing but create a welfare state for millions of people in the United States. We don't need the government to tell us what is best for our lives and I'm so sick of the fact that there are millions of people in this country who want them to. Listen to candidates for public office when they speak, regardless of what political party they are affiliated with. All they talk about is what they're going to do for us, what they're going to give us, etc. Enough is enough. I'm so flustered and angry that I can barely put my thoughts down right now.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt is heralded as this great president who brought us through World War II and the Great Depression. The man was a good leader. But do you realize what his New Deal programs started? Government dependency! The government fed people. The government employed people. Was anyone naive enough to think that was only going to be temporary?
Folks, the taxes we pay are outrageous. The solution was real simple a long time ago but now we're so far in over our heads that we can't go back. If government, state and federal, wasn't so large then we wouldn't be paying so many taxes. Government programs are killing us financially! There's no excuse that someone who makes $75,000 a year only receives a little over $50,000 of it. Then that person pays sales tax, property tax, and every other tax that exists. We can't even buy a ticket to a baseball game without paying service charges and taxes on top of the ticket price.
That's liberalism, people! I don't care if you're Democrat, Republican, or independent. Liberal thinking has been destroying this country for many years and it's now spiraled out of control. The more programs that the citizens ask the government to create, the more we are going to get taxed. It's that plain and simple. You can be a "bleeding heart" and want to help out your fellow man as much as possible, but be prepared to pay for it.
Then I just received an email from a conservative friend living in the liberal/socialist haven of California. The email was a humorous, fictitious story about how big government is.
Whenever a new tax is proposed a group of citizens starts calling radio stations and elected officials' offices, sending emails and faxes, and so on, in protest. What never seems to happen is enough people speaking up and stating clearly why their state or national economy is in the shape it is. Some people will not say it out of guilt. Others will not say anything because they are the benefactors of what all of our taxes are paying for.
We have done nothing but create a welfare state for millions of people in the United States. We don't need the government to tell us what is best for our lives and I'm so sick of the fact that there are millions of people in this country who want them to. Listen to candidates for public office when they speak, regardless of what political party they are affiliated with. All they talk about is what they're going to do for us, what they're going to give us, etc. Enough is enough. I'm so flustered and angry that I can barely put my thoughts down right now.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt is heralded as this great president who brought us through World War II and the Great Depression. The man was a good leader. But do you realize what his New Deal programs started? Government dependency! The government fed people. The government employed people. Was anyone naive enough to think that was only going to be temporary?
Folks, the taxes we pay are outrageous. The solution was real simple a long time ago but now we're so far in over our heads that we can't go back. If government, state and federal, wasn't so large then we wouldn't be paying so many taxes. Government programs are killing us financially! There's no excuse that someone who makes $75,000 a year only receives a little over $50,000 of it. Then that person pays sales tax, property tax, and every other tax that exists. We can't even buy a ticket to a baseball game without paying service charges and taxes on top of the ticket price.
That's liberalism, people! I don't care if you're Democrat, Republican, or independent. Liberal thinking has been destroying this country for many years and it's now spiraled out of control. The more programs that the citizens ask the government to create, the more we are going to get taxed. It's that plain and simple. You can be a "bleeding heart" and want to help out your fellow man as much as possible, but be prepared to pay for it.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Another Deplorable Lawsuit
I am sitting here absolutely astonished at what I just read on ESPN's website. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of frivolous lawsuits are filed in this country each day. Rarely do we hear about most of them though unless they involve someone famous or the case is so outlandish that we find out about it.
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock tragically died a few weeks ago when he drove his vehicle into the back of a parked tow truck on a St. Louis highway. Hancock was drunk (nearly twice the legal limit) and there was marijuana found in his vehicle. At the time of the crash Hancock was also talking on his cell phone and not wearing a seat belt.
The latest news regarding this tragic event should infuriate anyone that hears about it. Dean Hancock, father of Josh, has filed a lawsuit against the restaurant that was serving Josh all of the alcohol that he consumed, and the manager of the restaurant. That isn't the unbelievable part because a lot of people file lawsuits against bars and restaurants for serving patrons too much alcohol. Are you ready for the real kicker?
Also being sued by Dean Hancock are the towing company, the tow truck driver, and the owner of the vehicle that had stalled on the highway prompting the tow truck driver to stop and help. I'm not making this up. By the way, the stalled vehicle became a stalled vehicle because the driver had to swerve to avoid a vehicle that was going to hit him. The driver is being sued because he "was negligent in allowing his vehicle to reach the point where it stalled on the highway, and for failing to move it out of the way of oncoming traffic." Again, I couldn't make this up if I tried.
The tow truck company and its driver are named in the lawsuit because they apparently didn't get the stalled vehicle out of the way of a drunk in a large SUV talking on his cell phone quickly enough. The tow truck company wasn't even called about the incident. The two truck driver noticed the stalled car and was nice enough to stop and offer help. So much for human kindness, huh?
Congratulations to lawyer Keith Kantack for filing this despicable lawsuit. He actually had the nerve to ask, "Were the police contacted?" and "Why weren't flares put out?" Oh, those are some fantastic questions. I get it, the police being on the scene or flares being visible would have stopped a heavily intoxicated person driving while talking on his cell phone from hitting anything in his path. That makes a whole lot of sense Mr. Kantack.
The question was even raised in the article of whether or not the St. Louis Cardinals and Major League Baseball could eventually be named in the lawsuit. Once again, two organizations that had absolutely nothing to do with the accident.
Is it possible that our legal system is the best, and the stupidest, in the world at the same time?
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock tragically died a few weeks ago when he drove his vehicle into the back of a parked tow truck on a St. Louis highway. Hancock was drunk (nearly twice the legal limit) and there was marijuana found in his vehicle. At the time of the crash Hancock was also talking on his cell phone and not wearing a seat belt.
The latest news regarding this tragic event should infuriate anyone that hears about it. Dean Hancock, father of Josh, has filed a lawsuit against the restaurant that was serving Josh all of the alcohol that he consumed, and the manager of the restaurant. That isn't the unbelievable part because a lot of people file lawsuits against bars and restaurants for serving patrons too much alcohol. Are you ready for the real kicker?
Also being sued by Dean Hancock are the towing company, the tow truck driver, and the owner of the vehicle that had stalled on the highway prompting the tow truck driver to stop and help. I'm not making this up. By the way, the stalled vehicle became a stalled vehicle because the driver had to swerve to avoid a vehicle that was going to hit him. The driver is being sued because he "was negligent in allowing his vehicle to reach the point where it stalled on the highway, and for failing to move it out of the way of oncoming traffic." Again, I couldn't make this up if I tried.
The tow truck company and its driver are named in the lawsuit because they apparently didn't get the stalled vehicle out of the way of a drunk in a large SUV talking on his cell phone quickly enough. The tow truck company wasn't even called about the incident. The two truck driver noticed the stalled car and was nice enough to stop and offer help. So much for human kindness, huh?
Congratulations to lawyer Keith Kantack for filing this despicable lawsuit. He actually had the nerve to ask, "Were the police contacted?" and "Why weren't flares put out?" Oh, those are some fantastic questions. I get it, the police being on the scene or flares being visible would have stopped a heavily intoxicated person driving while talking on his cell phone from hitting anything in his path. That makes a whole lot of sense Mr. Kantack.
The question was even raised in the article of whether or not the St. Louis Cardinals and Major League Baseball could eventually be named in the lawsuit. Once again, two organizations that had absolutely nothing to do with the accident.
Is it possible that our legal system is the best, and the stupidest, in the world at the same time?
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Personal Responsibility
What in the world is wrong with people? Has a large portion of the human race always been so stupid, or is this a recent phenomenon? Maybe it's always been this way but we're just more aware of it now because of the internet and 24-hour cable news.
That rich snob Paris Hilton gets caught drinking and driving but only receives probation. Ok, I guess I can deal with that because it happens to thousands of people every day. Good people make stupid mistakes and don't need to be locked up in jail the first time they do so. But this arrogant, selfish girl (I won't dare refer to her as a woman) just recently got pulled over again. Oh, and guess what?! Her driver's license is presently SUSPENDED!
Well, if you haven't heard the whole story she got hauled before a judge the other day for violating her parole. Instead of slapping her on the wrist and telling her she's a bad, little rich girl the judge ordered her butt to spend 45 days in jail. I have no idea what the sentencing guidelines were, but she should have at least received the 45 days. So, her mom has the NERVE to go in front of the cameras and microphones and whine about the sentence being too harsh. TOO HARSH? When she receives life in prison next time because she gets behind the wheel of a car and kills an innocent person is that going to be too harsh of a sentence?
Not to be outdone by her mother, Paris decides that she's going to plead with the Governator to pardon her. For a 45 day sentence?! I love Arnold Schwarzenegger's laugh and I hope he uses it right in front of her face. I am about as far from perfect as anyone can be, but people like Paris Hilton and her mother make me ill.
Then there's my new favorite. Just weeks after leading the fight to have Don Imus unfairly fired, Al Sharpton opens his big mouth and gets called out on the carpet. Big Al said not to worry about Mitt Romney, a Mormon, being elected president because those who believe in the real God will defeat him.
Oh, so Don Imus can't make a stupid off-the-cuff comment because it had racially-charged language in it that only black gangsta rappers are apparently allowed to use, but Sharpton can say that those who share Romney's religious beliefs don't believe in the real God. Don't worry Al, those of us who think differently than you politically don't know how to respond like you do to other people's comments. We tend to be pretty good at brushing things off and forgiving people. Our goal in life isn't to sit around all day doing absolutely nothing for society while waiting to be offended by someone.
Which brings me to something I've always wanted to say or write. I've noticed that Sharpton puts the title of reverend before his name. That's interesting. I've seen Sharpton on my television more times than I count over the years and I've never once heard him express his faith in God or Jesus Christ. Not once have I ever seen or heard about him sharing the love of Christ with others. No, the only thing I've ever seen Al Sharpton do is lie, cause trouble, hold marches, verbally attack people, organize boycotts, and more. That's rather troubling that a so-called "man of God" is so focused on the here-and-now and not on eternity.
I thought a reverend or pastor's job was to win souls and grow the Kingdom of God. The only thing Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and their ilk care about is how quickly they can get in front of a camera with the hopes that it will make them as much money as possible. They are despicable and have done nothing but hold their fellow blacks back from advancing themselves all of these years. Thank goodness millions of blacks have ignored them and made the best lives possible for themselves. If only 100% of blacks would tell Sharpton and Jackson to take their message and go to...well, you know.
I could go on for hours about more people, but I'll give it a rest. At least until next time.
That rich snob Paris Hilton gets caught drinking and driving but only receives probation. Ok, I guess I can deal with that because it happens to thousands of people every day. Good people make stupid mistakes and don't need to be locked up in jail the first time they do so. But this arrogant, selfish girl (I won't dare refer to her as a woman) just recently got pulled over again. Oh, and guess what?! Her driver's license is presently SUSPENDED!
Well, if you haven't heard the whole story she got hauled before a judge the other day for violating her parole. Instead of slapping her on the wrist and telling her she's a bad, little rich girl the judge ordered her butt to spend 45 days in jail. I have no idea what the sentencing guidelines were, but she should have at least received the 45 days. So, her mom has the NERVE to go in front of the cameras and microphones and whine about the sentence being too harsh. TOO HARSH? When she receives life in prison next time because she gets behind the wheel of a car and kills an innocent person is that going to be too harsh of a sentence?
Not to be outdone by her mother, Paris decides that she's going to plead with the Governator to pardon her. For a 45 day sentence?! I love Arnold Schwarzenegger's laugh and I hope he uses it right in front of her face. I am about as far from perfect as anyone can be, but people like Paris Hilton and her mother make me ill.
Then there's my new favorite. Just weeks after leading the fight to have Don Imus unfairly fired, Al Sharpton opens his big mouth and gets called out on the carpet. Big Al said not to worry about Mitt Romney, a Mormon, being elected president because those who believe in the real God will defeat him.
Oh, so Don Imus can't make a stupid off-the-cuff comment because it had racially-charged language in it that only black gangsta rappers are apparently allowed to use, but Sharpton can say that those who share Romney's religious beliefs don't believe in the real God. Don't worry Al, those of us who think differently than you politically don't know how to respond like you do to other people's comments. We tend to be pretty good at brushing things off and forgiving people. Our goal in life isn't to sit around all day doing absolutely nothing for society while waiting to be offended by someone.
Which brings me to something I've always wanted to say or write. I've noticed that Sharpton puts the title of reverend before his name. That's interesting. I've seen Sharpton on my television more times than I count over the years and I've never once heard him express his faith in God or Jesus Christ. Not once have I ever seen or heard about him sharing the love of Christ with others. No, the only thing I've ever seen Al Sharpton do is lie, cause trouble, hold marches, verbally attack people, organize boycotts, and more. That's rather troubling that a so-called "man of God" is so focused on the here-and-now and not on eternity.
I thought a reverend or pastor's job was to win souls and grow the Kingdom of God. The only thing Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and their ilk care about is how quickly they can get in front of a camera with the hopes that it will make them as much money as possible. They are despicable and have done nothing but hold their fellow blacks back from advancing themselves all of these years. Thank goodness millions of blacks have ignored them and made the best lives possible for themselves. If only 100% of blacks would tell Sharpton and Jackson to take their message and go to...well, you know.
I could go on for hours about more people, but I'll give it a rest. At least until next time.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Tragedy on Campus
I find myself awake late at night watching the television coverage of the mass murder that took place this morning at Virginia Tech University. I am at an incredible loss for words. How can anyone possibly explain why something so horrible happened? What in the world do we say to the family and friends of the victims?
The timing of this tragedy is so odd because my dad and I just took our concealed weapons course yesterday. One of the most important things to learn is where a permit holder can and cannot carry a gun. Would you believe that the two places a person cannot carry a gun on a college campus in Michigan are a classroom and a dormitory? Yes, those are the two places on the campus of Virginia Tech where everyone was killed today.
Bad people have guns, folks. That means that good people need them too. If bad people lived in fear that more people were armed, we would see fewer tragedies such as the one we witnessed today. That's not to say that bad guys won't continue to harm others, but I guarantee you the number of incidents would drop.
Good, honest, decent citizens need to arm themselves. The 2nd Amendment thankfully gives us the right to arm ourselves against the government, but it also allows us to protect ourselves from fellow citizens. As long as sin and evil controls people, terrible things will happen. It's sad, but true.
We are not promised tomorrow. The murdered Virginia Tech students and staff members had no idea when they woke up this morning that they were taking their last few breaths. We all have two options: protect ourselves or don't. What's your choice?
The timing of this tragedy is so odd because my dad and I just took our concealed weapons course yesterday. One of the most important things to learn is where a permit holder can and cannot carry a gun. Would you believe that the two places a person cannot carry a gun on a college campus in Michigan are a classroom and a dormitory? Yes, those are the two places on the campus of Virginia Tech where everyone was killed today.
Bad people have guns, folks. That means that good people need them too. If bad people lived in fear that more people were armed, we would see fewer tragedies such as the one we witnessed today. That's not to say that bad guys won't continue to harm others, but I guarantee you the number of incidents would drop.
Good, honest, decent citizens need to arm themselves. The 2nd Amendment thankfully gives us the right to arm ourselves against the government, but it also allows us to protect ourselves from fellow citizens. As long as sin and evil controls people, terrible things will happen. It's sad, but true.
We are not promised tomorrow. The murdered Virginia Tech students and staff members had no idea when they woke up this morning that they were taking their last few breaths. We all have two options: protect ourselves or don't. What's your choice?
Thursday, April 5, 2007
The Decline of Metropolitan Detroit
According to new data, the nine counties in southeast Michigan that comprise what we know as Metropolitan Detroit have fallen to 12th in the country in terms of metropolitan population. Places such as Atlanta have soared past the Detroit area. I have been trying to figure out how the discussion went from concern about urban sprawl to pure astonishment at what I will call "metro Detroit flight." I remember only a few years ago reading and listening to people complain about those who had left the city of Detroit and its near surroundings for the suburbs. Now we can't even keep people in the suburbs.
Drive down any street in a Detroit suburb and you will most likely see more than one "For Sale" sign. Maybe it happened gradually but it sure seemed to hit the area like a lightning bolt just in the last couple of years. When examining why this is taking place, one realizes that many industries have been devestated by it.
I cannot think of a bigger reason for Metro Detroit's population decline than the end of the Industrial Revolution. We now live in the Information Age because of the internet and other amazing technology. The area once dominated by the automobile industry appears to be dying a slow death. Very few metropolitan areas in the country have been affected by one industry the way the Detroit area has for 100 years. Michigan will continue to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives every time the census is taken and it's due largely to people leaving southeast Michigan for other states.
Drive up and down I-75 through Oakland County and nothing out of the ordinary will stand out to you. But get off one of the exits and drive through the tech parks and the office complexes. The buildings are empty and weeds are growing through the cement. I've driven through them and I know what I'm talking about. I was astonished. There is a multiple-story office complex along Stephenson Highway that once housed thousands of workers that sits completely empty today. There is not one business located in the enormous buildings anymore.
I spoke with a gentleman just yesterday who once owned a thriving manufacturing business with about 50 employees located along I-75 in Troy. By the time he was out of business, he was the only employee and his building that appraised for $1 million was sold for $500,000. That's real, folks. What happened to him is happening to Detroit area business owners in droves.
The auto industry is struggling mightily and its taking its connected industries down with it. Auto suppliers are either declaring bankruptcy or moving to other states. We don't hear about the automobile and manufacturing sectors creating jobs anymore. Now when we turn on the news it's Google creating jobs in the area. That's the reality of the age we have moved into. The reason this all seemed to happen so fast should not be shocking. All we have to do is look at how quickly computers, cell phones, the internet, MP3 players, DVR's, and the like have changed our lives. We cannot be amazed at what has happened in metro Detroit if we take that into consideration. It was bound to happen just as quickly as those things became popular and easily accessible.
How many realtors do you know that are doing well financially right now? I don't know one. Every realtor that I know is either looking for a new job or have taken on a second job. I live in Waterford Township, which at one time was the largest township in Michigan. When I tried to sell my house last year there were 150 houses in my size and price range for sale just in Waterford. I bought that house in 2001 and when I sold it I received about $2000 more than I paid for it. Go stand in front of a classroom of high school or college students and give them a list of reasons why they should live and work in metropolitan Detroit when they are out of school. Good luck writing that list.
I wish I had an answer for how to change what has taken place. The only thing I can think to do is to not give up on the area and keep spending my money at the restaurants, stores, and other businesses. I sure hope this is just a phase that our area is going through, but it is certainly hard to see it that way.
People have to make the effort to access the wealth of information that is available about how to utilize technology, such as the internet, to make the Detroit area strong again. I am committed to doing my part. I can only hope that thousands of others will also. The days of "In GM We Trust" are over.
Drive down any street in a Detroit suburb and you will most likely see more than one "For Sale" sign. Maybe it happened gradually but it sure seemed to hit the area like a lightning bolt just in the last couple of years. When examining why this is taking place, one realizes that many industries have been devestated by it.
I cannot think of a bigger reason for Metro Detroit's population decline than the end of the Industrial Revolution. We now live in the Information Age because of the internet and other amazing technology. The area once dominated by the automobile industry appears to be dying a slow death. Very few metropolitan areas in the country have been affected by one industry the way the Detroit area has for 100 years. Michigan will continue to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives every time the census is taken and it's due largely to people leaving southeast Michigan for other states.
Drive up and down I-75 through Oakland County and nothing out of the ordinary will stand out to you. But get off one of the exits and drive through the tech parks and the office complexes. The buildings are empty and weeds are growing through the cement. I've driven through them and I know what I'm talking about. I was astonished. There is a multiple-story office complex along Stephenson Highway that once housed thousands of workers that sits completely empty today. There is not one business located in the enormous buildings anymore.
I spoke with a gentleman just yesterday who once owned a thriving manufacturing business with about 50 employees located along I-75 in Troy. By the time he was out of business, he was the only employee and his building that appraised for $1 million was sold for $500,000. That's real, folks. What happened to him is happening to Detroit area business owners in droves.
The auto industry is struggling mightily and its taking its connected industries down with it. Auto suppliers are either declaring bankruptcy or moving to other states. We don't hear about the automobile and manufacturing sectors creating jobs anymore. Now when we turn on the news it's Google creating jobs in the area. That's the reality of the age we have moved into. The reason this all seemed to happen so fast should not be shocking. All we have to do is look at how quickly computers, cell phones, the internet, MP3 players, DVR's, and the like have changed our lives. We cannot be amazed at what has happened in metro Detroit if we take that into consideration. It was bound to happen just as quickly as those things became popular and easily accessible.
How many realtors do you know that are doing well financially right now? I don't know one. Every realtor that I know is either looking for a new job or have taken on a second job. I live in Waterford Township, which at one time was the largest township in Michigan. When I tried to sell my house last year there were 150 houses in my size and price range for sale just in Waterford. I bought that house in 2001 and when I sold it I received about $2000 more than I paid for it. Go stand in front of a classroom of high school or college students and give them a list of reasons why they should live and work in metropolitan Detroit when they are out of school. Good luck writing that list.
I wish I had an answer for how to change what has taken place. The only thing I can think to do is to not give up on the area and keep spending my money at the restaurants, stores, and other businesses. I sure hope this is just a phase that our area is going through, but it is certainly hard to see it that way.
People have to make the effort to access the wealth of information that is available about how to utilize technology, such as the internet, to make the Detroit area strong again. I am committed to doing my part. I can only hope that thousands of others will also. The days of "In GM We Trust" are over.
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