GM failing was no surprise, but it was a major break in the heart and soul of Michiganders. I have only lived in Michigan for 13 years, but the ambiance of the great automaker state embraced me years ago.

That ambiance has left and the people in Michigan are losing hard! Not only are over 12% of us unemployed, but the crime rate is staggering and house values….yeah right. Even if they wanted to, the middle class couldn’t move out of this state right now without taking a huge loss.

It’s not just the closing of iconic plants like Flint Powertrain North, but it’s also the closing of numerous dealerships and parts suppliers around the state. Unless you live here, you could not image the chaos of losing so many jobs so quickly.

This loss has helped Michiganders band together and help others, as we are all the same boat. Community support for our local Garber Buick Dealership is a great example of this. Garber Buick has been serving the people of Saginaw for 102 years starting in 1907 and received the dreaded letter from GM that in October of 2010 they will have to close the doors. The dealership has set up a website (Garber Buick) as a message to their customers and to rally support appealing to GM about the closing.

Dick Garber states: “Garber Buick is one of the top performing dealerships in America. We’re off the charts in sales, service and facilities.”

Michigan has lost its identity, stability and jobs, but we’re sticking it out, making the best of it. Many of us have planted gardens for the first time this year…helping with the money at the end of the summer when the cost of the kids going back to school always hits. There are garage sales on almost every corner, every weekend…people just trying to make an extra buck to get by.

I read an article this morning in which some morons (President Obama’s Advisers) said:

“The economy is gaining momentum and the Democrat-passed stimulus package is only just beginning to pay dividends to the American workforce”

Just beginning to pay…HMMM

• National Unemployment rate is 9.4% – Michigan 12.7%
• Obama’s advisers say it’s the smallest job loss since September of last year – Did they think maybe most of the people have already lost their jobs or their unemployment has already run out which means they are not counted?
• Joe Biden says the stimulus is funding 3,600 projects and that $11 billion has been spent to date on highway construction. – What jobs did that created? It just brought back the laid off highway workers which is good for them.

What about the people that have 20 to 30 years into these plants across America that are closing down? The Federal Government has “plans” in place to retrain these workers. Well, if I worked at a plant for even 15 years, I would not want to retrain into a new job I knew nothing about for lower wages and shitty benefits.

• The three car companies that employed a half-million Michigan residents three decades ago employs just 112,000 in 2009. In 2010 when more plants, suppliers and dealerships close due to the bankruptcy this number will drop significantly. 
• Michigan in 2000 had 105% of the national average per capita income, it’s now at 89 percent.
• Michigan also trails its neighbors, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin in personal income growth this decade.         Michigan – 14.7 percent, Neighbor’s average – 25 percent.

Although Michigan is losing a sense of history, we still have the Red Wings and the appreciation of a sunny 80 degree summer day.

One more thing:

President Obama told America that taking over GM was the only way to save what’s left of the economy and that we, the taxpayers, will own 60% stock in the automaker.

Well, Mr. Obama I don’t feel comfortable owning 60% stock in a failing company…so can I cash out now? Just send it direct deposit…we don’t accept checks.