Odds are that it will declare bankruptcy too at the end of this month. Our leaders, or those who we elected to be our leaders, are scrambling to find ways to keep these corporations alive, one way or another. And they will survive, even after bankruptcy.
They will survive, yes. But we know that even in the best case, more jobs will be lost permanently. We know more plants will be closed. We are now trying to limit our losses.
And that’s a good and necessary thing.
But it is anything but a sufficient thing. We need a vision of Michigan’s future that involves more than managing decline, and fighting over the last few crusts of bread. I don‘t often quote The Bible, but there is a proverb that is apropos: Where there is no vision, the people perish. We are lacking vision in this state, and that may be more frightening than the slow dying of our old-fashioned, muscle-based auto building economy.
Like all good liberals, my favorite movie is, of course, Rambo II. If my memory serves me correctly, at the end of the movie, Rambo, a disaffected, muscle-bound Vietnam vet played by Sylvester Stallone, realizes that his government has lied to him.
So, he shoots up a secret military headquarters. Then, eyes downcast, he drops his weapon and staggers out. His controller, Richard Crenna calls after him. “John, how will you live.”
Rambo answers sullenly, “day by day.“
That is sort of the way we’re living now in Michigan. As William Butler Yeats might have put it, “the best lack all conviction, while the worst are filled with passionate intensity.“
Well, we need a vision. Make that, lots of visions. Michigan still has too much of the “generous motors” mentality. People finally are realizing that the auto companies are never again going to be what they were. A kid isn’t going to be able to graduate from high school, get a job on the line, and make $60,000 a year.
But too many of us we are waiting for the next Henry Ford to arrive and open a chain of widget factories and put us to work making widgets. Or I-pods or kindles. Isn’t going to happen. What we need to do is not wait for Henry Ford, but be Henry Ford.
Make it happen. Be entrepreneurial. Figure out what we are good at and the world needs and will pay for, and then go for it.
“We are surrounded, outnumbered, the men are starving and we are low on ammunition,“ Napoleon once said.
“So I had no choice except to attack.” Well, Michigan is surrounded these days. We are outnumbered, our key industry is essentially bankrupt, and we are broke.
So, it’s Monday afternoon and let’s go out and attack, and invent the damn future. The ride may be bumpy, but it sure beats waiting to die.
Jack,
Many of us are already attacking..When are you going to start??
Folks like you and others in your industry tolerated incompetent auto CEO's, impotent political leaders, shallow religious leaders, phony non-profit windbags, and empty professors and backward educators..
Accept your own shorcomings and get out of the way so folks like me can change the reality of this region...
Make a difference..I do..
Posted by: Thrasher | May 04, 2009 at 02:38 PM
I think you are absolutely right, its just too bad that it's taken this long for this realization to come about. If Michiganders had taken this approach when the auto industry first began to decline instead of clinging to it so desperately we might not be in such a situation now.
To "Thrasher", why on earth would you criticize him for encouraging the people of Michigan to follow the same example that you claim to be upholding?
Posted by: Mila Diallo | May 04, 2009 at 04:39 PM
Mila,
Why on earth are you letting him off the hook for his cupability???
Unlike you I do not respect people like Jack who always want to lite a fire on others and not themselves especially folks like him in the media who were dormant and dead for decades while our state was in its decline..
Sorry but I am not one of Jack's cheerleaders..I have no problem being crtical of Jack, he needs to take his own advice instead of lecturing to others...
Posted by: Thrasher | May 04, 2009 at 05:24 PM
Thrasher,
Sorry to clue you but sitting in your basement pumping out bilge on to the internet or anywhere else doesn't make any difference. If you think it does this just shows the problem. By the way how many paychecks do you sign a week? (I do 15).
As for Jack, although I almost always diagree with him if I had to choose between the two of you who to 8 hours on a road trip with.....
Posted by: Matt | May 05, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Matt,
Who appointed you Jack's savior in here..lol,lol,lol. What makes you think your comments matter in here...lol,lol,lol
I signed more than 15 paychecks in a day.. You have aways to catch up..
I could care less about riding anywhere with you for 5 minutes let alone 8 hours.. Your posts drip in boredom and intellectual nothingness..
BTW I have a lap top and a great cell phone..I only watch TV on my massive big screen in my basement..lol,lol,lol
Posted by: Thrasher | May 05, 2009 at 03:45 PM
Matt:
You must understand Trasher for what he is.He is a boy with no visible means of support. No education, no career and absolutely no expertise in anything commercial. No trade other than spewing vitriol. A hardcore racist who adds nothing to the public debate. He's a black David Duke-Trasher the Grand Wizard of the of the local chapter of the Monica Conyers Advanced School of Race Baiting.
No question Matt-you would never sign a paycheck for Trasher. He has no discernable skills. He has no resume-he's unemployable and he's just plain pissed at the world. But deep inside he knows he can't compete-he's just a talker not a doer.
Posted by: Augustas Woodward | May 05, 2009 at 08:19 PM
Augustas,
What drives your hate and contempt for me?? Is it becuase I have an opinon or my reasoning is authentic? I reviewed your hate filled posts at me 98% of your posts on this site revolves around ME..
What drives your anger and venom? I know who you are now by the way you spell my name...
I know you, please do not stalk me or harm me the next time we are in the same room..
Your obession is becoming dangerous.
Posted by: Thrasher | May 06, 2009 at 03:01 PM