One down

So the president is gone. One down. But now to get rid of the Board of Regents and clean house for good. Of course, this is assuming that we choose our new board and not depend on political appointees.

Idealism and the First Step to a Sustainable Healthy Economy

You know, I have been looking at the past few posts, and it is so sad that they seem so down, so negative, but it is the true state of affairs in Michigan and at my school. I believe in truths, and of course, truth is elusive - maybe even more so these days. I realize also that truth is seen through a variety of different lenses, and that agendas can blind, or truncate the truth. I try to see it objectively, for the good of all, but I am hardly infallible, just wary.

I guess what drives me foremost is my idealism. Many people think that idealism is a bad thing. I don't. It is striving for perfection, always changing to make the world a better place. I look around me and can't honestly think that the world is in its ideal formation. Too much going wrong, too much corruption, to much greed, too little honesty, too little compassion. Not that any of that is easily fixed, because of the point of view of the "fixer." But once again, objective idealism and the addition of putting yourself into someone elses shoes. How would you react, act if it were you?

When I look at Michigan I see a state that is populated by many of the working class who have lived a lucky, lucky life during the past 50 or so years mostly working in union jobs, especially in the auto industry. The workers have elevated far beyond many professions, making 6 figure salaries on a high school degree. Those days are over.

The unions have to figure this one out. We are in a global economy now, and for better or worse, and I am no fan of the way we are running the economy, we need to refigure how the unions will run. Getting rid of them is obviously wrong. The lack of balance between worker and CEO is so off kilter that we need voices to try and maintain equilibrium. But right now the unions are not in good shape.

At the top of the heap is getting good health care in this nation. So the first thing I would aim at for helping Michigan get back on its feet is to offer general health care - beginning with a general proactive exam for everyone each year. We can aim for a more sustainable health care as well, relying more on eating healthy, exercise, and being aware of one's body, rather than giving the doctors and pharmaceutical companies abeyance over our own bodies. It is also healthy because you would give some of the power back to the people, and an empowered populace is one that will help bring about the changes that this state sorely needs. We cannot depend on the elected or appointed to solve the ills.

We need to have people reconnect with their bodies, listen to them, rather than live out of our bodies and take only pills to "make it right." That is not honesty, but fooling ourselves. It would require reeducating the populace, but let it begin here. We have so much work to become sustainable at any level in America. Why not start? Why not lead the way Michigan?

If we provided just this basic level, it would warn many people of the problems they have been putting off, not addressing, or could not afford to find out about. It would be a step in the right direction, and provide some of the leadership that is sorely lacking in America. It would be I cannot help but to think that offering any level of health care to the general populace would not help draw new businesses and opportunities into the state.

Another Victim of the Economy

I have attended Continuity Yoga in Ypsilanti since it opened. I was so happy to have a yoga studio only a bicycle ride away. I went today and was told they are closing down. The economy. "It is a choice people are making, gas for the car or yoga," said Julie the owner. Too bad, she is a good yoga instructor.

Well, it isn't like it is a surprise. I don't know why this has all gone the way it has. I wanted to write a sustainable blog. Get my school to think and act sustainably, be healthy, exercise, eat right. (Latest projections from HMOs is that the Midwest will have the highest premium increases in the nation this coming year, 18.4% [Detroit Free Press July 2]). We are a long way from even thinking about such things, as you may have noticed from the past half dozen entries. Michigan, my school, the economy are all horribly disfigured.

I went to school the other day on my bike and counted the number of houses for sale. There was an average of 4 houses on every block. But these days, people have had their homes on the market so long (with no lookers) that they know they will lose money on their homes so what you hear is,'"as soon as we can we are getting the .... out of Michigan." I know already there are homes vacant in the suburbs, not just Detroit. At school we get emails telling to do whatever we can to get enrollments up. They are down, down, down. I see it in my classes, which are down about 25%. Even if people are still living here they just don't have any money.



Guess that will teach them to live unsustainably.


Oh, I know it isn't directly the fault of the people, but instead the corruption and lack of fore site that exists in this state. Can you believe that the Big 3 (not so big anymore) are still fighting increasing the fuel efficiency? When exactly is it going to hit them? What could possibly be going on in their minds? Everyone else has figured it out:

The large number of ailing firms in Michigan means better bargains than in many other states...Michigan companies are selling at more than a 40% discount from the national average. (Detroit Free Press, July 1, 2007)

If left unaddressed, this projected shortfall for 2008 will profoundly change Michigan as a place to live and work. Class sizes will increase. Schools will close. Library services will be curtailed. College educations will become more expensive. The environment will degrade as cleanups are postponed or canceled. Roads will go unrepaired. Health care for the uninsured will be curtailed at the very moment that our citizens are losing health care coverage at work. The list of impacts is long and growing longer.(Muskegon Chronicle [Michigan]July 1, 2007)

Empty bleacher seats, lots of parking and flat sales at local businesses have people wondering why the turnout at this year's Buick Open was lower than usual, despite nearly perfect weather. There's the obvious reason: New father Tiger Woods and injured Vijay Singh skipped the tournament. But others blame the sluggish local economy.(Flint Journal, July 3, 2007)

Housing Crisis Knocks Loudly in Michigan;
Foreclosures Hit Record Numbers as Region Continues to Lose Jobs (Headline Washington Post, March 31, 2007)

Even those who are "trying" to make it better are going in what I think is the wrong direction, just like the lemmings so many people are.....Michigan is growing more corn this year, and has built all these ethanol plants (I think we are up to 5) when corn is NOT the right crop for increased fuel efficiency (at least not now--much work needs to be done to increase efficiency). But somehow, people just aren't getting it. Miscanthus is better, and several other alternatives can be tried, and are more efficient than corn. I guess it is just that the farmers know corn, and are tired of being beat up. Corn prices are high right now, so it looks good to them. Of course, the consumer is going to have to pay more now for all foods because of the lopsided crops this year.

Gasoline prices over $3 a gallon have grabbed consumers' attention, but dairy products and other corn-dependent foods are expected to rise at an even faster rate.
This is happening because of an explosion in the production of ethanol, a gasoline additive touted by the president, automakers and farmers as a way to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.
Up to 20% of the nation's corn crop -- 18% in Michigan -- is now being channeled to ethanol production. That increased demand means the price of corn used to feed cattle and pigs and to make cereals and sweeteners is going up -- 61% between September and May.(Detroit Free Press, June 24, 2007)

What is weird about the state of the economy here is that while the West and Southeast is drying up (driest year in Ca on record this year) we are surrounded by water. We have the resource that everyone else is missing, and one that people can't live without. But we can't ship it from here (no, no, no) and we can't capitalize on it (even boat sales are down this year. We are now number 3, when we have traditionally been number 1). We haven't even protected it, whereas the other states and Ontario have protected against large scale diversions.

But we have so many fish to fry. Our geography is wrong. As a peninsula we prospered when water was the main means of transport, but now, it is trucking and we are out of the main flow of national traffic because of our peninsula status. The reason we grew before was first our forest, and then the genius of Ford, but now. Now we are sorely missing the type of chutzpah necessary to make a brave move into a new bright future. Guess that will have to be the next blog.

Meanwhile, I guess I will do my yoga at home. And pray for better days for the beleaguered citizens of the mitten state.