Friday, May 22, 2009

A day and a dollar short

A journey through northern Michigan this week has brought more evidence that the economic recession continues to bring a whole-lotta-no-good to people and communities.

There are more storefronts without supporting businesses. Vacationers, hunters, golfers and general outdoor types keep these moms-and-pops going for the population that actually live in these areas during fall, winter and spring. Those traditional big spenders, however, have already seen their wages, salaries, pensions, jobs and own small businesses shrink.

The manufacturing crowd from southeast Michigan no longer can carry their dollars to their brethren in the other corner of the state -- they just don't have them. It's trickle down economics in reverse.

Even the golf courses have resorted to couponing, joining restaurants, car washes, dry cleaners, and other consumer chasers to grab customers and market share. I wonder if Consumers Power, DTE Energy and AT&T will offer such a utilitarian break to their captive audiences?

Here's hoping the "Pure Michigan" advertising campaign to bring more tourists here will hit the mother lode. We have to have a green state, both environmentally and economically. But until the manufacturing base can be reinvigorated or replaced with some other hard industry, the whole-lotta-no-good is destined to become more-whole-lotta-no-good.

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