Why does Michigan have the nation's highest unemployment, by far?

Question

Highest unemployment by state for August, 2007:

Michigan, 7.2%
Alaska, 6.3%
Mississippi, 5.9%
Ohio, 5.7%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://www.bls.gov/web/lauhsthl.htm

Michigan's unemployment rate for August is 7.2%, which is 22% higher than Mississippi, and 14% higher than number 2 Alaska.

Answer 1

Unions have a stranglehold on jobs. They are forcing manufacturers out of business. Just look at the auto industry. At one time GM had 800,000 employees. They are down to 73,000 in the US.

Answer 2

I grew up in a very small town and High School was were all the activity was except for getting drunk and making out. I even did some of that at school. LOL It's hard to believe I survived High School and I was an "A" Student. School is were Girls were and were I played Football so I had a blast. It didn't hurt that by the time I started High school my Dad had quit drinking (He was one of the worst alcoholics I have ever seen) . Mom was still a pain but Dad and I became best friends, So I guess my view of my High school years is a little biased. The School Dances were big events in a small town that had one movie theater with just one screen, no fast food restaurants and no malls. We didn't get Rock Concerts coming within 150 miles so I didn't see my first Live Concert until I went away to college unless you count local bands playing at the Dances.

Answer 3

It's the dependency on the auto industry. I know Northern Michigan is mostly tourist based and that hasn't been going well either because no one can afford to come as much anymore and the budget up here is pretty ridiculous. It's only going to get worse now that our good for nothing Governor raised taxes so we can pay more for things that we can't afford to pay in the first place. I grew up here so I'll always love it, but these days I'm ready to move on if it doesn't get better.

Answer 4

Well, I worked in tech/manufacturing in detroit, and thats been sliding for years. So has the auto industry, and the trades. Too many slumping businesses combined with a ressesive economy and higher manufacturing and distribution costs have taken the profits away in a lot of areas. We have a lot of unused potential here, and I would love to be a part of that machine again, but at the moment, all these things are barely alive.

Answer 5

The reason is really quite simple. THE PRESS!! I think we would find the unemployment rate in Michigan would drop drastically if the Press would stop printing all those articles about the fact there isn't any work in Michigan. They should write about all the job possibilities and the potential to find employment. This would stop all the immigrants from going to Michigan knowing there is no work and being eligable for welfare and social assistance.

Answer 6

This would be because of the problems in the auto sector. Same goes for Ohio, a lot of steel and Tier 2 and Tier 3 automotive there.

Some people think they're Mohammad, they expect a mountain of jobs to come to them, I guess.

Answer 7

Auto industry going to hell. A person making 7.00 an hour can't afford a car built by people making 30.00 an hour. Starting to catch up with them.

Answer 8

The industries that built their employment base have moved all of their operations overseas.....in a word, "globalization" has created their unenployment situation.

Answer 9

it's been that way since 9/11, when GM and other automobile companies were hard hit by the subsequent stock market fluctuation.

Grandholm was elected in 2003, two years later.

Answer 10

they were too dependent on the auto industry