By GARY BAUMGARTEN
Paltalk News Network
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - Michigan's Attorney General Mike Cox kicked off his campaign for the Republican nomination for governor at a rally at Lawrence Technological University in this Detroit suburb predictably lamenting the loss of jobs here. But he also focused on the exodus of Michigan's young people to other states.
Ironically, Cox said, many of the children are moving to the very states their grandparents and great-grandparents left for Michigan to realize the American dream. A dream lost, he argued, because of over-regulation in the Great Lakes State.
It caused me to reflect to my own niece's recent graduation from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids. I've never attended a more depressing commencement. The keynote speaker - a former member of the college's board - lectured the graduates about how they are overqualified now for any job the state may offer. And how they likely will have to leave Michigan to find employment.
My niece, armed with a degree in psychology, followed that advice after failing to find a job here and is now working as a counselor in Connecticut.
Cox mentioned President Obama almost as often as he did retiring Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm as he promised to "cut spending, cut taxes and cut regulation" if he's elected.
The economic climate changed, not just in Michigan, across the country way before Jennifer Granholm and President Obama came into office.
Politicians need to stop wasting so much time bashing each other and start focusing on solutions! We are all in a position to recreate our destiny.
Last year at this time, I met with a friend over a good cup of coffee and a lot of tears. She had just lost her job of 17 years. As for me, I was working part time for a company that had recently merged. That merger did not include the employees. Additionally, I was working part time with a friend, who recently merged as well. We started helping others and we started focusing on what we were truly good at, including businesses that we had previously started, but didn't have enough time to work on because of our day jobs.
Both of us are now "working" for our own companies, getting creative in how we market and building momentum. Today we are BOTH living our dream life. It's up to us to create our own path. It's not perfect here in Michigan, is it anywhere?