More evidence Michigan's hurting.

[knitter4democracy]

What a tough week. My children's elementary had Secret Santa on Wednesday, the day parents send in a list of presents they want the kids to get for others in the family and some money and the kids get to go through a room, picking out presents for those on their list. It's really cute, and it helps kids learn about budgeting and how expensive Christmas is. The gifts are small and cheap, but the kids love it.

I volunteer every Wednesday, so I was hanging around waiting for the attendance sheets to be ready and overheard some older kids talking about Secret Santa. One boy looked down and said that he couldn't do it this year. When his friends asked why, he said that his parents had already said no presents for the parents this year and didn't have the money for Secret Santa. Another boy piped up and said he had five dollars to stretch and hoped he could get something nice for his mom.

Wednesday night, our knitting guild had our Christmas party and ended up having 167 hats and scarves to donate. Most of them went to one of the homeless shelters in the area whose Mrs. Claus had come to visit and take home all the scarves and whatever else we could give for their Christmas party. Another batch of hats went to another area shelter for battered women and their kids, and 35 hats went to my daughter's Brownie troop that's doing a hat and mitten drive for their school.

When I asked the principal what the girls could do to help out their school community, she said that hats and mittens were needed most. According to Michigan law, once it gets too cold, the school can't let a child play outside at recess without a hat and a pair of mittens. What with kids losing theirs and so many families hurting so badly right now and unable to afford pair after pair of mittens, she said that any help there would be appreciated. We've got over 50 hats and 15 pairs of mittens/gloves so far, and we're hoping it'll be enough for the school to get through until Christmas, maybe even the winter.

My mom saw a house for sale in Kalamazoo that even came with a brand-new car. Moving sales are in the weekly paper here every week, many saying that everything has to go at whatever price. Several families have moved out of the elementary school just this year.

I've never seen it this bad, and I remember the 70s as a kid. Michigan's really hurting, and now it's cold.

[LisaM]

1. Bush let a great city (New Orleans) fail, and now he's letting a great state fail

I am from Michigan and I simply cannot seem to explain to outsiders how beautiful a state it is.

[knitter4democracy]

10. I feel the same way.

We're drowning in our own way. It's so hard to see.

[Fading Captain]

46. That's really cute and all

But it ain't just George Bush.
It's the pro-Free Trade, capitalism is King religion that counts many key Democrats as followers, as well.

I am waiting anxiously to see where Barack Obama will land on these issues tearing up my state.

If he's just gonna "feel our pain" as tell us the "jobs are never coming back," then Michigan is in for bad, bad times.

[livetohike]

2. When the steel industry went down hill in the early 80's, there

was so much pain in Pgh. and the adjacent states.....this is all sadly familiar. A :toast: to you and your guild for helping others.

[Windy]

3. I work in downtown detroit. My commute used to take over 1 hour because of traffic

I can now get to work in about 40 minutes... essentially, there is NO traffic going to work in the morning anymore. Stores in my area are closing, I have two foreclosures on my street... my friend's husband lost his job as a cad cam operator with a second tier auto industry supplier a year ago. He still can't find a job. Two other friends were made to take the buy out at Ford. Another lost his job at a supplier and is now running a campground in the UP. He was lucky. My husband and his brothers own an electrical contracting business. Things are not going well. He's had to lay off many workers. If the auto industry goes under, you can write off Michigan. It will be empty. Our infrastructure is already crumbling, our school/university funding has been cut. What has happened here will start to happen everywhere if the manufacturing base of this country goes defunct.

[MichiganVote]

5. Agree completely.

[knitter4democracy]

11. That's exactly right. If the Big Three die, we die.

And yet, so many here don't seem to care at all.

[Fire1]

18. So many where? On DU or Michigan.

[knitter4democracy]

24. DU. I've seen many posts saying we should let the Big 3 die.

They have decent points, but they completely forget how many jobs are dependent on the Big Three.

[Pithlet]

53. I know. That really has come as a shock to me.

I've never been as disappointed in DU in all the years I've been here. I would have expected a handful. But not the extent that I've seen, because I've always seen DU as more educated than average on the issues. It really amazes me. I've really dialed back my time on this site because of it, because it's just so frustrating to see. It's not so much the disdain for the Big 3 because that's completely understandable, but the total, callous disregard for the workers, and the complete ignorance of what it will do to our economy. That I just do not get.

[MichiganVote]

21. We've been trying to tell people for the last 8 years this state is sinking

and it WILL affect the other states. People on DU just seem to want to focus on the auto workers salaries and a frickin' electric car. Families are broke, kids will have no food or christmas and health care is hanging by a thread.

But goddamn we sure can waste time and words arguing about car models. Hopeless.

[Fire1]

22. Gotcha. You're right, factories are closing all through the mid-west.

[MadMaddie]

40. Has your brother thought about Obama's plan

concerning rebuilding the infrastructure of this country? I think many shops like your brothers will probably have to look at opportunities like this. Much of the Electrical Grid across the country is 50 years old or older, much of it will have to be replaced.

Each state is going to have to start looking at their own infrastructure and the country as a whole concerning infrastructure.

Random Thoughts....

I think the Repugs and others that thin that losing the big 3 will have no impact are mistaken. The country is in serious trouble but there are people that still don't get it...sigh...

[MichiganVote]

4. Ain't seen nothing yet. If the auto industry fails might as well turn off the lights.

[TahitiNut]

6. They'll have to erect barricades around Bloomfield Hills.

Eat the rich.

:grr:

[knitter4democracy]

12. I could see that happening.

Maybe that's what the troops coming home for domestic protection will be doing.

[TripleKatPad]

7. Good on you, Knitter

I'm a Michigoose, too. It is heart-wrenching to learn everyday of more and more friends losing their jobs here. The fear of any or all of Big 3 tanking is palpable. I fear it would destroy Michigan. It confounds me that people don't understand that the devastation would not be confined to our fair State.

More on your point, my company has adopted two families for the holidays. We're going all out to give these folks and their children a memorable holiday. Yesterday, when I was in a meeting, I was standing next to the open door of the meeting room. I heard this soft clickety-clack noise behind me. I turned just in time to see one of my co-workers walking a brand-new child's bicycle down the hall to store in our "families" room. Made my day.

[Windy]

9. I live in Washington Township. They put in a new Salvation Army Center in Shelby Township

Its about 3 miles from my house. It is PACKED daily... parking lot is full. Right next door to the Salvation Army is a Dollar Castle... It too is FULL all the time. For those who don't know, Shelby Township is (was) a very affluent area. Many MANY foreclosures! We are going to hit third world status here in Michigan if things don't improve. And that is not an exaggeration.

[knitter4democracy]

14. It's not an exaggeration at all.

My mom's Salvation Army in Plainwell put up signs saying they'd run out of winter clothes. They're in an old big box store space, and they ran out of winter clothes.

[sarcasmo]

39. Hey, my BIL lives off of 26 mile in Shelby Twp. We may be neighbors soon.

If the wife has to take a Disability pension.

[Windy]

41. I live at 26 and Van Dyke. While we would love to have another good dem out here,

I hope everything works out for you and your wife.

[knitter4democracy]

13. In our small parish, six families lost jobs last year.

Our women's group is trying to help out as best we can, but they're not doing too well. This in a church of about 30 families. That's just this last year alone. This Christmas is going to be wretched for many, many, many families.

[Bozita]

8. Pick up a Detroit Free Press this coming Sunday and you'll find this...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x245430

[knitter4democracy]

15. Crap.

Detroit's dying, the rural areas are dying, and even the smaller cities are hurting like never before. I know some here blame Granholm for it, but I just don't see how she could've done anything to prevent the massive job losses.

[blue_onyx]

17. There's nothing Granholm could have done

She's done a great job keeping us afloat. It seems we are usually rated near the top of list when it comes to a well run state. So, at least she's keep the day to day operations going well. She was handed a collapsing auto industry and a presidential administration that couldn't care less about manufacturing, so we knew it wasn't going to be a good few years (we just didn't know bad). I do believe a lot of the work she has put into diversifying our economy will pay off down the line.

[Fire1]

20. What I don't get is that investors are buying up foreclosures

for pennies on the dollar and consequently lowering the property values in good neighborhoods. People can't afford to RENT anymore and my realtor predicts the current market trend will out live him. Families are living under freeway overpasses. He's been in real estate 45 years and has NEVER seen it like this.

[blue_onyx]

16. I use to love the Secret Santa thing

I was cleaning out my grandma's condo not long ago and she still had a lot of the little nic-nacs I got her. It's sad kids can't even afford inexpensive gifts like these.

There's a lot of empty stores around the main shopping area near me. Looks like the Value City, which was suppose to stay open, is probably going to close. I saw a guy on the street corner with a 40-50% off everything sign which usually means the store is going out of business. The Circuit City near me was also suppose to stay open but I think it will close after the holidays. When I was there, I noticed some shelves were empty and others the were a little sparse. Not many people there either while the Best Buy down the street was very busy.

There's not as many houses for sale in my area as the has been in past year or so. There was one foreclosure 2 doors down from me and the house went for 37,000 (houses in the area use to got for 150,000-170,000). We are currently trying to sell my grandma's condo and it's been about a year now. It's a nice detached condo that would've gone for 175,000 a year or two ago and we'll be lucky to get 130,000.

It's very sad. I've been looking for a job for longer than I would like to mention. I believe there is a lot of potential in this state. It will unfortunately just take more time.

[Bozita]

19. We have a lot of empty homes around here that are only detectable on garbage day.

The lawns get mowed. A few still have window appointments. No signs on the lawn.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

23. What a great job you and

your friends have done for the community !!
This time of year we see the barrels at the grocery store for people to donate to a food pantry or other organization. I can't recall seeing one at the store I go to (been a little distracted lately), but I am going to suggest to the mgr that they put one out permanently.

Just to add, my mom taught me to knit in Jr Hi. I made a sweater vest which turned out ok.
She knitted me a whole "sweater dress" in HS. A dusty burnt orange with flecks of red and green. Had a knitted "hem" about an inch above the knee and push up sleeves.
I was not considered cool in my HS, but nobody had a cooler dress.

[knitter4democracy]

25. And knitting's made a comeback, too.

You should see the new yarns out now. :)

It's so bad here right now, and I'm hoping it helps us bond together closer rather than fall apart at the seams.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

30. This reminded me

when I started JHS in the fall of 1960 we had the Fruit Juice Dance.
It was an all school dance and the price of admission was a large can of juice to be donated to charity.

[firedupdem]

26. We just moved from chesterfield, michigan here to nebraska...

lost my beautiful home...I miss my friends in michigan...I miss everything about it....it's just sad. We've been hurting about two years and shit is really about to hit the fan.

[knitter4democracy]

27. Nebraska's really pretty, too, though.

Drove through it once for the National Cluck-Off in Wayne (my mom placed fourth that year), and I thought it was really pretty. Not enough lakes or water in general but still pretty.

I've tried living elsewhere, and I just can't. I'm a Michigander down to the bone. I feel better here. I'm just hoping I can make it through this divorce, get through grad school, and still be able to find a job.

[firedupdem]

28. I am a michigander too! No water here! No boating!! All this

farm stuff!! I'm a city girl!!! I was actually born and raised in chicago...moved to michigan in 88 when I got married. I can't handle here. I'm just trying to get my son through high school...re group financially and hopefully come back home. I miss mexican town, partridge creek mall, the palace, peking house restaurant in royal oak, and even the channel 7 news! Thank God for the internets!

[knitter4democracy]

34. I'm a farm kid, so NE looked nice to me.

Not enough water, though. I need water to be sane. And cloudy days. Honest! I really need cloudy days to re-group and feel better.

[firedupdem]

36. me too! I moved here in July and it was sunny and hot everyday..

the first day it rained it was overcast and rainy made me a happy girl.

[Fire1]

29. God, I hate hearing that. I thought I could retire but I guess I'm

going back to work (if there IS any.) It was really cold today but the sun came out a little while. Are any of your relatives still here? I hope you can come back home someday, real soon. If I have to move, I'll be heading to Ky. At least there's no mortgage there. God bless and keep the faith.

[firedupdem]

32. Thanks...yes, I was just there for thanksgiving. We still have family

there. I'm happy my husband is working and my kids are fine but boy trying to adjust here no knowing a soul has been crazy! I have meet some nice people but I cannot wait to hopefully go back home and start over. Michigan is home for me!

[BeatleBoot]

31. I am amazed at all of the "Auto Industry Experts" on DU lately

They never worked in the industry.

They think their livelihood isn't at all tied to the auto industry.

And, man, are they ready to pass judgment on us.

If one of the Big 3 go under, you will see impacts to every industry, from Silicon Valley to cattle ranchers (leather) effected by it.

Within 60 days, 3 million out of work, if GM goes under.

But the "Auto Experts" on here keep pontificating - because they know more than we do.

[knitter4democracy]

33. Drives me nuts, too.

My brother used to work at Ford. He was in research and development. Now he owns his own factory making racing-level dirtbikes for kids. Top of the line stuff made right here in Michigan and tearing up the tracks all over the world. This stuff is very personal to me.

[Fire1]

35. yeah, really interesting isn't it ?

[Pithlet]

54. It's frustrating.

All these experts who think it's okay to let them fail because American cars are crap so they deserve it, and think this won't affect them will sadly find out the hard way. We all will.

[FedUpWithIt All]

37. My children's school PTA gives every child $1.00 to spend.

It is a nice gesture as it can buy a little trinket and prevents the kids who have little from feeling left out. Last year i worked the Santa Shop and noticed that the kids often spend that extra dollar on gifts even though the PTA tells them that they are allowed to use it to buy something for themselves.

Thank you for the hat donation. I am sure it makes a difference. I just taught my 9 yr old to knit on one of those nifty knitter looms and she whipped out a hat in about 30 minutes. I have heard that the hospitals near us need hat donations for the kids so we will be making some for them.



:hi:

[knitter4democracy]

48. I like that idea. I'm going to tell the PTA pres. about it.

I was thinking we should do something about pictures, too. Maybe find a way to help out with that?

[FedUpWithIt All]

52. In our school the PTA purchases the items in bulk for sale at the store.

So the printed dollar credit they distribute to each child does not end up costing the PTA very much.

[sarcasmo]

38. Wait until the close the Stamping plant in Wyoming Michigan this summer.

1400 more jobs, In my 40 years I have never seen it this bad, I can' imagine what the Depression must have been like.

[Windy]

42. it is frightening. Its going to get much worse too... even if they get the money

they are talking about canceling brands/models. At least in the short run, that will more more job loss. I hope there is a provision to make them build in the US if they get the money and not open plants overseas...

[sarcasmo]

44. What happens to the warranty when they file Bankruptcy? No warranty?

[knitter4democracy]

49. I know. Wyoming needs those jobs.

They're already hurting.

[Triana]

43. Michigan has been sad for a while now - and this depression will just make it SO much worse....

...I'm from there. My Dad still lives there. I went back several years ago for a visit. It had become - even then, quite a solemn place due to the economy there - namely the damned auto companies sending jobs out of the country - and now, it's even worse.

[Waiting For Everyman]

45. This Marylander gets it and wants aid and jobs for MI - and all who are hurting.

Now!

Even though it isn't AS bad here, it's bad enough, and I can only imagine what our former manufacturing areas are going through. This economic crisis didn't start a few months ago for lots of people, who are several YEARS into struggling to hang on by now. Some of us out here do care, and hope for quick effective action to restore these jobs and industries A.S.A.P.

It's so sad to put so many of our people through this much loss, for no reason, when some intelligent action (voted down repeatedly this whole year) could've turned it around at least a year ago. It's the way to turn ALL of this crisis around too... stop the damage to Main Street first. Only Sheila Bair seems to comprehend that. I hope the lame duck Congress listens to her without further foot-dragging on what inevitably will have to be done anyway.

I'm four-square FOR helping the car industry to revive, and FOR unions, and FOR tariffs. Now more than ever.

:hug:

[knitter4democracy]

50. Thank you.

During the Republican debate here in the primaries, they all said that Michigan was in a one-state recession. It was bull***. We just led the country in the depression, but we're not alone--Ohio's hurting, the Gulf Coast is still a mess, and it's bad most places now.

[windoe]

47. One mitten tied to the other through both sleeves worked for us-

my mother knitted a rope connecting them together. When we put on our coats, we put on our mittens. (Mom came up through Depression days).

[knitter4democracy]

51. Some schools prohibit those, though.

Kids take them out and then use them to hurt each other. :eyes: My daughter's former school banned scarves for that reason, too.

I like the mitten clips, but my son always takes his off and messes around using them for other stuff and then loses them. I'm seriously considering a mitten string for him.

[Hidden Stillness]

55. We are Starting ot Have a Really Bad Unemployment Rate Now, Not Since 1980s

Michigan's economy has been bad for some years now, because of NAFTA, killing our manufacturing jobs and unions, etc., replacing it all with crappy store checkout-clerk type jobs, but just very recently, (like the past few months), I have been feeling and noticing a kind of grim fear--with evidence--that I haven't felt the like of since the two deep Reagan recessions/Crashes of the 1980s; the 1982-83 recession, and the 1987 stock market crash. There are starting to be strories of people who search and search, and cannot find a job. No one is hiring, they give out many, many resumes and nobody calls, stores and restaurants are failing at a faster rate again, there are no customers even in grocery stores, etc. Also, Windsor--the Ontario city just across the Detroit River--just released new unemployment stastics, (more accurate than Bush/Cheney numbers), and they are now up to 10%+. I have been hearing from other people that Ford workers in the area are being laid off again, and there are several people in a nearby neighborhood who had to turn their family vehicles back in; they can no longer afford any extra payments. Of course, now, they can't drive to try to find work. There are foreclosed homes and other buildings in my neighborhood. Luckily, it is a good area, so no vandalism or other crime, but they just sit there, month after month after month. Sometimes neighbors park their cars on the driveways, to make it seem that someone lives there, they cut the grass (and will shovel snow there when it comes), etc.

I am also sick of people who equate this situation with the unfathomable, stupid bailout of the financial speculators. That should be cancelled, and the predators thrown in prison; this must be done, because about one of every ten jobs is related to the operations of the auto industry. This is the lifeblood, the very meaning, of the Midwest--we are unions, manufacturing, and all the rest they killed first, so "they" could save on "expenses," for their own profit. This deregulation, outsourcing and union-busting has actually been going on for a long time--since the '70s--but now we are at what seems to be the bitter end. Yet still, there are people so stupid, that they wonder why unions don't "fight," why they "cave," etc. How fucking stupid are some people? Do you have any clue how desperate and threatened things are here?

I am so worried, and money so tight, that all I do is try to pay bills, do nothing, buy nothing, and hope I can ride this out and not have anything really bad happen, until things get better. All signs are, now, though, that it will be a long and deep recession or worse--nobody is calling it a "several months" thing anymore. This is why the Roosevelt Administration passed all those laws and regulations, you fucking crooks!

[knitter4democracy]

56. My mom cried in the grocery store last night.

She heard a woman talking with someone on her cell trying to decide if she could afford the $.79 bag salad rather than the $0.49 bag she had on her list. Sure, the woman had a cell, but a lot of people around here have gone to those entirely for their only phones (moving makes landlines impractical). Mom was picking out mangos and got all weepy thinking here she had the money for mangos when others are worrying about buying the cheapest salad bags for any veggies at all.

I've never seen it this bad. People are more stressed out than I've ever seen, and everyone's hurting, even the richer families.

[rvablue]

57. Well.....times are tough, BUT..........

It's because of great, generous people like you that they can be easier on those hardest hit.

Happy knitting and God bless you!

[sufrommich]

58. Thanks for doing your bit,knitter. Every year I buy my

niece and nephew extra hats and mittens from the thrift stores in the area,they're cheaper than new and you don't mind when they get lost early in the season. This year there are none to be found in the thrift stores,they go quickly ,sold to people who normally would be buying new. Everyday,those of us in Michigan hear and see countless heartbreaking stories from friends and neighbors,every day brings new bad news from those we know and love.I'm 52 and have never experienced such hard times before ,truly a sad time to live in our beautiful state.