The skies are mostly gray. At 7.7 percent, our unemployment rate keeps going up, along with the home reposession rate. The legislature is endlessly dithering with Michigan’s tax system. And fierce political partisanship continues to hold the interests of 10 million Michigan citizens hostage to the narrow agendas of both political parties.
Nevertheless, there is much to be thankful for, especially at this season.
First is a fellow named Lloyd Carr, who announced earlier this week his retirement as the University of Michigan’s football coach after 28 years in various saddles on the sidelines.
This isn’t a sports column, so if you want informed commentary about Coach Carr’s tenure as coach or speculation on whom his successor might be, I suggest you look elsewhere. But I’ve known Lloyd Carr the man and public citizen for nearly 20 years as a U of M Regent and a newspaper publisher. During those years, every single time I talked with him he rang clear as a bell: Solid, sensible, ethical, passionate, decent.
He spoke at an annual banquet for my newspapers’ sales staff a number of years ago. He came into the hall at the old St. John’s Seminary in Plymouth, quietly worked the crowd, made a fine speech about dedication, hard work and having values. He was mobbed afterward. And he donated his fee to the United Way – quietly, without fuss. He didn’t have to; he just did it.
Lloyd Carr was one of the few people whose personality incorporated and communicated the values that make the University of Michigan a great place. Nothing became him more than the manner of his leaving, and we’re all lucky to have had him as a fixture in our time.
While we’re giving thanks, let’s raise a glass at long last to the political leadership of nine Midwestern states, including Michigan. Last week, they signed a historic accord on greenhouse gasses that helps America move forward to a national policy on global warming.
The idea is to reduce greenhouse gasses through a regional carbon cap and trade program that would set targets for carbon dioxide reductions in each state and let companies sell the carbon credits they gain for reducing emissions.
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm gave a speech that was described as “hair raising” by Andy Buchsbaum, head of the regional office of the National Wildlife Federation. “We in the Midwest are prepared to lead an industrial revolution” by transforming the region’s rust belt economic base into a hub for alternative energy. “The Midwest can be a pilot for reducing greenhouse gasses and Michigan can develop and produce the technology that makes it happen.”
Nine Midwestern governors plus the Premier of Manitoba signed the pact. A regional group of Western states and another of Northeastern states have also initiated similar agreements. Plainly, the only way Washington’s unwillingness to get to a national policy on global warming and climate change is through regional alliances like this.
Lastly, while we’re giving thanks, I had the pleasure of listening to General Motors President and CEO Rick Waggoner earlier this week. He talked about how the company is preparing for the long term, working to transform labor-management relations with the United Auto Workers and seizing opportunities to compete effectively with the Japanese auto makers.
And he made it quite clear that the domestic auto industry is more than serious about developing a diverse strategy to reduce dependence on petroleum, increase use of alternative energy-based power trains and be mindful of our joint responsibility to be good stewards of the earth.
Waggoner came across as a very capable, highly focused, perfectly sensible and straightforward corporate leader.
He embodied the personal values of a Lloyd Carr, our shared Midwestern preference for practicality in dealing with climate change and the kind of capable business leadership that is so important for Michigan in these times.
Taken together, they represent very good reason for offering thanks.
3 Comments
Phil Power on capping greenhouse gases:
The greenhouse gas problem is a global problem. Whatever we do in the USA, is the rest of the countries of the world going to match our effort? How about China, India, and Brazil, major developing country polluters?
If not, whatever the the United States does will make no difference to global warming? No?
Neil Karl
Livonia, MI
Re: Phil Power on Rick Waggoner’s comments.
We need to hear more comments like these from our automotive industry CEO’s. Surely the technological geniuses who invented heated and cooled cup holders, On-Star and ABS can find a better solution than the piston driven gasoline powered antique that has been under the hoods of most cars for 100+ years.
Tom Zelinski
The idea of greenhouse gases emitted by mankind threatening the planet is false. Man is not responsible for global warming. Carbon dioxide is less than 1/10th of 1% of the Earth’s atmosphere. Assuming the U.N. panels figures are correct (which they are not), if ALL countries adopt the recommendations, the global temperature (another false statistic) would be reduced by .18 Celsius. In Fahrenheit terms, this would reduce an 80 summer day to 79.5. Carbon credits are nothing more than a company paying for the priviledge to ‘emit greenhouse gases’. This is like a drunkard paying someone else to drink less. Global warming alarmist parrot what they hear on the news. The facts that disprove global warming, some of which warn of global cooling to come, are way too many to list in this comment.