Our report last week on Michigan’s gross state product — and the statistical evidence that our state economy thru 2008 is growing in several sectors and certainly beats public perception — led to emails filled with both both cheers and disbelief.
“Your article — ‘Out of the Shadow of the Ren Cen’ — was timely and provided others with additional reasons for optimism,” wrote Automation Alley’s Ken Rogers. “At Automation Alley we close every speech and presentation with comments about the reasons for optimism and hope. We will now include the information in the article on areas for growth into our presentations and speeches.”
But if you didn’t believe us, maybe you’ll believe Standard & Poor’s. The bond rating agency gave Michigan high marks this week, in part because of “an economic base that is diversifying.”
Among those diversification efforts is the $10 million, foundation-driven effort to seed 400 new companies and entrepreneurial ventures in Detroit’s Tech Town.
Finally, this morning the New York Times offered up a somewhat hard-bitten but kindly titled tale of Michigan’s uncomfortable transformation: “Michigan Works to Remake Itself Without King Auto.”
We like that phrase “works to remake.”
Image is everything and for once the New York-centric know-it-alls aren’t bashing us.
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Speaking of diversification, there’s a fascinating (but very long) story in this Sunday’s New York Times Magazine about California’s efforts to establish high-speed rail lines throughout the state.
One of the many interesting facts is that California the state would run this rail line, not the federal Amtrak system. Good rail could replace regional airlines and eliminate the need for highway growth, to actually cost less than those future expansions, where growth would be piece-meal.
Michigan also could imitate Japan, France and Germany, as California foresightedly is attempting. Here’s the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/magazine/14Train-t.html