Posted on 11/22/2008 7:53:40 PM PST by mathwhizz
“You just sit and you worry,” said Pat Weber, a construction administrator in Fennville who was laid off more than a year ago. “In the last year, I’ve put in for more than 100 jobs. I stopped counting after 110. It’s just so defeating.”
All around Fennville and its neighbors here in southwest Michigan, front lawns are peppered with for-sale signs and merchants complain about slow days. But while this remains a beautiful place with none of the obvious blight of Detroit on the other side of the state, residents say the hardship beneath the surface is very real.
It is the same story in other parts of Michigan, as the state’s already entrenched recession — in at least its fifth year, according to economic experts — digs deeper as a result of the recent global financial crisis.
New data show the state’s unemployment rate crept up to 9.3 percent, almost three times what it was in 2000, and, along with Rhode Island, the highest in the country. Just last week, Herman Miller Inc., an office furniture company based in Zeeland, Mich., announced that it would eliminate or lay off 400 to 650 workers, many of them in western Michigan. SKD Automotive, an auto parts manufacturer in Jonesville, Mich., where it is the largest employer, indicated it would eliminate 300 jobs.
As a result of the steady job losses that began in the summer of 2000, 1.82 million Michigan residents, or close to 20 percent of the population, are now on some form of public assistance, including food stamps and home heating credits, a record for the state.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
OMG.
So you want everyone to walk away from a Mortgage right? Who pays for that? You do. Or your children. Or your grandchildren.
Then, the bank doesn’t let you walk away free and clear. I would still owe, they would garnish any future wages. And tax liens. So now we are paying for a house, we no longer own and YOU are paying for the dollars the Government is printing.
So board it up, and abandon but make the payments and continue to own. Then some nimrod goes in while we’re not there and attempts to strip the copper pipes out (a big moneymaking crime here in MI). He slips and falls and sues me for injury. I’m flat busted.
Then guess what I’m going to do? Go on the dole in YOUR state. Let you pay for my food, my rent, my healthcare.
And who on this thread asked for a handout? Why don’t you give an example of the post number?
I think that those who have the money could make a killing here in MI.
Not if they have other options. But that's what we're talking about isn't it?
If you live in a place where the socialists have run the economy into the ground you need to seriously consider going somewhere else. I'm sure I could have come up with a long list of reasons why I just "couldn't" pack up the trunk of my car and leave but that's the decision I made based on the unlikelyhood of my situation improving if I didn't leave.
And who on this thread asked for a handout? Why don’t you give an example of the post number?
Well, we have you bashing FReepers who offered reasonable advice. Since you seem unwilling to recognize that the best way to avoid a problem (in this case a wretched economy) is to not be there, you just want to call them heartless for telling you like it is.
Look, I can't claim to know what your situation is or the situation that other people are in. But you have to do what is required to get yourself out of the situation.
When someone proffers advice you are free to take it or not, but whining that it's heartless stinks of "gimme gimme" victimhood.
You asked what people without money are supposed to do if they live in a place with a bad economy. I said, "Sell your stuff and leave."
And then you whine that I haven't solved all of your problems.
"But I have a house!"
Well, you could abandon it. You could sell it for a loss. You could give to a charity. Or you could think of something yourself.
But to call people names that have suggested ways to solve your problem is not very self-reliant.
Grellis has it right....
One of my best buds timed it right and got out 3 years ago, man he is looking like a freakin genius. But with the Obamster, their will be no escape.
More Keynesian priming of the pump with FDR style programs, while the Robert Rubin Bond House type dems will be running the economic end of Wall Street. More programs and no reform of existing ones, i.e. SSI, Medicare, Medicade and we will get Obama-Care. Reminds me of classmates in high school. They all bought rusted 65' Mustangs, and put Shakels and Glass packs on them and brand new Cragar Mags with their money from McDonalds, rather than fix the brakes and repair the rust. But it was cool just like Obama! At least most of those Muscrats ended up in the junkyard, these programs won't, and we will pay dearly for them.
Rather than cutting Corporate Taxes and Capital Gains Taxes to Compete with Ireland or the Former Soviet Republic "Stans", they will raise taxes (Especially on small businesses) just like in Michigan and things will get worse.
That's how you do it. And welcome to Texas. Garage sales, pawn shops. God knows people have a LOT of possessions.
Um, excuse me but who asked for your advice?
A whole lot of people who have no clue what it’s like have been telling us what we should do and we are just suppose to happily take the idea that “we voted for dems so we deserve it” and “need to leave everything you own” on an if come or a maybe of a job? Yes, abandoning our mortages is exactly what you are talking about. NO one is going to buy my house when we have so many foreclosed houses in the area that can be snapped up for a song.
This is good advice?
Some people have never lost everything with no hope of getting it back so they are clueless.
So I’ll ask you again, who asked you for advice or had a hand out on this thread?
I want to go to TX.
I want to be where people are like me. Conservative and Christian.
Got a little piece of land that I can put our camper on for a bit?
Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. Getting all whiney and calling it "heartless" is even more unproductive.
Some people have never lost everything with no hope of getting it back so they are clueless.
Did you miss the part where I started with an apartment full of furniture and ended up living out of the trunk of my car?
If you are physically and mentally capable of working you are in no danger of "losing everything."
It's just stuff. If it's stuff that you can't get rid of then you don't own it. It owns you.
Yep, you lost stuff.
I’m losing a house, bought on the hardwork of my parents who paid 30 years on that real estate, then my hubby who paid 5 years on his and we’ve been here 10. Losing furniture is tough, I know because ours is going too.
But I’ll tell you what. Instead of getting “whiney” I’ll make a plan. Citibank is being bailed out. They are going to take over Mortages on default. So, I’ll default on my Mortgage. Afterall, YOU said to. Now you can pay for it. And I’m out from under the debt.
Next I’m going to pack what I can and move to North Carolina. I’ll get a job at McDonalds and reap the rewards of your good economy. Section 8 housing, food stamps, daycare for my kids, the whole lot. AND I’m going to tell everyone I know in MI that NC is willing and waiting to do the same for all of us!!!
Wow, thanks! What a fantatic plan! With the 1200.00 I save on mortgage payments every month until they kick me out of the house, I can put into layaway, a plasma tv, new computer, hells bells maybe a nicer car than the 10 year old clunker van I’ve been driving. Have it all delivered to my new home that you’re paying for.
Thank you so much!
Got a little piece of land that I can put our camper on for a bit?
Unfortunately not, but there are quite a few mobile home lots with concrete pads for rent and the rates are pretty reasonable. And they are NOT stuck inside the cities thank God.
I'm on a tiny piece in an exurb myself but I'm thankful that I can open the back gate, cross 20 meters of HOA land and hit the inlet to the lake.
Seriously?
I’m going to look into the mobile home parks. Thanks!
My point is that as deflation lowers the price of things we will be able to compete effectively with foreign competition. I am not talking about pennies per day, I am saying that the market place will establish a new level to compete in.
***Well, we’re trying to do it, but they won’t let us just leave the house and return.
We either make the payments while it sits empty or they take it, we owe back taxes, garnish for the payments and we live in our Pop-out.****
Our banker gave us an agriculture type loan. One payment a year, then they renegotiate the loan.
They still make those loans to Ag workers today.
***That’s how you do it. And welcome to Texas. Garage sales, pawn shops. God knows people have a LOT of possessions.****
Been to Trader Village in Grand Prarie haven’t you.
Nobody is talking about quickly, or trying to be “helpful”.
I’m saying that if I lived somewhere where there were no jobs, I had been unemployed for a considerable time, and had no prospects of finding a new job, that I would pick myself up and move somewhere where I could find a job.
Of course, when I first graduated college, I picked myself up and moved to where I could get a job, where the weather wouldn’t be too harsh, where there was little chance of flood, hurricane, or earthquake, and took a job with a company that didn’t pay quite as much but was known for job security.
I had other places I might have rather lived, but you have to make choices in life.
I don’t care if people want to live in a place they can’t get a job. I can only say that I wouldn’t. And say that if you decide to stay where you can’t get a job, you probably won’t get a job.
BTW, I’m guessing that in this current environment, if you can make your monthly rent, you’ll find a place. If you can’t, then I guess where you are living now someone is being cheated out of their rent money? I don’t know. If you have the money to rent in one state, you should be able to rent in another state.
The biggest problem is that often the church and charity no longer have the ability to help families, because we have come to count on government. But government will only help people already living somewhere, which makes it hard to move to where the jobs are.
*** I’ll get a job at McDonalds and reap the rewards of your good economy. Section 8 housing, food stamps, daycare for my kids, the whole lot.***
I wish we had gotten that when we moved back to where the jobs were.
No food stamps or commodities. No low cost housing. No day care.
It still cost lots of money to live where the jobs were.
I still remember what we ate then.
Sunday, Fried chicken.
Monday, Hamburger,
Tuesday Beans and potatos,
Wed. Beans and potatos,
Thrusday, Beans and cornbread,
Fri. Beans and more cornbread.
Saturday Hamburger stew or at a cafe, if there was overtime on Dad’s paycheck.
Of course, ever so often there was spagetti and meat balls.
That's good news to hear, that you have at least a year to prepare.By that time, the state will have fallen.
In a year we'll certainly know how the auto industry GM-Ford-Chrysler is doing. And how the rest of the Michigan economy is doing.
Personally, I’m stocking away as much money as I can. We’re doing Christmas but slimming on food. And Christmas is pretty lean too.
Sounds like a good idea to go to a "cash basis" (no credit or very minimal credit paid off every month) and to save as much cash as possible.
Also I could never understand this going all out for Christmas with the "must get" gifts. I think a lot of that is going to be coming to an end starting with this Christmas season.
>>Also I could never understand this going all out for Christmas with the “must get” gifts. I think a lot of that is going to be coming to an end starting with this Christmas season. <<
Did at my house!
And all the best to you, my FRiend. We’ll all make it through this, no matter what. Godspeed!
I have to wonder how old you are. Have you ever lived through a really bad economic situation? The worst I remember was the early 80’s-awful. This one is worse in my opinion. If you have been unemployed for sometime, there is no money to pick yourself up and move especially if you have kids. As for no prospects in certain states, you can not write off entire states and/or regions, it will destroy this country. We could have food riots in this country. You think it can’t happen here? Think again.
If you believe displaced workers can all move South...not possible. Also, many on this board seem to think that only the Mid West and now the North East is in big economic trouble-not so. This entire country is in trouble. You think that the manufacturing job losses won’t affect your job, but it will in the end. Millions of jobs losses beget millions more jobs losses. Millions more default on their credit obligations-millions more jobs lost. People who paid taxes, patronized restaurants, Starbucks, Kohls etc can’t afford to spend now. Millions more jobs lost-police and and fireman, more mortgages, cars and other credit defaults. It’s a vicious cycle and will hurt all American workers. With a global economy-do you really believe different states are completely and island to themselves?
Politician/Wall street expect the unemployment to be above 10 % soon. Jobs will be lost in the Mid West for sure. However, jobs will be lost in Texas,Alabama,Arizona- all regions as well. This is an American problem. It will not be solved easily or quickly.
I have followed this thread, you are both heartless and not well informed-a bad combination. Fortunately, those of you who sit smugly dishing out bad advice and blaming people for situations beyond their control while give the financial people who caused this mess a pass- will in the end know exactly what nmom and others are talking about and going through. Baby you will walk many miles in her shoes with the economy tanking in a big way-no place is immune. I would be careful wishing bad circumstances and taking obscene pleasure in the suffering of good people in states that you don’t like for political reasons (voted Dem whatever. It has been my experience that what goes around comes around; ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’.. Some call it ‘karma’. Call it what you want, but it does exist.
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