Michigan's blather, Michgan's poetry

Thomas Lynch, local writer and funeral home director, watched the University of Michigan's symphony orchestra play Carnegie Hall. The music, he says, was moving and the night was brilliant, but Michigan's issues - good and bad - didn't stray from his mind.

Excerpt:

By comparison, the perseverance of our governor, Jennifer Granholm, gets little notice. Her efforts to diversify the economy, double the number of college graduates and restore our cities are not nearly as engaging as the soap opera that has been playing out in Detroit. The Government Performance Project at the Pew Center for the States graded Michigan’s management with a B-plus this year; only three states scored better.

As she has put it: “We need to capitalize on our natural advantages ... Wind. Woods. Water. Work force. Even waste. If we do this right, Michigan can be the alternative energy capital of North America, and create thousands and thousands of jobs.” Her faith in the future is contagious. So is despair. Sometimes we vote our hopes, sometimes our fears.

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