How close are we?

By Roshaun L. Harris

Many Michiganders, including Detroiters, suburbanites, and folks on the farm in rural communities, feel the burden of the current political and economic environment. The government and the people are in a state of crisis, on many levels. Home foreclosures, school closings, municipal services disappearing, cost-of-living rising alongside stagnate wages are the system’s failures.

Looking across county lines, many similarities exist between struggling communities. The communities facing a more recent downturn can attribute their woes to the same political and economic forces that stifled growth in the poorer communities across the state.

For decades the industrial cities in Michigan have been declining. Due to forces in the global economy, automation eliminating low-skill high wage jobs, labor being moved overseas for cheaper wages, and withering government services, urban cities across Michigan have been in a state of decline for decades.

The suburbs, however, have enjoyed growth and prosperity for the later part of the 20th century, although much of that was built on debt. Locally, the debate has been about the battle over resources between the city and suburbs. Who controls this, who gets what contract, whose getting government aide were the typical talking points for most political debates relative to Michigan politics.

With the current conditions there is nothing to fight over, everybody’s struggling. One of the places this becomes most apparent is in the budget for students in K-12. It has been cut by nearly $500 per student across the state. Many have reacted negatively to that direction steered by Michigan legislators. Detroit students have been losing money since the 70’s. Generally speaking, since that time the federal government has cut spending on public education significantly. At the state level, it was a battle for those limited resources with suburban communities receiving the lion’s share.

Currently, the suburban communities alongside rural communities are sharing the burden, and they don’t like it. Truth is, no one likes the lack of choices and control being brought on by the current crisis. “Welcome to our reality” is the crying call for many urban residents but some in that situation are saying lets join together to get back our livelihoods. Many can clearly see the future for urban, rural, and suburban relies on our ability to solve problems in a cooperative manner. The infighting caused the initial stratification but will only increase strife for all residents if it continues.

Focusing future energy on education would be a start. But here’s where it gets difficult. The current political and economic paradigm may not allow for that to occur. In the Michigan legislature, controlled by Republicans, they are looking to slash and burn all municipal spending and appoint an emergency manager if the desired results do not occur fast enough. Old script for a new show?

This current crisis is an opportunity to look at all aspects of systemic failure and develop strategies for revolutionary changes to fit the revolutionary economic stage of history we’re in. Yes, revolutionary stage of economic history. Where’s the revolution?

In the very means of production themselves. The machines that many thought would make their jobs easier actually replaced them altogether. This is happening in all sectors of the economy, not just heavy industry. So if jobs are the base for taxing citizens to extract revenue for government repayment of debt and robots and computers are making companies more profitable, how does the situation correct itself with old remedies? It doesn’t. Educating the next generation to face this crisis lies not only in the hands of government but also the people. For them, it is a matter of life or death.

People from all parts of the state need to recognize that collaboration is the key, not separation. Soon the separation will only be geographic. In Imlay City there is a solution that will work for Detroit. In Kalamazoo there is a solution for Traverse City. Lansing is not the place where the solution will be coming from. It will be business as usual for the bureaucrats. For the people, their solutions will only come when all identify that old models simply won’t plug this drain.

For a new season of prosperity, we must first define what makes us all prosper as opposed to fighting over what will prosper a privileged few. Education is the key to any sustained prosperity. Let us invest in our future by any means necessary