Dear Editor:
I’ve just returned from a visit with my sister in Michigan. I had been putting it off and making excuses for not going for some time. After all the depressing news about the dismal economic condition and unemployment in the state I sefishly did not want to witness it firsthand. Finally I ran out of excuses and acquiesced. I’m glad I did.
Unfortunately, I was not pleasantly surprised as I naively hoped I would be. Indeed there were all the makings to assure abject misery, yet it was not there, or at least not to an extent you’d expect. After a few days and many conversations, it finally became clear that the reason for this was hope.
Seeing not only the rebirth of their auto industry but General Motors once again regaining the position of the largest source of motor vehicles in the world gave people hope that conditions can be made to change. Repeatedly I heard accolades for President Obama’s intervention despite all the shortsighted who would have had their major industry fail. He is their hero.
It was a long overdue but very uplifting visit. The loans made to Chrysler and General Motors not only paid off but are being paid back. It’s a great thing to find hope when everything seems to contradict it.
Welcome to the discussion.
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