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By Wm. R. Lowry
Editor & Publisher, MiBiz
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“So a jobless recovery? Hardly. Rather, the recovery is just a normal recovery. Both the U.S. and Michigan economies are well into their recoveries, job growth is increasing and layoffs are decreasing. The unemployment rate is bound to fall.”
— Greg Dimkoff, “The jobless recovery is just a recovery”
“Manufacturing is Michigan’s largest business sector by gross state product and serves as the backbone to our economy. Unlike most other business sectors, manufacturing makes huge capital investments, hires highly-skilled workers, spends large amounts on R&D and purchases goods and services from countless local suppliers. It is essential that our new tax system recognizes this and ensures the tax rates on manufacturers are low compared to those nationally.”
— Mike Johnston, MMA, “Michigan on right track to success”
“One politician after another blames China for Michigan’s economic ills… ‘Our’ jobs are perpetually up for grabs.When ‘our’ jobs are done better by Brazilians or Malaysians, they will no longer be ‘our’ jobs. Of course, no politician, particularly one from Michigan is prepared to address the loss of ‘our’ jobs to Tennessee, North Carolina or Texas. Those are the competitors economic development practitioners confront every day, not China.”
— Jim Hettinger, “Clarifying international trade and development”
TV personality Art Linkletter, a native of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, hosted for years the popular program “Kids Say the Darndest Things” during which he teased out an endless stream of humorous and occasionally astounding observations by children. Not to be outdone, our esteemed MiBiz columnists continue to prove their meddle issue after issue with their astute surveillance faculties, atypical knacks of cutting to the heart of important topics and fearlessness to challenge many erroneous yet politically correct positions.
The three quotable quotes, clipped from columns appearing in this issue, serve to solidify my claim, and help make MiBiz the standout “must read” among all B2B publications in the state. Business people and public servants alike, whether in Michigan or Moose Jaw, need a steady dose of critical thinking from outside their personal boxes, and the darn MiBiz columnists certainly serve that purpose. Darn the torpedoes!
The swirl of breaking news these days is rapidly approaching Ripley’s Believe It Or Not levels. From political meltdowns in the Middle East to their nuclear counterparts in Japan; from budget stalemates in Washington, D.C. to union legislative checkmate maneuvers in Madison and other state capitols, the news marches relentlessly on.
Largely drowned out by such news breakers is some great tidings from our economy-makers that should serve to help bolster your spirits: a huge jump in the confidence of U.S. business leaders.
According to Grant Thornton LLP’s most recent quarterly Business Optimism Index, U.S. business leaders are the most optimistic they have been since before the recession. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) believe the U.S. economy will improve in the next six months, compared with 47 percent in November. The Index itself is up 6.7 points to 69.7, the highest it has been since 2004.
Even more encouraging for Michigan’s economic prospects, senior management at U.S. manufacturing companies are now significantly more optimistic about their own companies’ growth than they were just three months ago. Nine in 10 (91 percent) report that they are optimistic about their companies’ growth in the next six months, up from 81 percent in November.
Breaker, Breaker: This is really good economy-maker news.
Policy matters to economy-makers, which explains why the Michigan Manufacturers Association, the National Association of Manufacturers and Pfizer Inc. will honor U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), a recipient of the NAM Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence, at a special event March 25 in Kalamazoo. Contact MMA for event details.
By William Lowry
Former Editor & Publisher, MiBiz
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MiBiz was founded in 1988 by its Editor & Publisher, William R. Lowry.
MiBiz (formerly The Shoreline Business Monthly) today presents readers with an in-depth snapshot of the business scene throughout West Michigan 26 times a year.
Professional Honors:
- In 2010, Lowry was named “Entre-Promoter” by the Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce, one of the inaugural class of two.
- In 2007, Lowry was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce.
- In 2005 Lowry was awarded "Communicator of the Year" by the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM).
- In June 2002, Lowry was awarded two honors by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Michigan Small Business Journalist of the Year, and Midwest Regional Small Business Journalist of the Year.
- In 1999, Lowry was awarded the Small Business Advocate Award by the Michigan Small Business Development Center (MI-SBDC).
- In 1993, Lowry was named "Michigan Small Business Media Advocate of the Year" by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
- In 1991, Lowry was awarded the “Muskegon 2000 Award for Business.”
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