Tough Times

I wish I could just blog about some hot news in the whitetail world. Truth is, I haven't had much chance to even think about deer.

We are now one day removed from General Motor's bankruptcy filing. Everywhere in this country, that's big news. Here in Michigan, it's much more. It puts the very future of our state in serious jeopardy. And, no, I'm not being overly dramatic. Our state's budget is forecast to be more than $1 billion in the red next year. The loss of GM isn't going to help that. It's going to make it much, much worse.

I've stopped watching the news. I listen to talk radio on the way to the office simply because I can't help myself. I need to know if things are really as bad as they seem. They are. I've heard reports than Michigan's jobless rate could hit 30 percent. Three out of 10 people would not have jobs.

The impacts of this go far deeper than the auto industry. People lose their auto jobs. They lose their homes. They stop buying things, stop eating out, stop spending. Restaurants suffer and close. Service industries suffer and close. The ripple effect goes far beyond the initial splash.

Somewhere down the line budget cuts are made in state programs and you can bet that conservation programs will be on the block. Hunting and fishing will be impacted.

Sorry to be such a downer. But I'm working through this just like a lot of other good Michigan folks are. I can't wait for the fall. We could all use a little time in the woods right now.

Tony Hansen, Michigan Man