Michigan Has Lost 300,000 Jobs Since 2000

The Detriot News reports:

Michigan has lost about 300,000 jobs since 2000 -- the equivalent of the cumulative populations of Dearborn, Southfield, St. Clair Shores and Royal Oak -- and the jobless rate here has topped the national average for 57 consecutive months.

"The citizens are right to be scared because Michigan's economy is in a crisis that has gotten deeper with Delphi's bankruptcy and the stress at GM and Ford," said economist Patrick Anderson.

"The rest of the country has been doing well for over three years, and we're still mired in a recession. The median Michigan family income is $3,000 less today than it was a few years ago, when you factor in inflation. So the pain is very real."

A state that has private sector union jobs means decline.