Comments on: Pittsburgh as a reinventor region

By: Lou Glazer

Lou Glazer — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 10:57:09 +0000

In reply to Don. Agreed that Pittsburgh is a good model because the collapse of steel is similar to the decline of auto factories here. And you are exactly right that the transition is long term. It takes decades, not years. But you can't get there, until you start. By and large, Michigan hasn't started. We are still pursuing the replicator strategy. Trying to make a 20th Century economy work again. It won't.

By: Don

Don — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 05:39:07 +0000

Oops! I ended up with two identical incomplete replies. Sorry! It must be getting too late. Anyway this friend of mine from Pittsburgh, complained about the state of Pennsylvania putting too much money into the state university system. She complained that Pennsylvania was simply subsidizing businesses in Texas, because that is where most graduates moved to. However, I think she realizes now that it was a good move, but took awhile to get things turned around. I think that Michigan is stuck in that spot right now. People get discouraged when they see so many college graduates leave after getting educated in Michigan. I think having a lot of young college graduates leave the state is pretty normal in the early stages of this type of cycle. It will turn around like Pittsburgh did, but it will take time. And your organization and other similar groups are going to have to keep the pressure on.

By: Don

Don — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 05:20:32 +0000

I think Pittsburgh is really a good example (probably even better than Minnesota which is also good). It just seems like Detroit (and much of the rest of Michigan) is so similar to Pittsburgh about 20 years ago. I have a good friend from Pittsburgh, and I can remember her about 20-25 years complaining about the state of Pennsylvania