14 JAN 08 / "Michigan is Romney Country"

The most recent polls are showing that Mitt Romney's message is resonating with voters in Michigan, which holds its presidential primary tomorrow. Romney's experience as a highly successful venture capitalist coupled with his optimism that jobs can return to a place like Michigan have been received positively by residents of his native state.

With an unemployment rate greater than the national average, Michigan is said to be in a one state recession. General Motors and Ford have have laid off tens of thousands of workers, and Michigan has suffered a net loss of jobs in each of the past five years. Residents have moved out of the state -- to places like the Sunbelt -- in droves.

Mitt Romney's optimism contrasts sharply with John McCain's pessimism on whether the American auto industry can rebound. McCain believes most of the jobs are gone forever while Romney asserts that innovation and investment in technology can reduce costs and return the 'big three' to profitability.

There are fears that Michigan's economic predicament could spread throughout the nation in the ensuing months. The economy is fast becoming the number one issue in this presidential race, and many economists believe the United States is on the verge of a recession. Michigan may yet be a microcosm of the United States unless we can reverse the downward trend of the American economy. The dollar is near record lows, oil prices are near record highs, and the wholesale inflation rate was up 6.3 percent last year, the highest in 26 years.

A victory tomorrow could propel Romney to the nomination. His campaign strategy had been predicated on winning both Iowa and New Hampshire, but Mike Huckabee and John McCain foiled that plan. However, Romney seems to be recalibrating in Michigan and finally finding his voice, which appears to be striking the right chord with voters.