Headed to Hell in a Handcart?

The latest unemployment info was released today. Once again, Michigan has the worst unemployment rate in the nation at 7.7%, more than 1.5% greater than the next-to-last states and 3% greater than the national average. Michigan has also had THE GREATEST change in employment (seasonally adjusted) over the past year with 75,000 jobs lost in the state (coincidentally, the ONLY state to report a decline, let alone one that large).

In other words, you don't wanna live in Michigan if you want to WORK. What the heck is going on? This isn't a new problem, either. To top it all off, the state income tax was just recently raised in the face of a budget crisis and massive deficit, and state sales taxes (currently 6%) are being expanded to cover services rather than just goods (related articles here).

I hear tell the only constants in life are death and taxes, but I have to wonder how much one leads to the other (yes, there's a "death tax," too--it's called "inheritance tax.")