Hinterlands...New Wastelands?

Last Wednesday I hit a milestone: I entered my 48^th state since I began cross-country traveling in my RV 4 ½ years ago for my unconventional homelessness education endeavor, HEAR US. True to my commitment to see parts of America that have become obscure to Interstate-addicted travelers, I traversed empty Michigan backroads, enjoying the breath of spring erupting in winter-ravaged lands.

The current economic devastation has pummeled Michigan, with the understated 12.9% unemployment rate inadequately reflecting suffering of those without paychecks, or workers whose shrunken paychecks don’t begin to cover rising expenses.

Much has been written about the demise of auto industry cities like Detroit and Flint. I looked in New York Times’ archives and found a 1980 article where Ronald Reagan decried President Carter’s efforts,

“We may not be getting answers as to why eight million people are out of work…why we have seen interest rates at their highest rates since the Civil War…but we are getting plenty of diversions from the Carter Administration’s incredible smoke machine.”

Same tune, worsening problem, different century….

Meanwhile, on Michigan’s vacation coast, little towns try to hide the wear and tear of the tanking economy. I found myself wishing that I had cornered the market on the “for sale” sign, which sprout like spring dandelions in front yards of small, modest and obscenely humongous houses along my route. Tourist-dependent businesses on life-support view upwardly fluctuating fuel prices like scary storm clouds threatening to keep away tourists, the lifeblood of these struggling communities.

The loss of a souvenir gift shop or diner isn’t the most newsworthy topic, and few give it thought as the “for rent/lease” sign goes up where the open sign used to hang. The clerks, waitstaff and other workers become another layer on soaring unemployment charts. Some get lucky, finding sustainable wages in jobs that include benefits. How often this happens in today’s ailing economy is hard to say. I fear more households discover the experience of teetering on the brink of poverty, finding out that the safety net is nonexistent, and too often they can’t even turn to their families for help.

Perhaps most troubling to me was seeing the number of for sale or auction signs stuck in front yards of family farms. I looked at acres of untended apple and cherry orchards and lamented the terrible waste if someone doesn’t step in to care for these labor-intensive crops. Having talked with several locals on my travels, I’ve heard over and over again how the lack of migrant workers has devastated local agricultural related businesses. Sigh….

Seems to me that economic recovery will require multi-level herculean efforts, not decades more of partisan posturing. It will take more than my piddly spending to restore vitality to little towns that comprise America’s pulse. Buying souvenirs or leaving generous tips won’t make up for decades of neglect of non-urban communities. Here’s hoping that politicians and policy wonks get time to vacation in the hinterlands and stimulate the economy before they become the wastelands.

photos by the author