When first hearing of this program I was intrigued and encouraged with the concept; that has not totally panned out.
First, my 3 things:
1. Become more informed and involved. I've started to read the newspaper again, not fun but okay, and am active in the effort to pass the Constitutional Convention in Nov. to help improve Michigan's government.
2. Buy local. I've redoubled my efforts to patronize the local store ahead of the 'big box' outfits and I bought a care built in Ohio by GM, not a car built by a 'big 3' company but built in Mexico.
3. Volunteer. I do so at our church and at 2 museums.

The second topic is the conduct of this "Three Things" series. Since it is sub-titled "How Would YOU fix Michigan?" I first saw it as asking the interviewee and/or commenter a personal question. To that end I quickly noticed that the politicians in particular (including the school principal) didn't offer much in the way of personal commitments. In fact, the total score of "we" oriented responses was just 50% (9 of 18 "things"). In their defense, the interviewer usually framed the questions in the nature of 'what would the people of Michigan' do - or words to that effect; substantially different than the above sub-title.
Only Rick DeVos was inclusive enough to claim 3 "we's" while Jeff Daniels appears to be living faithfully to his suggestions in spite of his third person frame of reference in his comments.
Honestly, we don't need platitudes and stump speeches from politicians, enough already!
Thank you, Michigan Radio for your attempts at a good program concept and thank you, Jeff Daniels for living your beliefs and suggestions and thank you, Mr. DeVos for thinking as a citizen and putting yourself as a member of the population with good suggestions.

I can recall during promos that it was supposed to be "Three things <the subject> would do to improve the state".

Then it morphed into "Three things 'we' can do to improve the state".

So it went from something possibly interesting but probably useless to something certainly boring and definitely ridiculous.

As soon as I heard somebody say "help your neighbor" I turned the station and new this idea had nothing to offer.

Paul, we probably did run promos for our first interview with Governor Granholm. Then the promos shifted to inform the audience about our ongoing series. We're looking for suggestions from both prominent figures in Michigan AND the audience. So if you find nothing of value here, perhaps you can provide your own suggestions for the state.

Thanks for the reply, but I think I must not have been clear enough.

My issue is that originally (as I remember it), it was to be "three things <the subject> would do to help the state". For instance, if you had Carl Levin on the show, it would be "Three things that I, Carl Levin, would do to improve the state". Fine.

But what it seemed to become was "Three things that <the subject> thinks that the people of Michigan should do to improve the state". For instance, still using Carl Levin, it would be Levin listing three things that he thinks the people of Michigan should all do to improve the state.

Anyway, thanks again.

You have a good point. I'll forward it to the producers of the series.

I think the show is outstanding. The suggestions have a mixed value but all are good in their way.

The governors first suggestion has the longest time frame with "get an education" Michigan for too long was able to produce jobs with good wages and benefits and little education. The next one was Mr Daniels - buy local - a very tangible, short term and high impact approach.

Mr Bishops reach out and help your neighbor rang true. Given the current economic climate it is very likely a neighbor, a friend, someone in your family is without a job or income. These are all helpful but for the state to succeed again we need to be honest with ourselves and face the situation exactly as it is.

The state became successful due to natural resources and geography. That still holds true today so we have to understand and leverage those strengths. An additional strength - our skills; workers, engineers, scientists and so forth, overcome our weaknesses - primarily an under educated workforce that is perceived as being out of step with the current business environment. Then we have to understand the opportunities our strengths create and overcome the market threats. Michigan is on its way to becoming a low wage state and that will not support the kinds of change we need nor our first class university system.

Finally we have to take responsibility for our actions for too long we have been in denial and looked to big business or big government to solve our problems, create our jobs and take care of us. We have to become self sufficient and and help each other. There is a place for government and big business - to help deliver an environment that attracts both people and business.

I was excited when I heard that this series was coming to Michigan radio. Michigan is a state in grave need for change, and the idea that each of us could do 3 things and make a real impact was very appealing. So far I have been dissappointed in most of the ideas that your guests have contributed because they seem very idealistic and not at all concrete in nature. I believe that the people of Michigan need to start taking specific actions to make measurable improvements sooner rather then later. The best idea I have heard so far was from Mr. Daniels...buy local. What if the state of Michigan offered some insentives to get this idea moving. Maybe one day a month where local buisness owners and shopers would be exempt form paying sales tax for local product. (I know that sales tax revenue is important for the state budget, but I wonder if such an effort would have an impact on increasing sales on the other days of the month as well.) My next idea would to start a state wide GO GREEN campaign. Teaching citizens to make envirnormentally freiendly choices which are also good for their pocket books. Make a real effort to bring GREEN buisness to the state, lansing has been talking the talk for years, now it is time to see action. Small changes in this area can go a long way to improve all of Michigan. We all need to do our part. My third idea is to promote Michigan to outsiders. Invite out of state friends/family to Michigan for vacation. THe pure Michigan campaign did bring people to this state...we need more of that.