If you’re looking for someone to tell you that the U.S. economy is fine, you probably don’t want to talk to someone from Michigan. My home state has been particularly hard hit in recent years as a result of continuing job losses in the manufacturing and construction sectors. Last year, Michigan’s unemployment rate was the nation’s highest at 7.2%, and according a state House of Representatives report that number is expected to climb to 8.5% by 2009.
 
The U.S. economy has not been nearly as hard hit, but there are reasons to be cautious. Unemployment rose to ...