Half a century ago John F. Kennedy asked Americans to not ask what the country can do for your, ask what you can do for the country.

It is in that spirit the Business Leaders of Michigan published their Business Plan for Michigan 2.0. They are asking you to consider what you can to make Michigan better and they have lots of suggestions and plan.
Last year the group set out a five step plan to help improve the state.

1.) Manage Michigan’s Finances Responsibly
2.) Provide Public Services More Effectively and Efficiently
3.) Create a More Competitive Business Climate
4.) Invest for Future Growth
5.) Get Major Cities and Metro Areas Growing

As it stands now, they say Gov. Rick Snyder did a very good job working on 1, 2, and 3. Goals 4 & 5 need a lot of work. On Tuesday, the group added a sixth goal Grow the New Michigan. By this they want Michigan to be in the top ten for business climate with the possibility of creating half a million jobs over the next decade.

Yes it is ambitious to say the least, perhaps impossible in reality. Yet, they point to the Aerotropolis concept as one great example of how Michigan is poised for greatness. They say Michigan is centrally located which makes it attractive for global business growth and the opportunities are there if we just go to work on them. They say while many of the top ten business climate states are right to work states, Michigan does not need to fight that fight in order to get across the goal line.

Business leader William Clay Ford Jr. who is Board Chairman of Ford Motor Company says he is all in on this program for one reason, Michigan is home. He told Local Four today “this is one of the efforts where there is no other goal than to make a stronger Michigan. There is no political agenda and there is nothing else going on. I live here, and I love this state.” He also said there’s a need to attack the problems we face head on. One of those is the Canadian/Detroit River Crossing problem.

He said “I’m totally agnostic in terms of who owns it and how it’s operated. But, from a business standpoint we absolutely need it and I will be as visible as needed because it’s a very important priority.”

That’s where Michigan residents come in. Sandra Pierce, CEO of Charter One-Michigan believes we in Michigan have been feeling down and out and walking around with our heads down for entirely too long. She is says if we look around we have much to work with and much to be proud of. It is the state’s unique resources that can be used to fuel job growth and our optimism.

She told Local Four "so if we get people from the grass roots level saying ‘we can do this’ talk about it! Be positive about it we will drive action."

So you’re asking now, “what can I do?” Well, let’s start by going to the Business Leaders of Michigan website and noodle around in there. There are charts and graphs and videos and suggestions on where this plan can work. If you have unique talents give entrepreneurship a shot. If you talk to people in other part of the country, talk up Michigan instead of joining in the chorus of those who believe the state’s best days are in the past.

The business leaders know this is as much marketing campaign as it is business plan. They are right about this though. Whether the state’s decade long depression is over for real, it’s about time we started looking at a half full glass. It’s time to get on the Michigan-is-good-and-has-a-bright-future band wagon if for no other reason than it’s been exhausting watching its decline. Yes there will be fits and starts; sometimes it might seem as if it’s a futile effort.

But if the state’s largest business leaders are willing to go to work on this, give us all good reason to believe this is more than pie in the sky, there has to be some belief they can succeed. Go ahead, as Bill Ford advised everyone to do, check out the website and look for a way to help. What can it hurt?