Reapportionment Impact on the Midwest

The Midwest and specifically Michigan are facing huge implications from the loss of many congressional seats and resulting power that will have a major impact on state and local government budgets and operations.

The region's economy has been struggling for decades - the Great Recession just worsened problems.

Midwestern manufacturing employment has been declining since at least 1980. Michigan hasn't had a year of net job growth since the Clinton administration.

No state between Minnesota and Pennsylvania has gained congressional seats since the 1960 Census.

Will the Midwest matter in Congress and in the 2012 Presidential elections with such huge gains in populations in the south, southwest and west?