See, "our country" hasn't regressed. There's definitely an intellectualism-rejecting, esteem-tossing faction but it's not like the whole thing is fucked. Remember, sanity won the popular vote by just shy of 3 million.
Our state sure as fuck has, however. Just two short years ago democrat Gary Peters beat the hell out of republican Terry Lynn Land for Levin's open Senate seat in a year when GOP won the governor and a majority of state seats. Land is a moron, and was exposed as such. It was therefore concluded, apparently incorrectly, that although the voters of Michigan have been leaning GOP more and more, they were still smart enough to reject an incompetent moron. Not so much anymore. That Kid Rock's name is in the ring is a testament to the statewide regression. He is not a smart or a good person, and he wouldn't be a good addition to the Senate.
We hemorrhaged educated people from the mid-90s until very recently. It seems like the tide is turning, but we have a long way to go to get back to respectability. The auto industry is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it made MI a fantastic place to live and work for decades. On the other, it discouraged leaders from investing in higher ed, because union guys could make $80k on a high school education. Our current governor is that rarest of endangered species, the moderate republican, and he is trying his best to improve retention of college educated people. That combined with Detroit's resurgence has stemmed the tide of net population loss. Unfortunately, our legislature is made up of a bunch of Jason Chaffetz wannabes, and they just voted to eliminate our income tax without replacement. So if the republican governor has his way, MI will finally join the 21st century, or if the republican legislature has its way, we'll join Kansas in their great experiment in failure.