Southeast Michigan is a geographical construct. If anything, it was included to include counties that weren't quite Metro Detroit, but tied closely enough to the region to count. Really, it's more inclusive than just about every term. How is it any different than "South Florida" which is used to refer to metropolitan Miami or SoCal/NoCal? I think you're reading into this something that doesn't exist, because people don't even use the term outside the state to identify where they are from.

I also think this idea that people are so anti-Detroit, now, is way, way, way overblown. Maybe even just ten years ago that would have been the case, but now when I see Metro Detroiters folks on television or even in just general conversation, they want to connect with the city more than ever. I don't here these folks correcting people that they are from Utica, or to give their location when talking to someone outside the state as Livonia.