MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, November 27, 2023

Saginaw-based lobbyist Jimmy Greene says if you're a Republican looking at the 2024 elections, you want the current state party to stay away as far as possible. 

Executive Director MoReno Taylor II of the Fund MI Future coalition highlights a survey finding that when first asked, 60% of respondents backed increasing the state's corporate income tax rate for extra public infrastructure funding. 

State Rep. Donni Steele, an Orion Township Republican, describes legislation she introduced to make budget bills viewable to lawmakers at least one week in advance. 

MIRS Monday, November 20, 2023

Flushing-based political consultant David Forsmark and Tim Sneller, the former Democratic state representative from Burton, discuss who might – and might not – run to be U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee's successor in the 8th Congressional District.

Executive Vice President Dawn Crandall of the Home Builders Association of Michigan updates MIRS on the current state of housing shortages. 

State Rep. Phil Skaggs, an East Grand Rapids Democrat, explains how he "sure will" be disclosing more than what's required from him in Democratic leadership's legislation subjecting lawmakers to financial disclosure filing mandates.  

MIRS Monday, November 13, 2023

CEO Adrian Hemond of Grassroots Midwest and Chief Strategist John Sellek of Harbor Strategic share what has surprised them most this year in the state Legislature, and what kind of "chaos bomb" could still occur after they adjourn for 2023. 

Hilary Doe, the first state chief growth officer in the country, doesn't see a significant correlation between low taxes and population growth when she looks at data. 

She and workgroup member Fatima Salman give updates on the Governor's Growing Michigan Together Council. 

State Representative Jaime Greene of Richmond says she has learned that anytime a bunch of amendments are slapped onto a bill on the House floor, "it was a piece of garbage to begin with." 

MIRS Reporter Samantha Shriber is joined by House Reporter Danielle James.

 

MIRS Monday, November 6, 2023

Former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer discusses why he's launching a Republican U.S. Senate bid, despite being targeted in 2022 after voting to impeach President Donald Trump.  

Dr. Rob Davidson, the executive director of the Committee to Protect Health Care, describes why his advocacy organization is backing the Reproductive Health Act legislation, which lifts multiple regulations on abortion service providers. 

And Warren Carpenter, an ex-supporter of state GOP Chair Kristina Karamo, believes the Michigan Republican Party is "sitting in the parking lot, and can't find the keys" when it comes to election organization efforts. 

MIRS Monday, October 30, 2023

Westland City Clerk, Richard LeBlanc, would be shocked if voter turnout reaches 20% in his city's upcoming mayoral election, where State Rep Kevin Coleman is going up against Interim Mayor Mike Londeau.

President Laura Sherman of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council imagines it will be "fairly hard" to prove they need timeline extensions under State Senate Democrats' clean-energy-by-2040 package. 

Also, Michigan Health Council current VP and Incoming CEO Craig Donahue discusses a report projecting that nearly all health care occupations in the state will experience labor shortages between now and 2032. 

MIRS Monday, October 23, 2023

Joe Cella, the former U.S. ambassador to Fiji, and co-chair Richard Studley of the 2022 Proposal 1 campaign raise concerns about why new financial disclosure policies have not yet been approved. 

U.S. Attorney Mark Totten shares that his office is watching closely for public corruption, especially after the sentencing of past House Speaker and medical marijuana board chair Rick Johnson. 

House Elections Chair Penelope Tsernoglou gives MIRS a rundown of legislation banning A.I.-generated "deep fakes" from election ads. 

 

 

MIRS Monday, October 16, 2023

Vice Chair Nicole Small of the Detroit Charter Commission and Horace Sheffield, a social activist and media personality, explain why the Detroit Mayor's land value tax proposal has become a source of legislative division and mistrust. 

Additionally, Kevon Martis, the co-founder of the "Our Home Our Voice" coalition, describes the  local opposition to state-controlled siting for large-scale wind and solar projects.  

MIRS Monday, October 9, 2023

David Worthams, the employment policy director for the Michigan Manufacturers Association, and Managing Director Denzel McCampbell of Progress Michigan discuss their differing views toward labor legislation that's been flagged by the state's business community. 

President Stephen Rapundalo of MichBio explains why his organization opposes legislation to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB), as well as efforts to remove certain  immunity for pharmaceutical manufacturers. 

Also, conservative graphic designer Heather Dow shares how "Patriot Post Girl" was created.       

MIRS Monday, October 2, 2023

Co-voice Karen Dumas of The No BS Newshour and Republican political strategist Jason Roe join the team to discuss former Detroit Police Chief James Craig's anticipated entrance in the U.S. Senate race, among other political headlines in Michigan. 

Also, state Senator Mary Cavanagh of Redford Township and co-owner Bob Mlynarek of 1st Call Home Healthcare describe an "urgency" to scrap the 2019 auto insurance reform's drop in long-term care reimbursements for catastrophic car accident survivors. 

MIRS Monday, September 25, 2023

Michael Stroud of Republican Nikki Snyder's U.S. Senate campaign and Thomas Norton, past president of the Michigan Conservative Union, share their experiences at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference. 

State Rep. Karen Whitsett of Detroit explains why she voted against several bills creating a Reproductive Health Act in Michigan. 

Additionally, CEO Daniel Hurley of the Michigan Association of State Universities and Robert Davies, president of Central Michigan University, explains why 10 public universities are guaranteeing admission to high school seniors with at least a 3.0 GPA.