MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, December 12, 2022

Six legislators are nominated to be the MIRS Democratic Legislator of the Year. Who is nominated, who won?

Incoming Senate Majority Floor Leader Sam Singh talks about how he sees the Senate operating in 2023 under Democratic control.

And two Michigan Republican Party chair candidates make their case on the podcast. Listen to Lena Epstein with her supporter, Ted Goodman, and Billy Putman, the Tuscola County Republican Party chair and candidate on the TLC program "Meet the Putmans."

MIRS Editor Kyle Melinn is joined by the rest of the MIRS editorial crew.

MIRS Monday, December 5, 2022

MIRS News names its Political Figure of the Year for 2022. It's an award recognizing the entity in Michigan politics that was the most effective, active and impactful during the calendar year.

U.S. Rep.-Elect John James reacts to the pushback against Republican leader Kevin McCarthy becoming speaker in 2023, Donald Trump suggesting the constitution be suspended and if he's moving to Macomb County.

 

And State Rep.-Elect Jamie Thompson talks about the need to end political in-fighting among Republicans in Wayne County and across the state. She says the party needs a leader, not 10 candidates for Republican chair.

MIRS Monday, November 28, 2022

In this week's edition of MIRS Monday, House Judiciary Committee Chair Graham Filler hangs much of the Republicans' failures of 2022 around the neck of former President Donald Trump.

University of Michigan Regent Sarah Hubbard, the principal at Acuitas, talks about the school's new president and the coming lame duck session.

And Rep.-Elect Emily Dievendorf talks about where their passion for social justice comes from.

MIRS Monday, November 21, 2022

Two of Michigan's newest legislative leaders -- House Majority Floor Leader-Elect Abraham Aiyash and incoming Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sarah Anthony -- talk in separate interviews about how they envision operating in their new positions and what they see Democratic legislative majority looking like in the coming session.

 

You've seen him on Twitter. In this edition, UMichVoter talks about how he took on political analysis as a hobby as he works to be a doctor. He also addresses the future of Twitter as an influential social media platform.

 

Host Kyle Melinn is joined by Samantha Shriber, Barbara Bellinger and Danielle James. 

MIRS Monday, November 14, 2022

Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich; Jill Alper, political analyst for the Reproductive Freedom for All campaign; political consultant Dave Forsmark, Vassar superintendent Dot Blackwell and ZeroEyes co-founder Mike Lahiff check in during the post-election MIRS Monday podcast.

MIRS Monday, Nov. 7, 2022

Bill Ballenger, Michigan's preeminent pundit, joins the MIRS team in making predictions ahead of Tuesday's election, which includes a victory for Gov. Whitmer.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson talks election security the day before the Nov. 8 primary elections and we talk short-term rentals with AirBNB's lead in Michigan, Vincent Frillici.

MIRS Monday, October 31, 2022

Who will win control of the Michigan Senate? Sen. Aric Nesbitt, the Senate Republicans' presumed leader, gives his prediction and Sen. Curtis Hertel, a leading Senate Democrat, pushes back on that prediction in a lively exchange.

Also, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton shares some words of wisdom as he leaves Congress after this year after 35 years.

MIRS Monday, Oct. 24, 2022

Mark Grebner of Practical Political Consultants says abortion rights-based Proposal 3 was "not written to pass" and may be in trouble (13:32) while NARAL Pro-Choice America Vice President Angela Vasquez-Giroux feels confident in Proposal 3 passing due to the large number of new voters that reproductive freedom is bringing out (32:50).

Supreme Court candidate Paul Hudson is asked under what circumstances he would rule a law is unconstitutional (45:29) and Public Sector Consultants CEO Julie Metty Bennett joins the MIRS team to come up with the questions we would ask at Tuesday's gubernatorial debate.

MIRS Monday, October 17, 2022

Mark Totten, the U.S. Attorney of the Western District, talks about his prior job as Gov. Whitmer's chief legal counsel during the height of COVID and his new job overseeing federal prosecutions for about half of Michigan.

 

Hear why Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum says she doubts more than 1 in 10 clerks will bother using the pre-processing legislation and what she thinks about the phrase "chain of custody."

 

Jeff Litten of Secure MI Votes talks about why Proposal 2 isn't necessary, the MIRS team talks about the significance of President Barack Obama returning to Michigan and more.

MIRS Monday, October 10, 2022

At age 79, former Emergency Manager Don Weatherspoon came out of retirement to help two more struggling school districts, but this time it's learning failures, not financial failures, that are beginning him back. What does he believe needs to be done to help kids succeed?

 

Rep. Angela Witwer says Republicans are "dreaming" if they believe they can pick up state House seats when the top of the ticket is up 10 points.

 

And Nancy Wang from Voters Not Politicians is asked about the need for Proposal 2 and what she knows about the Sixteen Thirty Fund, the No. 1 contributor to Prop. 2.