MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, August 5, 2024

MIRS kicks things off with political strategists and communications professionals John Sellek, of Harbor Strategic, Brandon Dillon of the WinMATT Group, and Karen Dumas of Images and Ideas. The roundtable discusses the changed presidential race in Michigan with Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democrat candidate, and how some key down ballot races look for the State Legislature, US Congressional races in Michigan, and the Michigan US Senate race. (1:10). 

C. Jay Coles, the senior government relations associate of the Verified Voting Foundation discusses his opinion that when it comes to national efforts seeking online voting, technology is not yet able to keep an internet voting system secure. (20:35). 

And Mark Brewer, of law firm Goodman and Acker discusses, among other judicial items, the major Michigan Supreme Court ruling, overturning the "Adopt and Amend" package that clears the way for a higher minimum wage and mandatory paid sick leave in the state. (39:30).

MIRS Monday, July 29, 2024

MIRS kicks things off with Vice President Stephanie Van Koevering of Resch Strategies and Mario Morrow, the Southfield-based public relations professional. Together, they discuss the future of budget-making transparency, as well as the state of not-so-competitive Democratic primaries (3:00). 

Michigan Budget Director Jen Flood talks about the recently signed $82.5 billion state budget, and if more spending is on the horizon (30:00).

Also, MIRS meets with a coalition of Traverse City area education and economic leaders, who are hoping to secure more teachers in Northern Michigan with a planned housing incentive project (41:40). 

MIRS Monday, July 22, 2024

President Joe Biden announced Sunday he will not seek reelection, endorsing his Vice President, Kamala Harris. Ahead of this BREAKING NEWS, political consultant Mark Grebner and Matt Grossman – a Michigan State University political scientist – discuss the optics of a Biden drop out, and the challenges his replacement could face in Michigan and beyond (:56).

MIRS also meets Jocelyn Bucaro, the director of the Mobile Voting Project, which is a national effort to permit voters to cast absentee-like ballots on their cell phones (25:40). 

Additionally, state Senator Jim Runestad, a White Lake Republican, describes his time at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He also explains his effort to educate House primary candidates on how they can possibly change the Legislature's rules (49:10). 

 

MIRS Monday, July 15, 2024

Lon Johnson, the Michigan Democratic Party's past chair, talks about how the shooting at former President Donald Trump will impact this election cycle. Also, he discusses why he called on incumbent President Joe Biden to end his campaign earlier this month (:55). 

MIRS sits down with deputy directors Michelle Richard and Emily Laidlaw of the Governor's new department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential. They highlight their favorite items in the department's first-ever, more than $643 million budget (20:50). 

Additionally, MIRS meets Nate Chesher of the Cherry Marketing Institute to discuss the state of Michigan's tart cherry industry (42:00). 

 

MIRS Monday, July 8, 2024

Tony Zammit – a past Republican communications specialist – and progressive Kent County Commissioner Ivan Diaz discuss how Michiganders are reacting to calls for President Joe Biden to end his campaign (1:07). 

Public education advocate Peter Spadafore describes the newest school aid budget for Michigan, and how it deals with public school retirement debt, as homework he probably would have sent back for students to do over (22:13). 

Additionally, MIRS speaks with Connor Herman of Forth Mobility and James Delgado of Mobility Development on an electric vehicle rideshare program that was launched on Detroit's east side (41:08). 

MIRS Monday, July 1, 2024

To discuss an $83 billion total budget that legislators approved after 4 a.m. last week, MIRS was joined by President Monique Stanton of the Michigan League for Public Policy and Michael LaFaive, the head of fiscal policy for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. 

One voice supports financial help for needy Michiganders, another calls for limited government. Together, they share their different "Winners and Losers" of the budget (1:13). 

Also, the budget gives direct care workers serving disabled residents a 20-cents-per-hour raise. But direct care worker service providers fear this won't be enough to alleviate staff shortages (24:10). 

Additionally, MIRS was joined by Political Director Max Docksey of the Republican State Leadership Committee, to talk about why his national group has launched an absentee and early voting program in Michigan (42:27). 

MIRS Monday, June 24, 2024

MIRS is joined by Brandon Reed – the Michigan Black Business Alliance's external affairs director, and former legislative policy advisor – and Adam Bitely of the Martin Waymire public relations firm. 

They discuss what might still be on the Legislature's to-do list after they approve a state budget, and leftover or future costs a new budget possibly won't cover (2:50). 

Also, MIRS sits down with Detroit City Councilmember Mary Waters, who's running against U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar in the 13th Congressional District (27:39). 

Director Tim Boring of the state's agriculture department explains efforts to block an influenza virus affecting dairy cows from mutating into something more severe (49:31). 

MIRS Monday, June 17, 2024

State Senator Jeremy Moss, a Southfield Democrat, shares his insights as a Jewish legislator during a moment of "permeating antisemitism" in Michigan. He says his experiences with antisemitism have been questioned and "word policed." 

As people react to the Israel-Hamas War from home, Moss believes his own U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is "contributing to the divisiveness," and he says he can't vote for her (1:09). 

Also, MIRS meets up with Mary Draves, the former Dow Chemical Company executive who's running in Michigan's competitive 8th Congressional district (37:03). 

Additionally, Steve Norris – a harm reduction and recovery support director in Oakland County – is concerned about different opioid remediation efforts becoming less collaborative (52:07). 

MIRS Monday, June 10, 2024

Former Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger and Co-Founder Adrian Hemond of Grassroots Midwest discuss the chances of Renaissance Center rescue bucks appearing in the upcoming state budget. 

Additionally, they chat about flippable districts in the 2024 state House elections (1:01). 

CEO Alicia Guevara Warren of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation is concerned about how the preschool spending proposals could negatively impact local childcare centers and their business models (25:08). 

MIRS sits down with Kimberly Thomas, the University of Michigan Law School professor looking to run for the Michigan Supreme Court as a Democratic nominee (47:33). 

MIRS Monday, June 3, 2024

Before leaving last week's Mackinac Policy Conference, MIRS was joined by Charlie Langton of WWJ News and Nick Austin of Detroit public radio for a policy and political media roundtable (2:18).

Additionally, U.S. Senator Gary Peters explains why he wanted the job of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair, and why Democrats are targeting GOP strongholds Texas and Florida (27:12).

Also, GOP U.S. Senate hopeful Sandy Pensler says Mike Rogers' debate cancellations have become "par for the course," calling him "so disingenuous" (35:14).