MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, May. 28, 2018

What is the pitch legislators are hearing as to why they should legislatively approve the marijuana legalization ballot proposal? Mark Fisk from the Committee to Keep Pot Out of Neighborhoods and Schools makes the hard sell on why it makes sense to let the House and Senate put legalized pot under the same regulatory umbrella as medical weed. Fisk of Byrum Fisk Communications was active in getting medical marijuana adopted in Michigan back in 2008 and shares his observations on the similarities and differences between the two drives.

Also, the MIRS team talks about the impact of Shri Thanedar showing up a Marco Rubio rally in the winter of 2016 and which questions could be asked at the Detroit Regional of Commerce gubernatorial forum on Mackinac Island.

MIRS Monday, May 21, 2018

MIRS talks about two undercovered stories from the last several days of the gubernatorial campaign -- Shri Thanedar supports reparations and Abdul El-Sayed tells Patrick Colbeck that Muslims "hate" him. And then there's Bill Schuette v. Brian Calley. Has it all just become a lot of noise at this point?

Segments of the environmental community scores compromises on clean energy, groundwater withdrawal and oil/gas revenue allocation last week. Michigan Environmental Council CEO Chris Kolb shares his observations.

MIRS Monday, May 14, 2018

Will Brian Calley's attacks on Republican gubernatorial rival Bill Schuette have any lasting effects in the GOP primary? If so, what would they be? The MIRS team breaks down the last week's gubernatorial forums along with the future of Shri Thanedar, who is suspending his heavy TV ad schedule starting this week. What impact will Thanedar "going dark" have on his prospects in the Democratic primary?

And MIRS remembers the late former Sen. Patty Birkholz this week with former Senate policy advisor Bob Wilson, now the executive director of the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance. Wilson talks about Birkholz's legacy on conservation and environmental issues, along with her bi-partisan, policy-minded focus as a legislator.

Gubernatorial forum at Michigan Press Association 5/10/18

The following is unedited audio from the May 10, 2018 gubernatorial forum featuring all four Republican candidates and three Democratic candidates in front of the Michigan Press Association, sponsored by Consumers Energy. MIRS Editor Kyle Melinn is serving as moderator. 

MIRS Monday, May 7, 2018

A former Kentucky Secretary of State talks about Michigan moving to online voter registration, why the Senate has a Herculean task if it wants to pass the marijuana legalization initiative, and the number of statewide ballot proposals with a realistic shot at the ballot stands at seven. 

Also, some obscure music accompanies a startling closing to this week's podcast. It's a connection likely only those with Shazam on their phone will appreciate.

MIRS Monday, April 30, 2018

Where does Republican gubernatorial candidate Patrick Colbeck's theory connecting fellow gubernatorial hopeful Abdul El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood and a 2004 paper on "civilizational jihad" fall apart? MIRS talks with Rep. Abdullah Hammoud on this and other related topics.

Gubernatorial candidate Shri Thanedar's chances to win the Democratic nomination takes a hit with the "beagles and monkeys" story. President Donald Trump spends his Saturday night in Macomb County, and who can blame him? The MIRS team takes its annual swipe at the overly extravagent White House correspondents gala, where the attacks on Trump crossed line of either political analysis or humor.

MIRS Monday, April 23, 2018

Gov. Rick Snyder ends bottled water distribution in Flint at roughly the same time as the Nestle expanded bottled water permit is approved and an anchor strike spills mineral oil in the Straits of Mackinac. Why do these PR disasters tend to happen to this Governor? His former press secretary, Sara Wurful of Truscott Rossman, talks about this and other perceptions from her experience working for Snyder.

Also, the MIRS team explores three fallacies from the gubernatorial campaign to date -- Brian Calley's role in crafting the Michigan Business Tax, Abdul El-Sayed's position on the state ballot and Shri Thanedar's claim as being the most progressive candidate on the ballot.

MIRS Monday, April 16, 2018

The post-Michigan Democratic Party endorsement convention podcast features thoughts from Chair Brandon Dillon, two gubernatorial candidates and three party-endorsed candidates, including Dana Nessel, who prevailed in a hotly contested race for Attorney General.

Gubernatorial hopeful Shri Thanedar talks about the Popeye's chicken social media post and being denied access to address the convention's progressive caucus after being told beforehand he wouldn't be allowed. And MIRS Editor Kyle Melinn offers his observations from the weekend at Cobo Hall.

MIRS Monday, April 9, 2018

Where do Democratic Attorney General candidates Pat Miles and Dana Nessel stand on the Senate's sexual assault package on extending the statute of limitations and retroactivity? Will they accept the results of the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) endorsement convention this Sunday if they are not successful? MIRS Monday asks the two front-runners these and other questions in the run-up to the convention in Detroit.

Also, should Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer push for the endorsement of the MDP going at this weekend's convention? Ed Sarpolus of Target Insyght puts the idea on the table in his pre-convention analysis. These items and more MDP analysis in this week's edition of MIRS Monday.

MIRS Monday, April 2, 2018

Could a caucus of only 10 members truly have a shot at taking the majority this November? Sen. Curtis Hertel (D-East Lansing), one of the heads of the Senate Democrats' campaign operations in 2018, doesn't think it's out of the realm of possibility. He talks with MIRS Monday about some of the seats he's keeping an eye on.

How will President Trump and the gun issue play into the election season? What does he think about Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer running behind Shri Thanedar in the latest poll? This and more in this week's edition.