MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, May 2, 2016

The votes were there to move a $515 million Detroit Public Schools package out of the House Appropriations Committee last Friday. Are they there now that DPS teachers' mass "sick-out" has closed nearly every traditional public school in the Motor City? House Appropriations Committee Chair Al Pscholka answers that question. Also what is in the new House DPS package? Why $515 million instead of the $715 million the Governor and Senate want?

Also, Craig Thiel of the Citizens Research Council said the failings of Proposal A, the lack of a state school infrastructure fund or a special pool of special education funding all contributed to the decline of DPS. Listen to his suggestions to improve the state's public school system.

MIRS Monday, April 25, 2016

Sen. Tom Casperson reveals that his school bathroom plan for transgender students is being implemented without issue in two schools in his district. He speaks more about his proposal in this week's edition. Casperson, a congressional candidate, also handicaps his race and talks about eliminating a federal department. Which one?

Also, Brian Began of Grassroots Midwest, the former House staffer who drew the current state House races, gives his perspectives on how well he believes Republicans will do in retaining majority since the map he drew was designed to keep GOP majority through three presidential elections. Grassroots Midwest colleague Adrian Hemond projects a 55-55 shared leadership split after the November election.

MIRS Monday, April 18, 2016

Do Democrats really have between a 35% and 45% chance of winning back the state House? The answer is yes. Craig Mauger with the Michigan Campaign Finance Network and MIRS Editor Kyle Melinn explain why 2016 may be the best chance the D's have to win control of the chamber in 10 years and why that's important.

Also, what are the odds Republicans could nominate someone other than Donald Trump, Ted Cruz or John Kasich at their convention this summer? John Yob gives his perspectives on that and if he, the owner of Grand Rapids-based Strategic National, will be joining the convention as a delegate amid a nasty party fight in the Virgin Islands that sparked an alleged physical altercation this weekend involving another Michigan political consultant.

MIRS Monday, April 11, 2016

If former state Treasurer Bob Kleine could reform the state's emergency manager law, how would he do it? Or would he simply eliminate it? The Great Lakes Economic Group consultant also opines on whether the Flint water crisis would have happened under former Gov. Jennifer Granholm's watch and why it will take cities until the 2030s to fully return to a tax revenue base equal to 2008 unless the state steps up their revenue sharing payments.

The MIRS team talks about Lt. Gov. Brian Calley's email from January in which he says Rep. Sheldon Neeley "is not productive and he is not going to be productive" and how Sen. Tom Casperson's "bathroom bill" for transgender people puts Michigan smack dab in the middle of the country's latest social political issue.

MIRS Monday Podcast, April 4, 2016

State Board of Education President John Austin asks: does Michigan want to risk a business backlash as a state "legislating sexuality and gender identity?"  He also talks M-STEP and his own political future on this week's MIRS Monday Podcast.  Also tune in as the MIRS team talks Flint, presidential politics and Virgil Smith's pending resignation.  

MIRS Monday, Mar. 28, 2016

The American Federation of Teachers-Michigan stayed neutral on the Senate's Detroit Public School reform package. What would get them to support the bills? Do they think they are going to get anything better in the House, whose starting volley on the DPS bills were not what the teachers' union had in mind? MIRS asks AFT-Michigan President David Hecker these and other questions. 

MIRS talks about the implications of getting rid of the M-STEP test and the Board of Education's LGBTQ policy. MIRS also remembers former Speaker Curtis Hertel, Sr., and Dick Milliman, former press secretary to Gov. George Romney.

MIRS Monday, Mar. 21, 2016

Darwin Jiles, the Ethnic Vice Chair of the Michigan Republican Party, claims his party's historic inability to connect a compassionate conservative philosophy to the needs of urban residents makes it harder for officials like Gov. Rick Snyder and Bill Schuette to be met with anything other than skepticism when it comes to the Flint water crisis.

Jiles, a Flint native, said he doesn't believe the Governor purposely poisoned the city of Flint, but his corporate background is one where he's viewed as not caring about the city's residents until it was too late. Jiles is critical of the MRP's outreach efforts in Detroit and other urban areas.

Also, hear why anyone who relies on the state's General Fund needs to be concerned about the Flint water crisis.

MIRS Monday, Mar. 14, 2016

Genesee County Clerk John Gleason said, "Somebody in Flint needs to go to jail" over the Flint water crisis. Gleason compares the water that came out of the faucets at his offices to a "black and tan." What should happen to those who pulled the trigger on using the Flint River as an interim water source? Gleason gives his answer.

Also, listen to how much money the Skillman Foundation told Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan needed to be put into the Detroit Schools late last year to fund its "Roadmap for Detroit," according to a confidential PowerPoint presentation obtained by MIRS. This and much more on this week's edition.

MIRS Monday, Mar. 7, 2016

Ohio First Lady Karen Waldbillig Kasich said she was proud of how her husband, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, handled himself during Thursday's debate in Detroit. As for the other three?They acted as if they were running for "class clown," she said. Listen to Waldbillig Kasich's thoughts on her husband's "kitchen" comment, what role she sees herself playing as First Lady, what issue he struggled with most as governor of Ohio, what he does to relax and more.

Also, the MIRS crews gives a behind-the-scenes look at the last two presidential debates, the Donald Trump rally in Macomb County and Hillary Clinton's event in Detroit. And Dennis Denno from Denno Research gives his perspectives going into the Tuesday presidential primary.

MIRS Monday, Feb. 29, 2016

On paper, the 1st Congressional District would look like the Democrats' best chance for a pick-up in 2016, but Ed Sarpolus from Target Insyght tells MIRS why history indicates that Lon Johnson's path to victory would be difficult. Sarpolus also breaks down where Michigan House Democrats have the best chance of winning in '16 based on historical data.

Also, Matt Grossman is introduced as the next director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. Hear what he has to say on the presidential sweepstakes and how Donald Trump's popularity is similar to other national political figures.