MIRS Monday Podcast

Jase Bolger's radio ad

The following is House Speaker Jase Bolger's radio ad, which is running in his 63rd House District.

MIRS Monday, Oct. 1, 2012

The Governor's proposal to turn Blue Cross into a non-profit mutual insurance company was not the Blues' idea, says Blue Cross government affairs director Andy Hetzel, who talks about the idea's origins during today's podcast. What's wrong with doing an audit beforehand? What if the federal government erases Obamacare down the road? Hetzel answers those questions. Also, Proposal 3 supporter Steve Linder lays into the free-market Mackinac Center for not being consistent in opposing "25 by '25." Why did U.S. Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra spend the weekend in Israel and why didn't Democrats want anyone to know House Speaker Jase Bolger was down 4 points in an internal poll?

MIRS Monday, Sept. 24, 2012

Secretary of State Ruth Johnson says the federal government has been "a failure" in helping states keep non-U.S. citizens away from the voting booth on Election Day and why she is considering suing the feds for the data she needs to "clean up" Michigan's Qualified Voter File. Also, why did the pro-Proposal 2 folks change their name from "Protect Our Jobs" to "Protect Working Families" and why has the pro-Proposal 4 campaign been so cagey in speaking about who is sponsoring their effort? What has the SEIU's full role has been?

MIRS Monday, Sept. 17, 2012

Could a judge mandate tax increases in individual communities? If Proposal 2, the collective bargaining proposal, passes and the repeal of the new emergency manager law both go through this November, Charlie Owens, the head of the National Federation of Independent Business, said he thinks this could happen. Also MIRS asks Owens where he group stands on the international bridge ballot proposal. And, what does the recent poll in the 63rd House District say about House Speaker Jase Bolger's upcoming race?

MIRS Monday, Sept. 10, 2012

Is 11th Congressional candidate Kerry Bentivolio dodging the media? MIRS asks him that question and to explain a scathing report on his teaching history at Fowlerville High School. Also, Gov. Rick Snyder talks to reporters at this week's convention about his role in Mitt Romney's presidential campaign among several other subjects. And, MIRS discusses how the Democrats missed a golden opportunity at this week's convention to retake the Supreme Court.

MIRS Monday, Sept. 3, 2012

Michigan AFL-CIO President Karla Swift talks about the changing face of organized labor in this Labor Day edition. Does she think the Supreme Court will put the collective bargaining amendment on the ballot? Also, the MIRS team talks about how the media is increasingly having to play Switzerland in political campaigns.

MIRS Monday, Aug. 27, 2012

What's the most fun Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville has had so far in Tampa at the Republican National Convention? Listen to this week's MIRS Monday podcast to find out. Also, how interested are presidential campaigns in accommodating the media? Former Associated Press Bureau Chief Kathy Barks Hoffman, now with Lambert Edwards & Associates, talks with the MIRS team about the changing face of political reporting, both locally and nationally.

Whitmer, Brewer Discuss Lawsuit

Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer today at a press conference discussed their plans to ask for a rare one-man grand jury to weigh in on what they say was fraud perpetrated by House Speaker Jase Bolger and party-switching Grand Rapids Rep. Roy Schmidt.

MIRS Monday Podcast, Aug. 20 2012

Michigan Republican Party spokesman Matt Frendewey previews the Republican National Convention, the impact of Ron Paul on the state party, and why Michigan got the second best hotel in Tampa. The MIRS crew talks about which ballot proposals are poised for legal action this week, and why the fate of the Protect Our Jobs ballot proposal could be linked to that of the casino ballot proposal.

MIRS Monday, Aug. 13, 2012

MIRS introduces its new House reporter, Craig Mauger, in this week's episode. Also, how will the selection of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's running mate impact the Republican ticket in Michigan? And could there be a legal challenge to the proposed two-third ballot proposal before the Board of Canvassers certifies it for the ballot? Gilda Jacobs of the Michigan League of Human Services, who is spearheading the anti-proposal side, talks about the possibility.