MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, Feb. 18, 2013

MDOT Director Kirk Steudle lays out the options for coming up with $1.2 billion in road funding. What happens if the Legislature uses all of the current six-cent sales tax on gasoline for transportation? Can GPS systems be used to track driver mileage?  Also, the MIRS' staff celebrates Presidents Day with a 10-question trivia challenge. How many can you get right? (Note: The Steudle audio is low, listeners will need to turn up their volume for his segment.)

MIRS Monday, Feb. 11, 2013

Is the UAW's endorsement hurting Lon Johnson's bid for the Michigan Democratic Party chair position? Is the Legislature moving away from Algebra 2? And House Speaker Jase Bolger avoids a new round of "Vaginagate." Also, Laura Appel from the Michigan Health and Hospital Association talks Medicaid expansion and reforms to the state's no-fault system.

Medicaid expansion press conference featuring Gov. Snyder

Gov. Rick Snyder today "crashed" a press conference sponsored by health organizations in support of expanding Medicaid eligibility to an estimated 450,000 low income individuals. Listen to this event at Sparrow Hospital in its entirety.

Lon Johnson's first press conference for MDP Chair

Today at 1 p.m., Michigan Democratic Party chair candidate Lon Johnson held a conference call with reporters to talk about his qualifications for the job and what he would do if elected by delegates at the party's Feb. 23 convention. Listen to the call in its entirety.

MIRS Monday Podcast, Feb. 4, 2013

What are some things Rep. Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills) is planning to tackle with the House Oversight Committee this year? Also, the MIRS crew checks in on who may get into the 2014 gubernatorial race now that Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) is out, and whether or not longtime Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer will keep his job.

MIRS Monday, Jan. 28, 2013

When did House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) know the Legislature was going to move forward with Right to Work? How often does he disagree with Gov. Rick Snyder? Both answers may surprise you in this never-before-heard interview with Bolger. Also, the MIRS team talks about Mark Brewer's future with the Michigan Democratic Party, the committee make-up of the House and two things you may not know state government spends money on.

MIRS Monday, Jan. 21, 2013

The County Road Association of Michigan (CRAM) likes the Governor's proposal to raise more money for the state's road system, but what are its concerns about how lawmakers want to carve up the money? John Niemela of CRAM explains. Also, was Gov. Rick Snyder's State of the State address a Democratic speech? And what are the dangers to Dems if they don't play along? Listen to post SOS audio clips from Rep. Jim Ananich (D-Flint) and Sen. Roger Kahn (R-Saginaw).

MIRS Monday, Jan. 14, 2013

Michigan charter school students are outperforming their public school counterparts, according to a new Stanford University study that panned charter schools in 2009. Cindy Schumacher, executive director, of Central Michigan University's Center for Charter Schools talks about the significance of the new report. Also what scares new House Appropriations Committee Chair Joe Haveman (R-Holland) going into the crafting of the Fiscal Year 2014 budget (11:44)? The new chair talks about his priorities in '13 and why his Approps meetings may be more "boring" that what we're all used to.

MIRS Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

How can reforms to the state's catastrophic claim system for auto insurance happen in the 2013-14 session? Scott Hummel from the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA) suggests some sweeteners that could make it easier to pass the Legislature. Also, is the legislative future of Rep. Brian Banks (D-Detroit) connected to the one-person grand jury investigation of House Speaker Jase Bolger? And how is the national press treating the rebellion of U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Kentwood)?

MIRS Monday, Dec. 31, 2012

For the second year, MIRS names its State Representative of the Year, State Senator of the Year and Democratic Legislator of the Year based on each lawmaker's effectiveness, level of activity and impact. This year's nominees are Rep. Mike Shirkey, Rep. Frank Foster, Rep. John Walsh and Rep. Jud Gilbert in the House; Sen. Roger Kahn, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, Sen. Tom Casperson, Sen. Bruce Caswell and Sen. Mike Nofs in the Senate; and Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, incoming House Minority Leader Tim Greimel, Rep. Lisa Brown, Rep. Barb Byrum and Rep. Brandon Dillon among the Democrats.