MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, December 18, 2023

The MIRS team gathers to make their nominations for the MIRS House Member of 2023, with assistance from guest reporter Ben Orner, a legislative and political journalist for MLive. 

Also, on December 6th, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt dropped by the MIRS newsroom to share his own views on how the year went. Zooming in on Democrats' 100% "clean energy" by 2040 package, Nesbitt says it is "so much like Governor Whitmer" to get a huge public relations hit supporting a possible future presidential run, while many plans are not fully implemented until after her governorship ends.

"This gives Republicans a chance as we continue to work to win back the House next year, to work to win back the Senate and win back the governorship," Nesbitt says. 

MIRS Monday, December 11, 2023

The MIRS team gathers to make their nominations for the MIRS Republican Legislator of 2023, with assistance from guest reporter Rachel Louise Just, a multimedia journalist previously with News Channel 3. 

In his first-ever interview on the subject, retired GOP political operative Steve Linder explains how he didn't do anything wrong while developing Michigan's medical marijuana law, detailing how he was betrayed and "put in harm's way" amid what became the Rick Johnson public corruption and bribery scandal:  "...people who betrayed me. This was a betrayal. Rick Johnson betrayed his oath to the people of Michigan." 

MIRS Monday, December 4, 2023

The MIRS Monday team comes together to nominate their picks for the MIRS Freshman Legislator of 2023. Colin Jackson of the Michigan Public Radio Network also joins the discussion as a guest nominator. 

Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks describes what it was like to lead the Michigan Senate this year, especially with 40 years of "pent up policy issues" on her Democratic caucus' agenda.

Michigan Public Service Commission Chair Dan Scripps talks about why his commission approved the Line 5 tunnel project. He also goes over his commission's new authorities under Democrats' 100% clean-energy-by-2040 package.

MIRS Monday, November 27, 2023

Saginaw-based lobbyist Jimmy Greene says if you're a Republican looking at the 2024 elections, you want the current state party to stay away as far as possible. 

Executive Director MoReno Taylor II of the Fund MI Future coalition highlights a survey finding that when first asked, 60% of respondents backed increasing the state's corporate income tax rate for extra public infrastructure funding. 

State Rep. Donni Steele, an Orion Township Republican, describes legislation she introduced to make budget bills viewable to lawmakers at least one week in advance. 

MIRS Monday, November 20, 2023

Flushing-based political consultant David Forsmark and Tim Sneller, the former Democratic state representative from Burton, discuss who might – and might not – run to be U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee's successor in the 8th Congressional District.

Executive Vice President Dawn Crandall of the Home Builders Association of Michigan updates MIRS on the current state of housing shortages. 

State Rep. Phil Skaggs, an East Grand Rapids Democrat, explains how he "sure will" be disclosing more than what's required from him in Democratic leadership's legislation subjecting lawmakers to financial disclosure filing mandates.  

MIRS Monday, November 13, 2023

CEO Adrian Hemond of Grassroots Midwest and Chief Strategist John Sellek of Harbor Strategic share what has surprised them most this year in the state Legislature, and what kind of "chaos bomb" could still occur after they adjourn for 2023. 

Hilary Doe, the first state chief growth officer in the country, doesn't see a significant correlation between low taxes and population growth when she looks at data. 

She and workgroup member Fatima Salman give updates on the Governor's Growing Michigan Together Council. 

State Representative Jaime Greene of Richmond says she has learned that anytime a bunch of amendments are slapped onto a bill on the House floor, "it was a piece of garbage to begin with." 

MIRS Reporter Samantha Shriber is joined by House Reporter Danielle James.

 

MIRS Monday, November 6, 2023

Former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer discusses why he's launching a Republican U.S. Senate bid, despite being targeted in 2022 after voting to impeach President Donald Trump.  

Dr. Rob Davidson, the executive director of the Committee to Protect Health Care, describes why his advocacy organization is backing the Reproductive Health Act legislation, which lifts multiple regulations on abortion service providers. 

And Warren Carpenter, an ex-supporter of state GOP Chair Kristina Karamo, believes the Michigan Republican Party is "sitting in the parking lot, and can't find the keys" when it comes to election organization efforts. 

MIRS Monday, October 30, 2023

Westland City Clerk, Richard LeBlanc, would be shocked if voter turnout reaches 20% in his city's upcoming mayoral election, where State Rep Kevin Coleman is going up against Interim Mayor Mike Londeau.

President Laura Sherman of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council imagines it will be "fairly hard" to prove they need timeline extensions under State Senate Democrats' clean-energy-by-2040 package. 

Also, Michigan Health Council current VP and Incoming CEO Craig Donahue discusses a report projecting that nearly all health care occupations in the state will experience labor shortages between now and 2032. 

MIRS Monday, October 23, 2023

Joe Cella, the former U.S. ambassador to Fiji, and co-chair Richard Studley of the 2022 Proposal 1 campaign raise concerns about why new financial disclosure policies have not yet been approved. 

U.S. Attorney Mark Totten shares that his office is watching closely for public corruption, especially after the sentencing of past House Speaker and medical marijuana board chair Rick Johnson. 

House Elections Chair Penelope Tsernoglou gives MIRS a rundown of legislation banning A.I.-generated "deep fakes" from election ads. 

 

 

MIRS Monday, October 16, 2023

Vice Chair Nicole Small of the Detroit Charter Commission and Horace Sheffield, a social activist and media personality, explain why the Detroit Mayor's land value tax proposal has become a source of legislative division and mistrust. 

Additionally, Kevon Martis, the co-founder of the "Our Home Our Voice" coalition, describes the  local opposition to state-controlled siting for large-scale wind and solar projects.