The Friday Morning Podcast

10/17/19 Spate of state lawmakers convicted of crimes and expelled from Legislature over past four years is an all-time record.  Gov. Whitmer and GOP Legislative Leaders Continue to meet on FY 2020 budget. Judge slaps down emergency order banning scented vaping products. Interview with state Senator Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D-E. Lansing). Partners with www.DeadlineDetroit.com. https://soundcloud.com/user-595768561/restoring-trustvaping-vacuumlapsing-legislators/s-5Bfs6 […]

10/11/19 Budget wars heat up again with bills introduced to restore funds cut by Gov. Whitmer and/or possible veto override votes. National poll shows surprising support among Dem. voters for K-12 education choice, including charter schools. Interview with Dave Woodward, Chair of the Oakland Co. Board of Commissioners. Denno field trip to Kentucky and Tennessee […]

10/2/19 Gov. Whitmer issues record number of line-item vetoes of budget bills, axing nearly $1 billion from state spending. She will meet with “The Quadrant” this week to see whether Rs will agree to reignite negotiations in order to get some of the veto money restored. U.S. Rep. Slotkin (D-MI 8) draws an opponent, Nikki […]

9/26/19 Legislature finally sends FY 2020 budget to Gov. Whitmer, but nobody knows what she will do. VP Pence motorcade dominates headlines at GOP conclave on Mackinac Island. 2,500 opponents of auto insurance rate reform march on Capitol. Interview with MI House Minority Leader Christine Greig (D-Farmington Hills). Partners with www.DeadlineDetroit.com. https://soundcloud.com/user-595768561/shutdown-showdownauto-insurance-insurrectionrecall-redivivus    

9/18/19 A special early edition of the Friday Morning Podcast.  Gov. Whitmer asks legislative Republicans to send her their budget before they leave for Mackinac Island GOP conference this weekend, but they demur. Interview with U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI 6). Sponsored by www.DeadlineDetroit.com and www.Vanguard-PA.com. https://soundcloud.com/user-595768561/budget-battleborder-brouhahabipartisan-ballistics    

9/13/19 Gov. Whitmer backtracks on insistence that Legislature send her a FY 2020 budget that includes what she considers adequate funding to ‘Fix the Damn Roads,’ but does that mean the path to resolve differences she has with lawmakers by October 1 has gotten easier to negotiate? Apparently not, at least right away. Whitmer learns […]

9/6/19 Gov. Whitmer issues emergency rules banning flavored vaping in MI. Rep. Larry Inman (R-Traverse City) returns to state House of Reps—and votes!—for first time in three months after being indicted on bribery charges.   Interview with state Senator Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Township) on a variety of topics, including his own political ambitions.  Sponsored by […]

8/30/19  Gov. Whitmer exchanges snarky criticism with state Repub. legislative leaders about imminent FY 2020 budget crisis. MI Civil Rights Commission fires its ED, Augustin Arbulu, as a result of his remarks objectifying women. A little history on MI ballot proposals.  Interview with Matt Manna, president of the Chaldean Chamber of Commerce.  Sponsored by www.vanguard-pa.com […]

8/22/19 Gov. Whitmer issues ultimatum to Repub. legislative leaders to produce a concrete FY 2020 budget plan that includes adequate funding to “Fix the Damn Roads,” but they seem unlikely to do so any time soon.   Dennis Denno and his wife, Raina, take an Alaska road trip where she runs her 49th marathon in […]

The attempt by the Oakland C. Board of Commish to replace the late Brooks Patterson as Oakland Co. Exec. continues. Gov. Whitmer and state Senate Majority Leader Shirkey cope with perception that they may not be able to work out an agreement on the FY 2020 state budget by the start of next fiscal year. […]