Today on Stateside, a federal court rules that Michigan must redraw its congressional and legislative maps before the 2020 election. How does that change both parties’ political calculus? Plus, a Michigan spin on a classic cocktail to warm you up on a drizzly spring weekend.
Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below.
- Yesterday a federal court ruled that Michigan’s congressional and legislative maps, drawn by Republicans after the 2010 census, need to be re-drawn. The judges called the gerrymandering of the districts an “unconstitutional and pernicious practice that undermines our democracy.”
- We talk about Republican reaction to the decision, and what it might mean for the 2020 election with Michigan Radio’s resident political junkie Zoe Clark, and Zach Gorchow, editor of Gongwer News Service.
The role Michigan’s emergency manager law played in the Flint water crisis
- It’s now been five years since the beginning of the Flint water crisis. One of the first reporters working on that story was Curt Guyette, the Investigative Reporter with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. He joins Stateside to talk about how the state’s emergency manager law contributed to the crisis, and what the rest of the state can learn from the past five years in Flint.
After a rebound in sandhill crane population, some legislators call for a hunting season
- A couple of resolutions were introduced in the Michigan legislature recently. They call on Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission to allow hunting for sandhill cranes. Legislators say the increasing populations of sandhill cranes is leading to crop damage. Some hunters are interested in hunting what’s being called “ribeye in the sky.”
- We talk to Barb Avers, a waterfowl and wetlands specialist with the state’s Department of Natural Resources about the sandhill crane’s recovery, and what would have to happen before a hunt on the birds would be allowed.
Political roundup: Senate Republicans have rejected Whitmer’s gas tax increase to fix the roads. Now what?
- Roads continue to dominate the conversation in Lansing. The Republicans in the legislature say they’re passing a budget now and will deal with finding money for the roads later. Governor Whitmer wants to see $2.5 billion for roads right now. What are the chances they’ll find a compromise? We discuss with our political commentators.
- Ken Sikkema is Senior Policy Fellow at Public Sector Consultants and a former Republican Majority Leader in the state Senate. TJ Bucholz is president of Vanguard Public Affairs, a progressive political strategy firm.
Cheers! Michigan subs for NYC in the drink made famous by Sex and the City
- The now ubiquitous pink cocktail known as a Cosmopolitan was popularized by the long-running HBO show Sex and the City. This week, we sub in Lester Graham for Carrie Bradshaw, and Tammy Coxen of Tammy’s Tastings gives the pink drink a local update in her “Michipolitan.”
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