A Republic, If You Can Keep It Michigan Citizens for a Better Tomorrow

It’s been a great week for the late night comics: Trump’s courtroom catnaps, Kristi Noem’s one-person animal control program, and Joe Biden’s week-late contribution to the annual 4-20 marijuana celebration.



Abortion laws continue to torment elected Republicans

South Dakota abortion rights groups collect enough signatures to advance ballot measure - NBC News

Joe Biden has an epiphany with a reclassification of weed

Trump opens up to Time magazine about his 2nd term plans – and it’s dystopian preview

Donald Trump on What His Second Term Would Look Like - TIME

And the Trump stage show drops into Michigan to heap insults on state Democrats, judges and prosecutors

‘Everything’s bad,’ Trump tells Michigan rally, offering policy solutions - mlive.com

Trump warns of tax hikes, EV doom in Michigan rally. Here are the facts - Bridge Michigan

Trump backs surveillance and prosecution of women to enforce abortion bans - Judd Legum/Popular Information

Alleged Republican leaders who loudly proclaim Donald Trump is a threat to the nation say that’s not as bad as Joe Biden

Peter Meijer concedes the obvious: he can’t win the GOP Senate nomination

GOP frontrunner Mike Rogers has a residency problem - his alleged Michigan home has been torn down

Two top-level Michigan congressional candidates face challenges on their petitions. We hear from the state’s top election lawyer … that would be Mark Brewer!



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This episode is sponsored in part by EPIC ▪ MRA, 

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Matt Davies - Washington Post



Another week, still more insanity...



It’s O.J. without the white Bronco as the first-ever criminal trial of a former President gets underway with the former publisher of National Enquirer throwing Trump under the bus. “Catch and Kill” was a strategy for keeping Trump out of political trouble. Now it describes his legal predicament: he got caught, and it could kill his candidacy, his company and possibly his freedom.

New York law enforcement and corrections officials are reportedly conferring with the Secret Service on what to do if Trump is sent to jail for contempt of court.

Arizona joins Michigan, Georgia and Nevada in criminally indicting fake electors … with Trump named an unindicted co-conspirator in both Michigan and Arizona, and facing criminal charges in Georgia.

The U.S. Supreme Court hears Trump's argument that, as President, he is above the law - free to kill, stage an insurrection, accept bribes and ignore parking tickets.

Two more polls show a tightening presidential race, with one showing Biden in the lead among likely voters

Marist Poll 4-22-24

NBC April 2024 Poll

Sexual predator Larry Nasser is now a $1-BILLION disaster with a $138-million settlement from the FBI to victims for slow-walking the investigation. This is on top of $500-million being paid out by Michigan State University and $380-million from USA Gymnastics.

Another draconian anti-abortion law reaches the U.S. Supreme Court as Democrats focus on women’s reproductive freedom as Issue Number One.

We recorded this week’s podcast on Thursday (April 25): the 10th Anniversary of the day the Flint water supply was switched from Lake Huron to the Flint River. What lessons have we learned, and what lessons should we have learned?



Also in the news this week:



Republicans are starting to worry about RFK Jr. - POLITICO

RNC Ditches Recently-Launched ‘Bank Your Vote,’ Vows New Program | Conservative America Today - Conservative America Today

Republican false electors in presidential election misled by leaders, attorneys say - mlive.com

Millions more salaried US workers are set to be eligible for overtime pay starting July 1 - AP News

Biden Unveils $7 Billion “Solar for All” Investment for Earth Day – Mother Jones

Biden administration issues new rules on airline fees and refunds - AP News

Tennessee passes bill to allow armed teachers in public schools - AP News

One-third of sitting Michigan House lawmakers to see primary challenge - Detroit News

Opinion | Mike Pence: Donald Trump Has Betrayed the Pro-Life Movement - The New York Times



Our guest this week is the likely Democratic nominee for an open seat on the Michigan Supreme Court, University of Michigan professor Kimberly Thomas. The Michigan Democratic Party’s executive committee has formally endorsed Thomas for the open seat created when Republican nominee David Viviano decided against running for reelection. Thomas is a clinical professor of law, and the director and co-founder of the Juvenile Justice Clinic at Michigan Law and also teaches in the Civil-Criminal Litigation Clinic. She specializes in trial and appellate practice, youth justice, and criminal sentencing law. In 2017, Thomas served as a US Fulbright Scholar at the University College Cork School of Law in Cork, Ireland and is a former editorial board member of the Clinical Law Review. Before joining the Law School faculty in 2003, Thomas served as a trial attorney with Defender Association of Philadelphia.

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This episode is sponsored in part by EPIC ▪ MRA, 

a full service survey research firm with expertise in:

• Public Opinion Surveys

• Market Research Studies

• Live Telephone Surveys

Still another week like no other: the previous guy napping at his own criminal trial, the current guy seeing his polling numbers nudge upwards with an economy that the Wall Street Journal calls "The Envy of the World", and a stunning tipping point in a major Michigan political scandal:



Attorney General Nessel stuns Lansing with criminal indictments of former House Speaker Lee Chatfield and his wife. We’ll talk with outspoken campaign finance reform advocate Bob LaBrant.

Democrats, as expected, win the 2 special elections to fill state House vacancies, restoring the Dem’s trifecta control of state government.

More campaign finance shenanigans, with our Mark Brewer hot on the trail of the malefactors.



In national political news –



Sleepy Donald Trump’s social media company’s stock matches his New York trial energy level: sinking fast. 

Joe Biden continues to gain ground in national polling as he campaigns while Trump fumes in court.

The U.S. economy is, in the words of a Wall Street Journal Headline, “the envy of the world” … but that’s not registering with American voters.

Crime in the U.S. is dropping … but that’s not registering with voters either.



Our focus is the story of the week (and maybe the year) in Michigan: a 13-count indictment of former House Speaker Lee Chatfield.



Dave Grandlund - Caglecartoons.com

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This episode is sponsored in part by EPIC ▪ MRA, 

a full service survey research firm with expertise in:

• Public Opinion Surveys

• Market Research Studies

• Live Telephone Surveys

• On-Line and Automated Surveys

• Focus Group Research

• Bond Proposals - Millage Campaigns

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• Ballot Proposals - Issue Advocacy Research

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What a week as things go from bad to worse for the Martyr of Mar-a-Lago:



History will be made this week as the first-ever criminal trial of a former President gets underway

Trump announces his “whatever” wishy-washy abortion policy during a total eclipse, only to have an Arizona court ruling shove his weasle-words into a harsh spotlight.

A federal court has rejected Republican efforts to overturn Michigan’s voter approved election reform laws

The Republican National Committee is fundraising with a robocall that repeats the Big Lie - no surprise from the Lara Trump-run subsidiary of the Trump Companies

Trump, at Fund-Raiser, Says He Wants Immigrants From ‘Nice’ Countries - The New York Times (he forgot to include Slovenia on his list)

The House Majority PAC has announced $186-million in advertising buys, with a huge chunk of that focused on 3 races in Michigan

A new Biden administration rule will close the gun show loophole, increasing background checks.

Still more student loans are forgiven through Presidential action

'On life support': Senate Republicans are prepared to sink the child tax credit bill



Michigan Democrats are serious about restoring the party’s standing in rural Michigan. Jeff and I areMark were at the party’s annual Rural Caucus Summit. They are joined on the podcast by Rural Caucus chairperson Mark Ludwig. Mark was born and raised in Michigan. His youth was spent assisting his father during the early days of the environmental movement, studying Great Lakes water birds affected by industrial pollution. He settled in Allegan County, founding a small beef farm in Clyde Township in 2005 with his wife Kim. Mark served on the Fennville Public School Board, Clyde Township Planning Commission and currently serves on the Allegan Conservation District Board of Directors. Mark graduated from Michigan State with a degree in Environmental Issues and has a Short Course Degree from UW Madison in Grass Based Dairy.



Christopher Seyant - Boston Globe

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This episode is sponsored in part by EPIC ▪ MRA, 

a full service survey research firm with expertise in:

• Public Opinion Surveys

• Market Research Studies

• Live Telephone Surveys

• On-Line and Automated Surveys

• Focus Group Research

• Bond Proposals - Millage Campaigns

• Political Campaigns & Consulting

• Ballot Proposals - Issue Advocacy Research

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Jack Ohman - Tribute Content Agency



“Let’s Nuke Gaza”:  that is apparently the new middle east strategy of Michigan’s "unremarkable and brain dead" congressman Tim Walberg (R-Tipton).



Also this week:



We were blessed with a visit from Mar-A-Lago librarian and bible salesman D. J. Trump, who announced a consolation call and more than a few so-called facts in a Grand Rapids harangue that didn't quite match reality.

Dan Kildee dropped a huge hint … a $14,000 hint … about his preferred successor in Congress

A federal court OK’d a new state House district map that does no favors for Democrats

Two special elections on April 16th will bring the state House back to full strength. The Republican candidate in one of those races is called out for promoting a new state abortion ban.

Michigan’s Republican Party (or at least, one wing of it) X'd that a statement from the Mayor of Baltimore “Another shining example of colored Communism.”

In Alabama, another major upset signals that women's reproductive rights proves to be a winning strategy for Alabama Democrat.

No Labels = No candidate

Florida will be voting in November on legalizing abortion and marijuana thanks to a state Supreme Court ruling this week. In the world of political fundraising, Elissa Slotkin continues to pile up the Benjamins: $4.4m raised, $8.6m cash on hand and Congressional candidate Curtis Hertel tallied $1.3m raised, $2m cash on hand

And the imaginary company Truth Social's stock bubble is already bursting, down more than 40% from its public trading launch as investors realize there's no there there.



Mark and Jeff will be speaking April 12-13 at the Rural Summit at Shanty Creek.

The event is open to the public.

Click here for program and registration information.

===========================

This episode is sponsored in part by EPIC ▪ MRA, 

a full service survey research firm with expertise in:

• Public Opinion Surveys

• Market Research Studies

• Live Telephone Surveys

• On-Line and Automated Surveys

• Focus Group Research

• Bond Proposals - Millage Campaigns

• Political Campaigns & Consulting

• Ballot Proposals - Issue Advocacy Research

• Community - Media Relations

• Issue - Image Management

• Database Development & List Management

===========================

Ann Taenes - Washington Post



Trump's RNC is reuniting the band: convicted criminals Paul Manafort and Steve Bannon (and maybe now-in-jail Peter Navarro) plus world-class whackos Steven Miller and Corey Lewandowski...under the "leadership" of daughter-in-law Lara Trump. It's looking like a rerun of 2020, but better organized but without Jared or Ivanka. Just this week, we're seeing



The screening for new Republican National Committee employees: do they agree that the 2020 election was stolen? 

Michigan’s Ronna “Don’t Call Me Romney” McDaniel’s NBC gig lasts half a Scaramucci after an on-air rebellion 

The Zillow listings for Trump properties will have to wait as the Sneaker-and-Bible Salesman gets a $300-million reprieve from a New York appeals court

Trump gets a tenuous windfall with Truth Social, but the company continues to lose money and could end up bankrupt (just like Trump casinos, Trump Airline, Trump Water, Trump University etc. etc.)

Trump gets to pray about his first criminal trial, now set to begin on April 15th (which likely means fewer rounds of golf).



Around Michigan:



Former Governor Granholm returns to the Mitten bearing gifts: $1.5-billion to restart the Palisades nuclear plant

Ottawa County may be Michigan’s most conservative politically, but its voters aren’t at all happy with the new ultra-right-wing mob running the county

Protecting healthcare, Social Security and Medicare are back as fundamental campaign issues

The most successful one-night fundraiser in political history gets launched with Biden's backup band: Bill Clinton and Barack Obama

Biden’s polling numbers are up in Michigan and nationally, and the campaign opens a 2nd office in Michigan. Meanwhile Trump’s Michigan remains in shambles.



We're joined this week by longtime Republican political consultant Stuart Stevens, now a senior adviser with the Lincoln Project.



Stevens has worked at the top level of more presidential and senatorial campaigns than just about anyone. His first presidential effort: the Bob Dole campaign in 1996. His book The Big Enchilada is a chronicle of George W. Bush’s 2000 campaign. 



He is also a prolific writer. It Was All A Lie: How The Republican Party Became Donald Trump is his eighth book; his ninth book, The Conspiracy to End America Five Ways came out last October. He has also written extensively for dramatic television series, starting with Northern Exposure and including I’ll Fly Away, K. Street, Commander in Chief and others.

===========================

This episode is sponsored in part by EPIC ▪ MRA, 

a full service survey research firm with expertise in:

• Public Opinion Surveys

• Market Research Studies

• Live Telephone Surveys

• On-Line and Automated Surveys

• Focus Group Research

• Bond Proposals - Millage Campaigns

• Political Campaigns & Consulting

• Ballot Proposals - Issue Advocacy Research

• Community - Media Relations

• Issue - Image Management

• Database Development & List Management

===========================