>> WELCOME BACK, LET’S SAY
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO OUR ROUND
TABLE.
NOLAN FINLEY IS THE DETROIT NEWS
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR.
PORTIA ROBERSON, MITCHELL
RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION,
STEVE MITCHELL IS WITH US AS IS
JILL ALPER OF ALPER STRATEGIES.
GUYS, LET’S TALK REDISTRICTING.
I THINK IT’S SO FASCINATING AND
THINK ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE USED TO
SAY ABOUT CONTRACTS IF BOTH
SIDES ARE UPSET, IT’S PROBABLY A
FAIR DEAL AND I’VE HEARD
CRITICISM ON BOTH SIDES.
JILL, LET’S START WITH YOU, IS
IT A FAIR NEW MAP?
>> WELL, BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THE
DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN CARVED UP IN
A PRETTY FAREWELL, EVEN-HANDED
AND RECOGNIZED BY THE NEW YORK
TIMES, IT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S
PERFECT THOUGH.
THERE HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN
CONCERNS REGISTERED, SOME BY THE
RIGHT AND SOME BY THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN
DETROIT.
SO, THESE DISCUSSIONS WILL
PROBABLY CONTINUE AND THE PLAN
WILL BE LITIGATED, BUT BY ALL
ACCOUNTS, YOU LOOK AT THE
DISTRICTS UP AND DOWN FROM THE
TOP OF THE TICKET AND TO THE
BOTTOM AND MUCH MORE EQUITABLE
AND FAIR THAN 10 YEARS AGO WHEN
DRAWN BY REPUBLICAN POLITICIANS.
>> Jason: NOLAN, WHAT STANDS OUT
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAPS?
>> AND WHEN I LOOK AT IT IT’S A
MESS.
THE 10 YEARS AGO BY THE
REPUBLICANS, 7-7, AND ALMOST
EVEN REPRESENTATION IN THE
HOUSE.
I DON’T THINK THAT’S BAD.
I DON’T THINK YOU’RE GOING TO
HAVE AS EVEN AN OUTCOME.
THESE ARE A MESS.
I DON’T THINK THEY ARE GOING TO
STAND UP TO A VOTERS RIGHTS ACT
CHILDREN AND CERTAINLY DILUTES
AFRICAN-AMERICAN INFLUENCE AND
END UP WITH FEWER SEATS HELD BY
BLACK REPRESENTATIVES.
YOU MAY END UP WITH A
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WITHOUT
AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN
REPRESENTATIVE GIVEN THE WAY
THAT BRENDA LAWRENCE’S NEW
DISTRICT IS DRAWN.
IT SPLITS COMMUNITY OF INTEREST,
FOR EXAMPLE, MIDLAND WHICH IS
STILL DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH
OF LAST YEAR’S DAM COLLAPSE AND
FLOODING, THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE
SPLIT INTO TWO DIFFERENT
DISTRICTS.
IF THAT’S NOT A COMMUNITY OF
INTEREST, I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS.
>> Jason: LEGAL CHALLENGES FOR
SURE HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT
COMING AND PORTIA, I KNOW IT HIT
ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST CRITICISM,
IT DISENFRANCHISES DETROIT
VOTERS.
>> I DO AGREE WITH THAT.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE ONE OF THE
PAPERS IN CONGRESSIONAL
REPRESENTATION YOU SEE BRENDA
LAWRENCE AND SHE MIGHT LOSE OUT
BASED ON THE NEW DRAWING.
IT’S UNFORTUNATE.
I THINK THERE ARE GOING TO BE
QUITE A FEW CHALLENGES AROUND
THE DISTRICTS AS DRAWN RIGHT NOW
AND THEN YOU SEE AN OUTSIDE
DISTRICT PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO
MOVE, PEOPLE CHALLENGING OTHER
GOOD REPRESENTATIVES AND THERE
ARE GOING TO BE A LOT OF
CHALLENGES WITHIN OUR OWN PARTY,
IN TERMS OF WHO GETS WHAT SEAT
AND WHO HAS TO MOVE TO TRY TO
CREATE OR/AND/OR KEEP THEIR SEAT
I THINK A LOT MORE TO BE DONE
AND I DON’T THINK WE’RE DONE AT
THIS POINT.
>> Jason: STEVE, IF THIS HOLDS
AMID LEGAL CHALLENGES AND WE GET
TO THE MID TERM, LEVIN AND
STEVENS WOULD RUN AGAINST EACH
OTHER.
WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING IN THE
MIDTERMS?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME
COMMENT ON THE MAPS, I AGREE
WITH NOLAN, I THINK THESE MAPS
ARE NOT GOOD.
I THINK THE EARLIER VERSIONS
DID, BACK IN THE 1980’S, WE HAD
WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE STANDARDS
NAMED AFTER BERNIE APOLL AND
KEPT THE COMMUNITIES THE SAME
AND LIVONIA WITH ABOUT 90,000,
100,000 RESIDENTS WOULD BE ONE
DISTRICT.
INSTEAD MIDLAND’S BROKEN UP, ANN
ARBOR IS BROKEN UP IN FOUR
DISTRICTS SO I DON’T LIKE THESE.
NOW, AS YOU LOOK TOWARDS THE
MIDTERMS, THE ONE THING WE KNOW
ABOUT ALL MIDTERM ELECTIONS
EXCEPT FOR TWO IN THE LAST 75
YEARS, THE PARTY IN THE WHITE
HOUSE DOES VERY POORLY, I
SUSPECT THAT’S GOING TO BE THE
CASE WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN’S
CURRENT NATIONAL APPROVAL RATING
ACCORDING TO REAL CLEAR POLITICS
AT 43%.
I THINK IT’S A CHALLENGING YEAR
FOR DEMOCRATS AND VERY GOOD YEAR
FOR REPUBLICANS.
>> Jason: NOLAN, HAVE YOU HAD
ANY THOUGHTS, I THINK ONE OF THE
MORE EXCITING THINGS I’VE SEEN
SO FAR IS THE NUMBER OF NEW
CANDIDATES THAT MIGHT EMERGE,
AGAIN, IF ALL OF THIS HOLDS.
OF THE NAMES YOU’VE SEEN, DO
THEY SURPRISE YOU OR WHAT DO YOU
THINK SO FAR OF THAT?
>> NO, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU’RE
RIGHT.
I THINK IT PROVIDES
OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW CANDIDATES
AND FOR SOME OLD CANDIDATES TO
REVIVE.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY LEVIN
ISN’T MOVING TO THE NEW 10TH
DISTRICT WHERE THERE IS NO
INCUMBENT.
I THINK THERE’S ARROGANCE ON HIS
PART TO STAY AND RUN AGAINST
HALEY STEVENS, I THINK THEY RUN
THE RISK OF GIVING THAT TO
REPUBLICANS.
I’M LOOKING AT THE 9TH DISTRICT,
DALE KILDEE’S DISTRICT, DRAWN A LITTLE LESS DEMOCRATIC AND BILL
LITTLE LESS DEMOCRATIC AND BILL
SCHUETT IS EYEING THAT.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT IS PUTTING BILL UPTON AND HIZINGER AND
BILL UPTON AND HIZINGER AND
UPTON HAS BEEN A FORCE THROUGH
BIPARTISANSHIP.
AND THE GOAL IS TO LESSEN THE
EXTREMES.
YOU LOOK AT DEBBIE DINGELL DRAWN
OUT OF DOWNRIVER AND WHOLLY INTO
ANN ARBOR AND WASHINGTON COUNTY.
I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE HARDER
FOR HER TO MAINTAIN SORT OF THAT
BIPARTISAN STANCE SHE HAS BEEN
TAKING.
>> Jason: HOLD THOSE THOUGHTS.
WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK
TIMEOUT AND TALK ABOUT WHERE WE
STAND WITH THE CORONAVIRUS AND
THE WAY THINGS ARE MOVING TOWARD
THE NEW YEAR AND GET YOUR
THOUGHTS ON WHAT YOU HOPE TO SEE
IN 2022. WE’RE RIGHT BACK ON FLASH POINT.
>> WELL, WE HAVE--
>> BRING IT BACK.
>> AND WE’RE BACK.
AND WE TALK ABOUT THE
CORONAVIRUS CONSIDERING THE END
OF 2021.
FEELS A HECK OF A LOT LIKE THE
END OF 2020 WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS
GOING TO CHANGE OUR LIVES AND IT
FEELS LIKE WE’RE STUCK AT GROUND
ZERO, BUT, JILL, I WANT TO START
WITH YOU.
A COUPLE OF THINGS--
AND FOR EVERYBODY, A COUPLE OF
NEWS ITEMS THAT POPPED ON
THURSDAY, ONE WAS A LETTER FROM
THE STATE STUDENT AND HEAD OF
MDHSS AND ADVISING THAT MASKS
SHOULD BE WORN BY STUDENTS IN
SCHOOLS AND HEARING THAT A
BOOSTER COULD BE ON THE WAY FOR
TEENAGERS 12 TO 15.
SO A POSITIVE STEP IN THAT
DIRECTION FOR SURE.
JILL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE
GOING FORWARD, EITHER FROM THE
STATE GOVERNMENT OR THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IN OUR RESPONSE, OUR
COVID RESPONSE HERE?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT, FIRST OF
ALL, JUST IN GENERAL, LEADERS
SAYING THAT WEARING A MASK IS
NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT AND
COMING DOWN ON THE SIDE OF
SCIENCE, DOING WHAT WE NEED TO
DO TO ERADICATE THIS THING FOR
ONCE AND FOR ALL, WOULD BE A
VERY GOOD START.
>> Jason: STEVE, AS WE HEAR
ABOUT THE LETTER FROM THE STATE
-- WELL, DEPARTMENT OF THE
STATE, THE GOVERNOR HAS KICKED
THIS TO THE LOCAL LEVEL
CONSISTENTLY.
DO YOU THINK THAT’S GOING TO
HOLD ANY WATER AS SCHOOL
DISTRICTS AGAIN MEET AND DECIDE
ON WHAT TO DO NOW?
>> I THINK IT’S A VERY DIFFICULT
ISSUE.
NOLAN, I THINK, LAST WEEK WROTE
AN OUTSTANDING COLUMN REGARDING
THIS AND I AGREE WITH HIM.
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO
LIVE WITH THIS.
ENOUGH PEOPLE NOW ARE
VACCINATED.
THOSE UNVACCINATED WILL CONTINUE
TO BE SO, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO
ADAPT TO THIS AND MOVE FORWARD
IN OUR LIVES, AND SO, YOU KNOW,
THESE DECISIONS TO MASK OR NOT
MASK, VAX OR NOT VAX, SEEMS TO
ME AS MUCH AS I WOULD PERSONALLY
LIKE TO SEE EVERYBODY
VACCINATED, I’VE HAD MY TWO
SHOTS AND A BOOSTER, I ALSO
MAINTAIN THE RIGHT OF
INDIVIDUALS NOT TO DO SO IF THEY
DON’T WANT TO.
IT’S A THORNY ISSUE.
THE GOVERNOR WAS PROVIDED US
WITH SOME OF THE MOST STRINGENT
AND STRICTEST REGULATIONS BACK
IN 2020, SHE’S NOW OPTED NOT TO
DO THAT I SUSPECT LOOKING MORE
AT POLITICAL SCIENCE AND SCIENCE
BECAUSE BECAUSE THESE TYPES OF
MANDATES, BOTH VACCINES AND
MANDATES ARE UNPOPULAR WITH A
LARGE SEGMENT OF VOTERS.
>> Jason: I’M GLAD YOU BROUGHT
UP NOLAN’S COLUMN.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT
FIRST, PORTIA, WHEN IT COMES TO
MANDATES, THE SURGE WE’VE SEEN,
EVEN THOUGH SO MANY ARE
VACCINATED AND WE’VE SEEN ALL OF
THESE BREAKTHROUGH CASES, IS IT
TRUE THAT MANDATES REALLY AREN’T
THE ANSWER HERE?
>> WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR
ME THE CONSIDERATION IS THAT
WHEN YOU ENFORCE A MANDATE,
YOU’RE ASKING PEOPLE TO GET
VACCINATED WHICH PEOPLE HAVEN’T
DONE BECAUSE SOMEHOW THIS HAS
BECOME MORE POLITICIZED THAN IT
SHOULD HAVE BEEN, THIS IS ABOUT
SCIENCE AND HEALTH AND SAFETY,
YOUR BROTHER, YOUR SISTER,
WHATEVER.
THE ISSUE FOR ME IS THAT WITHOUT
THE MANDATES, YOU END UP
FLOODING HOSPITAL SYSTEMS WITH
THOSE WHO REFUSE TO GET
VACCINATED AND THOSE OF US WHO
ARE VACCINATED AND BOOSTED IS IT
WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY ISSUE,
THERE’S REALLY NO ROOM FOR US AT
THE HOSPITAL SO I THINK IT’S
LARGER THAN JUST THE FREEDOM TO
MAKE THAT DECISION.
IF THE FREEDOM TO MAKE THE
DECISION NOT TO GET VACCINATED,
IF YOU WERE GOING TO STAY IN THE
HOUSE AND NOT NECESSARILY INFECT
ANYONE ELSE, IF YOU WERE GOING
TO KEEP YOURSELF AWAY FROM
ANYBODY ELSE, WEREN’T GOING TO
THE HOSPITAL IF IN FACT YOU
NEEDED THE HOSPITAL AND WEREN’T
GOING TO OVERWHELM THE HOSPITAL
SYSTEMS FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE
CHOS CHOSEN TO DO THIS.
NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT THOSE
AROUND ME.
THAT’S I GUESS MY THOUGHT ABOUT
MANDATES, IF WE, YOU KNOW, I
REALLY HAD HOPED THAT PEOPLE--
I THOUGHT AT THIS POINT WE’D BE
SO MUCH FARTHER ALONG, I
COULDN’T IMAGINE LAST YEAR AT
THIS TIME ONCE WE GOT A VACCINE
SO MANY PEOPLE WOULD MAKE IT A
POLITICAL ISSUE AND NOT GET
VACCINATED.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT.
>> LET ME QUICKLY SAY ON THAT
NOTE THAT IT’S NOT JUST THIS
IDEA OF CONSERVATIVE AND
REPUBLICANS.
THE CITY OF DETROIT DETROIT ONLY
35% VACCINATION RIGHT.
>> I AGREE.
>> AND THIS IS
AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
>> I’M NOT TALKING TO A
CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS,
BELIEVE ME, THIS IS NOT AGAIN A
POLITICAL ISSUE FOR ME, THIS IS
BLACK FOLKS, WHITE FOLKS,
EVERYBODY THAT DOES NOT CHOOSE
TO GET VACCINATED AND THEN OVER
WHEMS HOSPITAL SYSTEMS ACROSS
THIS COUNTRY, NURSES AND DOCTORS
ARE BEGGING US TO GET VACCINATED
SO THEY AREN’T SEEING PEOPLE
DYING WITHOUT THEIR RELATIVES
BEING THERE.
AND I DON’T UNDERSTAND THE IDEA
THAT PEOPLE WANT TO PUT NOT ONLY
THEMSELVES AT RISK, BUT EVERYONE
THEY LOVE AT RISK.
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND AND I NEVER
WILL.
>> Jason: AS WE LOOK AT THE
MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENT IS
IN SUCH SUPPLY, THEY HAVE TO
PICK AND CHOOSE WHO GETS IT.
NOLAN, YOU DID WRITE ABOUT THIS
AND BECAUSE OMICRON IS SIMPLY
BEATING BACK ALL OF OUR DEFENSES
RIGHT NOW, YOUR THOUGHT IS
INSTEAD OF INVESTING IN STOPPING
IT, WE SHOULD BE INVESTING IN
TREATING IT, CORRECT?
>> WE SHOULDN’T BE INVESTED IN
BOTH.
I’VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO AREN’T VACCINATED AND THEY
HAVE A LOT OF REASONS BEYOND
POLITICS FOR IT.
I’VE GOT VACCINATED EARLY AND
OFTEN, I BELIEVE IN VACCINATIONS AND WHAT WE’RE SEEING NOW WITH
AND WHAT WE’RE SEEING NOW WITH
THE OMICRON STRAINS, PEOPLE WHO
ARE VACCINATED IS NOT STOPPING
IT, THEY’RE GETTING SICK, BUT
PEOPLE ARE NOT DYING.
THAT’S THE WHOLE THING.
I THINK THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
ACKNOWLEDGMENT LAST WEEK, THE
PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGED HE SHOULD
HAVE ORDERED MORE TESTS, I THINK
THEY’VE BEEN NEGLIGENT IN THEIR
SOLE FOCUS ON 100% VACCINATIONS
HAVE BEEN NEGLIGENT IN THE
PREVENTIVE MEASURES, SHOULD HAVE
ORDERED UP MORE TESTS WHEN THE
SCIENTISTS RECOMMENDED IT BACK
IN OCTOBER, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE
RAMPED UP AND STILL SHOULD BE
RAMPING UP PRODUCTION OF THESE
NEW PILLS THAT REDUCE MORTALITY
RATE BY 95%.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THE
MONOCLONAL TREATMENTS THAT
AREN’T WIDESPREAD AVAILABLE IN
MICHIGAN.
THERE’S NO EXCUSE FOR THAT GIVEN
THAT TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS WE’VE
SPENT IN THE NAME OF COVID
RELIEF THAT WE DON’T HAVE THE
SUPPLIES AND THE TREATMENTS
AVAILABLE NOW TO SAVE LIVES.
THAT IS UNCONSCIONABLE.
>> Jason: I’VE GOT TO LEAVE IT
THERE, GUYS.