2022 AND THIS IS FLASH POINT.
>> Jason: HI, WELCOME TO FLASH
POINT.
DEVIN IS OFF TODAY.
LAST YEAR WE WONDERED IF 2021
KNEW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
DIFFERENT FROM 2020, BUT AS WE
HAVE SO PAINFULLY LEARNED, THE
NEW YEAR UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO
BREAK THE CYCLES OF THE LAST 12
MONTHS, IF WE IN THE DEFINITION
OF INSANITY KEEP DOING THE SAME
THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND
EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS.
WE KNOW A NUMBER OF THINGS ARE
GOING TO CHANGE IN THE KNEW
YEAR, AMONG THEM THE DISTRICTS
IN WHICH WE VOTE.
WE’VE KNOWN WE’RE LOSING A
CONGRESSIONAL SEAT AND MAKES IT
MORE ACUTE.
THE MAPS ARE HEADED FOR A SERIES
OF LEADING CHALLENGES AND
CANDIDATES HAVE TO START MAKING
DECISION NOW WHERE TO RUN AND
PERHAPS WHERE TO LIVE AND AS WE
HEAD TOWARD WHAT WILL CERTAINLY
BE ANOTHER VOLATILE ELECTION
SEASON, IS THERE ANYONE ON OR
OFF THE BALLOT WHO CAN UNITE
AMERICANS IN GENERAL AND
MICHIGANDERS IN PARTICULAR WITH
A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND DIRECTION
OR IS THAT ASKING WAY TOO MUCH
OF 2022?
THAT’S ONE OF THE QUESTIONS
WE’LL ASK TODAY ON FLASH POINT
♪
>> HEADLINING OUR LOOK BACK AND
FORWARD, OUR GUESTS FROM EACH
SIDE OF THE AISLE THIS MORNING,
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN TIM
WAHLBERG OF THE 7TH DISTRICT AND
DEBBIE DINGELL WHO REPRESENTS
THE 12TH.
IT’S GREAT TO SEE BOTH OF YOU
AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
SINCE I MENTIONED YOUR
DISTRICTS, LET ME START RIGHT
THERE AND CONGRESSWOMAN, YOURS
IS CHANGING AND AS WE MENTIONED
A FEW MOMENTS AGO, SOME MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
MOVE AND YOU’RE ONE OF THESE.
DID YOU SEE THIS COMING?
AND I GUESS, THE FIRST QUESTION
THAT POPPED IN MY HEAD, ARE YOU
UPSET BY THIS?
>> LOOK, IT WAS NONPARTISAN
COMMISSION, PEOPLE OF MICHIGAN
VOTED FOR, THIS WOULD BE THE WAY
THAT WE DO THE MAPS AND I
RESPECT THE WISH OF THE MICHIGAN
PEOPLE.
IF YOU WERE WATCHING THIS
PROCESS WHICH WAS MORE THAN A
YEAR, IT WAS CLEAR THAT DEARBORN
WAS LIKELY TO BE IN A DETROIT
DISTRICT AND THE REST OF MY
DISTRICT WOULD STAY TOGETHER IN
SOME FORM AND THAT’S EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED.
SO, I RESPECT THE VOTING RIGHTS
ACT.
I BELIEVE IN REPRESENTATION, SO
I’M STILL GOING TO BE
REPRESENTING THE MAJORITY OF THE
PEOPLE I CURRENTLY REPRESENT,
PICKING UP A FEW OF THE PEOPLE
THAT TIM REPRESENTS.
TIM AND I TALKED, HAVE ALREADY
TALKED AND WE’RE GOING TO WORK
TOGETHER TO SERVE THE PEOPLE
THIS NEXT YEAR, THAT HE
REPRESENTS, AND I’LL THEN TAKE
OVER AND, LOOK, IT’S GOING TO BE
HARD TO MOVE WHEN YOU LIVED IN A
HOME THAT YOU LOVED FOR 30
YEARS, BUT IT’S THE RIGHT THING
TO DO.
>> Jason: NOT TO MENTION, I
MEAN, YOUR FAMILY NAME IS ON SO
MANY THINGS IN DEARBORN AS WELL.
CONGRESSMAN, OTHER THAN CHANGING
YOUR LUCKY NUMBER FROM 7 TO 5,
THE DISTRICT GOES FROM 7 TO 5
AND PRETTY MUCH PUT, AND WILL
HELP SOUTHERN MICHIGAN THERE.
WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF THE
NEW MAP?
>> WELL, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
I’M NOT UNFAMILIAR WITH THE
PORTION I’LL BE GETTING.
CALHOUN COUNTY I REPRESENTED MY
FIRST TWO TERMS IN OFFICE BEFORE
GETTING MONROE COUNTY, SO I’LL
BE GOING NOW FROM LAKE ERIE TO
LAKE MICHIGAN.
BEING A SUPPORTER AND A PUSHER
FOR GREAT LAKES ISSUES, THAT
GIVES ME A TOUCH ON BOTH SIDES
OF THE STATE, BOTH LAKES,
REPRESENTING THE BORDER
COUNTIES, ALONG INDIANA, AND
OHIO NOW ADD ILLINOIS TO THAT,
SO, IT WILL BE AN INTERESTING
DISTRICT.
FRED UPTON HAS BEEN MY FRIEND
AND I’M SURE HE HATES TO LOSE
THAT PORTION OF HIS DISTRICT AS
WELL, BUT IT WILL BE WHAT IT IS
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
OPPORTUNITY.
OF COURSE, ASSUMING THAT THEY
ELECT ME TO THIS NEXT TERM OF
OFFICE.
BUT WE’VE GONE THROUGH
DISTRICTING BEFORE.
WE’VE LEARNED FROM JOHN DINGELL
USED TO TELL ME NEVER GIVE AWAY
A FRIEND AND SO WE WILL NOT GIVE
AWAY A FRIEND OF OUR OLD
DISTRICT.
GET BACK A FRIEND FROM OUR PAST
DISTRICTS AND GIVE A PORTION OF
NEW DISTRICTS AS WELL.
>> Jason: YOU BOTH MENTIONED
THIS, CONGRESSMAN, I’LL STAY
WITH YOU ON THIS, DO YOU FEEL
THERE WILL BE MORE INTERACTION
AMONGST YOUR COLLEAGUES AS THE
DISTRICTS KIND OF BLEND AND YOU
PICK UP OTHER PARTS.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT ALMOST
ENCOURAGES WORKING TOGETHER SOME
MORE BIPARTISANSHIP HERE?
>> WELL, I HOPE SO.
I HOPE SO.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IN THIS
COMING YEAR.
AND WHILE WE’LL STILL HAVE OUR
SAME DISTRICTS THAT WE’RE IN
RIGHT NOW FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, IT
GIVES US A CHANCE TO START
LEARNING ABOUT NEW ISSUES, NEW
CONCERNS, NEW INDIVIDUALS, AND
NEW PERCEPTIONS THAT ARE OUT
THERE, AND MAYBE, MAYBE, JUST
MAYBE, DEBBY AND I CAN HAVE OUR
WISH THAT THERELE BE SOME BIERP
BIPARTISANSHIP WHERE WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER AND WHERE WE CAN’T, I
THINK WE’LL SEE MICHIGAN AS A
STATE THAT OUGHT TO WORK
TOGETHER AND THEN THE UNITED
STATES IS A COUNTRY THAT CAN AND
MUST TO A GREATER DEGREE.
>> Jason: YEAH, CONGRESSWOMAN
DINGELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I THINK THIS
COULD SPUR MORE COMPETITION AS
WE SEE A COUPLE OF INCUMBENTS
ARE GOING TO RUN AGAINST AND
HALEY STEVENS AND MR. LEVIN.
AND HOW WILL THIS TURN OUT
APPROACHING THE MIDTERM?
>> I THINK THAT MICHIGAN IS
GOING TO BE GROUND ZERO IN THE
COUNTRY FOR COMPETITIVE RACES.
IT APPEARS THAT WE COULD HAVE A
COMPETITIVE PRIMARY IN BOTH
PARTIES.
I WISH IT WASN’T HAPPENING IN
EITHER BECAUSE I HAVE GOOD FRIENDS IN BOTH PRIMARIES, FRED
FRIENDS IN BOTH PRIMARIES, FRED
UPTON AND BILL HIZINGER AND
HAYLEY AND CONGRESSMAN LEVIN.
THAT’S WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO
DO.
IT’S GOOD WE’RE UP FOR ELECTION
EVERY TWO YEARS, I DON’T ALWAYS
LIKE TO RAISE THE MONEY THAT YOU
HAVE TO DO, BUT WE HAVE TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE.
IF YOU’RE IN A REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE THE
ABILITY TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT
TO VOTE AND PARTICIPATE IN A
DEMOCRACY EVERY TWO YEARS, IT
KEEPS YOU IN TOUCH WITH THE
PEOPLE.
IT MAKES YOU -- I MEAN, I LIKE
TO BE WITH PEOPLE SO I’M OUT AND
ABOUT ALWAYS, IT’S MY FAVORITE
THING TO DO, BUT YOU WANT TO
LISTEN AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE
REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE THAT
HAVE ELECTED YOU TO THE JOB.
>> Jason: LET ME QUICKLY PIVOT
TO COVID.
WE’RE SEEING ON THURSDAY A
LETTER WENT OUT FROM THE STATE
SUPERINTENDENT AND THE HEAD OF
MDHHS ENCOURAGING MASKS IN
SCHOOLS AND ALSO WE LEARNED THAT
THERE COULD BE BOOSTER SHOTS
BEING APPROVED IN THE COMING
WEEK FOR KIDS 12 TO 15.
WITH SO MUCH HAPPENING RIGHT NOW
AND ON ALL FRONTS, LET ME ASK
YOU, I’LL START WITH
CONGRESSWOMAN DINGELL, WHAT
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN
THE YEAR AHEAD FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION, FROM THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION AS THE COVID
RESPONSE GOING FORWARD HERE?
>> LOOK, COVID’S REAL.
I’M SOMEBODY WHO BELIEVES IN
VACCINATION.
I THINK NA PEOPLE SHOULD WEAR
THEIR MASKS.
I WEAR MY MASKS WHEN I’M OUTSIDE
AND INSIDE AND EVERYBODY WHO HAS
BEEN WITH ME HAS SEEN ME, THE
FWORN
GOVERNOR HAS SEEN ME, I’M
WEARING MY MASK.
I WANT TO SEE THE ADMINISTRATION
GET MORE TESTING OUT THERE,
TESTING IS GOING TO BE A KEY
COMPONENT OF TRYING TO MANAGE
THIS.
I THINK WE’RE ALL GOING TO NEED
THAT FOURTH BOOSTER.
I’M GLAD OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE
BOOSTER.
I THINK THE SOONER WE GET THAT
OUT THERE THE BETTER AND I THINK
THIS ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO GET
AHEAD OF AND THE REALITY, WE’RE
SEEING ISRAEL DO IT NOW, WE’RE
GOING TO NEED THE FOURTH
BOOSTER.
LET’S MAKE SURE THAT WE’LL GET
THIS BY AND TALKING ABOUT
VACCINATION THE WAY WE SHOULD.
COMPLETE VACCINATION IS NOW IS
THREE SHOTS AND PROBABLY QUICKLY
GOING TO BE FOUR.
>> Jason: CONGRESSWOMAN A LOT OF
PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WE’RE STUCK IN
2021 IS -- OR IN 2020, FEELS
LIKE THE SAME THING.
WE SHOULD BE FARTHER DOWN THE
ROAD.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE IN YOUR
OPINION?
>> ULTIMATELY I AGREE WITH DEBBY
THAT WE OUGHT TO USE THE BEST
SCIENCE AND WHAT WE CAN USE THAT
BENEFIT US AS INDIVIDUALS,
ADULTS, AS WELL AS CHILDREN, WE
OUGHT TO USE, BUT I THINK THAT
SCIENCE INDICATES THAT THAT
OUGHT TO BE THE DECISION OF
INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR BEST
INTERESTS, DOCTORS AND PATIENTS
OUGHT TO BE CONSULTING WHAT’S
THE BEST.
WITH CHILDREN WE KNOW THAT THEY
DO GET SICK, BUT GENERALLY DON’T
DIE.
WE KNOW THAT WE’VE PUT TRAUMATIC
EXPERIENCES ON HER KIDS IN
SCHOOLS, AND STUNTED THEIR
EDUCATIONAL GROWTH IN MANY WAYS.
FOR NO REASON THAT WE COULD
SCIENTIFICALLY PROVE.
SO I WOULD HOPE AS THE PRESIDENT
SAID LAST WEEK, IT WILL NOT BE A
FEDERAL SOLUTION, I’M GLAD HE
FINALLY CAME TO THAT, THAT WAS
THE PAST ADMINISTRATION’S
POSITION THAT THE STATES WILL
TAKE CHARGE OF IT, DO THE BEST
THAT THEY CAN FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
SCHOOL SETTINGS, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY THAN ANYTHING, GET
IT BACK TO AS NORMAL AS
POSSIBLE.
WE KNOW WE’RE GOING TO HAVE THIS
VIRUS AROUND IN VARIOUS FORMS,
PROBABLY FOREVER LIKE THE FLU.
WE KNOW WE’RE BETTER PREPARED
THAN BEFORE, WE KNOW THAT THE
VACCINES DO WORK, WE KNOW THERE
WILL BE CHANGES NEEDED THERE,
BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO CLOISTER
OURSELVES OFF AND DESTROY OUR
ECONOMY, DESTROY OUR EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES WE’RE GOING TO
HAVE GREATER PROBLEMS DOWN THE
ROAD.
>> Jason: CONGRESSMAN,
CONGRESSWOMAN, THANK YOU SO VERY
MUCH.
I’M GOING TO LEAVE IT THERE AND
BEST WISHES TO YOU AS THINGS
CHANGE AS WE GET INTO THE NEW