What’s Flying And What’s Limping In Lame Duck

Inside Michigan Politics Publisher Susan Demas breaks down the week’s political news.

Michigan state capitol building

Inside Michigan Politics

So far during Lame Duck 2016, a number of controversial bills have taken flight, while others have been crippled. 

A flurry of legislation has been in the news, including stricter voter identification requirements, limits on mass picketing and protests, a move to return hundreds of millions of dollars in income tax revenue to taxpayers’ pockets instead of sending it to schools, and controversial changes to campaign finance laws.

As if that wasn’t enough to keep political reporters busy, Michigan’s presidential recount effort is in limbo as state and federal courts weigh in on whether it should have been launched in the first place.

Susan Demas, political columnist and publisher of Inside Michigan Politics, joins Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson to help sort out all of the week’s political news.

“We’re pretty used to lame duck sessions in even(-numbered) years, especially presidential years, kind of getting out of control,” says Demas. “There are a lot of late-night sessions. And adding to all that is the craziness of this presidential recount, which has really revealed some pretty disturbing facts about the state of our elections here in Michigan.”

Click on the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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  • Detroit Today
    Dynamic and diverse voices. News, politics, community and the issues that define our region. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson, Detroit Today brings you fresh and perceptive views weekdays at 9 am and 7 pm.