July 04, 2025

Hotdogs, Apple Pie, and Deficit Spending Exploding Like Fireworks

38 minutes

This week’s show is sponsored in part by

EPIC-MRA Public Opinion Research

MIRS News

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This week —

The Big Bad Billionaires’ Tax Cut squeaks through the Senate with J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. After we recorded, the House grudgingly concurred as self-styled fiscal conservatives caved in to support the massive increase in the national debt — all to give billionaires the huge tax cut they cherish.

The BBB front-loads the tax cuts, and delays the program-slashing cuts until after the next election. That’s a “tell.”

The surprise retirement announcement from North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis and non-MAGA GOPer Don Bacon in a Democratic-leaning Nebraska Congressional seat sends a dire warning to purple-seat Republicans on the ballot next year.

Michigan state senator Mallory McMorrow announces a $2.1 million haul in her first partial fundraising quarter.

Elon Musk reignites his war with Trump and the Republicans, threatening to fund campaigns against anyone voting for Trump’s Big Bad Bill AND Trump threatening to turn DOGE and ICE on Elon.

Access to Mackinac Island could become a lot more expensive. Lawmakers are looking at putting some limits on parking and ferry transport fees in the wake of a new monopoly of ferry boat options.

Another petition drive is in the works for Michigan. Led by Voters Not Politicians, this ballot proposal would limit political contributions by state-regulated utilities and companies with large state contracts … while providing some sunshine on dark money in politics. We’ll talk with VNP’s Kimberly Murphy-Kovalick about the first VNP-led ballot drive since the group ended gerrymandering in 2018.

We recorded the podcast on July 2 and, as of then, state lawmakers are nowhere near resolving the state’s budget.

This week’s guest is a leader in the battle over the exorbitant cash being donated for political campaigns. A coalition of state nonprofits is hoping to ban some of Michigan’s largest corporations from donating massive amounts to politicians. Under the effort, regulated utilities and those with government contracts in excess of $250,000 would be unable to make political contributions. It hopes to put the question to voters next year.

The coalition includes Voters Not Politicians, the group that led the successful 2018 campaign to pass an anti-gerrymandering constitutional amendment.

Joining the conversation is Senior Director of Policy and Programs of the Voters Not Politicians Ballot Committee, Kim Murphy-Kovalick. (Full disclosure: Walt Sorg was one of the founders of Voters Not Politicians in 2017, but no longer affiliated with the group other than as a financial donor.)

Clay Jones/claytoonz.com

This episode is sponsored in part by

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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

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