The 2023 Chamber PAC Reception at Mackinac Policy Conference featured a discussion with the state’s legislative leaders:
WJR-AM Host Guy Gordon moderated the panel, focused on bipartisanship and navigating the new majority. View highlights from the conversation below.
“We obviously are going to have our disagreements. … But we have worked hard to establish good working relationships and I think we’ve made a lot of progress with that.”
“I think at the end of the day…with all of us being on ‘Team Michigan,’ that’s really important to remember even when things get really tough and we have those difficult conversations and we disagree on things even within our parties or across parties or across chambers, it’s really to important to remember that we all care about the people we are serving in the state and those practical solutions first.”
“This is a new quadrant…so there’s things that we can work together to solve that maybe couldn’t have happened in the past. … Each of us know where our caucus is at so the things we come up with, we can actually deliver and get done quickly for the people of Michigan.”
“We’ve got some things we can hit the ground running on working together, and I think each of us has to add to that list and we work together to accomplish those common goals. And I think if we do that kind of bipartisanship, we’ll see all of us rowing in the same direction, and you’ll see this ‘power of &’ you discussed at this Conference.”
“There’s a lot of work still to do, but it’s something where bipartisanship is more than just a phrase, it actually takes some work and takes some time sitting down – a little give and take. I think there’s some areas of love for Michigan that I think all of us share.”
“It takes work and patience. …The challenge going back through the first part of this year is that there wasn’t much yearning to find that bipartisan compromise and my hope is that in the next few following months, that we can change that and figure out how to govern in the middle.”
“We all are learning to work together. We know that good legislation, good working relationships, begin with trust. …I’m optimistic in terms of the work that we can do for the state of Michigan.”
“I know my colleagues – every one of us in the House – we’re here for the same reason and that’s to improve the quality of life of Michigan residents.”
“You see that incremental growth. …It take some time to get to know one another, to build that trust, so I think that’s where that ‘power of &’ comes into play.”
This Mackinac Policy Conference PAC Reception was made possible by supporters Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, DTE Energy, ITC, and Walker-Miller Energy Services, LLC