(Source: MIRS.news, Published 12/28/2023) While there was not one word of floor debate about banning assault weapons under the new control of legislative Democrats, they did pass some gun safety legislation during 2023 and looking into the new year, the assault weapons ban has found an important supporter who resides in the governor’s mansion.
Speaking at length for the first time on the sensitive issue, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the Michigan Public TV broadcast an Evening With The Governor says, "I do not think that weapons for war make sense for sale to the average person in the public. I do have a problem with that, and I would be very open to having that dialogue."
When it was noted that having a conversation is one thing, but the Governor saying that this needs to be done is quite another, she responded that "personally I think it would be the right thing to do."
Ditto when it comes to expanding the state tobacco tax to include E-cigarettes and the ever popular with the young crowd, flavored vaping products.
Recall that almost right out of the box when Whitmer was sworn in for her first term, she aggressively went after manufacturers of those two products in an attempt to save lives, only to be foiled in the courts.
Back in the legislative arena, she says, "I'm not leading with that, but if the Legislature wanted to send that to my desk, I would have a conversation about that."
When pressed for a further comment she adds, "I'm open to it. Get the bill drafted and we'll negotiate."
However, Whitmer is not in the same mood when it comes to the so-called Ranked or Choice voting concept where voters rank their top candidates in a primary and the top two picks go into the general election regardless of party affiliation.
Asked for the first time if she would support that, she first took a deep breath and offers, "Not yet. I've heard the upsides to it, but I also know our voting system works well."
As for a new year fix on health-care benefits for catastrophically injured car accident victims, the Governor is upbeat about some restoration of lost benefits under the original no-fault car insurance package.
While she concedes she has not offered her own solution per se, she reports she is leaving that up to the Legislature, adding, "We've been talking to them (and) I would suspect that we'll find common ground early this new year." Whitmer added that she thinks this will get done and there will be a fix.
"I do (and) um hum," she said.
See the one-on-one interview with the Governor at wkar.org.
