Michigan Policy Wonk

Problems

• Story Of A Paper - MSU economist and IPPSR affiliated faculty member Lisa Cook was interviewed on NPR’s Planet Money show. She has written a groundbreaking research paper finding that violence against African-Americans, striking now as a pandemic sweeps the world, depresses their innovation activity and wealth generation.
• School districts face perfect storm in balancing budgets - Peter Spadafore, deputy executive director of the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators, predicts layoffs and increased class sizes due to lower budgets due to the coronavirus pandemic. Spadafore, Michigan Political Leadership Program alum, was quoted in a Michigan Radio story.
• The COVID Economy: Looking into the Abyss and Beyond - Charles Ballard, MSU professor of economics and IPPSR State of the State Survey Director, outlines the nation’s sharp and sudden economic downturn during the pandemic. He’s featured in the Broad College of Business’ Managing Through the Summer Series Webinar.

Policy

• Coronavirus Is a Crisis. Might It Also Narrow Inequality? - Racial divisions show little sign of improving, says IPPSR Director Matt Grossmann in the article in the New York Times.
• Lessenberry: Depth of Michigan’s downturn is anybody’s guess -State of the State Survey Director Charles Ballard advises increased testing and tracing of Covid-19 infections to boost the state’s economy in this column in the Toledo Blade.

Politics

• Michigan Republican Party announces national committee leaders and at-large convention delegates -Terri Lynn Land, former Michigan Secretary of State and member of the Michigan Political Leadership Program Advisory Board, is among delegates to the Republican Party’s national convention at a state party convention. The state convention was initially slated for April but delayed until now due to the coronavirus pandemic.  
• Despite dreamy polls, Dems can't shake their 2016 nightmare - Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell cautions against overconfidence in November’s general election in a Politico story that mentions leadership steps during the pandemic. She is a Michigan Political Leadership Program Advisory Board member.
• Michigan auto, business groups pan Trump's halt on foreign workers - Steve Tobocman, Michigan Political Leadership Program co-director, comments on Trump’s executive order blocking foreign visas through the end of the year. The halt could dampen efforts at economic recovery during the pandemic, development leaders say in the Bridge Magazine article.