Michigan’s COVID Response At a Political Crossroads Amid Surging Cases

Jake Neher/WDET

Michigan is at a scary point when it comes to coronavirus cases, which have been on the rise recently along with many other states in the country.

The timing of this rise in cases comes just after the Michigan Supreme Court effectively ended Governor Whitmer’s ability to extend her emergency powers to deal with the pandemic. Now, the governor must work with the Republican-led state Legislature to protect Michigan residents.

But the gulf between the governor and top lawmakers is vast. Whitmer has long stuck with top medical experts and scientists to guide her orders. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, on the other hand, has said “the virus ultimately was going to win,” and has told Michiganders that we need to learn to live with the virus. His strategy includes at least some element of natural herd-immunity, which health experts say would cause tens of thousands of needless deaths.

Listen: Crain’s Detroit Business Senior Editor Chad Livengood discusses the state’s response to COVID-19.

Guest

Chad Livengood is senior editor at Crain’s Detroit Business. He writes in the latest edition of Crain’s about this switch from what he calls the “Whitmer Doctrine” to the “Shirkey Doctrine.” He says lawmakers in Lansing have started taking some actions related to coronavirus, but they haven’t gone nearly as far as the governor.

“They didn’t actually address any of the public health measures and they don’t seem to be very much in favor of many of them,” Livengood tells Stephen Henderson on Detroit Today.

“It’s sending a lot of mixed messages, which I say is part of the Shirkey Doctrine, is a bit of chaos and confusion, they seem to be OK with,” he says.