Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has a lot on her plate. In the past two months, her state has seen both armed anti-lockdown demonstrations and a protest movement calling for sweeping changes to the criminal justice system, all while combating coronavirus. Handling these successive protests has required a careful balancing act for the Democratic governor.
"We've been known for a number of protests here in Michigan and they've come from very different angles, but the fact of the matter is I support people's First Amendment rights," Whitmer told Cheddar.
Last week, Whitmer marched near Detroit with protesters calling for social justice reforms.
"I do believe this change in terms of policing in our country is long overdue and I wanted to make my voice known on that front, but I did wear a mask," she said. "I did not shake or hug people or give high fives like we usually do when we recognize one another."
"We stood in solidarity, and we did it safely," the governor added.
The governor outlined some of the reforms she'd like to see the state implement to address the protest movement that has followed George Floyd's death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer.
"We have taken direct action here in Michigan to start the education process of our police forces," Whitmer said.
Those reforms include mental health checks for police officers, training in de-escalation tactics, and greater diversity within the police force. She has expressed support for calls to "defund" the police, but her administration has not yet put forward specific measures.
Whitmer also stressed the importance of not wasting the political opportunity presented by the protests.
"This can't just be a moment in time. This has to be the opportunity that we all take to do better, to fix the problem," she told Cheddar.
However, the governor stressed that police reforms are only a part of the problem and that larger systemic changes are necessary to address inequality.
"This is about investment in communities," she said. "What we're really missing in this country is real investment in communities, rebuilding communities through creating opportunity and leveling the playing field, ensuring that every child, no matter if you're a child in poverty or a child of color, that you've got an excellent education available to you, knowing that you've got opportunities and access to transportation, and good-paying jobs, and healthcare."
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals Richenda Sandlin-Tymitz, Marketing & Content Manager at Alaska Tour & Travel, breaks down when and how to plan your best trip to Alaska; Kristen Miller, Acting Executive Director, Alaska Wilderness League, discusses the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the oil drilling that threatens it; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'The Magic of the Wild.'
Kristen Miller, acting executive director, Alaska Wilderness League, discusses the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the oil drilling that threatens it.
The Department of Treasury is warning Americans to expect delays on their tax returns this year as the IRS manages staffing shortages due to the pandemic.
The United States and Russia remain distant following a meeting between high-level officials for the two countries in Geneva, Switzerland. The nations remain conflicted over Washington's concern of a potential invasion of Ukraine by Russia and Moscow dispute with NATO expanding into former Soviet states. Hagar Chemali, host of Oh My World on YouTube and former spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the U.N., joined Cheddar's "News Wrap" to give her take about the careful diplomatic negotiations underway. "I would expect more rounds," she said about the talks. "Both sides really remain adamant that we're not going to talk about Russia's proposal, and Russia doesn't want to talk about anything but its proposal. So once they start talking about the other items on the table, and there are a few other items, that's when negotiations can start."
Markets closed the day mixed, and well off their lows of the day following a market meltdown earlier in the session. The Nasdaq staged a comeback late in the day, even amid ongoing worries about the Federal Reserve raising interest rates. Doug Flynn, certified financial planner and co-founder of Flynn Zito Capito, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the markets' close and what's driving the major indexes.
Eli Yokley, Senior Reporter at Morning Consult, joins Cheddar News to discuss how Americans are prioritizing economic issues over the pandemic when it comes to voting.
President Biden's disapproval rating hit a new high in December according to a poll from CNBC and Change Research, as Americans expressed their disapproval over the current state of the economy. This comes just months after the president signed a historic infrastructure bill back in November that was promised to bring a surge of jobs, especially in the manufacturing sector.
Change Research Senior Pollster Nancy Zdunkewicz spoke to Cheddar News about just what is driving the President’s disapproval rating.
As the Omicron variant continues to sweep across the country. The US Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments at the end of this week on whether or not the Biden administration can force private companies to vaccinate or test millions of their employees. In addition, the National Nurses United has spearheaded legal action to protect nurses and health care workers, patients, and the public while on the job. President of the National Nurses Union, Zenei Cortez, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
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