Finding strength in difficult times: MLPP looks at investing for the future
There's a long road ahead for organizations committed to promoting economic and racial justice, but it's important to keep fighting for fair systems for Michiganders, Monique Stanton, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy, said during the group's public policy forum in Lansing Thursday.
A top of line issue cited by MLPP during the forum is the future of Medicaid, which covers the health care costs of more than 2.6 million Michiganders. With the Trump administration's failed federal spending freeze and Republicans in Congress proposing large-scale slashes both threatening Medicaid, Stanton said it's time to recognize the strength organizations have to work together to hold fast to promoting the social safety net.
And the intent of some of the moves by the Trump administration and other federal players is clear, Stanton said: To exhaust organizations, make citizens overwhelmed and cause fear.
'So much of the work we do is coming under direct and malicious attack by our federal administration,' Stanton said. 'We refuse to back down on this work and when things are especially hard, like right now, I do believe that it's especially important to recognize some of the wins that have had when we have them.'
Though the final days of the first in decades bicameral Democratic majority in the Michigan Legislature in the previous session ended in confusion and disorder, there were a few bills that made it into law that will work to promote prosperity, Stanton said.
As Michigan faces an affordable housing crisis, Stanton said MLPP was happy to see the package of bills prohibiting landlords from denying a person the ability to rent housing due to source of income, including government subsidies, make it into law.
Other wins for the league include legislation aimed at promoting maternal health care access, expanding eligibility for freestanding birth centers and increasing benefits for unemployed Michiganders in between jobs, Stanton said.
There's interest in keeping momentum going for setting Michiganders up for success, the league's Fiscal Policy Director Rachel Richards told Michigan Advance. But as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer continues her goal of increasing PreK enrollment, Richards said the league would like to see a more 'holistic' look at early childhood development as state budget talks are underway.
'Under that umbrella, we also really need to make sure that we're taking care of our infants and toddlers who quite often require the most expensive care. They would require the most one-on-one care,' Richards said. 'We think that that piece was kind of really left out of the governor's budget recommendation.'
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