DETROIT – This week's episode of Flashpoint started with a discussion about the new plan to fix Michigan's roads, which includes a 15 cent per gallon tax increase on gas. The panel talked about the new plan and how it differed from Proposal 1, which was shot down by voters in May.
Gretchen Whitmer, a former Michigan Senate Democratic Leader, said that Prop. 1 was the governor's plan, not the senate's plan. She said people are willing to pay for the roads, but they expect the legislature to do its job.
"I think Proposal 1 probably confused the voters more than anything else," said Randy Richardville, former Michigan Senate Majority Leader. "Basically if the money is charged at the pump and it goes to the roads, people are going to be okay with it."
Alan Sanborn, a former Michigan State Senator, thinks that people are paying enough taxes as it is and that the government should find money to fix the roads from the funds they already make.
Rep. Debbie Dingell said she's worried about the gas price increase for working families, but that something had to be done because of the terrible state of the roads. She thinks there needs to be accountability and transparency from the state, and people need to see that the money raised is going to the roads.
The panel continued to discuss the new proposal throughout the first segment. You can see the whole conversation in the video above.
In the second segment, talks turned to the Supreme Court ruling that made same-sex marriage the law of the land. Gov. Rick Snyder said that everyone should accept and comply with the law so that we can move on.
Dingell said she thinks there is a very strong separation of church and state and that this is when the divide in her district is most obvious. She doesn't believe that a religion should be told that they have to perform certain marriages and she worries about the strong feelings that are clearly arising from this.
Sanborn says ministers are worried about being victims of hate crimes and lawsuits if they perform or refuse to perform same-sex marriages.
Richardville says there should not be a religious freedom act. He said people's beliefs need to be respected, even if they don't align with his own beliefs. His biggest concern is the "big brother" in Washington making the decision for the states.
Whitmer says no state should be able to take away anyone's rights as an American citizen.
Click on the video below to watch the full second segment.
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Devin Scillian took a look back at some of the week's biggest stories in Sunday's 3 and Out.
He touched on the Red Wings' video of "District Detroit," which tries to show people what the arena and neighborhood would feel like.
Devin also talked about the closing of the Ren Cen 4 and how that will impact Detroit.
Finally, he offered a Flashpoint cheers to Graham Beal of the DIA, who retired from the museum.
You can watch 3 and Out in the video posted below.
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