Bridge Michigan (29 August 2024)

Mike Rogers vows to fight drug war, but urged opioid access in Congress

A nuanced and thoughtful piece of reporting on Michigan Senate candidate Mike Roger's role in the opioid crisis.

Policymakers don't have to be 100% right on issues (though in this case there was already mounting evidence of harm from inappropriate opioid prescribing...). Still, policymakers should be able to acknowledge when they are wrong. Mike Rogers was and is wrong about this issue. By blaming people who developed an addiction to opioids, Mike Rogers continues to use industry talking points that obfuscate the issues and attempt to shift blame. Clinging to bad policy ideas is not what we need in elected officials, especially during a crisis. We need flexible, data-driven, and thoughtful leadership. We deserve better in Michigan and the US Senate.