A recent audit has shown half of Universities of Wisconsin schools across the state are in financial trouble. Altogether, if these seven universities as they're currently running and funded, they would be $254.9 million in debt by fiscal year 2028. We dissect why this is happening and what can be done. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers put over $300 million in funding in the state budget. Instead, Republicans, who control the Legislature didn't increase funding at all and, in fact, withheld staff raises and $32 million for DEI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In an another attempt to bring in a rich out-of-state candidate to run for a major political position in Wisconsin, Republicans have managed to unearth Eric Hovde. The multi-millionaire, who couldn't win a Republican primary 12 years ago in the state, is now running against Democrat Tammy Baldwin for US Senate. The California banker has managed to say something to alienate just about every voter. From the elderly and is recent comments on those in nursing homes to farmers and young people over their work ethic, Hovde has a message for you, and we break them all down. PHOTO: A screenshot from a Hovde tweet, where he proves he's Wisconsin by sitting in a cold lake.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A recap of the spring elections in La Crosse County and statewide. First, we look at the La Crosse County board races, where Republicans supported nearly twice as many Democrats, and saw nearly the same amount of members re-elected or elected. Plus, from what we know so far, the La Crosse County Republican Party also out spent Democrats 8 to 1. Statewide, we look at, essentially, the no-votes Joe Biden and Donald Trump received, plus the repercussion of the two Republican state constitutional amendments that passed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As the spring election season wraps up Tuesday, we look at the strange, alarming ways Bill Feehan, the 3rd Congressional District Republican Party chair and La Crosse County board candidate, is involved. We discuss the attack fliers he's sending out against his opponent Kelly Leibold, as well as fake letters to the editor in the La Crosse Tribune, also attacking her. Those letters were taken off the site, proved to be fake. Plus, a bit on Feehan's consulting firm taking money from conservative candidates in the spring elections. Before that however, a quick update on Tim Alberts for La Crosse School Board. He has come out publicly against being named on the 1776 PAC flier, which was discussed on last week's podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We look at how La Crosse Republicans differ from the La Crosse County Democratic Party in these local, spring elections for school and county board. In Part 2, we talk La Crosse County board, where Republicans are spending over $6,000 for candidates, and the timing of that funding stands out. Also, we break down some of the campaign fliers that are going around, and how dishonest and misleading they are.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We look at how La Crosse Republicans differ from the La Crosse County Democratic Party in these local, spring elections for school and county board. In Part 1, we talk school board, where two candidates are on the ballot and both are endorsed by the far-right wing group, the 1776 Project. Just a note, since this recording, candidate Tim Alberts has come out and said he was included on the 1776 mailer "without my knowledge or endorsement." Nothing on social media on Adam Manka, in which the 1776 Project highlights a made up statistic from Manka on drugs in La Crosse schools.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Randy Erickson is the second Vice Chair of the La Crosse County Board. First appointed in November of 2019, Erickson represents District 12 and is running for a fourth full term. He talks about what good things the board has done, what continues to happen and some of the misinformation that's coming from the more conservative candidates on the board. You can follow Erickson's county board Facebook page for a lot of updates. Early voting starts Tuesday (March 19). The election is April 8See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We talk about the upcoming membership drive and what it means to join the La Crosse County Democratic Party. On Monday, Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair Ben Wikler and former Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes are the headliners for the La Crosse County Democratic Party membership drive. The event happens from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Capella Arts Center (721 King St.). Many others from the state party will be at the event, where attendees can sign up to be a member and hear from party officials, as well as candidates up and down the ballot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kelly Leibold is running for La Crosse County Board, to represent District 1, which is the north side of La Crosse. Leibold talks of her bout with brain cancer and how that gave her a new perspective on helping others. She also talks about what she's seen from the county and county board, so far, plus the needs of the north side, as well as La Crosse County. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Em Anderson is running for La Crosse County Board in District 5. That's the district that contains UW-La Crosse. Anderson is a UW-L student. We discuss what brought her to UW-La Crosse, what's she's studying, why she's running for county board and what and how she's learning about the issues. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Explaining that time Donald Trump said he'd encourage Russia to invade NATO countries, and just what his endgame is with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. At a South Carolina rally last week, Trump conjured up a vague story of telling an unidentified NATO member that he would withhold U.S. help and “encourage” Russia to do as it wishes with allies that do not contribute enough to military spending. Trump said, "'You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent? No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them (Russia) to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.’” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The special counsel that the Biden Administration's Justice Department hired to look into the president's classified documents case came out late last week. It exonerated President Joe Biden of criminal wrongdoing in having those documents. But, all the attention has gone to what the Donald Trump-appointed counsel focused on and that's Biden's inability to recall details from years ago — his memory. We get into how, again, Democrats walk the line and allow these investigations into their own people to go about, and release the report to the public. Remember "Hillary's emails" right before the 2016 election? But, when it's Republicans, these reports are hidden from the public. Remember Republican Robert Mueller looking into Trump-Russia and then Trump's Attorney General, Bill Barr, releasing his one-page summary of what the report said, withholding it from the public? So, we call out what is another hit piece on the Democratic president in an election year, when the GOP has nothing to run on when it comes to policy or helping the American people. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A bit of a conundrum for Democrats — or those against strangely powerful executive powers — as some Republicans have proposed curbing the Wisconsin governor's powers. Of course, the timing is peculiar, with Democrat Tony Evers at the helm, and the way in which the GOP wants to get this bill passed — through a manipulatively worded constitutional amendment. We discuss why it's happening now — perhaps because Evers' used it to extend public school funding for 402 years — and how governors of the past — both Democrats and Republicans — have abused this power. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The US House, last week, passed another continuing resolution that will keep the government partially funded and open through early March. It's a bill 3rd District Rep., Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) voted against. Part of his reasoning was because Congress needs to agree on a full spending plan that includes doing something about the southern border. But, Republicans also just tanked their own deal to do something on the southern border, apparently taking the order from Donald Trump — because that would look good for Democrats and Joe Biden. So, we discuss the consequences of Van Orden's vote against the continuing resolution and the straw man of saying it's, in part, to solve the southern border crisis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After venting a bit about how Wisconsin draws voting maps, we look at the latest iteration, where the Wisconsin Supreme Court will decide amongst seven groups that made submissions. We look at the criteria for drawing new legislative maps set up by the state Supreme Court, the groups that drew new maps and how those submissions look in the 3rd US House District. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We will know what seems inevitable that Donald Trump is going to win the Iowa Caucus on Monday and therefore, we look at the 2028 presidential candidates. Rick and William argue if it's still going to be Trump. After that, more discussion on 2024 from Joe Biden not being on one ballot, to why Wisconsin has, so far, kept the two other Democratic candidates (Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson) off the primary ballot. Plus, can Trump's opponents get any momentum to bump him, like Bernie Sanders did a bit in 2016. Also, sticking to 2016, does Joe Biden have voter enthusiasm or could there be a Hillary Clinton-like turnout that allows Trump to win again? We also talk about GOP controversies, including a US House Rep. already saying they won't certify the 2024 election unless Trump wins, plus Trump's argument that he can do whatever he wants as president — including hiring killers to take out political opponents. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A celebration of the Top 10 things Democrats did in 2023 — five federally and five in Wisconsin. Before that, however, we duped Garcia into being a Grinch for a few minutes on some of the Republican 2023 highlights, before getting into that Top 10 list.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's been over a decade since former Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker's legislation that destroyed union rights in the state through what's called Act 10. A recent lawsuit looks to restore collective bargaining rights for unions. We explain what Act 10 did to unions, such as educators, and how this lawsuit might give rights back to workers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There are two ways you can approach things Donald Trump says and does. One of those is to find the funny gaffs and mistakes or literal missteps that he takes, while continuing to bounce between court hearings and campaigns. Another is to take the things that he says he plans to do if he were re-elected president. This podcast is about the latter, as we go through documented quotes Trump has said while campaigning that he plans to do if re-elected.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As the Wisconsin legislative session comes to a close, and the Legislators get set to take a long holiday, we compare and contrast the priorities between Democrats and Republicans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.