It’s National Donut Day, so we take a look around our communities to talk about who’s got the good ones. We’ll discuss how a positive new jobs report masks the harm that’s being done to the long-term health of government services—just look at what Elon Musk did to the dumpster fire formerly known as Twitter. […]

Guest: Mike Clemens

Jun 6, 2025

44:02

The bromance breakup of Oval Office besties makes for colorful commentary, but it doesn’t yet change anything about how Republicans in Congress are moving forward with plans to explode the national debt and slash important services to pay for a massive handout to corporations and the very-wealthy. If we’re going to get circuses from our […]

Guests: Jennifer Schulze, Jim Santelle, Joan Esposito

Jun 6, 2025

44:02

It’s a MAGA Battle Royale. In one corner, a president threatening to cancel space contracts. In the other corner, the world’s richest man accusing the president of heinous crimes and a cover-up. And it all unfolded in real time in a social media beef worthy of quoting Ron Burgundy, “Boy, that escalated quickly. That really […]

Guest: Keya Vakil

Jun 6, 2025

44:02

We’ll talk to Sean O’Malley about your money and the markets—including President Trump’s newest tariff, one that’s going to jack up prices for almost anything in a can. His tariffs on imported beer and aluminum aren’t likely to help aluminum and steel jobs nearly as much as it’ll hurt consumers and workers through the beverage […]

Guests: Joe Zepecki, Sean O’Malley

Jun 5, 2025

44:02

We’ll talk to Congressman Mark Pocan about the predictable backlash to Donald Trump’s Big, Bloated Boondoggle—coming from some of the same House Republicans who voted for it and are now saying they didn’t understand what all was in the bill. We’ll also discuss his recent town hall in Eau Claire, again making sure some of […]

Guest: Rep. Mark Pocan

Jun 5, 2025

44:02

Republican lawmakers in Madison and Washington, DC proved again on Wednesday they have no intention of doing what most Americans think politicians ought to do: compromise and work together. In both cases, they’re trying to ram through whatever they want, whatever the price. That kind of attitude has life-or-death applications, as we’re reminded by Earl […]

Guest: Earl Ingram

Jun 5, 2025

44:02

In this week’s Climate Check, Melissa Baldauff talks about how some Republicans still want to cut the job creating programs contained in the Inflation Reduction Act. But even if they did, it would mean little for a bill that otherwise explodes the national debt. We’ll also check in with Civic Media’s Earl Ingram, covering stories […]

Guest: Melissa Baldauff

Jun 4, 2025

44:02

We’ll discuss a bill taken up in Madison yesterday that would make it easier for so-called “gig” workers, like food delivery drivers, to get benefits that are partially paid by their employer—so long as they’re not actually employers. You see, the whole gig economy is based on businesses avoiding responsibility for benefits, safety, etc., by […]

Jun 4, 2025

44:02

Score one for Sen. Ron Johnson. The Wisconsin Republican is one of the GOP holdouts on President Trump’s “big beautiful” budget bill. Know who else is? Trump’s former bestie, Elon Musk, who called it a disgusting abomination. We’ll get into the GOP civil war over whether they want to pass a budget packed with special […]

Guest: Dan Shafer

Jun 4, 2025

44:02

We’ll talk to Civic Media political editor Dan Shafer about the ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to deport almost anyone they want to take away, even if they’re law-abiding and doing good works in our communities. Plus, Chad Holmes tells us about stories he’s covering for Civic Media around Wausau. Mornings with Pat Kreitlow […]

Guest: Dan Shafer

Jun 3, 2025

44:02