Wisconsin on the Civic Media radio network.
and streaming worldwide on the Civic Media app.
Good afternoon, everybody.
I'm Todd Albault, one of the outstanding producer and engineer, Mr. Aaron Zommers, on the board.
It is six past the hour of one o'clock.
Welcome into hour number two of the big program.
Glad to have you along downtown Madison on State Street.
Snow has dissipated if we could use the word.
Not only that, it's pretty much stopped.
A little snowy here, a little snow there, but all in all, not expected a whole lot of accumulation across much of Wisconsin.
Some places in far southern Wisconsin along the Illinois border may see an inch or so, but nothing dramatic.
Temperatures warming up into, in some places, not everywhere, some places into the fifties in Wisconsin this weekend.
So spring is on its way.
And don't forget, Zomers, it is daylight saving time starts this weekend.
Don't forget, as they spring forward, fall back.
Don't forget to say, some people still have the old clocks you have to set it yourself.
Digital clocks, not all of them, but some reset themselves.
In my kitchen, I have a digital clock on my stove, and right above it, I have a digital clock on my microwave.
And people who know me will not be surprised.
One of the clocks is set for daylight saving time and one is set for standard time and that way I don't have to change them and the source for me It's not you know, is it daylight saving just like
No, no, it's just it's I don't call it daylight saving time or standard time It's just you know, is it oven time or microwave time?
Yeah
Right now we're on oven time, but we're soon to change to microwave time.
I just remember I got a look at the microwave start on Sunday.
Anyway, in all seriousness, daylight saving time starts.
So I mean, for those that have to get up in the morning, it's going to be bad because it's going to be darker.
But for people who like light in the afternoon into the evening, it's going to like Sunday night, sunset's like pretty close to seven o'clock at night now.
So anyway.
Just like the weather can't do anything about it.
So move on forward and it's my least favorite even this Saturday evening
So this the Sunday after we fall back is my favorite favorite day of the year
Speaking of time, we're gonna be getting into some time here in just a minute with our edition of What's Worse for today.
Many thanks to Tim Corden and Brady Ewing for being on in the first hour of the show.
Great guests, great people, great discussion.
So imagine, or glad to have them along.
Later on this hour, Mr. Zamas will have another edition of Board Game of the Week.
How you can spend the weekend.
connecting with one another over a great board game.
And their old friend Scott Kluge, former Republican congressman representing Wisconsin's second district, we're starting a new feature on Fridays with Kluge, a political orphan, as he calls himself now.
Long time moderate Republican, those don't really exist anymore.
So he finds himself a former congressman without party.
Basically, so he has a couple of thoughts of the upcoming election on April 1st and clue will be in with his political take of the week So looking forward to that before the end of the show and Elon Musk This is real Elon Musk Wants to put a chip in your head.
Of course he does and we ain't talking Doritos
So all that and more plus your phone calls always a glad to have you along this 10 past the hour of one o'clock time once again for a Friday edition of what's worse let's go Time
once
again for what's worse nothing to give away no prize money involved But it is your chance to have your voice heard across the entire civic media radio network in 11 communities
all across the state.
It is the largest privately owned network in Wisconsin in terms of broadcast radio, second only to Wisconsin public radio network, more stations than I heart.
Well, how about that?
Large, largest privately owned radio network in Wisconsin, civic media, where in all the major media markets, no better way to have your voice, your product.
your company be heard, then advertise with us.
Go to civicmedia.us, that's civicmedia.us, and find out how to advertise with us.
Dave listening to New Berlin says, Todd, I saw the forecast for Monday.
I'm going to be quote-unquote sick that day and need to spend all day at the park.
Please don't read this on the air or by OG, sorry.
No, he didn't say
please don't read this on the air.
I think we all might have a little.
cough on Monday, right?
Right, Dave.
All right, and speaking of the timely, timely indeed, we were talking with Brady earlier about former Wisconsin Badger head football coach Brett Bielema.
As many, I mean, Vince Lombardi used to say, was famous for saying, if you're 15 minutes early, you're late for a meeting, whatever you have in life, always be at least 15 minutes early.
And Brady's saying that with coach Bielema, former coach Bielema here at Wisconsin, now at Illinois,
That he would tell his players or if we're gonna start at one o'clock you better be here at 1255 But by the end of Brady's time it had got like 20 minutes early Our own Casper one of our great engineers listening watching on YouTube says I'm not on board with that Just tell me what time you want me there and I'll be there, right?
I
little harsh, a little harsh.
Anyway, here we go.
Maybe that is a
harsh.
What's worse, people who are always early or people who are always late.
People who are always early or people who are always late.
855-752-4842.
855-752-4842.
Could also text us on the Civic Media app if you don't have it.
Download it today.
You're going to want it.
I mean, you want it now, but you're really going to want it soon.
I am under strict orders and Zomers tells me this where you were not monkeying around here.
I cannot tell you the exact details of it, but I am, I believe allowed.
The attorneys up on the 12th floor say, I can tell you there is a new text to win contest that has been approved, signed, sealed, and is about to be delivered.
And let me tell you.
The grand prize on this one.
You're not going to want to sleep on it.
Or maybe you will.
Tune in soon for another text to win contest.
But be prepared because the only way you can enter and play is via text.
So be ready.
Down go to your Apple or Android device type in Civic in the app search bar.
Civic media.
Takes less than a minute.
It's free.
It's what gale king at CBS calls a deal the civic media app Let's go to the phone lines 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 mark in prayer to sack mark people who are always early or people who are always late What's worse?
Well people are always late, but I just can't help but thinking of you don't you line must chip in our head thing
It was actually a science fiction story by Elie Medest, a junior called Adieu Monti, and humanity got split into three different groups.
Those that had a chip, those that had a... that actually kind of did a... self-modified their own brain, and those who didn't want either one of them.
Elon Musk, he can try to put a chip in my head, but I will...
Avoid that with it with and we're with prejudice.
I mean that he can he can pucker up and
We get the picture mark.
Thank you very much Mark in the sack salty on a Friday 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 We'll get to the chip story in a minute.
We're doing what's worse right now.
Let's go up to our old friend Cindy
Up there who uh, I mean this is a person Cindy she gets around she's she's involved in the community She's had drinks with Trigby and I and read our what makes Wisconsin great to her She was she was overseeing our own old friend Kristen with Adam Kinzinger and she we find her in the beautiful city of Appleton Cindy People who are always early or people who are always late.
What's worse?
Well, first I want to respond.
There was a movie about putting chips and people said, and it did not end well.
Anyway, I can't remember the name of it, but it was something conspiracy, but I actually find that most people everywhere I go are early, and they seem like they're getting earlier.
I suppose it's for getting parking spaces and whatnot, but I think people who get blared late are so...
rude, inconsiderate.
It's all about me.
I mean, I'm a runner and I used to do races where this one guy would come like perpetually every race 15 minutes late.
And he would expect them to adjust his time and everything for him.
Yes.
No, no, that's not you
can't do that.
Yes.
Yeah, I'm not kidding.
Well, that's what he would do and some of these actually researches would actually accommodate him and I might give me a break.
So anyway, he finally stopped coming, but he was always late and he just expected people to just jump over hoops for him.
So I think to me, people who are late are just disrespectful and it's all about me, me, me, me, me.
Everybody else waits for me.
So.
All
right.
Very good.
So they appreciate, pardon me, appreciate the call.
Appreciate it.
As always.
What's worse, people who are always early.
or people who are always late eight five five seven five two four eight four two eight five five seven five two four eight four two off the text line lend listening on wmdx of madison says people who are always late are worse meredith the madison says i'm always late except for work so i guess the folks are always early are the worst all right david new berlin listening in says people who are always late are worse terry
In beautiful cross planes, listening on WMDX says, I tend to run slightly late.
So I have to say that people who are early are the worst.
855-752-4842.
855-752-4842.
Let's go to Brian down in beautiful Milwaukee, listening on WAUK.
Brian, people who are always early or people who are always late?
What's worse?
Oh, late.
We had, unfortunately, in my family, our uncle.
But Steve was always late for family Christmas and Easter parties or any, you know, family function.
And before he knew it, the running joke in the family was he's late for everything except his funeral.
That's pretty good.
That's pretty good.
It's as if he did pass away, but
was he late for his own funeral?
No, he was on time
for that.
Okay.
If you can see, I'm going to tell a little story myself.
I'll get into it more on the other side of the break.
I do tend to be late often.
And so I've told people that I'm going to put my will when I die that I want the funeral director to put the, like the funeral is going to start at 11 o'clock, but don't start it until 1115.
That way people could say Todd was late to his own funeral.
I appreciate it.
Come on back more after this on the Civic Media Radio
Network.
late!
Welcome back to the Todd Law Ball Show on the Civic Media Ready Network, along with a white rabbit.
And Aaron's hour is on the board.
Todd Albaul here on the Civic Media Radio.
Work 21 past the hour of one o'clock on the TGIF edition, Friday, March 7th.
We are right in the middle.
What's worse for today?
What's worse?
People who are always early or people who are always late.
855-752-4842.
855-752-4842.
Also text us on the Civic Media app.
Data.
Listen to us on WLCX and beautiful lacrosse says I'm always early and a lot of people also think I'm worse.
I don't if they're related,
if
those are okay.
I got it Cam and Appleton now This is just egregious picking on Todd.
It says Todd and parking meters name a better duo That's not the duo.
I guess I guess it kind of relates because I was late
To plug the parking meter.
Yeah,
go down that road again, but when it was not entirely my fault Um Zommerist you want to go on the what's what's worse being people are always earlier people are always late
go go
laughing I'm laughing because
And here, I mean, you can't buy love like this.
You can't buy support like this.
My mom and my sister, apparently, are listening and are texting me, like, on me, on me.
My mom says, well, there's a text from my mother.
She says, your show is to tell the truth.
My sister says, now, dear brother, are we being honest here with three question marks?
I, because I, I assume they're watching via the stream and I said, I said, Zomers are talking over the break and you can watch this on the stream and find out what I'm really like, which is not dramatically different than what I'm like on the air.
Um, I said, I, I, I tend to run somewhere between five and 15 minutes late, closer to 15.
I think what my family is talking about is like, if I'm going to go to a family event,
I have to drive an hour plus away.
Oftentimes, I'll have to wrap up stuff here.
And then, you know, yeah, I could be more than that.
I could be an hour late or whatever.
But that's like a long.
I'm talking about things like, hey, we're going to meet somebody in town for dinner or or.
All right, keep me honest.
Anybody listening on Civic?
I A, I've never been late to a show.
I've never I've never shown up late enough other than a couple of close calls, but now
I forgot about that
Um generally speaking I don't think I'm late to like meet company meetings am I I
think so sometimes I just forget
That is because they change and like well, I didn't know we having it this week I just don't know but I'm not late to like in I'm so I'm talking about just like oh, we're gonna be for dinner or whatever I've tried to do better now.
Here's that there's a serious part to this I don't want to get into it and bring people down there I mean I I'm ADHD our friend Kara Saban We have to get back in the program by the way.
Yes, she's a G and so people ADHD I mean
Well, our minds think nothing is an emergency until it is.
There's only two
There's only two times that matter now and everything else.
And if it's not now, then it doesn't matter.
try so hard
I try and I think I've done a little bit better.
I've improved.
We'll see.
We'll see how many texts I get after I said that.
But no, I tend to run late.
I'm not going to.
I'm not walking away from it.
I'm not denying it.
And guess what?
I'm not blaming it on anybody but me.
I will take full responsibility for my tardiness and I'll answer the question.
People like me are worse.
I'm worse.
I'm the sphincter.
People who are late are worse because it can set everybody back and it throws off the schedule.
So I will say I am worse there.
How is that for truth, honesty in the American way?
Casper's chiming back in from the engineering room on YouTube.
People who are always late is much, much worse.
My daughter, God lover is always late.
And I literally have to tell her at least a half an hour and a half earlier than what the actual time is.
Now that's what mom does.
She'll say, she'll say, well, I think we're going to start around one o'clock and then I'll get there like 20 minutes after.
Well, it doesn't actually start until two.
Exactly,
I know But by golly each and every day we get this show on the road at noon come the hell or high water and I I don't think I've ever I Think we can ask Phil me up original and center who worked with me back in high school There were a couple of times in high school where because CBS News
At the time CVS news lasted until five after the hour and then there was a minute of commercial And so you would go on the air locally at six past the hour.
There were a couple of times when I cruised into RCO and 505 I had 45 seconds to get back to the control room open up the mic and give the weather
remarkably close.
Well, and I wasn't late the only time I ever
did not like be on the air for a shift is what I was signing on back at RCL back in the high school or college, signing on at 5 a.m.
And I went out because at the time you had to go outside.
There was like a weather house that had the barometer and the thermometer outside.
And you had to go outside to check the temperature.
And I forgot to unlock the door to go out the back door.
keys were in the station and it was winter.
And so,
It was like whatever it was, like 445, 410 or 448, whatever.
I would lock myself out.
I had to walk back home and we lived, I ran part of the way.
I got to our house, I think, in about 10 to 15 minutes, 10 minutes.
And then I had to get my car, or I had to call my station manager, Ron Fruit, and he had to come down and open up the station.
We signed on like 10 after five.
But that was just stupidity for leaving my keys in the station.
What's worse, people are always early and people who are always late, still time to call in.
Also, board Game of the Week straight ahead on Scott Klug's political orphan, his take on the all-ball show on Civic Media.
Come on
Welcome back to the title ball show the Civic Media Network 34 minutes past the hour one o'clock Friday March 7th 2025 ominous music Saunders, what did you dial up there?
Day
Very ominous indeed we're gonna get to that in a minute Elon Musk Every time I say anything a joke button we're not joking around
Elon Musk wants
Let's finish up what's worse, asking you the important question.
What's worse?
People who are always early or people who are always late 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 Ali check it in for the beautiful north woods of the great state of Wisconsin Ali what's worse people are always early or people are always late
I'll make this quick since a little long Apparently being late is
bad
And my dad told me so because I used to head off with my family to visit him in a five-hour probably or so drive, and it would take me till midnight to get there because I had to stop at all the garage sales along the way.
And my husband always said I'd be late for my own funeral.
I've decided to have my coffin brought in late because he always has to be right about everything else.
And I'll tell my dad and I'll leave a little note and no dad.
I didn't stop for a garage sale.
That's great.
That's great.
Ollie, I'm right there with you.
I love it.
Have a great day.
Have a great weekend up there in the Northwoods.
Enjoy it up there.
Thank you so very much.
Yeah, I'm going to do that.
I, you know,
I'm gonna tell the funeral director to wheel my coffer and cough it into the church or wherever 15 minutes past the start time.
I
Wait for those watch our ill listening on the network.
We heard the great Pete Schwabba of Nightlight was honored to be on the program last night with the popcorn pick of the week Now there's a great show six o'clock until eight every evening.
You got Pete Schwabba Now here's a guy who is a writer a director or producer
An actor, a host.
Comedian.
Comedian.
He's done all entertainment and he's, we're so happy he's part of Civic Media's team every evening along with great producer Conrad.
So I did the popcorn pick of the night and my pick last night was the great movie from 1995 called Steel Big Steel Litter, with little, Steel Big Steel Little by Andy Garcia.
There it is.
I have the DVD.
Yes, I own DVDs.
I own Blu-rays, and I am not ashamed.
In fact, I am proud.
Because you know what will not?
happen to Todd?
I will not go to try to watch a movie and say, oh, that's not available on that streaming service anymore.
Look at that.
that's not the case at all.
Todd was right about this about this.
It's a great film.
You can find it on DVD or is opera she says on a VHS
can
All right It's a great little film.
It's about Andy Garcia plays
identical twin brothers, he obviously plays both parts.
And one, after they're separated, their biological parents are captured by immigration and sent back to Mexico.
And so they are kind of adopted, taken in by this American couple who ends up getting a divorce when they're kids.
One goes to live with his father who's obsessed with money and business and power.
And the other one goes to live with his mom, who runs an art studio.
And not just a studio, but like a retreat.
And it's how they kind of live their lives and comedy ensues and, you know, double identities, of course.
I mean, you have Alan Arkin is in this movie.
David Ogden Steyer's from MASH is in the movie.
So you ever get a chance to steal big steel level?
Little it was great.
Yes, I put on a tutu because David Ogden Steyers in the film, he they have this retreat where they're kind of a conservative, Republican-esque men have a secret retreat where they all, not all, but many dress up and drag and get drunk, not unlike a party at Lindsey Graham's house in South Carolina.
But anyway.
And so I dressed up as one of the care I went down to Monroe last night and my friends Curtin floor see let me do it and further their fireplace
it was it I recommend looking up the YouTube stream of night late last night and checking it out Todd sitting there in front of a fireplace and In a like softly lit room Holding a cigar swishers sweet one hand got a glass of alcohol a bottle of makers mark facing the camera and he's wearing a white cowboy hat just sitting in a tutu
I I'm committed to the bit
understand I'm in entertainment.
I love you know I love committing to these bits and that's the fun about peach lava show is that it's informative But it's just a heck of a lot of fun.
So tune in every night from six until eight right here nightlight on the civic media radio network I wish this were fiction it is not Elon Musk's Neuralink company will put chips inside humans heads
The chips will read thoughts desires and needs directly from our brain It will funnel that input through Musk's artificial intelligence company named get this X AI It would then use Musk's X better known as Twitter to obtain information or services for the chip carrier As you'll recall
Musk has already partnered with Visa to create a payment service.
The first step to make X and
F and?
everything app, eventually providing any service found to the web.
Do you feel Homer paraphrasing or do you feel like paraphrasing Homer Simpson and saying, I for one, welcome Elon Musk is my new digital overlord?
know.
Or do you feel like you need Alon's?
chip like another hole in the head.
Musk, however, expects that fear of losing out in an age where information equals power will overcome any resistance you or I may have to being chipped.
could not.
I don't want to touch that with a 10 foot pole or any length pole.
I mean, who would?
I mean, I suppose some people would do this, but putting a chip in your head so that the X and whatever gets hacked.
Now, your brain's been hacked.
Right.
If you can't hack it.
8-5-5, what do you think?
Would you take a chip from Elon Musk in the head?
8-5-5-7-5-2, 4-8-4-2, 8-5-5-7-5-2, 4-8-4-2.
Holly's calling back in the Northwoods.
Holly, what do you think of this chip deal with Musk?
Well, personally, I think he can save his chip because there are millions of people ready and willing right now to tell him what they think of him.
Right?
He don't he don't need a chip.
We'll just tell him for free Love it Ali.
Thanks.
Appreciate it Yeah, that's uh, that's a little scary.
That's but you know and here's the problem We're gonna cross pollinate mark my words.
We're gonna cross pollinate with the musk chip of a human's head with the robot dog
we're gonna have all kinds of problems
As Letterman likes to say, I wouldn't give those kind of problems to a monkey on a rock.
All right, 43 minutes past the hour, one o'clock time once again for another Zommer's rendition of Board Game of the Week.
Here we go.
It's been a busy month, you understand??
The occasional segment, whenever we need it.?
Kotmai,?
Do we need an interpreter for this game?
We do not.
It is in English.
The name is just not because it's named after a cop my national park in Alaska where every summer bears flock there like crazy and sit along the river and eat salmon and they get so fat and lazy and they just sit there and let the salmon jump into their mouths and it's live streamed so you can watch it.
Wow.
It is so fun to watch and just sit there and be like they're just looking down in the stream and one
A salmon will flop up, and it'll be about an inch from their mouth, but they just won't move.
And they'll be like, oh, the next one will go in, and then it does.
They just sit there and get fed by nature.
Yeah, they just sit there and eat salmon all day.
Can you imagine?
It sounds great.
It sounds great.
And yeah, they're fattening themselves up for hibernation.
And every October, they put Fat Bear Week on their website, which is a popularity contest where people vote for their favorite fat bears.
Yep, see Kimber must get a new where that was going that bear week Knows exactly where this is going for those of you watching on the stream I have a couple of the of recent fat bear contestants to show you before and after pictures look at that Now that
looks me like before the election and me after the election.
It's you know a skinny bear bunch of saggy skin just sitting in the
in the water to an absolute chunk, just huge.
Speaking of chunk, the next bear is named Chunk.
That is one big bear.
And also 747 is the name of another one.
Two of my favorites are Holly and Otis.
Look at Holly.
Holly is, looks like a bouncy ball, just completely round.
I
mean, that is some layers of fat to take you into a tough winter.
It's very fat bears, and I recommend everyone check out Fat Bear Contest.
Anyway, back to the game.
So this game is based on the contest.
You have a river, and you get cards for bears and little wooden meatballs of bears, little wooden bears, and you place them along the river and try and scare the other bears out of the best spots so you can eat the most salmon before hibernation.
Now, I think this would be highly entertaining.
Have you played it?
I have not, because it's new, it just came out.
I haven't ordered it yet.
Oh, it's brand new.
Yes, but it's available for purchasing at Osprey Publishing.
Yeah, I'll link it in the description.
But if you're interested in giving it a shot, it's $35.
It is two players and it takes about 30 minutes.
Until you get full.
Until you get full.
Now does this require anybody to eat sushi during the game?
You can.
All right.
I don't think it's mentioned in the rules.
You can eat sushi anytime if you want.
No, thanks.
Unless it's a tempura shrimp.
And yes, Kimber and Muscatay also says, doesn't it go for a month?
I think so.
Yeah, it's all of, it's a whole month, but the main tournament is just Fat Bear Week, I believe.
All right, very good.
How much, name the game please again, and
Cop by, I like that name.
Cop by, what's the second part of it?
The Bears of Brooks River.
The Bears of Brooks River.
Cop by the Bears of Brooks River.
Now that sounds fantastic and it sounds like a game that would be even better played along a river in Alaska.
Like on a 70 in screen, just sitting there, it'll feel like you're right there with the bears.
Yes, exactly.
Go to a theater and enjoy that very soon.
Well, that's fantastic.
I appreciate it because, you know, it's going to be some parts of Wisconsin, very warm.
You might want to sit on a three season porch or whatever or inside, just enjoy that.
Or can you order it on Amazon?
And they'll get it to you quickly, and you can play it.
It'll be fantastic.
All right, Mrs. Overs, we appreciate that.
Tyler in Wisconsin Rapids, check it in on that musk story.
The only side effect to the musk chip in the head is the unruly flyaway comb over.
Yes, that too.
Come on back.
Scott Kluge is in with a political orphan take on politics.
Don't want to miss it.
And we'll wrap things up for a Friday on the Todd Allball Show on the Civic Media Radio Network.
you
Welcome back to the title ball show in the civic media radio network where it is now nine before the hour of two o'clock on the top of the hour ABC or CBS radio news depending upon which of our great stations you're listening to across to Wisconsin.
Then a little check of weather sports with a great sports reporter Mike Clemens and then another edition of the Maggie Dawn show every afternoon until from two until four.
Maggie Dawn followed by Dom Selvia from four until six.
And then our friend Pete Schwabba.
and nightlight every evening from six until eight.
Rick Smith across America and rounding out the evening with Native Roots Radio with Robert Pilot.
Always a fantastic show as well.
So I hope you tune in all across the Civic Media Radio Network today and tonight.
Here's a new feature for you.
I want to start doing this.
One of my former bosses, former U.S.
Congressman Scott Kluge, represented the Madison area.
the second congressional district of wisconsin for eight years in the second district there in the house were representatives uh here's a guy klug who when he ran he said i'll limit myself to no more than 12 years in office and he kept his word in eight and after eight years he said you know what it was never meant to be a career and i went and served and now i'm going back into the private sector which he did and then last year
He said, you know, because he started his career as a broadcaster and television was on channel 27 in Madison for a number of years was a TV stations in Seattle and Washington, D.C.
And so he talked with our owner CEO stage while we saw why don't we do this?
A limited run podcast radio show called lost in the middle America's political orphans because Kluge longtime Republican but a moderate Republican which really doesn't exist anymore.
He doesn't
He doesn't identify himself with the Democratic Party, so he feels like he's an independent, a lost in the middle, a political orphan.
And we ran that until after the election, and that's wrapped up now.
And so we thought, well, he still has something to say, so why don't we have him come back for a couple of minutes every Friday and share his thoughts.
So here now, our first take on his take, this is Scott Kluge's political orphan, his take.
For those of us who sometimes feel lost in the middle time for our weekly commentary from political orphan former congressman Scott
Luke Hey good news from last fall's election no matter which side you're on record turnout of 73% in Wisconsin than not a whiff of scandal
But we need to change one major election law that creates potential ammunition for conspiracy whack jobs.
In every presidential election, we watch trucks deliver more than 100,000 absentee ballots to the Milwaukee Counting Center after the polls close.
First, the ballots have to be verified, then open, then tabulated, and it takes hours to report results.
Frankly, it's embarrassing.
We're only one of 13 states that will not allow ballots to be counted prior to polls closing.
Look, Republican states like Florida and Texas, with far bigger populations, count absentee ballots before Election Day, and they deliver vote totals before the ballot trucks even hit the roads in Wisconsin.
A second way to speed up the process, Minnesota doesn't start counting before Election Day,
but they do verify the ballots in advance.
So when Election Day hits, the count is expedited.
Boom.
We're only one of seven states that won't allow that early step.
We at the Bipartisan Defend Democracy Project urge the Wisconsin legislature to change the law.
My colleagues, former GOP AG JB Van Hollen, former State Democratic Chair Mike Tate, and former Democratic U.S.
Senate candidate Mandela Barnes, all
urged the passage of this common-sense reform.
You know, this is a travesty given our reform heritage.
More than 100 years ago, Wisconsin was the state that pushed for secret ballots and the direct election of senators to take the power away from party bosses.
Today, sadly, we lag the rest of the country.
Hey, Madison, fix it.
And next time, we'll talk about one other twist than our election laws, which should be fixed before the Red Hot Supreme Court race.
That's my take.
I'm political orphan Scott Kluge.
Scott Kluge, his take.
I think that's a good one, by the way.
Why is it that Wisconsin is so far behind now in how we count our votes?
And again, we just had an audit with this in Wisconsin.
This last election, 2024, found that there were no major problems once again.
Wisconsin has one of the safest voting mechanisms already.
and what we need is to be able to count these ballots, like Kluge said.
So hopefully the legislature gets its act in gear.
Hopefully.
And Kluge will be on every, like, of those two-minute segments every Friday now.
So looking forward to that.
Many thanks to Scott Kluge.
By the way, it's March 7th today on the state in 2025.
Hey, that's today.
Somers, by the way.
At 5 p.m.
Central time, the United States will see its first execution by firing squad in 15 years.
Wait, really?
Yes.
In South Carolina, prisoner Brad Sigmund is to be strapped into a metal seat in the same chamber used for execution by electric chair and lethal injection.
And by law, Sigmund had his choice of three forms of execution and chose firing squad.
He'll have a hood over his head.
A target will be placed on his heart.
Three volunteers will shoot from a distance of 15 feet.
they will stand behind a wall with a small opening for their rifle.
Used under the chair, that is, to which a signal will be strapped, is a catch basin.
The bullets are fired.
They're fired or designed to break apart on impact so that fragments destroy as much of the heart as possible.
Not to exaggerate, this is part of making America great again.
As Professor William Nelson,
of Amherst College wrote, in 2020, the first Trump administration expanded how federal execution can be carried out to include ghoulish methods such as hanging the electric chair, gas chambers, and indeed the firing squad.
Unquote.
Not a great way to leave you all, but I think an important way.
We continue on.
The fight continues on.
Have a better weekend than that.
Zomers, thank you very much.
We appreciate you being here as always.
Thanks to Tim Corden of the Building Unity Wisconsin Tour.
Brady Ewing from Badger Football, of course, former player.
Scott Kluge and all of you.
Maggie Dawn is next.
Whatever you're fighting for, whatever you believe in, keep banging your drum.
See you Monday.