Will Wisconsin Democrats Get Trapped Into Populism? (Hour 1)

From the Civic Media World Headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, it's the Todd Alba Show.

And now, pursuing truth wherever it may lead, here's your host, Todd Alba.

Across Wisconsin on the Civic Media Radio Network and streaming worldwide on the Civic Media app.

Good afternoon, everybody.

I'm Todd Alba.

still suffering from allergies, apparently.

Here along, Mr. Aaron Zomers, our producer and engineer on this Wednesday, the 25th of June, 2025.

It is a great day to be a Wisconsinite, and it is pump day.

Yes, the camel does not suffer from allergies.

You ever had that summer as we go to say something, you kind of like.

Definitely one individual who is a the quintessential broadcaster who does not make stuff up like that.

It's not not have those problems And he also has a secondarily a great head of hair and on the promo as we were talking about this So I suppose you should bring it up.

I'll trigger you also and I we expect to be joining us a little bit later

enormously jealous of our next guest.

He joins us every Wednesday.

He's the host of Mournings of Pat Critello every morning from six until nine.

The talented, the lovely, and the coifed anchor himself, Pat Critello.

Later?

Trigvies

later again?

I don't know.

I guess.

He's a very... Can he not get like guests hosts?

Can he get like Joey Bishop to show up on the stuff or John Davidson or...

You know,

there's a lot of people that do get guest hosts, but no, apparently he can't get one for himself.

I mean,

if Carson can get one, you know, every, every time it seems like Trig V should be able to get somebody like

that.

But no, you're here.

You're here and accounted for.

We appreciate that.

I'm here.

Absolutely.

How you

doing?

Well, I'm okay.

I will say, and I've, I have posted this, I am not a lawyer.

I did not go to law school.

It's true.

But but I was rather.

Oh, look, you can.

It turns out you can, in fact, shame Trig V. Olson.

You don't have to say his name three times.

If you shame him enough, he

will appear.

You know, appearing from nation's capital senior advisor, Lincoln project, Trig V. Olson.

Pat, finish your thought.

That I didn't go to law school.

Yes.

And so I have to admit I was a little puzzled at this morning's state Supreme Court ruling unanimous seven nothing that struck down Governor Evers partial veto dealing with literacy funding

for,

you know, a new literacy mandate that was essentially unfund and unfunded mandate when Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee refused to release the money.

Now, again, not being an attorney and I have much respect for the for progressive justices on the court.

So I was rather puzzled and I dug into this.

And I think this is where you and Trigviet, I would be curious as to your thoughts.

I know you haven't read through the opinion and everything, but my the point of it is this, I believe that the justices fell into a trap that is set by originalists.

The, you know, the originalists believe that whatever was first written in the Constitution, Wisconsin, U.S.

or whatever wise, you've got to follow that to the letter or the justices refer to it as the four corners of what is an appropriations bill.

Well, there's a parallel to Trumpism here, okay?

I don't believe that the framers could...

foresee every circumstance.

That's why I'm not an originalist.

And in this particular case, without trying to get too deep into the weeds, the Republicans kind of split that new literacy mandate into two different bills.

And because the money wasn't part of one of the bills, you know, the short version is that the justices said, well, Governor Evers couldn't partially veto that because it's not an appropriations bill.

I would contend the Republican lawmakers have figured out a way to basically rig the system in a way the founders

you know, did not foresee.

And they have created in the Joint Finance Committee, what's called a supplemental fund, it's a slush fund.

And I would, I would think after today's decision, you may see a day when the Republican caucus just puts all of the money.

into a slush fund and says, you know what, we'll appropriate all of these things as we see fit.

So that's where I'm a little bothered.

I'm sure there's people that went to law school that cannot wait to pick a fight with me on it.

But that was that was my take when I go, how does the how does Governor Evers get a seven nothing ruling against him on partial veto powers?

And I think that's part of is they could not foresee the games that some politicians would play in the year of our Lord 2025.

Pat Crite will come out hot out of the gate.

I love every minute of it to give a little context here.

The story being released by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel a little while ago here.

And first couple of lines, as Pat said, Governor Evers, inappropriately used his veto power in making changes to a bill intended to fund the state's quote unquote, science and reading law.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously ruled a little while ago, the court's ruling is a loss for efforts by the governor, the department of public instruction to shift.

nearly 50 million with an M to K-12 schools so they can implement literacy programs as required, Key as in Paz, as Pat said, by Act 20.

That money has gone unspent as the legal battle unfolded with Governor Evers, the DPI, asserting the court should follow its allocation.

However, the Supreme Court ruled, how convenient, as Dana Carvey once said, quote, it has no constitutional authority to override the legislature's choice.

and appropriate the money to DPI, unquote, the nearly 50 million in unallocated money is expected to return to the state surplus if it goes unspent after January, pardon me, after June 30th.

So that,

go ahead.

That's your technicality is that the bill for the literacy program, they allocated the money to themselves to the joint finance committees, quote unquote, supplemental fund, which is supposed to be used for emergencies.

Now, any.

any common sense reading of the legislation would tell you there's only one place literacy money can go that mandates dpi do this this and this and that would be two dpi the justices are saying well they allocated it to the joint finance committee to themselves we're kind of powerless to do anything about it i i just think that opens up a pandora's box for huge abuse of that authority to create a supplemental fund for the joint finance committee so there there's there's your nerd 101

for the state budget for this week.

And I think it's great.

And just to make sure we understand correctly, keep me honest, this is different than what Evers did in the last bill with his creative vetoing and ensuring there was a 400 year funding, a little bit of a, what was it?

I don't

know it wasn't that really they

basically took took a boost in school aid and he crossed out some numbers in the years and the boost in school aid now lasts for 400 years and the justices there on a split decision said yes that was a proper use of the the governor's veto powers in both of these cases by the way in both of these cases this is a great lesson for the legislature that that

Legislation is never static.

The Constitution is never static.

And when you see either one of these instances, you should immediately follow it up and go, OK, how do we fix this so that this kind of shenanigans can't happen next time?

Unfortunately, you don't see that very much anymore, because each party thinks, well, we'll just wait till we're in power.

And then we'll do the thing that we don't like that they're doing right now.

And it's what makes people kind of cynical about politics.

Unless.

you read Trigvielson's sub-stack, then I feel much more hope about democracy with each issue.

I think it's

using the wrong microphone.

Yeah, I think you're using your earphones

instead.

Oh, I see what

I

literally

didn't have it plugged in

literally didn't have it plugged in

He

shows up late and then he doesn't have his microphone plug a great job

drink this is fantastic That's that's I love it.

So well while he gets that microphone plugged in and set up there Todd.

I apologize

for

bringing

my

Now he's now he's all set

I and Pat's

Pats just throwing haymakers.

Mike Tyson back in the day.

I had two.

Actually, he's more like George Foreman because Pats old enough to remember when George Foreman was

fighting.

That's because he's like George Foreman because you know, Foreman's dead.

Oh my gosh.

Real

quick.

No, that's not it.

Do you guys realize I just learned I had my whole show this morning and only now am I realizing that for folks watching on social media growing out of the top of my head is a gumball machine.

Oh my

gosh.

This is, of course, is the palatial bookshelf that I built with my own two hands.

It's beautiful.

I've seen

it.

Thanks to IKEA, of course.

And I have this gumball machine, but it's filled with M&M's.

And that's long been my candy dish at any workplace I was at.

People

would

stop by.

They'd turn the knob.

They'd get a bunch of M&M's.

I'd get to make small talk with them.

Well, now it's here at home.

And then the three-year-old and the six-year-old were here visiting last weekend.

And they kept going to that thing over and over again.

So I finally had to put it up on the top shelf, not realizing it.

I'd have this moment where...

machine full of M&M's is now on top of the bookshelf coming out of the top of my head.

It looks like you're crowned.

Just the camera.

A teeny tiny little

crown.

There we go.

Now we can see Pat's beautiful coiff of hair that Trigby and I are in fact.

Ah, thank you.

Jealous of him.

Let's go to the phone lines quickly, 855-752-4842.

Which justice is it?

No, no justice.

Rebecca Dalit, you're full of garbage, Crite Low.

One of our great listeners, Jack and Merrimack.

Jack, you wanted to talk about this, a Supreme Court decision in Wisconsin that Pat was talking about.

talking about

yeah I understand I'm not a lawyer and I don't even play one on TV but I really think that we need another constitutional amendment a useful constitutional amendment in this case and it

has

to say something like that any money that are allocated in the budget or by any other means have to be spent for their intended use and

The intended use for that $50 million is very clearly the reading program.

We need something like that.

And until then, Ebers needs to use the statement, draw a pair, and he needs

to

start line-item videoing things like this flush fund for the joint finance committee.

I'm

getting sick and tired of this garbage.

And especially as an educator, it just really acts me off.

minor detail, the $87 million that they're trying to steal from the UW system in order to pay off and give tax breaks to their biggest contributors.

Thanks, Jack.

Always a pleasure.

Thank you very much.

I appreciate the call.

By the way, related to that, and I agree wholeheartedly with him, let's get a whole reform agenda because here's the other thing that needs to be reformed.

The way the state Senate has been sitting on well over a hundred of Governor Evers appointments by not confirming them.

We need to clean that up saying, hey, look, the Senate has the power of it to advise and consent.

But only in the very beginning of his term he nominates these people.

If you nominate somebody to run a cabinet office, give them 60 days, 90 days, whatever.

And if you don't hold a vote by then, you know, they get to stay.

You don't get to hold this over them for four years or longer, and then hold the confirmation vote when you want to fire them.

That again, never the intent of the original writers of, you know, how we confirm cabinet appointees here.

This legislature just proves over and over again the need for constant reform because there's always somebody

trying to get, you know, rig things a little bit more for partisan advantage.

Trig Wilson, what's going on with our former party?

I mean, most people recognize this name, but you had a guy, Joe Leon, ran the joint finance committee, was Republican co-chair for years and years.

A powerful guy, but a sensible guy.

There was no slush funds back when Joe Leon was running JFC and you know holding not voting on up or down on on gubernatorial Appointments, what's up with our former party these days?

I just think they become petty and you know It's all about owning the other side and there's an element of cruelty with some of them and and there is no plan

Like it is just performative at the end of the day.

And I, I don't know, you know, Pat was, was mentioning my sub-stack, which I can, I know that Pat is a royal, a loyal reader because I can see how often he opens my.

Thank you, Pat.

I'm proud of the fact that you read it every day.

But did you see what I wrote on, on, I wrote about, you know, going to the University of Virginia campus with my daughter.

And I was thinking about Wisconsin.

That's a great, that's a great tease.

Well, we come back.

On the other side, Trigby Olson will tell us what was on the sub stack today, going to the University of Virginia, and how it relates to Wisconsin.

Quite low.

Trigby Olson, Zommer is an all-ball backer for this on the Civic Media.

Ready or not?

Before the storm I follow where she goes At the barricades of freedom Shall I join my brothers there?

When our ranks begin to

fall Do

I stay

and do I dare?

Will you take your place with me?

The Miz taking on Paul Skeens of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brewers we can tell you on many of our stations are up for nothing get that for nothing I think in the third yet Pat.

I'm not sure you can hear the games Don't tune away from us But if you

really want

it if you want to if you want to hear the Brewers they're played live Over the air remember we cannot put it on the app Major League Baseball has that but if you want to listen to the Brewers

They're on W R C E and Richland Center to be ISS and Oshkosh by gosh WBZ H and Hayward assuming that the signal is still working up there.

They're working on the towers.

Racine and Kenosha, uh, W R J N and W C Q M in beautiful Park Falls.

You can hear that on the brewers ready network.

Huge game.

And, uh, cry.

Well, you were watching or listening earlier.

I've been.

been watching and and uh and uh you know Miz had uh you know had a no hitter through three he gave up a single in the fourth inning but then got a double play so you know he's he's still uh still facing the bare minimum of batters here this this guy is just so he's incredible it's so incredible Paul Skeens is is much more mortal this year than last year and the Brewers were bringing up uh

nine batters in the second inning it was and scored four runs.

So I know that a lot of folks wanted to see that game and they're getting to see a good one so far.

Not the zero zero pitchers duel that we may be expected, but a good game nonetheless.

Absolutely.

I actually, before Luke Mather is left on his little vacation, I texted him and said, Hey, have you got any extra tickets for the Wednesdays game?

He goes, Yeah, but it's during

your show.

Which

you should have said yet your point is your next call is hey Trig V could you guys tell us?

He is

busy writing a sub stack and before the break we left you hanging Trig V in a sub stack today talking about going to Looking for his oldest daughter and college tours and

and

Trig V you were about to say what?

No, Todd, unlike Pat, you're apparently not reading my sub-stack, because today I talked about AI and what it means to democracy.

Yesterday

I

wrote about the University of Virginia, Todd.

I'm hard to

keep up with.

We gotta keep up with these things.

We run a daily, not a weekly, over here.

Yeah.

My sub-stack is a daily critique of

how you

search for hope.

It is.

That's the literal name of it searching.

I know.

Literally.

I wish I had the time to write like Trigvie does every day.

He put so many hours into this and I'm jealous that he's that talented and can set aside those large portions of the data.

Right.

But go ahead,

Trigvie.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So no, what I was going to say is, you know, the thing with the University of Wisconsin system, it just gets more outrageous all the time.

Because I and so University of Virginia, right the public school system and I would say I don't know about what you think but like I would say UVA and Wisconsin are known as two of the best big public universities in the country and the the difference in attitude between the two states both, you know Both of you know, they have a Republican governor here, but but the reality is that

Glenn Yonkin, maybe because he's a business guy, I don't know what's wrong with the president of the University of Wisconsin system.

Well, he's a lawyer.

But Glenn Yonkin, they're investing.

They're building buildings.

They're here, not.

No, because education is a convenient punching bag for certain folks who don't have any other way to win an argument on its merits.

And so they get into class warfare and they say any kind of an education is, you know, an elite class that they, they want to take a punch, you know, take a punch at.

And that's not a recipe for growth in this state.

But how

did they

not get the places like, sorry, but economic drivers like Epic are dependent.

dependent on a vibrant University

of Wisconsin system.

But Trigvie, they know that.

That's why there was that letter with more than 800 business leaders saying, you've got to give a big boost to the UW system.

And to those 800 business leaders, Robin Voss and the others gave those business leaders a big middle finger and said, no, no, no, we're going to do what we want to do to stay in power.

You guys will be fine.

How is it that Mitch McConnell put it about Medicaid?

Like, oh, people will forget about it.

You'll get over it just fine.

It's just you.

Pat is on

fire.

Last

week

it was

tricky coming in hot today.

It's quite low.

I love every part of it.

Pat, I want to give you a chance here before we leave this at the bottom of the hour.

New Marquette Law School poll out today.

According to the law poll in Milwaukee Journal said no 55% of people polled in Wisconsin.

So Governor Tony Evers should not seek a third term, but Democratic support is high.

Thoughts?

Again, parlor games, they're fun to talk about now.

And it really is, you know, the governor can make his decision and have, you know, not complete, but near unanimity behind him one way or the other.

This is not a Biden cognitive situation.

Republicans will try to make it one.

Don't get me wrong.

But this is this is not something where people are, you know, pounding the doors of the governor's mansion saying, Governor, you can't do this.

You can't do this.

There's just, I mean, there's Dan Schaefer making

putting out the rhetorical case out there, but there's no overwhelming public demand at this point.

So that's a worthwhile survey topic, but that's about it.

I think it's more than that, because what happened last night in New York, I want to come back and talk about that.

You had a socialist Democrat winning the Democratic nomination last night.

I think

that's not happening here.

It'll happen in Madison

for the mayor's race, but

not for Wisconsin Governor.

The way that it's set up now in Wisconsin, Pat, you know this, Democrats in the primary only have to focus on two counties, Dane and Milwaukee.

You get a Democratic Socialist.

They do not do

that.

That's all they would have to do in a Democratic primary.

They've

got a

Democratic socialist and a Katie Barthendore.

It's Scotty Walker style politics back in the Capitol.

Okay, everybody.

Now it's Todd's turn to come

in.

I'm just saying.

Isn't that true?

Let's talk about this on my show tomorrow morning at 7.50.

All right.

What do you say?

Oh,

look how smooth he is.

Oh my God.

Look how smooth he is.

I would not want that.

No.

All right.

7.52.

I'll

be

there.

I'll be there tomorrow morning along with Pat and Parker.

Parker's doing our show tomorrow too.

Parker is

busy.

He

is.

He's at the ballgame.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Here's some tickets, Parker.

By

the

way,

double duty.

All right, the LeMiz is still

on the mound.

This is still

on the mound.

Thank you, Pat.

Kieran, every

morning, six

until nine.

Trigby's back after this.

Don't go anywhere.

Midwest Farm Report, updated next on the Civic Media, ready to artwork.

Do you want to get right?

It's 35 minutes now past the hour of two o'clock on the civic media ready to work Wednesday, June 25th 2025 glad to have your long Xamarin's going to the Trigview Olsen spotify playlist Trigby did not like my Les Mis soundtrack

But that's fine Trigvie Olsen

Hamilton I could

it's a little play on words Trigvie the lame is a Rob and the No,

no,

it's because it's because the Miz is on the mound for Milwaukee right now big huge game against Paul Skeens the pitcher for the Pirates the Brewers are up right now for nothing Brewers are up for nothing what?

Is that professional baseball?

He's a twins fan.

That's what a what a few bad strikes against trig v. He's a twins fan, but that's all right We'll we'll forgive him trig v. Olson or Republican the former Republican like myself Worked for people like John McCain out in Washington DC now at the senior advisor

of the Lincoln Project joins us.

Every Wednesday, always so glad that you do trigger me.

Let's talk about this a little bit, right before we went to break here with Pat Crite Lowen.

Again, I'll be joining his show tomorrow morning.

Between six and nine, always appreciate Pat coming on.

But the Marquette Law School poll came out.

There's been a lot of talk.

Our own Dan Schaefer, political editor and founder of the Reconpopulation Area, been getting a lot of play on his column, his op-ed.

saying that Tony Evers should not run for a third term, saying that basically Evers has gotten to the age where he shouldn't push it any further and get into a Joe Biden situation, not suggesting that he currently is, but Schaefer's point is basically it's time to pass the baton.

Marquette Law School poll came out just a few minutes ago.

55% of voters polled in the Marquette poll.

Said Evers should not run for another term while 42% said the governor should run again governor's overall numbers stay pretty pretty high but What do you think?

What do you make of this is if you agree with Pat that?

Me bringing this up is just parlor games.

Let's look at let's look at Wisconsin first And I want to get your take how and if it ties in to what happened in New York City last night

How we taught well, so all right

The Marquette the

Marquette numbers first the Marquette numbers.

Yeah, the 55 Marquette numbers.

Yeah, so I Think here's the thing so so the Marquette numbers show what you're seeing in a lot of places There is some erosion in mega-brand.

Okay, hmm generally

This is my deep dive on the Marquette numbers.

All right.

And, you know, I pull in Wisconsin pretty regularly too.

So we're seeing what Charles is seeing.

And when I first thing I saw when I saw the Marquette polls, right?

Like you're seeing energy on the left, the far left.

You're seeing and you saw that in New York City with what went down in the mayoral race.

That's that in Cuomo.

I agree Cuomo is a bad candidate.

Terrible

candidate.

He was terrible, awful.

And it says something about where the establishment left is that they have to put people like that up, right?

Like they're

still opining for the glory days of Bill Clinton, some of them.

But so Wisconsin, you are seeing some erosion in the brand identification of Mega.

Mega's brand isn't great right now.

Trump's brand isn't great right now.

You're seeing this energy on the left that that that that I think the left is taking the wrong Lessons from this.

It is not that they have suddenly become popular or their policies have become popular It's that it's that there's a whole set of people in the middle Who are just like this is not going well with Donald Trump and there's there is even some of Trump's base that's starting to get tired of the chaos That doesn't mean that they're gonna vote for progressives and I kind of agree with

I actually agree with you in terms of if you have a Democrat primary, the problem with the Democratic primary in Wisconsin for the governor's race is going to be Matt, the outweighed role in a primary that Dane County plays primarily in Milwaukee County to a degree versus the rest of the state when it's the rest of the state that you have to win in a general election.

That's simple.

And if they're taking the wrong lessons from it and they're arching progressive.

They will lose.

I read a lot of stuff.

No matter

how unpopular Donald Trump is.

I read a lot of stuff on social last night, and I'd credit the person.

I just can't remember it in my old age.

But somebody was making the point, and I agree with this.

Well, let's get your take, Trigby, as someone who polls nationally and knows these things.

The point this person is making was that maybe it's not so much parties that people are voting for or even ideologies.

We've moved into this populist era.

where people are just voting for popular.

Donald Trump was a populist.

In other words, he, whatever people wanted, he said he was for.

And now it appears, I'm not saying I know New York City politics well, but from what I read and see and witness, it seemed like this guy that won last night was at Mondani, who won last night.

Yeah, Zora Mondani, who is a calls himself a democratic socialist that he, I saw him on Colbert a couple of nights ago.

He is good-looking.

He is smooth as far as like Obama-esque in his oratory.

He makes jokes.

He's self-deprecating.

But he also has some pretty extreme political ideologies.

At least some would say that.

But he's a populist.

He goes out there.

So is populism in regardless of party tricky?

So it's funny that you asked me that because years ago,

In Europe, there was all this conversation about the rise of populism, right?

And they're very anti-populist because they like elites running things in Europe because they're European.

And I got asked to go to Brussels to speak about populism and I I made the point that you know, Wisconsin has long tradition of populism, right?

Like and not in a bad way like

Robert and

LaFollette populist, but Robert LaFollette was populist.

There's you know, like we're

making argument Tommy Tommy.

Tommy Tommy was a

populist.

100% you totally.

So that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I think.

what you're seeing, though, is there's the populism based on extremism is a different beast than just populism.

Populism, to me, is kind of Le Follett or Tommy, you know.

But where they crossed the line, there was not Tommy Thompson's populism.

Le Follett's populism wasn't based on intolerance.

Bill Proxmire was probably a populist, too.

Bill

Proxmire's.

But when you have populism that is only.

And all about the other side is where you get the Donald Trumps or, you know, to a degree.

I mean, it's yet to be seen what you're going to get in New York.

But there were elements of intolerance.

There was also elements of economic populism, and it remains to be seen what this guy truly is, I think.

Yeah.

The danger for Democrats in that in the primaries all across the country, including in Wisconsin, though, is.

There is an anger amongst a big enough chunk of the Democrat base that wants intolerance, wants that fight, and I think, again, probably reads the wrong...

It's funny too because there's I mean I say this they can take it for what it's worth because it's coming from a former Republican But one who was pretty successful at times that beating them in places like Wisconsin and other sort of purple states It kind of is playing into the hands of the right because the more the truth of the matter is is that left-wing populism And intolerance is less popular in a state like Wisconsin than right-wing populism

Say that again, please.

Make sure we understand that.

Say it again.

Left-wing core populism is less popular than right-wing populism is, in part because you've got the country in a state like Wisconsin is slightly right of center when it comes to cultural issues or center, but depending on how far you go.

But they certainly are on economic issues.

Cultural populism is a track to lose.

And to your point, people are going to say, well, Trigvie, what do you mean by that?

I don't want to put words in your mouth.

You can say whatever you want.

But just the Marquette Law School poll, to your point, Trigvie, in this poll released today, said favorability of political figures and organizations for the MAGA movement, 43% said it was favorable, 53% said unfavorable.

Black Lives Matters movement, only 37% favorable.

53% unfavorable.

Is that what you're basically talking about?

Yeah, for sure.

So that's a that's a that's a tangential example and data to back up what we just said.

I

asked the question.

I asked the question all the time for people to score Black Lives Matter versus MAGA zero to 100 force for.

So it's from from from force for basically like bad to good, right?

How people see it.

It is defining in the sense that while MAGA has traditionally been pretty unpopular, the truth of the matter is amongst people in the center.

Black Lives Matter, if it's modeled on the rhetoric of the two, MAGA rhetoric is slightly more popular with those in the center or less toxic than defund or abolish the police is.

And that's exactly, I'm glad you said that, because that's exactly, we're not talking about whether, we're not talking about equality here.

We're not talking about equal rights.

We're talking about the rhetoric of both of those things.

And I think that's an important distinction to make.

855-752-4842, 855-752-4842.

Let's go quickly to the phone line.

Cindy, thank you so very much for holding Cindy.

You wanted to comment on how this translates into the gubernatorial race in Wisconsin next

year.

Well, you know, I don't have a problem with Governor Evers because he's a critical thinker.

And I think in this state right now, we need somebody at the helm who's a critical thinker.

And I really think, though, if he steps down or decides to step aside, that Ben Wickler is going to take his place in line because I think that's why Ben stepped down from the DPW so that he could run for the role of governor.

That's just my perspective.

Thanks, and I appreciate

it trig me thoughts Well, I mean that's the thing right it the the the the challenge First of all, I'm a huge fan of Ben I just come out and say and there's a part of me Ben and I probably if you sat us down I don't know Todd you'd have a better sense of this if Ben and I were to sit down and talk about what we believe politically Pretty sure Ben and I wouldn't be in the same place

On

some

things yeah, but we're on the same we're in the same place on democracy We're in the same place on I would I wish we lived in a world where people like Ben and I could have civil debates about What's the appropriate level of funding for the University of Wisconsin

or

how much?

Yeah,

we would actually but

The the risk isn't been I mean at the end of the day what people in Wisconsin are really hungry for I think is somebody who's a cheerleader somebody who gets out there and starts calling BS on on a lot of this stuff and is telling it like it is and if that person Tends to be a little bit more to the left on certain issues, and I think Ben could is somebody who

could potentially do that.

But I think there's probably a lot of people.

Sarah, the Lieutenant Governor, I think,

would do that.

But

the problem is going to be with the Democratic primary is it would be very easy to not bridge that gap and just run out.

I'm going to turn out the farthest of the left.

And if you have six or eight candidates, that will be enough to win.

I that's where that's why I think I agree with that.

That's why I do agree with you and I think it's kind of dangerous.

Let's go to the YouTube channel real quickly.

Jim, watching on YouTube says, I wish you guys would stop referring to people who want universal health care and living wage jobs and taxes for billionaires at a comparable level to us working stiffs as the radical left.

The last six presidential elections have demonstrated one unquestionable fact.

People want to change in the status quo.

Sadly, not all change is for the better.

I appreciate the viewership.

Jim, we're going to come back and answer that on the other side.

I think we need to clarify that because I think we're probably closer to Jim than he thinks, but that's a really great question and we'll address it on the other side.

Don't go anywhere.

Trigby, Todd, Civic Media Ready Network across Wisconsin on a Wednesday.

Stay with us.

the civic media ready to work eight minutes now before the hour of three o'clock and hour number two, a little what's worse for you and much more.

Don't go anywhere.

Brewers right now playing across several media civic media stations around the state can tell you that the numbers are in and today's game has the largest attendance of the season at American Family Field.

42,774 as they said on He-Haw.

Salute

Looks like the Miz brought him in

the Miz brought him in And we can now update speaking of the Miz on the mound for For Milwaukee the Brewers continue that lead and the numbers are in here so far through I believe five innings pitched and the Miz Hang on.

I got it right here.

Don't go anywhere

Some see this is what happens when you try to do things in live radio for your phone five innings pitched so far for Jacob Mizorowski five innings in the books two hits No earned runs no runs Two baseballs and eight strikeouts so far his first pitch across the plate 100 miles per hour

So through five it is still the brewers for the pirates nothing Trig Wilson senior advisor at the Lincoln Project joins us as he does every Wednesday trigger before the break there Jim watch you on YouTube

great question and our great point glad that we can explain this or dig into it he said I wish you guys Trigvian Todd would stop referring to people who want universal health care and living wage jobs and taxes for billionaires at a comparable level to us working stiffs as the

far a radical far left.

The last six presidential elections have demonstrated one unquestionable fact.

People want to change the status quo.

Sadly, not all changes for the better.

Trigby,

I don't think that that's what we're saying.

But the no one is saying that that's radical, that those that those are radical positions.

But when Democrats, I say this often,

Republican, and coming up in Republican politics, you're taught to build narratives.

They build narratives.

They build narratives primarily around cultural issues.

And the truth is that if men were actually going to be able to play women's sports in high school, that would in fact be a pretty radical position.

Republicans have convinced a whole bunch of people that that's in places like Wisconsin, that that's in fact what the left wants.

And there are people on the left who actually hand them battering rams to help them reinforce that notion.

And so Democrats want to have these esoteric policy debates about these things while Republicans are building narratives.

If Democrats should get out and talk about a living wage, no doubt.

They should talk about what's going on with billionaires in this country.

I wrote my piece today on AI and it gets into around the edges, which I think I'll write more about that billionaire tech bro class.

They don't have the common person's interest at heart.

That isn't radical.

But Democrats have to do a better job of getting out and making the case and not

Be falling into the trap of letting them be positioned and I think the big lesson of the 2024 election and Tammy Baldwin's a great example of this They have to come out and call it straight.

She went straight onto camera and said he's lying Democrats have to do that and they they can't Play this game where they fall into a fight on narratives particularly about cultural issues they need to or even They have to push back harder

on economic issues.

Speaking only for me here, I would give the example, Jim, last time the Democrats controlled everything in Washington, both Houses of Congress and Joe Biden was the president the first two years, instead of taking up meaningful and thoughtful immigration reform, which they could have done, instead of taking up solidifying or codifying, I guess the word is, renewing the Civil Rights Voting Act,

They took a powder on that.

What did they make their line in the sand, the Democrats?

Free education, free college for everybody, and forgiving everybody's student loan.

I mean, that's one of those things.

Wouldn't it be lovely if you could say people, you could say Pell grants, but they go after the whole enchilada.

And in my opinion, Trigvie, what you talk about all the time is this zero sum stuff.

Either we're going to have free education for everybody or not doing anything.

Either we're gonna defund the police or we're not doing anything.

Those to me are extreme left positions

Yeah, 100% so that and it isn't even really about I mean it is about you, but it what it's about is you times, you know, it's it's it's really

45,000 use across places like Richland Center where I'm from in River Falls across on Highway 29, maybe 100,000 of people who are like that, who are sitting in the center saying, I've got to choose between two things that I'm really not 100% behind on either, and which is worse.

And to Jim's

point, I don't think universal health care, if the narrative is right, is a bad thing.

And this is what frustrates me with Democrats in Wisconsin, instead of going around the state.

and having a tour around the state by Democrats and Democratic officials talking about Medicaid and about what Republicans in the state legislature are doing to undercut childcare and undercut healthcare, they're going around the state, not recently, but they did it a year or two ago, they went around the state and did a tour on legalizing marijuana.

Now, the Charles Franklin poll, that was a 65% winner legalizing marijuana.

But we saw last fall, Trigby, you said this, you have the data on this, the largest amount of people, correct me if I'm wrong, that supported legalizing marijuana, who would they vote for?

Donald Trump.

Yeah, because here's the thing, it wasn't a decisive issue.

For those who were against marijuana being legal, it might be something that they'd vote on.

For people who are in favor of it,

It wasn't going to be a driver.

And the truth of the matter is some of that's just generational, right?

Yeah, absolutely.

I hate

to tell you this, Todd.

I got to run because I have to be on a call at four

o'clock.

He's a very

important person.

I got a problem, Craigby.

I know.

I got a plane to catch.

All

right.

All right, thanks, Trigby.

We appreciate you, my friends, see you next Wednesday.

Trigby Wilson, Steve Nervives on Lincoln Project.

Come on back.

Play a little What's Worst in hour number two.

Don't go anywhere.

It's the All Ball Show across Wisconsin on the Civic Media.

Ready to know.

From the Civic Media World Headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, it's the Todd Alba Show.

And now, pursuing truth wherever it may lead, here's your host, Todd

Alba.

Good afternoon, everybody.

I'm Todd Albaugh along with Mr. Aaron Zomers, our producer and engineer.

It is six minutes now past the hour of three o'clock.

Welcome into hour number two of the broadcast on Wednesday, June 25th, 2025.

It is a great day to be Wisconsinite.

And it is.

It is.

Here's what happened.

Even the camel.

is fixated by the Miz on the mound for our Milwaukee Brewers.

The game is going on right now across several civic media stations over the air.

Remember, we can't stream it due to the MLB rules, but over the air right now, several stations across Wisconsin of the Brewers radio network.

And we can tell you it is the seventh inning stretch right now.

Going into the top of the eighth, the Brewers for the Pirates one.

Yeah, the camel was getting up to get another beer.

Yes, he was he was fixated on this.

The Miz having a great day on the mound once again record numbers biggest crowd of the season so far for Milwaukee at Amfamfield down there in Milwaukee.

What a great day.

What a great story.

Jacob Mizorowski.

I mean this kid just seems to have everything you want.

He seems humble.

He seems like a nice guy.

An enormously talented his first pitch off the mound tonight 100 miles per hour this afternoon I should say so he keeps on get the done will update you on that if you live in one of our select cities across Wisconsin including Richland Center Oshkosh Racing Kenosha Park Falls and perhaps Hayward

You can get it over the air right now.

I always say perhaps a word because a little little Tower trouble our great engineering team is on it So if you're not hearing it over the air, hopefully you will hear that shortly many thanks to Pac Crite low of Mornings of Pac Crite low every morning you can hear him from six until nine I'll be on his great broadcast tomorrow just before eight o'clock 7 50 tune in Crite low is gonna try to gin me up

So will it really succeed?

Well, I don't know.

Depends how much coffee I have before I go on the show.

Many thanks to Patrick.

Also, thanks to Trigvie Olsen, Senior Advisor at the Lincoln Project.

Always appreciate him being here.

And coming up this hour, more news you can use, look at some state headlines as well.

But right now, it's eight minutes past the hour of three o'clock time once again for What's Worst?

Let's

go.

time

once again for what's worse no prize money involved nothing give away but you can have your voice heard across all well not quite 11 stations because some of them have brewers games on but most of our civic media radio stations across the civic media radio network no better place to have your business advertised than on the civic media radio network give us a shout out at civic media dot us on the old worldwide web civic media dot

U.S.

And our sales team will be happy to get in touch with you and learn how you can become one of our sponsors or our partners.

We would love to have you.

All right.

This is timely in a way, I guess, because a lot of summertime is the time people redo their, let's do some home updates, painting, maybe, maybe wallpaper.

Wallpaper's kind of coming back in, went to the parade of homes in Madison.

And you see a lot more wallpaper, especially in bathrooms now.

For that seems weird to me, but I guess I don't know how it's not your it's not your grandmother's wallpaper or your grandfather

actually will stand up to water

Yeah, and also all kinds of designs.

There's textures anyway One of the things people might do is flooring flooring this time of year.

So today is category what's worse?

carpeting or wood floors carpeting or wood floors

855-752-4842, 855-752-4842.

You can also text us on the Civic Media app.

If you don't have it, you can download it today.

You're gonna want it on Friday.

Gonna give away four more Brewer tickets on Friday.

We have the free Friday Brewer's giveaway going on now until the end of the season every Friday.

All of our network shows throughout Civic.

gonna give you a word during each of our shows you have until the end of the show to text in the word and somebody at the end of the show the computer will randomly choose one person and that person gets four tickets to a specific brewer game playing that on Friday and the only way you can play enter is on the Civic Media app.

Question right now what's worse carpeting or floor wood floors 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 back up to Appleton Cindy on the line appreciate it Cindy Cindy carpeting or wood floor what's worse well

well as a pet owner I'm going to see

carpeting because if they have an accident or puke on the carpeting, I got to get the carpet cleaner on.

Whereas if it's on the hardwood floor, I can just get a rig out and wipe it up.

It's so much easier.

Once they're gone, then I would say carpeting.

But at this point, wood floor is just the best.

All right.

Thanks, Andy.

Appreciate the call.

What's worse, carpeting or wood floor?

855-752-4842.

PJ watching this on YouTube.

Remember, you can watch the show on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twix, whatever you want to call it, X. It's a great way to see it.

And by the way, if you want to catch a past show, for at least for right now, because on the podcast version, Spotify, it's going to sound wacky and weird because they're, I'm not going to get into it, but we can't play music right now on the podcast version.

So.

It's just goofy.

So if you want to see a past show, dial us up on on Facebook, YouTube or Twitter, and you get to see my my goofy mug all the same time.

So PJ on YouTube says, carpeting is bad for your health.

When I bought my house, the first thing I did was rip out the carpeting.

Hey, five, five, seven, five, two, four, eight, four, two.

8-5-5-7-5-2-4-8-4-2, carpeting or wood floors, what's worse, you could also text us on the Civic Media app.

I, well, I guess I've owned two homes in my life.

I had a small house, which was the center I bought, and then I ended up inheriting our family farm.

And so I bought the small house, I too, where the first thing I did was redid.

the flooring.

I think that's a good point by PJ because you don't know if the other person lived there before had a pet or some sort.

There could be all kinds of things in used carpeting.

So I would also tear up the carpeting if I was like that.

Along that line, I've helped my dad with a lot of flooring projects over the years.

And thinking back, I've never installed carpet.

I've

installed

hardwood, I've installed vinyl, but never carpet.

I've only torn it out.

Oh, really?

Well,

maybe now's your chance to... So after you tore it out, did you put wood floors in?

Yes.

Oh, I see.

All

right.

Or vinyl.

Or vinyl.

There's also some very nice vinyl right now out there as well.

It looks like

wood floors.

Cheap, easy to install, easy to replace if it gets messed up.

Absolutely.

Dave

in New Berlin off the text line says, if you don't have slippers, wood floors are worse.

Your feet get cold.

All right, that could be Conrad what if we'll come back tonight back tonight on on the Schwabba show nightlight with Pete Schwabba Conrad when it has been down in Boca for for a while and putting his feet up down there in Florida where he's from no wait

I mean, I'm being told not my ear.

No, he's actually just he's been helping out as as Todd Michaels is on vacation.

But yeah, he just didn't want to have to do a show at 6 a.m.

And then work until 8 p.m.

Not why would that be I don't know but no Pete Schwabba was here yesterday the last couple of days he was kind enough to be at our show and so Conrad is set to go tonight in his usual producer chair for nightlight with Pete Schwabba starting at 6 Conrad up at GBW in Green Bay says a

a person who has only lived in apartments my adult life, I would say carpet is worse because you need to get that carpet cleaned for your security deposit.

Wood is just a Swiffer and then you're done.

That's a great point, Conrad.

And depending upon your landlord, some of those landlords, it's virtually impossible to get all of your deposit back because they look at every single thing.

However, a hot tip for you, contest it.

If your landlord is charging you back stuff and it's BS and it's stuff that you did clean then call them about it and You there's a good chance you can get the money back.

There's your apartment lawyer minute with attorney I'm not a lawyer

So

take that with a

grain of salt.

That's a

good point.

That's a good point Heather up in Eau Claire on W.E.U.K.

No, that's not right WCFW the tap watching on Facebook says carpet is worse harder to clean

how to replace repair and also ages faster.

Well, if you look at the photo online right now on the video stream, CP dialed up some very used or at least some mildly used carpet on the left for carpeting.

The wood floor has a beautiful wood floor.

And for whatever reason, there's a cat sitting a large cat with a large bushy tail on the wood floor with a bucket and a mop.

So I'm

not sure what the what the photos represent, but you know that brings to mind certain song lyrics I'm gonna leave it at that

because

they are not appropriate.

That's probably good

Jim watching in watching on YouTube says what's worse definitely carpeting is worse if you have a leaky pipe

Carpetting can hide it for a long time, causing extensive damage.

That's another great point, Jim.

I've known people who had a leak in their house, and they thought it was like, ugh.

The carpet stepped on it, and it was all squishy.

You're like, oh no, how

long

has this been like this?

Not good at all.

eight five five seven five two four eight four two Len in Madison says carpeting is worse for cleaning and cost Wooder vinyl is better with small area rugs mats and runners when that's not a good point No people have wood floors and to the other Textures point listeners point if you have cold feet well a I guess you get slippers or socks But B as Len says a nice rug

I like a nice area rug where you sit

in your chair or the couch, whatever.

Plus, then with area rugs, you can get cool designs and further make your house a home.

Look at that.

Aaron Sommers, the interior

decorator today.

I love it.

I love it.

I absolutely love it.

What's worse, carpeting or wood floors, 855-752-4842, 855-752-4842.

Aaron Sommers, what's worse?

I think I'm going to have to go with the majority here and say that carpeting is worse.

Really just because in my experience our house was mostly carpeted when I was little and as we got older slowly replaced that with hardwood floors and the main downside to me of hardwood floors is that They can chip and scratch and then you know, it's expensive especially now it used to be cheaper before the pandemic, but you know everything's more expensive now, but That's really hard to repair whereas if you have vinyl or something that's really cheap to repair because you just take it out and pop in a new piece got it, but

Carpenting is just, it gets so nasty.

It can get nasty.

And also,

it's fun to slide around in your socks

on the wood floor.

Like Tom Cruise in Risky Business.

What's worse, carpeting or wood floors, 855-752-4842, Robert in McFarland says, oh my God, carpeting is horrible.

Wood floors are beautiful and easier to clean.

A hot take from Robert in McFarland.

I'm gonna go along with Robert.

I'm I'm gonna say carpeting is worse for the aforementioned reasons by and large wood floors Generally speaking look nicer and it are easier to maintain clean.

They're certainly cleaner Like other people said, you know a vacuum can only do so much I will say like in a bedroom Maybe a nice carpeting when you get out in the morning put your feet on carpeting that's nice You can also do rugs.

You can also do rugs, but overall I will agree that carpeting

is worse, especially if you have like kids or dogs or something like that.

Then it's just, it gets goofy.

All right.

There you go.

That's another edition of What's Worse, a ford's name.

We'll be back with a brand new edition tomorrow.

Let's look ahead.

Let's preview tomorrow's What's Worse.

Oh, it's a meat edition.

Meat, who has the meats tomorrow for What's Worse?

Come on back.

Give you a Brewer's update on the Miz after this on the Civic Media.

Welcome back to the Town of All Show on the Civic Media Reddit.

We're glad to have you along, Xamers on the board.

All the behind the mic here on, I guess I didn't give a weather update today here in downtown Madison, the world headquarters on State Street.

Pretty nice day, a little human, a little sticky out there.

The Sam Davidson Street Cam on downtown Madison.

You can see the beautiful Overture Center there on the right for those watching on the stream.

People staying inside, it looks like.

saw a larger school group a little while ago, going up and down the street.

But overall, pretty nice day.

High clouds right now looking for a submarine parts around parts of Wisconsin.

Again, next 24 hours, some places could get some, some downpours and the like.

But overall, pretty nice day.

Weekends could be hot.

Oh, here's a important update for our listeners on WMDX here in Madison.

If you are wanting to partake in the first concert on the square,

Big events here every Wednesday from now until like the first part of August free.

They're free.

They're fantastic concerts on the square outside of the Capitol one It's a go right now.

They're saying despite a chance of some rain here there They're gonna try to get this in so if you want to you can do it now starting at three o'clock It's now 24 after three you bring a blanket down reserve your space

You can only have a lawn chair if you sit further back, like along the sidewalk, but on the lawn proper, bring a blanket, reserve your space, and the concert gets underway, I think it's seven o'clock tonight, so.

It is seven o'clock, and today, dancing in the street is what the event is called.

They're playing Motown Hits.

Oh, great.

Oh, it's a great time.

So for MDX listeners of Madison, concerts on the square right now is a go.

for tonight.

I want to get into a little bit of what's going on in Washington.

Again, some of the international things going on.

Some of these, you know, this, this, this kind of politically sexy election in New York City last night that we touched on a bit in the first hour.

But again, I think it's important not to lose focus of this Trump bill going through Congress right now, the reconciliation bill, basically the budget bill.

Out in Washington DC and here now our crack staff has put together these six largest vote problems at hand.

Number one, rural Republicans.

Red state Republicans are worried about Medicaid and rural hospitals.

A proposal to add a new fund, billions of dollars for rural hospitals may help, but it is a hasty bandaid.

This is something to watch.

New reporting on that from the Hill today headline says GLP senator warns Medicaid cuts Could derail Trump's mega bill senator Josh Holly Republican of Missouri and by the way certainly know as they say snowflake He's a a manga red meat guy, but senator Josh Holly

is warning the President Trump's mega bill could run off the tracks this week if Senate Republican leaders fail to address his GOP colleagues concern that deep cuts to Medicaid spending would devastate rural hospitals in their home states.

Holly said Republican leaders provide a little detail or provided a little detail last Monday night.

about how they would help rural hospitals, nursing homes, and community healthcare providers in rural areas.

I want to step away from the story on the Hill for a second.

Some great reporting by WISC Channel 3 here in Madison a couple nights ago, and we had these folks summers.

You'll remember this last year during the presidential election when then Vice President Harris was in Ripon, Wisconsin,

with former Congresswoman Liz Cheney.

We were there, we did the show from the little schoolhouse, the birthplace of the Republican party, Ripa, Wisconsin, and we had on folks from Salk County.

And that, if you're not familiar, Salk County is just below Wisconsin Dells.

Most people know where Wisconsin Dells is.

And they were talking pretty close to a year ago that they were facing a shutdown of what used to be called the county home.

but the the publicly funded retirement nursing home facility in sock county now channel three reported this week that there is a vote coming up maybe this week yet where this is real now that the the nursing home in the the public nursing home in sock county is looking at extinction right now where do these people go where do the the poorest the most indigent among us in our communities go that is one example right here

in in wisconsin that is already happening in sock county at least potentially it's on the verge of happening now here josh josh holly in this article in the hill saying that could be repeated not just nursing homes but rural hospitals as well holly said quote i'm confident it will not be put on the floor as it is currently something will change they'll add something it's just unclear to me what

Then he went on to say, quote, it's all a work in progress.

And then warned this rural hospital stuff, this could threaten the progress of the whole bill.

Let's resolve this and move this along.

Otherwise, we're going to be sitting here looking at each other in August, unquote.

Look, I don't agree with Josh Hawley on a lot of things, but he's absolutely right on this.

And I think this is a unfortunate but really good example a tangible example proof that President Trump and his closest advisors are out of touch with real Americans Particularly as it turns out a lot of his key voters in their communities in rural America and rural Wisconsin Because if he was in touch

with his core voters in rural America, he would understand how critically important and popular rural hospitals are.

And they're all, I'm sure, nearly everybody listening to me on this show across Wisconsin knows exactly what I mean.

We're gonna come back, talk more about this, things that are going on on this bill out in Washington, D.C.

that we should keep looking at.

Don't go anywhere.

We'll continue after our news sports weather update.

It's the title ball show for a Wednesday across Wisconsin on the civic media.

Radio network.

35 past the hour of three o'clock.

We're dancing in the street.

State Street.

Not New York City.

We're in State Street here in downtown Madison.

The world headquarters of Civic Media.

Zowers all over it.

Motown there.

Motown is the theme for concerts on the square on the state Capitol lawn tonight here in Madison, which we have heard now is a go.

It is a go for tonight, despite there might be a threat of some showers, but they're going to try to get it in tonight.

Enjoy that Motown music down there.

I mean, all right, down here on the Capitol lawn tonight, if you're so inclined.

They're also about to be dancing in the streets in Milwaukee.

Update for you.

From the Brewers Radio Network, this game being played on several civic media stations right now over the air across Wisconsin, including Richland Center, Oshkosh, Racine, Kenosha Park Falls, right now going on in the top of the ninth inning.

McGill is on to try to get the save for the Brewers and Mizekowski, the Miz, who pitched a great game.

Today for Milwaukee, Brewers hanging on to a four to two lead right now.

Two outs in the top of the ninth.

McGill trying to get the save.

And then there it is.

It's over.

Final out.

The Brewers win four to two to stay red hot.

And the Miz gets the win.

McGill gets the save.

What a game.

What a game.

There you go.

It was, uh, it was a great game.

And we, we, as they say, I saw it on the radio.

I mean, this, this to me is what baseball is all about.

This to me is what the Brewers are all about.

They're not a team that's going to go have the richest, uh, well-paid lineup in the league, but they get these guys that they could develop.

And then you got a guy like Pat Murphy, just an old grizzled baseball coach of a guy.

And they're doing spectacular things brewers get the win Four to two over the pirates this afternoon and this afternoon.

They're now 45 and 36 overall I think number there in the second place in the NL central a couple of games behind the dreaded the hated the terrible Chicago Cubs All right back to the news of Washington Before the break taking you through according to a crack staff at us here

Six things that we want to watch now going forward in the budget process out in Washington, can't get too distracted by the Middle East, can't get too distracted by the Miz, trying to keep our eye on the prize, what's going on.

And here now, according to The Hill, today, Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri, is calling Trump out, calling out some of the Morgan Republicans, saying if they don't address rural health care and Medicaid spending,

They're going to be doomed, saying that Republican leaders provided a little detail Monday night about how they would help rural hospitals, nursing homes, and community health care providers in rural states.

Case in point, according to Channel 3000 here in Madison WISD TV, the Salk County nursing home, the public nursing home in Salk County, which is right below Wisconsin Dells, is facing closure this week.

an important vote by the Sauk County Board coming up.

We talked about this a year ago on this very program when we talked to some of these folks saying that they forewarned, said this is coming if people don't get on top of this.

And here we are almost a year later and staring it in the face, a rural hospital or pardon me, a rural nursing home closure in Sauk County.

One proposal, according to the Hill, floated by

Good old Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, who apparently sent a very concerning letter.

No, that doesn't say that.

Susan Collins's main is set to set up a $100 billion relief fund for rural hospitals, nursing homes, and community health care centers.

Holly on Monday called that idea, quote, a good start.

He said, I think in this meeting Senate leadership needs to go to rural hospitals and they need to go to the House leadership.

and they need to work this out.

They need to address the rural hospital's concerns.

Holly said, after a 90-minute meeting to discuss a possible floor vote this week on the GOP mega bill, both mega and MAGA, to enact Trump's agenda.

He said, if that happens, this bill will pass here and in the House.

I think if that doesn't happen, I don't know if it'll pass here.

But it will get us in a conference committee in the house and I'm opposed to that Holly said Senate Majority Leader Thune Did not tell colleagues how much money he'd be willing to allocate to the hospital relief fund raising questions among GOP senators about whether the bill is ready to come to the floor this week

Other Republican senators raised concerns Monday about the debate over the Medicaid related provisions in the bill playing out Senator Jerry Moran, Republican of Kansas said, I still have concerns about a few provisions in the bill.

I'm not satisfied yet.

Who cited Medicaid as his biggest problem with the legislation.

And remember, all of this, stepping over to the article, all of this comes

I mean, here's a couple of guys, again, Republican senators from more rural-ish states, Missouri and Kansas.

I'll at least give them credit for bringing this up and trying to fight for more money for rural areas, rural hospitals, rural nursing homes, clinics.

Meanwhile, Republican senator of Wisconsin, Ron Johnson, wants to cut more for Medicaid.

Another issue looking at in this big bill out in Washington DC expansion state Republicans Republicans whose states have seen rural health care gains thanks to Medicaid expansion are concerned about cuts in the Senate's draft Senator Tom Tillis Republican of North Carolina on Monday gave out sheets to fellow senators showing the states most affected including

a steep hit to his home state.

Funny how that happens, right?

You know, wait a minute here.

This could affect me.

This could affect my voters.

There is no, someone who spent 30 years in and around politics, there is no greater motivating factor for an elected official than self-interest.

Well, how does this affect me?

Number three, fiscal conservatives.

This group is irate over the tsunami of red ink and believe the Senate draft so far has made it worse.

They want tighter cuts to greed energy credits, including that you could include that in Ron Johnson's list there.

Speaking of green energy, green energy Republicans.

There's a few of them.

A group of at least four Republican senators want the bill to go the other way and allow tax credits for solar and wind to remain for a longer window of time.

Again, there was a time in this state in Wisconsin where you had Republicans who were very pro-alternative energy.

Among them my former boss in the state Senate state senator Dale Schultz and One of his former assembly people Travis Trantle who is still the assembly in Southwest, Wisconsin and Grand County Dairy farmer smart guy He has one of the biggest wind farms in the state in his district Montfort, Wisconsin Used to be all four solar wind Now he's joined the pro manga caucus

in the state legislature wants to curtail that.

Wants to usurp local control basically, supporting legislation to make it more difficult to put up solar farms, wind farms and the like.

Number five, salty over salt.

In general Republican senators despise the tax deduction given to states with high state and local state salt taxes Let me try that again In general Republican senators despise the state deduction given to states with high state and local taxes That's the the acronym is salt state and local taxes salt, but the house salt caucus

Members largely from New York State are digging in over their demand that the deduction be at least $40,000 and They have enough votes to kill the bill.

This is a chamber fight and a key disagreement for the bill moving forward and finally number six Reboot or reboots.

I really do need to get new glasses rebots robots

Todd you've got new glasses pretty recently.

No, it was a year.

It was over a year ago I feel like it was only a couple months after that that you were like I need new glasses Well, it was the cataracts and all the other I got I got I got bionic lenses now, and it takes a while I got bionic eyes and they're not working our robots The provision to ban states from regulating artificial intelligence is also exposing a rift

Some states rights quote unquote Republicans say this is the federal taking power The federal government new Serbian power but others including the House Speaker Mike small Johnson Defended it It is a as a practical unnecessary approach to an emerging technology again My former party when I was coming up through the ranks would always say well decisions are best left

As local as possible that states rights or a state we could we could settle things better in Madison than we can in Washington We consider settle things better in the county board than we can in Madison As I've talked to this program before that changed a lot in Wisconsin starting with former governor Republican Scott Walker and Some of the people in the Assembly and Senate at the time including current Speaker of the Assembly Robin Voss.

These are people who are all about

Reaganomics and small government.

But when it came to their people who are funding their campaigns, the frack mining folks, they said, oh, we want more money on our campaign coffers.

So we'll give up our ideology of local government and we'll pass a bill that makes it tougher for local municipalities to say no to fracking and to say no to high capacity wells.

In short,

They sold out Scott Walker, Robin Voss.

I could go through the list.

Just sold out.

I think that's one of the biggest things that people miss in politics today, and it's only gotten worse.

So much politics has always been to a degree transactional, but I'm not sure if it's ever been as transactional as it is today.

Think about it.

We haven't even talked about this this week.

Donald Trump in the last week launched a new phone company.

I'm not making this up.

This is real.

Okay.

It's not Trump himself because it says one of his sons, Eric, who's running the Trump organization now, they came out with the Trump phone where you buy a Trump phone.

It's like a knockoff of it looks like an iPhone, but it's not.

And it's they claim they have this big network.

But again, as someone who used to work in the cell phone industry, they're just piggybacking on existing networks.

They're paying a price to be on other people's networks.

That means that if you sign up for a Trump phone, your calls will be secondary to whatever company actually owns those towers.

And here's the kicker.

Where's the Trump phone made at?

And Ken Lewis likes to say, China.

That's where it's made at, China.

Not making this stuff up back.

We'll wrap up the show after this is the all balls show of the civic media ready Network

Welcome back to the Tahoe Ball Show on the Civic Media Radio Network.

Glad to have you along here where it is now eight minutes before the hour of four o'clock at the top of the hour.

ABC's, CPS News or James Kelly News, depending upon which of our great stations you're listening to, followed by a check of weather with Britain or low, gonna be a little wet.

Some of the places across Wisconsin, thanks 24 to 40 hours, hotter over the weekend, but more sun.

And the next week, leading up to the 4th of July, looks like pretty much

quintessential Wisconsin summer weather, high as the low 80s and sun.

So get ready for that.

Then our great sports reporter, Mike Clemens will be in, probably have details on that big win by the brew crew and the Miz who outdulled the pirates this afternoon.

Brewers get a win four to two over Pittsburgh in a record breaking crowd, at least I should say the highest crowd so far, according to the brewers of the regular season.

So how about that?

Great game.

You heard it across many stations on the Brewers Radio Network here on the Civic Media Radio Network.

And then after the sports update, Maggie Dawn and the Maggie Dawn show every afternoon from four until six followed by a great friend, Pete Schwabba Conrad.

Another fantastic edition of Nightlight with Pete Schwabba.

No better way to just wind down after the day, have a couple of laughs, learn something.

Always entertaining our great friends Schwabba and Conrad and nightlight from six until eight at eight o'clock Robert pilot native roots radio And then it's Rick Smith across America all right a couple of things here to wrap up the show for for today first of all One of our listeners where our friends send us this from the New York Times opinion column talked earlier today about this this race for New York mayor