This week we look at:The WI Supreme Court officially decided that sidewalks are not "pedestrian ways". Who do they blame their decision on?A widely read modern writer used a pen name to write some of the most famous books of the 20th century, and he has a birthday today. Who is it?A judge rules to help the blind and people physically incapable of filling out a ballot to have their ballot be a truly secret ballot by giving them access to the process already available to the military, but will this create more problems than answers?The newest Marquette Law School Poll has come out with their latest results. Have any numbers moved and what do the favorability rankings show?All this and a quote from Samuel Adams in less time than it takes to make a root beer float.Have a great 2nd half of your week, and as always, thanks for listening.

This week we look at both sides of the government coin: politics and civics...On the politics side of the coin we look at battleground Wisconsin. We look at the most recent visits for Trump and Biden. What was conspicuously missing from both? Aside from this example, what has the "Right" continued to miss where the left hasn't? We break it down.On the civics side of the coin, we look at the foundation of separation of powers. How did the Supreme Court of Wisconsin (SCOWIS) step up for taxpayers again? Did SCOWIS really say that the separation of powers "was never intended to be strict and absolute"? (spoiler - yes they did). All this and a quote wrapped in a quote. Two for the price of one! All in less time than it takes your car's air conditioning to actually start blowing cold air during a heat wave.As always, thanks for listening.

This week we look at two examples of leadership and how actions speak louder than words...Last week we quoted Representative Lakeshia Meyers' harsh words of accountability for the Milwaukee Public Schools. This week, we look at the harsh words of accountability that the Wauwatosa School District had for Lakeshia when she was an employee there last year.We also look at the leadership of Governor Tony Evers. Is there a pattern of what it takes to motivate him to step forward and take action as a leader? We take a look.We wrap it up with a quote from Thomas Paine, all in less time than it takes to have a father daughter moment like this.As always, thanks for listening.

This week we study (pun intended) the epic failures at Milwaukee Public Schools.The irony of how...A school district blows off its math homework!Even when they submit or re-submit work, it is still incomplete!Their money incompetence started before they asked for more money!Their mess means almost every other school district will lose state funds.All that and a quote from John Adams in less time than it takes for the Brewers to make a pitching change.As always, thanks for listening.

We are looking at a cross section of Wisconsin:Next week Monday is the deadline for nomination papers and signatures.What bipartisan frustration do 77% of voters have with government?The Gun Deer Hunt for Hunters With Disabilities ProgramUW-Madison scientists and AI have identified nearly 30 million acres of abandoned cropland that could be put to good use.All that and a quote from Theodore Roosevelt in less time than it takes to summer-ize a boat engine.As always, thanks for listening.

We are looking at lots of things, including beautiful weather:What happened with the veto over-rides in the Wisconsin Senate on TuesdayWhat factors will come into play for the Assembly to follow suit. Is the WI Supreme Court half as productive as they used to be?Where are ARPA dollars being invested this month?All in less time than it takes to set up and level the cornhole boards.As always, thanks for listening.

Lots of political grandstanding this week. We look at how ~ Biden in Wisconsin looks absolutely identical to Trump from six years ago. Governor Evers gets consistent responses from the Legislature. Wedding barns sue to regain some of their rights.Klement's sausage might have a new lease on life.All in less time than it takes to park and get tailgating. As always, thanks for listening.

This week, we look at problems that don't look like they are getting better anytime soon:Milwaukee and Wisconsin both appeared on a Top 10 list worth avoiding.We see some progress and promising results from the prison system.We see progress and promising results for tech skills training in 18 high schools.All this and more in less time than it takes to slow down for the pothole filling crews.As always, thanks for listening.

This week, since the Midweek Moment is an editorial podcast, we can give out some "actions speak louder than words" analysis and our first ever "That does not look good for you and your only have yourself to blame" awards.We look at the past two year trend of WE Energies rate increases. Be sure to listen if you want to know how many times bigger the requested increases are for the next two years.We look at the stock dividend their parent company announced only six days after asking to increase rates.We also look at, quite possibly, the story of the year for one person whose career will not be able to recover from their own poor decisions.All this and more, in less time than it takes to make sure the frost doesn't kill any new plants.As always, thanks for listening.

Unfortunately, this week's podcast theme is summed up by our quote of the week: "Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story." What do we look at this week?The Senate and Assembly's calendar and how that impacts campaign contributions.Why did hundreds of "failed to pass" designations happen last week in Wisconsin and what does Ozempic have do with it?What are some insights on the Presidential and Senate race from the #Marquette Law School Poll?What is a key thing (of many) that the Brewers season and the election cycle have in common?What is a main thing (of many) that makes no sense about Milwaukee being "one of the worst cities for marijuana" according to a JSOnline article?All this and more, in less time than it takes to check your rain gauges.As always, thanks for listening.

We look at quite a few time honored traditions in Wisconsin:Crazy Springtime Weather in Wisconsin.What is the sprint weather trifecta that happened in the past week?Property Tax Increases.How big are the jumps in taxes?How are increases being set up to happen for years to come?Power struggles at the state level.How are both sides of the aisle are pulling the same power plays?All in less time than it takes to observe a partial solar eclipse.As always, thanks for listening.

In life, how you communicate your ideas, needs, and wants make a big difference in how receptive people will be. What are the unique and small things that have massive impact on success and failure?This week, we analyze the newest referendum results across the state.What successful strategies were used?What small differences in language could become massive problems?What is being pushed on local municipalities by the state?What is one of my all time favorite quotes?All in less time than it takes to shovel and salt a sidewalk.As always, thanks for listening.

This week, we re-live the focus on property taxes from our October 4th episode. It is particularly timeless and hinted at some of the issues that were likely to happen, like school referendums, and indirectly, a message on how important elections can be.What else did we focus on?:Which county in Wisconsin is easily #1 in highest property taxes? (What's your guess?)How much more will their 2024 budget proposal add to the burden?We also get an update on Milwaukee's budget rescue and some of the new numbers they have to consider.All in less time than it takes to cook a frozen pizza.As always, thanks for listening.

This week, we dive into current and timely topics about:What bills are a step in the direction away from our reliance on petroleum?What will be one of the downsides that no one has mentioned yet? Hear our prediction here first!What are your options for voting early if Election Day will be a challenge? We review your options.Where can you find one of the clearest explanations of the Wisconsin Constitutional Amendments on this upcoming ballot? (Spoiler: It's in Monday's Weekly Insider Newsletter).All this, and lots of timeless wisdom about the pursuit of happiness. A few quotes from John Adams and a great interpretation of the America we should strive for.As always, thanks for listening.

How frustrating is it for Wisconsin dairy farmers, even from the groups "on their side"?Even the "tip of the iceberg" is preposterous....We dive into that topic and have reasonable questions in this week's podcast about:Dairy farmers are struggling to cover costs, meanwhile, the CEO of their mandatory national association got an $800,000 retirement package?What is a "checkoff"?What does High School Musical have to do with dairy farming?What exactly is being demanded of farmers and is it realistic?All this, a quote from Nelson Mandela, and more.As always, thanks for listening.

How did the hospitals of Wisconsin get a blank check for $15 million?We dive into that question and more in this week's podcast, including:What awesome event is happening this weekend.What is the most un-satisfying thing that can happen to our budget surplus?What happened to the lifeline being thrown to the people of Eau Claire and how is someone's press release coming back to haunt them?All this, an "awesome" quote, and more, including this quote from the podcast:"The tax spenders still can’t agree on how to spend the scraps of what’s left our money. A 100 billion dollar budget with three billion left over in the couch cushions.."As always, thanks for listening.

Why is there state money to address PFAS sitting unused since last June?A quote from the podcast:"A bill, one to try and address having clean water... a bill that, in concept, deserves bipartisan support, is now being opposed by Democrats ... and ... Governor Evers promised he would veto it."What is going on here? We look at Senate Bill 312, and is there a chance to pull it from the fire?We dive into that question and more in this week's podcast, including:It's the final stages of the state's legislative process, and it's a surprisingly apt analogy to compare to cooking a British stew.A big deadline is approaching for EIDL and PPP borrowers on March 4th.It's do-or-die time for hundreds of bills and the urgency is amplifying.All this and as a special treat, you get two quotes of the week!As always, thanks for listening.

This week's theme is how taxpayers deserve better, but get stuck in the same spot. We look at:A statewide energy roundtable of utility CEOs, Public Service Commission members, and private industry discussed the future of Wisconsin. What did everyone agree was the clear answer to ample, carbon-neutral energy? They agreed that "you want to be the first to be second". What does that even mean? What does that have to do with datacenter energy consumption? I explain. We explain what the Assembly is up to, trying to finish the work of government so the work of politics can begin.All this and I give a quote of my own, comparing working with government to golf! As always, thanks for listening.You can find us on Spotify, iHeart, Amazon Music, or click below.

You really don't want to miss this one. Read the first two bullet-points below and I dare you not to listen!Did you know your absentee ballot will still count if you write a quote from the movie "Ghost" in the address line? No kidding! I explain!What was Governor Evers' response to a bill to give relief to property tax payers? (Hint: disappointing. I explain.)What does an official decree of congratulations from the Legislature actually sound like? I share one in all of its clunky awkward glory.The Senate and Assembly accepted the inevitable and passed Governor Evers' proposed district maps. How did the Democrats in the assembly react? Not how you would expect.What committee was sharing valentine treats before getting down to business?All this and we dust off a Valentine's related quote from George Washington. As always, thanks for listening!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Hello, neighbor! In this week's episode, we look at:What holiday captures the true range of feelings we feel about our neighbors? We have the definitive answer!How did WPT's past successes lead to another win for Wisconsin Taxpayers this week?How is the potential change in legislative maps going to impact people's jobs? We look at one specific district to show how uncertain things are at the moment.We end with some timeless wisdom from Martin Luthor King on the theme of neighbors.As always, thanks for listening!