La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

Retired long-time UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Joe Heim, spent the hour with us. We hit on some broad ideas surrounding the Jan. 6 commission's prime-time TV hearing, which isn't being aired on FOX but is on every other channel.  Is it political or historically important? What are some comparisons in history to this hearing? Before that, we discussed how unusual Wisconsin's state government is being run — or not running. 

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Jared Flick from the La Crosse Parks and Rec. Department joined to talk about some of the things going on this summer (pools are open), but also how those things all end in the summer, and how if only the city had a giant indoor facility that could be utilized year round. Also talked about two other things: La Crosse Police busting a pill lab and the EU mandating all electronics use the same charging cords.

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La Crosse School Board president Juan Jimenez joined to talk about the recent survey results asking community's opinion on supporting a $195 million referendum to consolidate, basically, to one city public high school. We also discussed the dozen teachers that commented at the board meeting over compensation. Before that, Parks and Rec. project supervisor Jim Flottmeyer updates us on two Riverside Park projects.

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Disappointing, La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds has yet to do his homework and watch the show Reacher. We will do a review on that when he does. What we did discuss was the street projects going on in town, new firework regulations -- for the puppies, and maybe some people -- and fines, the 467-page city council agenda, and the city’s reaffirmation on being climate neutral by 2050.

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Newly elected La Crosse Education Association president Jesse Martinez joined. We discussed how La Crosse students have been helped by the federal free school lunch program, which is ending this month. We also talked about the need for teacher raises. That conversation continued in the second half of the hour with calls and texts. 

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Sarah Godlewski is looking to take Ron Johnson's seat in the US Senate representing Wisconsin. One big issue we hit on was the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Godlewski, though, is also the Wisconsin state treasurer. We start the show breaking down a couple of things the state is doing through her office and add to how the US Senate could also be helping. Isn't helping but could be, as we discuss how most legislation dies in the Senate.

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UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Tim Dale, joined the show. His expertise is in the "philosophy of politics." We discussed how things like the Texas elementary school massacre or the overturning of Roe vs. Wade become hyper politicized. 

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UW-La Crosse political science professor, Dr. Anthony Chergosky, joined. Of course we broke down the breastfeeding mother who saved her pet goose from an eagle swooping away with it. Before that, we talked about how long voters can stand candidates attacking each other in their party, before the primary is over and they can attack the "other side." We see this in the Wisconsin GOP governor race and the Democratic US Senate race. Also, what percent of people are paying attention months before the election, let alone local government issues. The homeless situation in La Crosse also came up, as people tend to make jokes or light of people who are in a terrible situation in life. 

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Tom Nelson is a county executive where Rick's parents currently live. He's a former state Assembly representative in Wisconsin and running to take Ron Johnson's seat in the US Senate here in Wisconsin. On the show, we hit on student debt relief vs. corporate tax breaks, state taxpayers funding pro sports teams and foreign companies and the idea that a US Senate seat is America's easiest job because all they do is filibuster everything and rarely actually vote on issues affecting people.

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UW-La Crosse finance professor, Dr. Adam Stivers, joined to talk about what's happening with cryptocurrency, which appears to be in a free fall. We also discussed the stock market and how that's swung like a pendulum, up to and through the pandemic.

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