Point Taken with Steve Scaffidi & Kristin Brey

Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey opened the show with the tragic news out of Minneapolis, speaking with Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty attorney Rick Esenberg about the ICE agent who shot a woman in her car. The conversation unpacked the rapidly forming partisan fault lines, with responses from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, while also examining the legal questions, accountability, and what to watch as the investigation unfolds.

The focus then shifted to Wisconsin’s local and long-term challenges. In the “Forward Thinking” segment, City Forward Collective executive director Colleston Morgan joined in studio to explain why property taxes are rising across multiple communities as school districts struggle to fund education, particularly special education, amid limited state support. That discussion continued into Milwaukee’s outsized role in those increases. The second hour leaned into hyperlocal reporting with Urban Milwaukee president Jeramey Jannene, who delivered updates on the city’s crackdown on habitual parking violators (the other HPV), debated speed bumps and sidewalk shoveling, and highlighted adaptive reuse projects like converting a historic church into apartments. The show wrapped with a deep dive into City Hall power struggles, police settlement costs, and Milwaukee’s push to incentivize affordable housing development.

Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey opened the midweek edition of Point Taken with a pointed discussion about the Trump administration rewriting references to the January 6th Capitol attack on government websites, and whether the country has reached a point of no return when it comes to facts versus opinion. They engaged directly with listener texts pushing back and reacting to the revisions before turning to criticism from the U.S. Secretary of War aimed at Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly, while Producer Jazz resurfaced a 2016 clip highlighting similar rhetoric from years earlier.

The show then broadened into culture and technology, reacting to a CNN poll suggesting Americans increasingly identify more by age than race or gender — with Steve sharing frustrations about generational stereotypes. That theme of societal erosion carried into a conversation about X’s AI chatbot Grok being used to undress women and girls, regardless of age, and what it says about the decline of online community standards. In the second hour, Steve and Kristin examined the rapid expansion of prediction markets into politics and sports before welcoming ESPN Milwaukee’s Alex Strouf for an in-depth breakdown of the Packers’ high-stakes playoff matchup against the Bears. The show wrapped with a Milwaukee Boat Show giveaway and a lively “Ask Us Anything” segment that bounced from Las Vegas tourism and Venezuela to sports gambling ads, cultural quirks, and whether Milwaukee needs a Laverne & Shirley statue.

Steve Scaffidi returned alongside co-host Kristin Brey for his first Point Taken of 2026, opening the show with reflections on a recent trip to Las Vegas and a sober conversation marking the fifth anniversary of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Steve and Kristin examined the evolving legacy of the riots — including convictions, pardons, and continued efforts by some Republicans to downplay the events — before turning to breaking international news. The pair shared their initial reactions to the U.S. invasion of Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, analyzing intent, next steps, and how the press and political leaders responded.

The show balanced heavy politics with lighter moments, including a Milwaukee Boat Show giveaway and a playful debate over whether Steve is a “boat guy.” Back on the global stage, they discussed reactions from Venezuelan leadership and weighed in on controversy sparked by a social media post from the wife of Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller amid renewed talk of acquiring Greenland. In the second hour, “The Anger Professor” Dr. Ryan Martin joined by phone to discuss his new book 50 Ways to Feel Better Fast, breaking down the role anger plays in everyday life and who the book is designed to help. The program wrapped with conversations about GLP-1 weight-loss drugs becoming available in pill form and a nostalgic turn to food culture, as Steve and Kristin invited listeners to weigh in on the decline of pizza delivery and the meals they’d still order instantly.

WTMJ host Kristin Brey kicked off what she called the “real start to 2026” with a fast-moving and consequential show centered on the U.S.’s stunning military action in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Joined in studio by WISN-TV political director Matt Smith, Kristin unpacked how Wisconsin politicians were reacting to the news and what former RNC Chair Reince Priebus told Smith on UpFront about President Trump’s influence on upcoming midterms and the Wisconsin governor’s race.

The show then turned to state and regional political fallout, with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Mary Spicuzza breaking down former Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan’s resignation following her felony conviction and the political pressure surrounding it. Kristin also covered Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s surprise decision not to seek reelection and revisited the alleged childcare fraud scandal that has rippled into Wisconsin discourse. In the second hour, Annex Wealth Management CEO Dave Spano joined Kristin to discuss market reactions to the Venezuela invasion, lessons from the 2025 economy, and Warren Buffett’s retirement. The show closed with robust listener engagement, as Kristin took calls and texts reacting to the Venezuela situation, openly debating the Trump administration’s actions while finding moments of common ground with listeners.

On the first Point Taken of 2026, Kristin Brey was joined in studio by Democratic strategist Joe Zepecki and Republican strategist Bill McCoshen for a wide-ranging, bipartisan breakdown of the political landscape. The hour began with a deep dive into YouTuber Nick Shirley’s investigation into alleged childcare fraud in Minnesota, examining what the scandal could mean for a reliably blue state, its convicted figures, and potential fallout for Governor Tim Walz ahead of future elections.

From there, the panel zoomed out to national and global stakes — questioning why the war in Ukraine continues despite President Trump’s pledge to quickly end it in his second term, and reacting to the House Judiciary Committee’s surprise release of closed-door testimony from former Special Counsel Jack Smith. The second hour shifted closer to home, with analysis of Wisconsin’s governor’s race, looming campaign finance disclosures, and listener frustration over the outsized role of money in politics. The show wrapped with reflections on 2025, expectations for 2026, thoughtful cross-aisle shoutouts, and a grab bag touching on foreign policy, media trust, and pop culture moments from New Year’s Eve.

It’s New Year’s Eve, and Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey ring out 2025 by revisiting Steve’s ongoing saga with a Facebook troll, then highlight some of the best things that happened in 2025, from medical breakthroughs to the rise of weight-loss drugs.

Kristin questions why New Year’s falls in the dead of winter (blaming Julius Caesar), before the duo turns to New Year’s resolutions, reading listener goals for the year ahead. In the second hour, they talk about what they’re officially done with in 2026 — from endless Microsoft Teams meetings to doom-scrolling.

As Kristin heads off to the ball drop at Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, Steve wraps up the show solo with Ask Steve Anything, taking listener questions, ideas for 2026, and sharing thoughts on conversations he hopes to have with faith leaders about the role of faith in modern life.

With the year coming to a close, Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey reflect on time, aging, and what it means to move forward — sparked by Steve realizing it’s been almost 50 years since he graduated high school.

The duo takes on a 2025 news and pop-culture quiz (courtesy of Yahoo News, Producer Jaslyn and ChatGPT), then zooms out to discuss the biggest stories and themes of the year — from political violence and natural disasters to viral moments and cultural overload. Listeners weigh in on what defined 2025 for them.

They swap favorites from TV and movies, compare them to what actually topped the charts, and then turn their attention to the future. Inspired by “New Rules” lists, Steve and Kristin (and the audience) lay out personal rules and predictions for 2026 — covering politics, AI, sports, and a few truly wild guesses.

It’s the final week of 2025, and Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey break down a 60 Minutes report on a U.S.-linked detention center in El Salvador that was pulled at the last minute in the U.S. but aired in Canada, raising questions about editorial judgment, news deserts vs. news floods, and whether the word “fact” still means the same thing.

A debate over music from the new Wicked movie sparks a broader conversation about how politics increasingly shows up in pop culture and storytelling. Then, the focus shifts to Minnesota, where a YouTube exposé revealed alleged childcare fraud, prompting Steve to share his own experience with COVID relief misuse.

In the Monday Market Preview, Annex Wealth Management’s Dave Spano joins to look ahead to 2026 economic predictions, from silver prices to what businesses and consumers may be underestimating — and where optimism might be warranted.

The show wraps with sports and fun: the Packers’ tough loss to the Ravens, questions around Malik Willis and Matt LaFleur, the origin of the cheese grater hat, and a lighthearted discussion about who you’d want a Cameo from to close out the year.

Happy Holidays from Steve and Kristin. We are highlighting some of our best interviews including:

Stephanie Hauser - Executive Director of the WIAA

Megan Greenwell - Author of "Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream”

Steven Olikara - Founder of Bridge Entertainment Labs

Trae Crowder - Comedian

Dr. Matthew Boedy - Author of "The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize American and Destroy Democracy"

Pam Jahnke - Host of the Midwest Farm Report (at the State Fair!)

Paul Wilson, Expert on Sustainable Nuclear Energy, Energy Policy and Radiation Transport of Nuclear Systems at the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin Madison

It’s Christmas Eve on Point Taken — and for once, there’s no news.

Steve Scaffidi and Kristin Brey open the phones and text line to hear listeners’ Christmas wishes, favorite gifts, and most disappointing surprises. Kristin shares the best gift she’s ever received, Steve vents about the missing eggnog latte at Milwaukee Starbucks, and the two sprinkle in a little Pay It Forward encouragement for holiday drivers.

The heart of the show comes with holiday storytelling, as Kristin reads her “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” piece from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, followed by Steve’s version from 2017. They reflect on traditions, buying gifts for yourself (and mom), grandchildren, and what they hope to do better in 2026.