1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,400 Speaker 1: It's best under twenty players battle on Minnesota Ice. 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 2: Tickets to the biggest matchups to all move Fast World 3 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 2: Junior is MN twenty six dot. 4 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 3: Com from the sixty five to one carpents plus home 5 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 3: in the next day install studios. 6 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: This is K two seven ETP Cottage Grove. 7 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 3: And KTLKAM eleven thirty Minneapolis and Saint Paul. 8 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 4: I've been to every corner of Minnesota and there's nothing 9 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 4: like it. See those maps red and blue, and there's 10 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 4: all that red across there. Democrats go into depression over it. 11 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 4: It's mostly rocks and cows that are in that red area. 12 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 4: I've seen how we help each other through the hard times. 13 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 4: But I've not been perfect, and I'm a knucklehead at times. 14 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 4: But it's in these moments we have to come together. 15 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 4: I called Donald Trump a wanna be dictator. You bully 16 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 4: the shit out of him, and I'll never stop fighting 17 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 4: to protect us from the chaos, corruption and cruelty coming 18 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:52,200 Speaker 4: out of Washington. 19 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: Well, maybe it's time for us to be a little meaner. 20 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 4: May his fat ankles find something today. 21 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: We do not have the luxury amongst ourselves. 22 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 4: Why that thing sets in the White House. We can't 23 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 4: lose hope because I've seen what we can do when 24 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 4: we work together. 25 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 1: Think of how easy it would be to be a 26 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: damn Republican. Oh what should I wear today? 27 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 4: This stupid freakin red app cutting taxes for the middle class. However, 28 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 4: there are also taxes going up for most Minnesotans while 29 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 4: also making the largest investments in public safety. 30 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 5: One of the few tweets we've had from any kind 31 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 5: of official source site, and in my opinion, that is inexcusable. 32 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 5: We have reached out to the governor. We are getting 33 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 5: no response tonight. 34 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 4: We've raised graduation rates to the highest ever. 35 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 6: Most Minnesota students are falling behind state standards in math, 36 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 6: and only about fifty percent of students are proficient in reading. 37 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: Crack Down on fraud and protect our tax. 38 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 5: Dollars, bribes, falsified records, and taxpayers charged to help dead 39 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 5: people find housing. 40 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: Thousands of dollars for work that's not being done, fake meetings. 41 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 7: They doesn't build us for nothing. 42 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 6: Forge names homeless veterans, dead people, build phantom services. 43 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 1: For that fourteen thousand. You got what nothing? 44 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 4: Now I'm hitting the road, so listen to you and 45 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 4: talk about our future. 46 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: You get up in the morning and you doom scroll 47 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: through things. 48 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 4: And although I will say this, for the last few 49 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 4: days you woke up thinking there might be news, just 50 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 4: saying there will be news sometimes just so you know 51 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 4: there will be news. I'm ready to get beat. 52 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 6: Twin Cities News Talk Am eleven thirty and one oh 53 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,519 Speaker 6: three five FM. 54 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening this morning. 55 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 6: Are checking out the podcast available on the iHeart Radio app. 56 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 1: From the six five to one carpet. 57 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 6: Next day you install studios, let's get back to the 58 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 6: iHeartRadio app. I want to talk a little bit about walls. 59 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 6: When he is concerned as it relates to Medicaid fraud, 60 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 6: and when he's not concerned, it's when he can use 61 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 6: it to help win a historic third term as governor. 62 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 8: Good morning John. Pre Obamacare, the year before it took effect, 63 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 8: our family plan was two hundred and fifty dollars. A 64 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 8: month after Obamacare the very next year was eight hundred 65 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,359 Speaker 8: and fifty dollars for the exact same plan. So all 66 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 8: these Democrats and liberals getting their endies in a twist 67 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 8: over increases in healthcare, they caused it with Obamacare. Sorry, 68 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 8: that's a fact. And then it's been going up ever since. 69 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 6: Well, and it's a fact that Walls even admitted when 70 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 6: you go back to this clip that Leftists of MN 71 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 6: had posted, you got here by. 72 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 4: That's why the message and we were talking about the DNC. 73 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: The DNC wanted the message to be. 74 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 4: The ACA is working fine, and don't talk about the wards. 75 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 4: I said, I can't do that because it's failing my 76 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 4: constituents in a lot of ways. 77 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: So I hear you a loud clear. 78 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 6: Yeah, the ACA is failing my constituents. They wanted me 79 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 6: to speak positively. See then it was advantageous for Walls 80 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 6: to actually be honest about what was going on. 81 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: Now not so much. 82 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 6: By example, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, just as 83 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 6: a reminder, they announced last week and I'm looking at 84 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,479 Speaker 6: the version here from Alphaeus, that it has disenrolled about 85 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 6: eighty excuse me, eight hundred medicaid providers. These are individuals 86 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 6: who had not build for services in more than a year. 87 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 6: The number excludes the six hundred and twenty one providers 88 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 6: in the fraud ridden Housing a Stabilization Services program because 89 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 6: it's set to end on October thirty first. Sharen Gandhi, 90 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 6: the Temporary Human Services Commissioner, said, we must reduce risk 91 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 6: and increased efficiencies where we can. Taking this first step 92 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 6: to streamline the pool of inactive providers will strengthen the 93 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 6: integrity of Minnesota's Medicaid programs and services. If you had 94 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 6: Republicans in control and a Republican governor and this was 95 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 6: going and taking place, you would have the Democrats screaming, go, 96 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 6: They're going to have eight hundred medical Medicaid providers who 97 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:10,359 Speaker 6: are no longer going to be able to provide medicaid. 98 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 6: The disenrollments aligned with the executive Order twenty five to 99 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 6: ten issued last month by Governor Tim Walls because finally 100 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 6: he started getting concerned about fraud because people were waking up. 101 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 6: And now we have a battle going on between the 102 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 6: legacy media outlets over which outlet is going to cover 103 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 6: fraud most extensively because people are waking up. It just 104 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 6: took far too long for the legacy media to care 105 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 6: enough beyond the initial reporting of when the fraud is discovered. 106 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 6: Now they're launching their investigative reporting the same thing as 107 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 6: a precarious state. And really it's because of Liz Colin 108 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 6: her book, they're lying and the fall of Minneapolis that 109 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:56,559 Speaker 6: paved the way for these various entities now to begin 110 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 6: to cover the fraud extensively. 111 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: So Walls issued this. 112 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 6: Executive order last month directing agencies to intensify fraud prevention measures, 113 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 6: including the immediate removal of non billing Medicaid providers within 114 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 6: the bounds of the law. Additional rounds of disenrollments or 115 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 6: planned and effective providers will receive notification letters with appeal 116 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 6: instructions according to DHS, so people are also losing Medicaid 117 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 6: coverage in this case. But for Walls, this is okay 118 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 6: because this helps him politically, But it really isn't much 119 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 6: different than what the GOP is trying to do with 120 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 6: the Affordable Care Act and what the Democrats are keeping 121 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 6: the GOP from doing and moving forward by passing the 122 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 6: Clean cr And again it's the Democrats shut down, not Republicans, 123 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 6: and even Democrats like Chris Murphy. Murphy are admitting this. 124 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 9: You need Democratic votes to pass a budget. Everybody's known that. 125 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 9: That's been the rule of the Senate for years, and 126 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 9: so it requires a negotiation. But Republicans aren't even talking 127 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 9: why because they are living in the shadow of Donald Trump, 128 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 9: who believes that he's a king who believes that he 129 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 9: doesn't have to obey any law or work with anybody 130 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 9: in order to run the country. 131 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: Walls Is. 132 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 6: Executive order issued one day before the eight defendants were 133 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 6: federally charged with wire fraud for their roles in the 134 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 6: massive fraud in Minnesota Housing Stabilization program that was According 135 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 6: to Acting US Attorney Joe Thompson, the level of. 136 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,559 Speaker 1: Fraud in the programs is staggering, he said. 137 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 6: Unfortunately, our system of trust but Verify, no longer works. 138 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 6: These programs have been abused over and over to the 139 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 6: point where the fraud has taken the legitimate services, Thompson said. 140 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 6: Republicans argue the taxpayers have been defrauded of hundreds of 141 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 6: millions of dollars during Walls's tenure, making the governor's recent 142 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 6: efforts to address the frauds seem like a late response 143 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 6: to the long brewing crisis. A year before the Minnesota 144 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 6: gubernatorial election, federal charging documents describe the elaborate scheme relating 145 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 6: to the defrauded HS program, which provided Medicaid funded help 146 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 6: to Minnesotans with disabilities, mental illness, and substance abuse disorders. 147 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 6: Prosecutors said the programs low barriers to entry and minimum 148 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 6: requirements reimbursement made it susceptible to fraud, just like Obamacare. 149 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 6: The program was projected to cost two point six million 150 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 6: dollars annually. That the housing and stabilization services that ballooned 151 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 6: to twenty one million in twenty twenty one, forty two 152 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 6: million in twenty two, seventy four million in twenty twenty three, 153 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 6: one hundred and four million in twenty twenty four. And 154 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 6: none of this raised an eyebrow by anybody under the 155 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 6: Walls administration inside of DHS, or if it did, they 156 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,559 Speaker 6: simply didn't care. Oh, but now they do because everybody 157 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 6: is talking about it, and this could hurt Walls in 158 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 6: his reelection chances. This might also hurt not just Walls 159 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 6: in his re election chances, but all of us. Channel 160 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 6: five anxiety grows for employers about paid family medical leave program. 161 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 6: The kickoff of Minnesota's new paid family medical leave program 162 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 6: is just over two months away, and the pressure is 163 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 6: on for a smooth rollout. 164 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: This program is so infuriating to me. 165 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 6: The fact that a single penny of my paycheck is 166 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 6: going to have to go to fund this that I 167 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 6: will not use Apart from medical emergencies. In my yearly 168 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 6: vacation summer and winter. I rarely take time off, and 169 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 6: yet I am going to have to pay for and 170 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 6: you are going to have to pay for. 171 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: Without being asked, without opting in. 172 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 6: Means can opt out for individuals to take essentially if 173 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 6: they wanted to five months time off of work. We'll 174 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 6: get into the growing concerns over this, and remember you 175 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 6: even had the Feller saying they wanted to pause on 176 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 6: this because they were concerned about paid family medical leave 177 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 6: and the rest of the Democrats basically shut up their 178 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 6: own party and just press forward. Anyways, we'll get to 179 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 6: your top backs as well, and Hank Long from Alphanus 180 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 6: We'll be joining us in studio next on Twin City's 181 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 6: News Talk AM eleven thirty and one oh three five 182 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 6: FM YO. 183 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 3: Coverage you can count on from the sixty five to 184 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 3: one Carpets plus Home of the Next Day Installs Studios 185 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 3: FAM one O three point five. I'm KTLKAM eleven thirty, Minneapolis. 186 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: I'm Saint Paul. 187 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,319 Speaker 6: From the sixty five to one Carpet Next Day Install Studios, 188 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 6: John Justice on Twin City's News Talk. 189 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: Hank Long from Alpha News joins us in studio. We'll 190 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: talk to. 191 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 6: Him in just a moment before we get back into 192 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 6: paid family medical leave. Foes of the show talkbacks, Alpha 193 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:58,199 Speaker 6: News Conversations with Hank. 194 00:10:58,240 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: I want to remind you we do all. 195 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 6: Member that one teacher who made a difference or who 196 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 6: believed in us, challenged us, made learning just fun. Now 197 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 6: is your chance to say thank you. You can do 198 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:12,839 Speaker 6: this in a big way with Iheartradios Thank a Teacher. 199 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 6: It's powered by donors. Choose nominated an outstanding public school 200 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 6: teacher who's gone above and beyond for their students to 201 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 6: win five thousand dollars to stock their classrooms with whatever 202 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 6: they need. Help us say thank you to educators for 203 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 6: shaping our future. Nominate your favorite teacher now at iHeartRadio 204 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 6: Forward Slash Teachers, and I just want to mention briefly 205 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 6: from American experiment regarding if the schools here in Minnesota 206 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 6: are going to be affected by the shutdown at the moment. 207 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: No, the recent. 208 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 6: Government shutdown hasn't significantly impacted our educational system here. Certainly, 209 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 6: Governor Tim Walls and his policies have been done more 210 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 6: damage than the shutdown will, at least at this point, 211 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 6: and they're also unlikely to do so assuming the shutdown 212 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 6: length it does not stretch for several months. Federal funds 213 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:04,680 Speaker 6: represent only about five percent of Minnesota's education budget for 214 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 6: the twenty five twenty six a year. The vast majority 215 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,319 Speaker 6: of those are earmarked federal dollars from a Title one 216 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 6: Grant the IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, both of 217 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 6: which have already been awarded and had their funds awarded 218 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 6: to Minnesota schools this year. 219 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: So the bottom line is, if the shutdown. 220 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 6: Ends on or just before All Saints Day, Minnesota's education 221 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 6: system will have experienced a relatively minor disruption, but more 222 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 6: changes could be coming down the pipeline, so don't expect 223 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 6: anything major happening to our schools. 224 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 1: Here. 225 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 6: Hank Long from Alpinus Joints us Hey, Hank, I'm so 226 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:43,319 Speaker 6: happy to be back. 227 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 2: John. 228 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:45,079 Speaker 1: How are you, Om good man? A long time, we'll 229 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: see good to see you though. Talking pay family sick leave, 230 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: I'm all about it. Let's go, let's do it. Count 231 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: of Five's got an article. 232 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 6: Anxiety grows for employers about pay family medical leave. We'll 233 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 6: get into some more details of this and just in 234 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 6: just a moment on of you guys have covered this 235 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 6: extensively over at Alphinus as well. 236 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: I do want to go to the iHeartRadio app. 237 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 6: I want to break my rule, but it's relevant to 238 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,839 Speaker 6: what we're talking about. In full of the show, Phil 239 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 6: believes he has a point. 240 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: Once again. 241 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 10: Hey John and Justice, it's Phil, and you've prayed one 242 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 10: last time. You know your GOP guys say you're pro family, 243 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 10: the party of the family. Well, yet you want to 244 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,559 Speaker 10: get rid of the one thing that benefits family the most. 245 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 10: Pay family leave. Hey, guys, make that make sense. I 246 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 10: don't want to hear you. Guys tell you your pro 247 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 10: family again. Pay familyly benefits people who have to take 248 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 10: time off to take care of their family, whether have 249 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 10: a new baby or take care of an elderly person 250 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 10: in the house. I mean, you guys nuts, have a 251 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 10: great day. 252 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 6: Yeah, we're just helping or you know, we're just helping 253 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 6: families here to hang. I mean, you know we're so 254 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 6: essentially we're anti family by doing so. By the way, 255 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 6: this is no secret, but the whole paid family medical 256 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 6: leave and order for it to come to fruition. A 257 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 6: part of that was to be able to craft a 258 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 6: ridiculous argument of what Phil just presented. So if they 259 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 6: have moved forward with say, pulling five percent of your 260 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:14,719 Speaker 6: available money that you've earned out of your paycheck to 261 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 6: go and pay for people to have even more time off, 262 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 6: is that suitable for you? 263 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: When does it end? Phil? 264 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 6: And people already had the opportunity to go and take 265 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 6: time off for various reasons that have been established long 266 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 6: before Paid Family Medical Leave. We're talking about essentially, under 267 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 6: the program, you can take up to twelve weeks of 268 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 6: paid leave after the birth of a new child, or 269 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 6: twelve weeks of personal medical reasons to care for a 270 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 6: sick relative. So you can take up to twenty weeks 271 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 6: combined of the two types of leave in one year. 272 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 6: And the individuals that you were going in and taking 273 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 6: care of, they don't even have to live in the 274 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 6: state of Minnesota. 275 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: We're talking essentially five months. 276 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 6: That people can take time off of money to pay 277 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 6: forward is coming out of my paycheck, It's coming out 278 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 6: of your paycheck. 279 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: Phil. 280 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 6: So Phil, I just I'm assuming you're cool with that. 281 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 6: You're cool with having to pay for somebody that you 282 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 6: work with who puts forward a bogus claim because you 283 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 6: there's very little requirements it's like almost everything the DFL 284 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 6: has passed. The stipulations in order to receive this paid 285 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 6: family medical leave. It's essentially whatever your imagination can come 286 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 6: up with, and you'll be fine when whoever you work 287 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 6: with ends up taking almost five months off and you 288 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 6: have to go and shoulder the burden at your place 289 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 6: of work while your business suffers and potentially risks having 290 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 6: to shut down because of this program that was completely 291 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 6: and totally unnecessary. Good for you, Phil, See this is 292 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 6: what I talked about. I was telling Hank from Alpha 293 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 6: News that the foes of the show sometimes make me 294 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 6: want to pull my Well. 295 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 2: We know what John has to say, but what about justice, 296 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 2: because Phil, Phil usually introduces you as John Injustice, John Injustice. 297 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 6: He's clever with that. Listen this program. The businesses are concerned. 298 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 6: They even had there was Dfellers during the legislative session 299 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 6: right that we're looking to put a pause on this, 300 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 6: and the Democrats essentially silenced their own party. 301 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, you got to go back a little bit, back 302 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 2: to the DFL Trifecta era in twenty twenty three when 303 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 2: this bill was first introduced and obviously passed, and even 304 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 2: then there were two Republicans in the House. That was 305 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 2: Jean Pulowski and Dave Littlegard. Plowski's from Monona and Littlegard 306 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 2: was from Aurora, the Iron Range. 307 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: They both voted against this bill. 308 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 2: Now they are no longer in the legislature, replaced by Republicans. 309 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 2: But the point is, at that time, all the facts 310 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 2: were laid out. This bill was going to impact one 311 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 2: point three million Minnesotans who are employed by small businesses 312 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 2: across the state. And there is obviously the Chamber of 313 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 2: Commerce and a couple other organizations, one of them is 314 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 2: called the National Federation for Independent Businesses that were in 315 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 2: committees and saying, hey, this is like Kart before the horse, 316 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 2: like let's let's get rid of the mandate component of 317 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 2: this on small businesses, let's do some carve outs. And 318 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 2: they felt like they were roundly ignored during the DFL Triffecta. 319 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 2: So this thing was passed, right, and then in the 320 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 2: last couple of legislative sessions when Republicans have a little 321 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 2: bit balance of power here, they've said, how about we 322 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 2: delay this and fix this because this is going to 323 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 2: have a massive negative impact on a small business can 324 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 2: be just a few people, right, I mean they're at 325 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,199 Speaker 2: the end of the day like it's it's a huge 326 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 2: burden to say, no, it's not even just the cost 327 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 2: I think for a lot of these small businesses, but 328 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 2: to say that I possibly could constantly be placing one 329 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 2: of my three or four employees on leave for up 330 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 2: to twelve weeks, and how do you replace them with 331 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 2: with a lot of these small budgets that a lot 332 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 2: of these businesses have. 333 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 6: Well, and and you know you're right, let me add 334 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:00,199 Speaker 6: another component to this, and I won't get in too 335 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 6: much detail, but listen, I don't work for a small company. 336 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 6: I work for a large corporation called iHeart Radio, iHeart Media, 337 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 6: And I can tell you that this type of stuff 338 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 6: happens within large corporations in terms of counting every dollar 339 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 6: and making sure that people aren't going over in the 340 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 6: time that they're allotted, depending on what their role is. 341 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 6: I mean, we have rotating and this is they all 342 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 6: do a fantastic job and I love working with all 343 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 6: of them, but we have rotating individuals that come in 344 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 6: and produce and board op the show. Now, I mean 345 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 6: these are changes that have to be made in order 346 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 6: for iHeart to continue to do what iHeart does, and 347 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 6: so that I can keep talking on the radio, and 348 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 6: this is going to ring true to that as well, 349 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 6: because if somebody goes and wants to take. 350 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 1: You four months off, well. 351 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:46,959 Speaker 6: Now you're looking at an individual that has to go 352 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 6: and pick up the slack over that and a lot 353 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 6: of times that has to be a part timer. But 354 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,199 Speaker 6: then they're limited on how much time they can end 355 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 6: up working. So what you're going to make a full 356 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 6: timer who is already salaried out and working, has a 357 00:18:57,600 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 6: lot of hours go and cover for that. This is 358 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 6: going to be an mitigated disaster for big and small companies. 359 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's fair to say too that Republicans have 360 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 2: offered solutions in the legislature to say, hey, guess what, 361 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 2: we do agree something needs to be done. But I 362 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 2: did see back and I covered this back in twenty 363 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three, one of the senator Republican senators in 364 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:23,360 Speaker 2: the state legislature offered a bill and in the form 365 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 2: of an amendment that would basically have eliminated the mandate 366 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 2: on employers, but allow employers to volunteerly enroll in plans 367 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:33,239 Speaker 2: that the state provides via like preferred insurance companies, So 368 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 2: like it's not that one side cares about this and 369 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,400 Speaker 2: the other side doesn't. Everybody seems to care about this issue. 370 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,679 Speaker 2: And the question is is like everybody talks about the 371 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:46,959 Speaker 2: one size fits all approach versus like a little bit 372 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 2: more custom approach, because, like I said, what is a 373 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 2: small business. 374 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: A small business could just. 375 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 2: Be a few people, could be literally a husband and 376 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,119 Speaker 2: wife running a shop anywhere in Minnesota with four to 377 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 2: six employees. And at the end of the day, like 378 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 2: you have to listen to those voices in the legislature 379 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 2: when you're crafting this legislation and think and do not 380 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 2: you know, also the unintended consequences, you know, they're numerous. 381 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 2: And consider the fact that employers now you think that 382 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 2: the hiring process is strict already and difficult to get 383 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 2: a job. You know, employers are going to be making 384 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 2: sure when they go through the hiring process that they're 385 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 2: not going to be hiring somebody who is going to 386 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 2: potentially go and put them in a tough spot because 387 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 2: of what paid. 388 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: Family medical leave is going to do. 389 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 6: All right, we'll talk more with Hank Long coming up 390 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:38,200 Speaker 6: in just a moment from Alpha News joins me and 391 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 6: studio will get into Keith Ellison running for reelection. I 392 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 6: do want to sneak in a couple of your talkbacks 393 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 6: before we take a quick break. Your talk back of 394 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,120 Speaker 6: the day is coming up as well, brought to you 395 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,640 Speaker 6: by Many Leave here on Twin City's News Talk. 396 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 7: Sure, for the love of God, expand your thought process 397 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 7: just a little bit, all right. 398 00:20:57,720 --> 00:20:59,400 Speaker 1: Sure it says. 399 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 7: It's for fai families, pay family leave for people that 400 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,479 Speaker 7: want to go take care of their families. What happens 401 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 7: to all the people that are going to lose their 402 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 7: jobs because their businesses are going to shut down because 403 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 7: employees can't afford it anymore because of this, Phil, just 404 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 7: think Phil. 405 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,359 Speaker 11: No I guys like Phil, they'll be the first guys 406 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 11: to complain wildly when they have to fill in for 407 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 11: somebody who took a little bit of family lead and 408 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 11: do their tasks to get it done, and then he's 409 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:33,680 Speaker 11: got to pay five percent of his paycheck. We'll see, 410 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 11: I'll feel Phil. I hope Phil calls in when that happens. 411 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:38,399 Speaker 12: We'll see what happens. 412 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 13: Responding to Phil, who, by the way, sounds like he's 413 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 13: speaking in an underground cavern, Phil, I've worked for an 414 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 13: employer for fifteen years. That provides generous time off well 415 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:52,160 Speaker 13: until twenty twenty six, that is at which point they're 416 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,919 Speaker 13: curtailing it specifically because of the Paid Family and Medical 417 00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 13: Leave Act. So that's why we're against it. Phil private employe, 418 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 13: We're doing the trick for many of us, but now 419 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 13: it's being taken away in favor of the benevolent government. 420 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 13: Figure it out, Man. 421 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 6: Twin Cities News Talk, John Justice want to remind you 422 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 6: Aquarius Home Services as you're shot at four tickets to 423 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 6: see Green Bay take on the Purple That Game early January. 424 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 6: You also get five hundred dollars in Game day cash. 425 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 6: Can register for your chance to win today at twin 426 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 6: citiesews Talk dot com on the contest page. Twin Citiesnews 427 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,879 Speaker 6: Talk dot com. Slash Furnace is where you can go 428 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 6: and enter. 429 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: Check that out. 430 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 6: Broadcasting from the six to five to one carpet Next 431 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 6: Day Install Studios. Before we get back to your talkbacks 432 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 6: and more of our conversation with Hanklong from Alpha News 433 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 6: joining us in studio, we'll get into Eth Ellison and 434 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:01,920 Speaker 6: running for a third term as well. 435 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 1: Back to paid Family Medical Leaf. 436 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:05,719 Speaker 6: First off, though, we do have to get to your 437 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:07,920 Speaker 6: talk back of the day and that of course is 438 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:09,719 Speaker 6: brought to you by Many Leaf. Check out the night 439 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 6: gummies and many Leaf free shipping available delivered right to 440 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 6: your door and get your sleep back on track like 441 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 6: I have at minileaf dot com. 442 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 12: This is constant messaging about people's voices being heard, but 443 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:23,679 Speaker 12: when they have an opportunity to speak up about what 444 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 12: they believe and they can't articulate what their point is. 445 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 12: And activism is supposed to be about getting people to 446 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 12: see your side of the argument and get them to 447 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,679 Speaker 12: see where the change needs to be made. But instead 448 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 12: these people are just going out and stopping their feet 449 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 12: about something that they were told on the media is 450 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 12: happening without figuring out the reality behind it. 451 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:47,719 Speaker 6: Yeah, No Blake, that was an amazing point that you 452 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 6: made this morning, and thank you so much for leaving 453 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 6: a talkback. We were getting into the whether or not 454 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 6: the No King's protests were effective or not for Democrats 455 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:58,640 Speaker 6: and if you believe that they were in what way? 456 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 6: And I appreciate your comment. That is your talk back 457 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 6: of the day and it's brought to you by Mini Leaf. 458 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 6: Head on over to mnnlaf dot com to check out 459 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 6: all of their amazing products, so a couple of different 460 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 6: versions here on Channel five. I know Alpha News has 461 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 6: covered it seventy one days away. Greg Norfleet, the director 462 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,880 Speaker 6: of the Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave program. Total 463 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,959 Speaker 6: room full of business owners and human resource representatives. This 464 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 6: is on Tuesday, and kun rapids that I can sense 465 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 6: a little anxiety in the room. 466 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: He said. 467 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,639 Speaker 6: They had all kinds of questions, ranging from what to 468 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 6: do about people who work in Minnesota but live in Wisconsin, 469 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,200 Speaker 6: and what happens with all the new personal finance data 470 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 6: the state will be collecting. Then there's the concern about 471 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 6: whether the online portals will work as intended. We're all 472 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:48,920 Speaker 6: reminded of menshure and minlars. The state does estimate this 473 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 6: some twelve thousand to fifteen thousand Minnesotans will take paid 474 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:57,360 Speaker 6: family leave in the first year. That's based on experiences 475 00:24:57,359 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 6: with programs that are similar in other states. What we 476 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:01,919 Speaker 6: do know is that more than sixty thousand babies have 477 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 6: been born annually in Minnesota, and under the program, you 478 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 6: can take up to twelve weeks of paid leave after 479 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,399 Speaker 6: birth of a new child, or twelve weeks of personal 480 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 6: medical reasons or to care for a sick relative that 481 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 6: doesn't even have to live in state. So you can 482 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 6: take up to twenty weeks combined of the two types 483 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 6: of leave in one year. And it's important to note 484 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 6: that people not people taking leave do not get one 485 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 6: hundred percent of their wages. For example, someone earning sixty 486 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 6: thousand a year and makes one thy fifty four dollars 487 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 6: per week, they would only qualify for nine hundred and 488 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 6: thirty two dollars per week eighty one percent of their 489 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 6: regular wages. The payroll tax of point eighty eight percent 490 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 6: will pay for the ongoing cost of the program, with 491 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:46,479 Speaker 6: at least half paid by the employer. Hank, do you 492 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,959 Speaker 6: know where the whole where this whole impetus of this started. 493 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 6: I know it took place during the during the DFL trifecta, 494 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 6: But I mean, do we know what the original argument 495 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 6: was raised of why this was necessary in the first place, 496 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 6: going back to win the l was pushing this and 497 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:01,479 Speaker 6: passed it. 498 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 2: You're talking about just like the mandate aspect of Yeah, 499 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 2: I mean, if you if you go back, I don't know. 500 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,479 Speaker 2: Ten years or so, Minneapolis really had a lot of 501 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 2: activists that were pushing for sick time guaranteed sick time 502 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 2: and and just a huge increase to I guess you 503 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 2: could say entitlements or benefits that they didn't feel like 504 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 2: a lot of let's be honest, small businesses were offering 505 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,200 Speaker 2: to their employees, whether it be part time or full time. 506 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 2: And I think that was probably the test lab for 507 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:37,120 Speaker 2: a lot of this stuff. It's it's easy to pass 508 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 2: some of these ordinances in a city like Minneapolis or 509 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 2: Saint Paul, and then once that kind of takes effect, 510 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 2: then the same activists kind of look on a grander scale, 511 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 2: and we all know, we all knew what was going 512 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 2: to happen when walls one another term in Democrats to 513 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 2: control the legislature in twenty twenty three. And this is 514 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,640 Speaker 2: just the effect of it. It's it's it's looking at 515 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:07,400 Speaker 2: the entitlement culture and the benefits that some people think 516 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 2: that all people are entitled too, regardless of the actual 517 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 2: impact on the people that employ them. So I I 518 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 2: just it's I think it's it's sort of an ideological 519 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 2: paradigm that one side of the aisle for the most 520 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 2: part has at the legislature. But like I said, I mean, 521 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 2: we've seen in the last two legislative sessions. We've seen 522 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 2: some Democrats say hey, and they're from Greater Minnesota and 523 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:32,880 Speaker 2: from areas that probably have a lot of small businesses, right, 524 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 2: they say, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not supporting this. 525 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:39,120 Speaker 2: And at that time in twenty twenty three, there wasn't 526 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 2: enough votes to stop it, even with a couple of 527 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 2: Democrats say hey, I'm not on this. But now we've 528 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 2: got a tide house and there's just that one seat 529 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,119 Speaker 2: margin that the Democrats have in the Senate. And so 530 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 2: the question is is, as we're revisiting this issue before 531 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 2: becomes implemented in just a few months, did the Democrats 532 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 2: put the cart before the horse on this thing? And 533 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 2: what kind of cascading effect is it going to have 534 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 2: on these small businesses that are already just teetering right, 535 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 2: a lot of them right. 536 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 1: Well, And when you. 537 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 6: Look at so the startup costs of the program, so 538 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 6: those are paid through the legislation in twenty twenty three 539 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:18,399 Speaker 6: with taxpayer funding. So you have six hundred and sixty 540 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 6: eight million for the initial benefit account, with an additional 541 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 6: one hundred and twenty two million for administrative costs, and 542 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 6: then you have this payroll tax of point eighty eight 543 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:32,160 Speaker 6: percent that is supposed to pay for the ongoing costs 544 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 6: of the program, with at least half paid by the employer, 545 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 6: and I guess the other half is paid for by us, right, yep. 546 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:44,480 Speaker 6: So we've already seen the math not bearing out on 547 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 6: so many other DFL programs. I mean, we're stepping towards 548 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 6: disaster with this, depending on you know, how many people 549 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 6: end up taking it, how many people are paying in, 550 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 6: and what ends up getting billed essentially correct. I mean, 551 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 6: this is where the concern rests on whether or not 552 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 6: they've been able to go and math this out appropriately, 553 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 6: And so far they've shown another programs they haven't been 554 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 6: able to do the math on those other programs. And 555 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 6: it's also worth noting contextually, I believe Minnesota at the 556 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 6: time was the eleventh state to pass this form of 557 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 6: mandated paid family leave, and from what everything I read 558 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 6: at that time when I was covering this issue at 559 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 6: the legislature, it is considered to be the most generous 560 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,959 Speaker 6: of the eleven or so programs across the country. So 561 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:35,680 Speaker 6: does generous equate with making sure we have the right 562 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 6: math or not? 563 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 1: That's that's good, I mean, honestly, we're. 564 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 2: Not quite now until what happens, right, Yeah, it's also 565 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 2: worth noting you you mentioned administrative costs, right, I think 566 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 2: you said one hundred and twenty something million, two million. Yeah, 567 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,959 Speaker 2: and we're talking about, you know, by any type stuff. 568 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 2: I was trying to dig through past articles I'd written 569 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 2: on this in the last couple years. 570 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:55,880 Speaker 1: But I'm almost. 571 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:58,400 Speaker 2: One hundred percent sure in one of the stories I 572 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 2: wrote a year or two ago, I was digging into 573 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 2: the spreadsheets and then I found details. I'm almost assuredly 574 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 2: it's on this particular program. 575 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: There was gonna be like. 576 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 2: A new like office space with like dozens and dozens 577 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 2: of employees dedicated to this expansion this new program essentially. 578 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 2: And administrative cost to like get this off the ground 579 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 2: and running like one hundred over one hundred million just 580 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 2: to run the program, not even to get the benefits 581 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 2: to these people is kind of a It's worth it's 582 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 2: worth noting a little bit, you know, digging into a 583 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 2: little bit more, is my point. 584 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 6: So is there a circumstance here where once again you 585 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 6: could have an employer start billing the state needing funding 586 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 6: for the paid family leave that that people are taking. 587 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 6: But yet it ends up turning out very similar to 588 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 6: what we've seen before with these other programs, wherein they're 589 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 6: building the state for these services, but they're not actually 590 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 6: providing them. 591 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 1: Is that a concern over this? Do we know? Is 592 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: that even? 593 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 6: I mean, because a portion of this again that eighty 594 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 6: eight sent this is being taken out, that one percent 595 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 6: is being taken out from is being paid for by 596 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 6: the employer and the employee. So I just don't know 597 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 6: how much of that is supposed to go and recoup 598 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 6: when the companies essentially go to the state and say 599 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 6: we need money to continue funding the program. 600 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think honestly, I think a lot of it 601 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 2: remains to be seen. And that's part of the problem here, 602 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 2: is like everyone's trying to shift forward here and prepare 603 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 2: for how it's going to impact their bottom line as 604 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 2: a business. I don't know if employees are like super 605 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 2: conscious of this and being like, oh, I'm excited for this, Well, 606 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 2: when this happens, I'm gonna There's tons of folks that 607 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 2: are employed by small businesses that are like altruistic and 608 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 2: if they're going to take leave, they're going to take 609 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 2: leave because they need it. But the point being is 610 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 2: it's the businesses right now that are seeing this. We're 611 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:53,480 Speaker 2: in the eleventh hour before we turn over and they 612 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 2: have to start providing this. So I'm sure they've adapted, 613 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:58,719 Speaker 2: but I don't think we'll see the consequences bear out 614 00:31:58,800 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 2: until they actually do. 615 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 6: Yeah, well, I to spend some more time on this. 616 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 6: I know I'm throwing. I'm throwing a bunch of a 617 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:05,360 Speaker 6: bunch of hard questions. We didn't preview any of this 618 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 6: before we got on because I'm just trying to envision 619 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 6: how the process works and for example, and we'll leave 620 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 6: with this one and move on to some other items 621 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:14,520 Speaker 6: because we're already running short on time. But Hank along 622 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:17,080 Speaker 6: from Alpha News Joint System Studio, like, could you have 623 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 6: I don't know if you know the answer, we're staring 624 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 6: out of hypothetical. Could you have a situation where there's 625 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 6: somebody who is pregnant, but then the company goes and 626 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 6: hires them, knowing full well that after they hire them, 627 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 6: they're going to immediately go and take a whole bunch 628 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 6: of time off and the person's going to get paid, 629 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 6: but they're just going to go and build the state 630 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 6: in order to get recouped for the dollars for the 631 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 6: individual they hired. 632 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 1: Again, I'm just tossing out a scenario. I don't know 633 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: if that's it's an interesting hypothetical. 634 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:43,680 Speaker 2: There are possible There are some really tuned folks that 635 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:47,480 Speaker 2: represent organizations, like I said, the NFIB and stuff you 636 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 2: can bring onto the show, and they are very well 637 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:53,280 Speaker 2: versed in these scenarios that I think would be helpful 638 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:54,280 Speaker 2: for your audience. 639 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:59,239 Speaker 11: John, how much did you say the administrative cost was 640 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 11: for that program? 641 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you said one million, one hundred and 642 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 1: twenty two. 643 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 11: Sounds like another government jobs program. 644 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 1: Good lord, where does it ever end? That's a very 645 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: good point, all right. 646 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 6: Keith Ellison announces a run for a third term. He 647 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:19,880 Speaker 6: kept using this line where he wants to make life 648 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 6: more affordable. He says he's made life more affordable for 649 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:27,160 Speaker 6: Minnesota's We were talking about this in the first hour 650 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 6: of the show. I suppose I'm not surprised by this. 651 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 6: Were you surprised that Keith Ellison was going to go 652 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 6: ahead and run for a third term or were you 653 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 6: hearing the potentially he could have been jockeying for a 654 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:38,400 Speaker 6: different position that might have been home. 655 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think most of the media out there, 656 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:46,840 Speaker 2: probably June, July, August was waiting to see what Governor 657 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 2: Walls would do. And then there was a pretty solid 658 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 2: rumor mill that said that possibly Steve Simon or Keith 659 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:56,240 Speaker 2: Ellison were waiting in the wings to see if Walls 660 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:58,920 Speaker 2: decided not to run for a third term, if those 661 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 2: two might have competed within sort of their party apparatus. 662 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:04,320 Speaker 1: To be the nominee. 663 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 2: But when Walls decided, obviously, was it September? I can't 664 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 2: even remember now, Yeah, I think it was September that 665 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:15,480 Speaker 2: he was going to run again. It was pretty obvious 666 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:18,239 Speaker 2: that you can just look at the campaign receipts for 667 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:23,800 Speaker 2: Ellison's Attorney General campaign in twenty twenty four. I looked 668 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:26,680 Speaker 2: this up yesterday and earlier again today. I mean, he 669 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:29,479 Speaker 2: was raised in one hundred and sixteen hundred and seventy 670 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:33,799 Speaker 2: thousand dollars just to keep the fundraising apparatus continuing. So 671 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 2: we're talking about last year, right two years out from 672 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:42,040 Speaker 2: a reelection bid. He was keeping keeping an operational So 673 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 2: to me, it was pretty obvious that he was going 674 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 2: to run for a third term if there wasn't another 675 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:51,879 Speaker 2: opportunity out there for him. And I mean he's never 676 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 2: shied away from sort of that activist mentality that you've 677 00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 2: discussed earlier in the show. The story that I wrote 678 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,239 Speaker 2: yesterday made sure to highlight that, you know, during these 679 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:06,040 Speaker 2: no Kings rallies that took place over the past weekend, 680 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:10,360 Speaker 2: that he was a featured speaker at protest that was 681 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:12,879 Speaker 2: sponsored at least in part by the Twin Cities chapter 682 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 2: of a Communist Party USA. 683 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: And then I'm not. 684 00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 2: Sure if if you I think you did cover Liz 685 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 2: Collins exclusive on the Honor Flightyeah. 686 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:23,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 687 00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:24,920 Speaker 2: So my point is is like this is all just 688 00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:27,640 Speaker 2: within the last few weeks, so there we can play 689 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:31,040 Speaker 2: a greatest hits album of all the sort of like 690 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:38,239 Speaker 2: very brash activist act, you know, mentality that Ellison has 691 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 2: put out there, he's not ashamed of it. And the 692 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 2: key is this, I mean you mentioned it, a newcomer 693 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 2: challenger to him matched him from a fundraising perspective almost 694 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:51,200 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty two is Jim Schultz ran a really 695 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:54,440 Speaker 2: great campaign and came within it was zero point nine percent, 696 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:59,759 Speaker 2: so less than one percent, and that did I think 697 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:02,920 Speaker 2: I have left Ellison a little bit dismayed after it 698 00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:04,800 Speaker 2: was all said and done. I think he probably was 699 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:08,359 Speaker 2: a little more confident before that election. Obviously, Walls won 700 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,120 Speaker 2: by I think seven points that that same election cycle. 701 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:15,280 Speaker 2: But Ellison is he's running hip to hip with Walls. 702 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:20,320 Speaker 2: They're running again together for the third time, essentially, and 703 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:21,080 Speaker 2: not four years ago. 704 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:21,759 Speaker 1: Three years ago. 705 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:25,720 Speaker 2: I mean, Ellison squeaked by against somebody that nobody knew 706 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:28,680 Speaker 2: before the election cycle. So we've got some folks that 707 00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:32,040 Speaker 2: are pretty darn't experienced in the legal community. 708 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:33,480 Speaker 1: Obviously, Ron Schutz has. 709 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:36,120 Speaker 2: Already put himself out there as a candidate, and he's 710 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:39,319 Speaker 2: really well known in political circles and hasn't established a 711 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,480 Speaker 2: career as an attorney in private practice, and he's got 712 00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:45,960 Speaker 2: a background as a JAG officer, and those are bona fides. 713 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,520 Speaker 2: And then Erica McDonald, who was a US attorney during 714 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:54,720 Speaker 2: the first Trump administration. She's you know, has expressed interest 715 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 2: self and he was another media Hey, I might run 716 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 2: for this too. So you've got some folks that are 717 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 2: very incredible veteran political, politically versed attorneys that are ready 718 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:10,880 Speaker 2: to challenge Ellison in a cycle that isn't unprecedented for 719 00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:12,919 Speaker 2: an attorney general to try to seek a third term 720 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:15,440 Speaker 2: as opposed to Walls, who this is the first time 721 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:18,160 Speaker 2: ever we've seen somebody seek a third consecutive term as governor. 722 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:23,400 Speaker 2: But Keith Ellison doesn't, in my opinion, have the credibility 723 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:24,920 Speaker 2: that Walls has run for a third term. And we've 724 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:28,719 Speaker 2: all talked about whether or not Walls's third term desires 725 00:37:28,719 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 2: are are viable. So I would say this is definitely 726 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:34,839 Speaker 2: the election to watch, and it could be the first 727 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 2: time since two thousand and six that a Republican could 728 00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:39,560 Speaker 2: win a statewide election if they have the right candidate. 729 00:37:39,719 --> 00:37:41,680 Speaker 1: So Hank's going to be joining us again next week. 730 00:37:41,719 --> 00:37:43,040 Speaker 6: I know we're going to get into the school board 731 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 6: races next week, and they're very polarized and contested, especially 732 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:48,640 Speaker 6: up in in a NOOKA. 733 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:50,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's other there's other communities too. Why is that 734 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:54,040 Speaker 2: a down in Apple Valley, Rosemont Egan. Yeah, So we'll 735 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 2: get into that next week on the show. Hank Long 736 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:58,120 Speaker 2: off the news. Thank you for hanging out with me 737 00:37:58,840 --> 00:37:59,960 Speaker 2: this morning. I appreciate it. 738 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:01,879 Speaker 6: If you missed any portion of today's show, be sure 739 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:04,440 Speaker 6: to check out the podcast. Devin and the Master Control 740 00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:06,880 Speaker 6: of Booth will have those up very shortly for you. 741 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:07,640 Speaker 6: To go and check out. 742 00:38:07,640 --> 00:38:09,320 Speaker 1: Tomorrow. We'll talk more. 743 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:12,960 Speaker 6: AI with David Gartenstein, Ross, Crash and Burn this week 744 00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:16,759 Speaker 6: at Acne Comedy Company. Comedian Tim Slagel will be in 745 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 6: studio right around this time. I have a great Wednesday. 746 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:19,920 Speaker 6: Talk to you tomorrow. 747 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:20,360 Speaker 11: Bye.