Hour 3 : Why the Increase in Graduation Rate Means Nothing

0:00This financial literacy month, we are talking about the one investment most people ignore, building a business around the life you actually want. It was just us making happen whatever he said was going to happen and then it happened. On those amigos, entrepreneurs like America said I'm in Joe Huff get real about money, taking risk and while your dream might be the smartest move. At the end of my life, what am I really going to care about and the conclusion I came to is what I did to make the world a better place and whatever way? Listen to those amigos on the I High Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Miles Turnne and I'm Brianna Stewart and our podcast Game Recognized Game has never been done before. Two active players giving you a real look at our lives and what we actually think on and off the court. Nothing's off-limits. We talked tanking, I might get in trouble for this answer but I think it's like definitely happening in the WWE. We're talking about our mistakes too. They pulled me to the side and was like, hey man we got a call last night, you can't be rolling around the city like this tonight before games. Check out Game Recognized Game with Stuy and Miles on the

1:02I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Iris Palmer, host of the Against All Odds podcast. Every week I'm sitting down with exceptional people who have broken barriers even when the odds were stacked against them. Like Chef Victor Via of VS Tacos. You know that the ghetto from the Bad Bunny halftime show? It was great, it was a big moment, it was special and I felt like I was really representing my family, you know, my brand, my city. I was representing autakeros, not only of like, you know, the US but of Mexico and beyond all the takeros of the world. Listen to Against All Odds on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Hello, gorgeous, it's Lala Kent, host of Untraditionally Lala. My days of filling up cups at Sir may be over but I'm still loving life in the valley. Life on the other side of the hill is giving grown-up vibes, but over here on my podcast Untraditionally Lala, I'm still that Lala, you either love or love to hate. It's unruly, it's unafraid, it's Untraditionally Lala.

2:03Listen to Untraditionally Lala on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Oh, hey, hey, wait, wait, wait. This is a pretty good talking about going for a walk in a run. Really? Thank you for the talk back. Here on Twin Cities News Talk at AM 1130 and 103 5 FM. Yeah, we played a clip a moment ago from J.B. maybe Pritzker, days after a citizen who just went for a walk themselves in an area they thought was a safe place because they were just in public. Got murdered by an illegal alien and yet he posts that to tone death clip which you probably didn't hear about because media didn't cover it and yet that same media believes every

3:07Minnesota deserves to know what's happening in their backyard. That's why they're going to be holding a rally. Stay capital tomorrow morning to make the case for investing in local news. They want a payroll task credit for local newsrooms. I guarantee you there are stipulations on that. They're going to come up with their own little parameters as to what is and what isn't considered a local newsroom to be subsidized. When the star should be in move to Iowa, make Iowa pay for it. If the government subsidizes news media, it is no longer news media, it is now a government propaganda machine because it will only report what the government tells them to do because the government is now subsidizing them and now it's a government propaganda machine. Just like PBS was. Now they'll get plenty of Democrats on their side that'll be in support of this. They may be even get, they may be able to get a Democrat to put forward legislation knowing

4:12it's going to die in the house just so they can go and get Republicans on record. You guys don't support local media because you won't support our tax credit subsidies. Just you wait. One more clip from last week, I didn't get a chance to share but it's relevant to again the conversation here on Twin Cities News Talk as we dive into hour three. So Vice President JD Vance was speaking at an event in Rocky Mount, North Carolina last week. Another story, he gives you details on that you probably didn't hear about because media didn't cover it. If you know anything about this legislation, what the Save America Act does is that it makes it impossible for illegal aliens to vote in our elections. Take a comment, see it. Now I think that's pretty easy, right? We don't want to legal aliens vote in our elections if my favorite thing is whenever I bring this up, you'll have some Democrat on TV who will say, well, we don't have to worry about that because illegal immigrants voting in our elections is very rare.

5:17Well, number one, how about we put it to zero, okay? Even if you're right, number two, you're not right. It happens way more often than a lot of people appreciate. In fact, just this week, ICE arrested an illegal immigrant. I'm going to read this because I want to make sure I get it right in illegal immigrant from Mauritania who's voted in seven federal elections since 2008. And I haven't got a good authority, even at every single election he voted for Don Davis. I don't know about that. I don't know where he voted, but I guarantee it wasn't for us, okay? It wasn't for America first policies. Now, here's the thing though, even if you take the Democrats at their work, even if illegal aliens voting is very rare, then why don't we ban it anyway? It's not that complicated. It is one thing to say, I don't get it. The Democrats say, this never happens or it happens only very rarely. On the one hand and on the other hand, we must not stop it. It doesn't make a damn bit of sense.

6:18We need to get all illegal aliens stopping from voting in our elections. That's very common sense stuff. Hey, John, to anyone who supports this payroll tax credit for news organizations, answer a simple question, how do you speak truth to power when you're taking money from power? Yeah, that's a great point. And many of you have pointed out what the previous talkbacker said a moment ago, you end up taking money from the government to keep yourself propped up and now you're in armed with the government. Are they going to have over that? I want to say it's a ridiculous idea. That should have been a parody, not an actual editorial. Well, we'll see how many individuals show up at the Capitol rotunda yesterday to get on board with this payroll tax credit of local media outlets. A few items from the Easter weekend I want to share before we get into operation not forgotten.

7:19The city of Houston's official ex account ended up deleting a post referring to Good Friday as a spring holiday after backlash from government officials and others on the platform. Due to the spring holiday weekend, the city of Houston offices will be closed. Representative Troy Nell's wrote today is Good Friday Sunday is Easter. This isn't a spring holiday weekend. Yeah, just because you point to the name of the actual holiday taking place, it doesn't mean that it's an endorsement of it. So why are you trying to avoid saying what the actual name of the holiday is, especially when that same ex account was more than happy to go and post about the recent Muslim holiday. Yeah, wishing those who celebrate a joyful and blessed IEEDL feeder from saying that correctly. I may be saying that wrong. May this occasion bring peace prosperity and renewed gratitude.

8:20So they'll go out of their way to go and celebrate that, but they'll also go out of their way to holiday spring holiday as opposed to Good Friday or Easter. Okay. Now, I saw a lot of people that were frustrated by this headline over the weekend, may not so much and I'll explain why. Good Friday Pilgrimage stops at Minneapolis shooting sites, George Floyd Square. From Fox 9 community members, March a good Friday by visiting the locations of what they called modern day crucifixions, so that's appropriate. It's what they're calling. It's a ridiculous assertion, but that's what they're calling it. Pilgrimage traces sites of deadly shootings, George Floyd's murder. Okay, so it's not a pilgrimage first off, it's a stunt. I saw a lot of criticism of people pointing specifically to the term Pilgrimage. And while this close to Easter, I certainly understand the frustration and how that's

9:25looked at as inappropriate, but Pilgrimage is used a lot with out religious context and numerous stories. Fox 9 probably could have done themselves one better by adding in what they did with the so-called crucifixion angle, what they called modern day crucifixions by saying what they're saying is a good Friday Pilgrimage, I get it, but I saw stories relating to other matters of individuals going to visit places that had no religious attachment to them whatsoever and they called it a Pilgrimage. But again, I understand what this being so close to Easter, it's inappropriate. To the point of what these morons did, the Pilgrimage began at the doing nothing with my fingers, say their names cemetery, cemetery near George Floyd, George Floyd square, then moved to the site where George Floyd died. The group then continued to the intersection in South Minneapolis where Renee good died in January. They did a couple more stops and then they ended at 26 in Nicolette near where Alex Freddie

10:29lost his life. The participants said the Pilgrimage was meant to draw connections between the deaths in Minneapolis and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. Spoiler alert, there are no connections, I just wanted to have to be elunatic to think there's any correlation whatsoever between the deaths of these on the street insurrection and the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior. Marsha Howard, a participant says we think of the connection between Christ and the folks who have been victims of summary execution. For those unfamiliar with Marsha Howard, she's one of the activists in Minneapolis works for the Minneapolis school board. Also is this voice. Third rate off brand bright Barton Minnesota Maga media.

11:29The more ways that we tell our stories, the more awareness is getting out there. The more knowledge that people want to gain, it gives people a chance to live through an experience without necessarily being there, said another participant. Listen, it's all going to result if this has any impact at all, which I don't believe it does. You can't fix stupid. There's no helping these individuals. That being said, if there were any consequences from this, based off of what this other participant said, getting our stories out there, raising awareness, it's just going to be putting people's lives in further danger because that's what happened when it comes to Renee Good and Alex Freddie. They put themselves in harm's way. They were encouraged to do so by the very individuals that are now making pilgrimages on Good Friday, the George Floyd square and the places where these individuals went and lost their lives, leaving out the proper context. What law enforcement was actually doing and enforcing the law?

12:32You're just going to be putting people in harm's way or at least encouraging individuals to put themselves in harm's way. To that point, will there be any consistency? Will there be any outrage with operation not forgotten? Officials are surging FBI agents to Minnesota. Stepping up efforts to solve unresolved cases in Indian country, some Native Americans in the community say that trust must be built for real progress. So many ampos is one of 11 field offices receiving support for operation not forgotten. And they're going to be surging FBI agents to work with tribal, federal and local partners to investigate open cases and bring accountability for victims and their families. According to the FBI, its Indian country program has about 4,100 open investigations, including death investigations, child abuse, domestic violence and adult sexual abuse cases.

13:35So what's the difference here? Where's the outrage? Will there be outrage? Will Governor Tim Walls push back on this? It says in the story that there are partnerships with federal and local partners. Well, why can local partners, local enforcement, why can they team up with the FBI, surging agents to go and conduct these investigations and probably arrest individuals because of everything I just mentioned, child abuse, domestic violence, adult sexual abuse, murder. All this is is a different law enforcement entity coming to Minnesota to go and arrest criminals. It's exactly the same thing that I did. So I'll continue to ask the question, where's the outrage here? Why are there no calls to protest? Maybe there will be. But this is me talking to you not holding my breath.

14:40Because this is politically viable for Democrats. This is okay. This is okay use of our federal law enforcement. It's okay to have our local law enforcement team up with this federal law enforcement agency. Because to push back on this would be, oh, see, that would be counter to a group of individuals that Democrats lean on during election cycles because they assume that they're going to go and vote for them. We'll get to your comments coming up on Twin Cities News talk. There was another arrest outside of the city's church. We talked about the ongoing protests that have been taking place. We'll turn to somebody who was arrested over the weekend in the wake of my commentary on Friday details next here on Twin Cities News talk, AM 1130 and 1035. Hey, Ernest, what's up? Look, money is something we all deal with. The financial literacy is what helps turn income into real wealth. On each episode of the podcast, Earn Elysia, we break down the conversations you need to understand money, investing, and entrepreneurship from stocks and real estate to credit, business

15:40and generational wealth, we translate complex financial topics into real conversations everyone can understand. Because the truth is, most people will never thought how money really works. But once you understand the system, you can start to build within it. That means ownership, smarter investing, and creating opportunities not just for yourself, but for the next generation. If you want to learn how to build wealth, understand the markets, and think like an owner, Earn Elysia is the podcast for you. And to Earn Elysia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and iHeart Podcast presents Soccer Moms. So I'm Leanne. Yeah, this is my best friend, Janet. And we have been joined at the hips and size school. Absolutely. Now, a redacted amount of years later, we're still joined at the hip, just a little bit bigger hips, wider. This is a podcast where recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drinks, side bark. Why did you get heart-seltzer instead of beer?

16:42They had a bogey. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white color stuff here? Just a kid. What are y'all doing? Microphones are you making a rap album? I wish. I would buy it. I would buy it. Cuts through the deep, it's like a hot knife through sponge cake. That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky. I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky. You're lucky. I'm not an alcoholic. You're lucky. I'm not a killer. I'm not a team and I'm really trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on. Oh. Oh. Listen to soccer moms on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Iris Palmer and my new podcast is called The Gensal Odds and that's exactly what the show is about, so whatever it takes to be thoughts. Get ready to hear from some of your favorite entrepreneurs and entertainers as they share stories about defying expectations, overcoming barriers and breaking generational patterns. I'm talking to people like award-winning actress, producer and director, Eva Lungoria. I think I had like $200 in my savings account and my mom goes, what are you going to do?

17:47And I was like, I'll figure it out. We had a one-bedroom apartment for like $400 a month and we all could not afford like, I was like, how am I going to make $100 a month? I'm opening up like I've never before. For those of you who think you know me, from what you've seen on social media, get ready to see a whole new side of me. Listen to a Gensal Odds with Iris Palmer as part of the Michael Thura Podcast Network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. If you are a founder or a freelancer or the friend who always says, hey, you know what? What if I started that? This is for you. I'm telling you I had nothing to my name. I didn't know a single person in New York. And somehow I'm dressed by Oscar De La Renta walking down that red carpet. This month we sit down with entrepreneurs and creators who actually did it, who turned this scary leap into a business, a paycheck, and a life they are proud of. Direct center of our happiness or our regrets is whether or not we're taking action on the things that matter to us. They're not selfish. They're so important. They actually lead to our greatest contributions because when we're living fulfilled, we actually

18:52show up better everywhere. We lead better, we're better friends, we're better relationships and collaborators and all those things because we have passion about the things we're doing. You're trying to build something of your own this year. Join us in these conversations that will make you braver and smarter with your money. Listen to those amgos as part of the Michael Thura Podcast Network, available on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. FM. All right, let's get back to the iHeart Radio app this morning here on Twitter. Quinn City's News Talk. In the running for the talk back of the day brought to you by Mini-Leaf, but not your talk back of the day because I've already chosen one. He's not the winner. A lot of people were hoping that he would be the winner and he can't say he was the winner. But you can say that you make an excellent point. Your discussion of the good Friday pilgrimage is sort of awesome because it just validates for me that something I've thought for a long time is that progressivism has become

19:55a religion. Yeah. Yeah. It has. That's a great point. Several of you left talk backs this morning along the same lines and thank you for that. There can only be one winner when it comes to the talk back of the day. We'll share that with you just after the bottom of the hour. So Friday, I mentioned how you had idiots still showing up in front of the city's church in St. Paul. Of course, they gained nationwide attention after a group of demonstrators entered the church service on January 18th, protesting against pastor David Easterwood, accusing him of holding a local position with ice. And we'll wait to see whether or not operation not forgotten will yield the same controversy. It's not going to. Native advocates are urging trust building is the FBI tackles the open cases. But this is more politically viable when it comes to Democrats.

20:57They can't make a out of it without potentially making their friends over in the tribal nations upset. So they'll handle this like they should have handled ice. You'll have local agencies working with FBI agency agency when the surge of agents show up here to tackle these 41 hundred open cases and you won't hear anything about it. Just like you didn't hear anything about when ice was arresting 6,000 illegal aliens here in Minnesota in the years when Biden was in office. Okay, back to city's church. I talked about how on Friday, people were still out in front of the church every single weekend protesting. Well, someone got arrested, St. Paul police say around 8.35 AM officers were working contracted over time when demonstrators began protesting outside the church. Authorities say the protesters were using a bull harm yelling, disrupting the church services. Police note that the group was given several warnings to stop. According to the St. Paul police department, most protesters complied with the request. However, one woman refused to do so.

22:00She was arrested for interference with a religious observance after she failed to comply with directions from the St. Paul police according to authorities. I said, hopefully this stops. It's so ridiculous and completely and totally unnecessary. I wish there was more outrage because this is an issue that should be crossing party lines. There should be bipartisan condemnation of this taking place in front of a church. But unfortunately in the wake of the protest that took place in the arrests in January 18th and the number of DFLers here in Minnesota that didn't push back on it then. It doesn't surprise me that they're not pushing back on these protests taking place now. Perhaps the arrest will change the dynamic a bit. Minnesota's Department of Education recently announced that the class of 2025 said a new record for high school graduation rates, 84.9% the four year graduation rate is up from last

23:00year is at 82.2%. Oh my gosh, we were about to show off average governor Tim wall since it's a moment we're celebrating. But it's not as Catrin Wigfall lays out in the story from center of the American experiment of which I'll provide further details coming up in just a moment. There is of course another side of the story that continues to be left out as was the case last year when the graduation rates were also at a record high. It's the tale of two stats, record high graduation rates paired with declining academic readiness. And the reality is this is what the Democrats want. They designed a public education in Minnesota to achieve exactly what they're achieving. This is not a mistake, Catherine's not saying this, I'm saying this, this is not a mistake. This is intentional. They want the young people graduated and graduating as stupid as they possibly can be when graduating.

24:07They're more subject to being influenced by Democrats. If they graduate and they're stupid and then their spoon fed the liberal narrative from the media that's now asking for your tax dollars to stay afloat. More details on this year comments from the I heart radio app, including the talk back of the day is on the way here on Twin Cities News talk AM 1130 and one of three. Hey, Err, what's up? Look, money is something we all deal with. The financial literacy is what helps turn income into real wealth. On each episode of the podcast earned Elysia, we break down the conversations you need to understand money, investing and entrepreneurship. From stocks and real estate to credit, business and generational wealth, we translate complex financial topics into real conversations everyone can understand. Because the truth is, most people will never thought how money really works, but once you understand a system, you can start to build within it. That means ownership, smarter investing and creating opportunities not just for yourself,

25:11but for the next generation. If you want to learn how to build wealth, understand the markets and think like an owner, Err, Elysia is the podcast for you. Listen to Err, Elysia on the I heart radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Will Ferrell's big money players and I heart podcast presents Soccer Moms. So I'm Leanne. This is my best friend, Janet. And we have been joined at the hips and size school. Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of years later, we're still joined at the hip, just a little bit bigger hips, wider. This is a podcast where recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey with all the snacks and drinks side bark. Why? Did you get hard celtzer instead of beer? They had a bogey. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white collar? Some beer. Just hit it. What are y'all doing? Microphones, are you making a rap album? I wish. I would buy it. Cuts through the deep. That's like a hot knife through sponge cake. That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky. I'm not a drug addict.

26:11You're lucky. You're lucky. I'm not an alcoholic. You're lucky. I'm not a killer. I'm Genious. I'm a man and I love calmly. I love it. I feel likecelery. I'm not a killer either. I don't know who that is. W Stop and Vamp cannot look back. from some of your favorite entrepreneurs and entertainers as they share stories about defying expectations, overcoming barriers and breaking generational patterns. I'm talking to people like award-winning actress, producer and director, Eva Lungoria. I think I had like $200 in my savings account and my mom goes, what are you going to do? And I was like, go, I'll figure it out. We had a one-bedroom apartment for like $400 a month and we all could not afford like, I was like, how am I going to make $100 a month? I'm opening up like I've never before. For those of you who think you know me, from what you've seen on social media, get ready to see a whole new side of me.

27:14Listen to against all odds with Iris Palmer as part of the Michael Thura podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. If you are a founder or a freelancer or the friend who always says, hey, you know what? What if I started that? This is for you. I'm telling you I had nothing to my name. I didn't know a single person in New York and somehow I'm dressed by Oscar De La Renta walking down that red carpet. This month we sit down with entrepreneurs and creators who actually did it who turned this scary leap into a business, a paycheck and a life they are proud of. Direct center of our happiness or our regrets is whether or not we're taking action on the things that matter to us. They're not selfish. They're so important. They actually lead to our greatest contributions because when we're living fulfilled, we actually show up better everywhere. We lead better. We're better friends. We're better relationships and collaborators and all those things because we have passion about the things we're doing. If you're trying to build something of your own this year, join us in these conversations

28:14that will make you braver and smarter with your money. Listen to those amigos as part of the Michael Thura podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Five FM. All right, before we get to more of Katrin Wigfall from Center of the American Experiment, Minnesota's high graduation rate paired with lowest proficiency, we have to get to your talk back of the day. It's brought to you by Minileaf. Minileaf.com, M-I-N-N-E-L-E-A-F.com. Now, you're talking back of the day. If you have forgotten about the authoritarian rule during COVID, the theft of your tax dollars via fraud, a compulsion to read the star tribune, compulsive lying, in physical symptoms of incescent jazz hands and an inability to load a shotgun, you may have walls-hymers, and you need to seek immediate treatment by listening to John Justice in the morning.

29:14Thank you for that. You are the talk back of the day brought to you by Minileaf and Minileaf.com. Minnesota requires high school students to complete all state academic standards and a minimum number of course credits in order to graduate. But there is no state mandated minimum GPA requirement, and unlike in the past, students no longer have to pass a high school exit exam. In 2013, the DFL controlled legislature eliminated the graduation required assessment for diploma or grad, removing a statewide standard for demonstrating a basic competency in reading in math in order to receive a high school diploma. Since then, the gap between the graduation rates and the academic performance has become harder to ignore. Now, the ACT results tell a

30:15similar story. Only 39% of exam takers met at least three of the four college readiness benchmarks. Perhaps more concerning is that 36% an increase from 2024 met zero of the benchmarks. That's also gross. And it's all by design. That's what's so sad. According to the ACT, students who meet the college readiness benchmarks have a roughly 50% chance of earning a B or better in the corresponding first year college courses and a 75% chance of earning a C or better. But you don't need to be smart when you graduate from a high school. You just need to graduate and then go and open up a social service program and then just commit acts of fraud to make your money.

31:15Again, it's like they did it all on purpose because they did. State data reinforces the connection, says Catherine Wigfall. Minnesota's own assessment materials acknowledge a strong relationship between the MCA performance. And college entrance results. At the same time, research from ACT shows that the grade inflation continues to drive high school grades up, making student GPAs less predictive of student success in college and contrast. The ACT composites course. Doing that thing with my fingers continue to be a reliable predictor of students early success in college, according to the report. She wraps the piece up by saying, rising high school graduation rates is a positive goal. It's equally important that the diploma reflects the genuine academic readiness and that its value is not compromised in the pursuit of those higher numbers. A false sense of achievement achievement not only undermines

32:16the credibility of the high school credential, but also places unfair burdens on students who believe that they're prepared only to find out too late that they aren't putting at risk of their future success in college, the workforce, or daily life. So then what do they go do? They go and get jobs working in the minimum wage, which is higher than it should be because of Democrats. And then when they don't make it in life and they're floundering and you've got Democrats out there pushing all these policies that's going to go and support their mediocre lifestyle, they're taught over and over again that Republicans are evil and awful they end up voting for Democrats. The Minnesota education system is doing exactly what it's intended to do. Make the students as ignorant and uneducated as possible, but get them to graduate.

33:17And make no mistake, there's a social dynamic component in this too. The schools are a disaster. There are social disasters. When you have all the students having to be removed from a classroom because of one problem student, that's an issue. But that's also done intentionally for the very same reasons of what I'm mentioning right here. It's no wonder the students because of the low barriers to graduate are leaving uneducated even beyond that because they're just not getting a quality education and how much of that education has been stifled because of the social dynamics as well. Let's get to a few of your thoughts from the I heart radio app. Good morning, John. My wife is a fifth grade middle school teacher and I have had the pleasure of correcting papers at times of some of her students and to listen to her anecdotal rants when she comes from school every day. And she will tell you

34:18that the region graduation rates are increasing in the state of Minnesota is not because the kids are doing better. It's because the standards are becoming lower. These kids can't even spell or write. Yeah, and that's what they want. How many of these failed students are going to end up being the politicians we have to listen to in the future? Anybody think about that? Oh yeah, I've seen it happen firsthand. It's like a farm, it's like a sports farm league. I've watched, I've watched this happen. The first question is how many of them are going to end up becoming activists? Then you come the next, then comes the next step of politicians. Look at the Minneapolis City Council for crying out loud. I'd love to go back and see what their scores look like from school. Other activists, they find individuals who might be somewhat well-spoken,

35:19true believers in the cause of the progressive social justice agenda. And then they end up priming those individuals to go and run for office. AOC is the one that pops into mind. But the current mayor of the city I used to broadcast from Intuson, Rahina, what about the working poor Romero? It's a perfect example of this. Graduated, ended up becoming an activist. Slowly she was pointed out as being a potential individual who could run for office, checking off all of the progressive bonafides needed and now she's mayor. And I guarantee she'll rise to another position sometime in the in the future. No, it's all by design, which is why these elections coming up are so crucial. Because if we don't continue to stop what the DFL has been doing to the state, it's only going to get worse. Because if they get power here in Minnesota and the same thing rings true in DC, they're going to go all in on the agenda. You think it was bad before,

36:20just wait to see what happens. All right, let's go, let's go here a bit a while. It's not easy to be in green. Haven't to spend each day the color. Minnesotans are buying fewer electric vehicles since a major federal tax credit expired. I could have told you this was going to happen. You could have told me this was going to happen. EV sales hit record highs last year making up 8.4% of all newly registered vehicles in Minnesota. But from January through October, the demand is tanked in the final months of the year. The report data suggests the results was that electric vehicles, both fully electric and plug in hybrids, made up 7.3% of Minnesota's newly registered vehicles last year. That's down from 8.1 in 2024. It's a key indicator used by state officials in the auto industry to track

37:24the share of the EVs drivers, share of EV drivers each year to decline last year was the first in Minnesota since 2021. The Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association President Scott Lambert said there was a surgeon buying as incentives were going to go away. Now EVs have to stand alone in the marketplace. They have to prove their worth without the benefit of sales incentives. Yeah, exactly. This is the free market. Giving you a more realistic view of support behind EVs. I don't have any problem if you want to go and buy an EV. I have a problem when taxpayers were being used to shore up support for the technology. To Lambert, the decline in sales reflects, as I was just mentioning, a more accurate view of the market demand for EVs, which still costs more than gas counterparts. Without the incentives, he said fewer minisotens are willing to swap out gas power cars for electric ones. Yeah.

38:25Lambert is in a loan in his outlook last week. Cox Automotive released its forecast, predicting that nationwide EV sales in the first few months of 2026 will be 28% lower compared to the same period last year. In February, Congress passed a spending bill that redirected the more than $800 million from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program or NEVI to highway expansion projects. That program established under the Biden administration aimed to place EV charging stations along major highways. The Trump administration, thankfully, froze 135 million in NEVI funds that was going to several blue states, including Minnesota. The Biden administration had awarded Minnesota 68 million dollars. The state so far has received 53.2 million of that funding, according to the State Department of Transportation. But it's okay, guys, because we'll have all the trains. So even if you don't

39:29want to buy a new car, you can just hop on a tutu train, right? Speaking of which, we'll close the show out with this one. 60 minutes, in hat tip to 60 minutes, I don't get to say that often for covering this, because this is a pretty big deal. And it's not just a big deal because of the story in and of itself, but there are much larger implications regarding this. 60 minutes obliterates California and Gavin Newsom's plan for high speed rail. Hardly passenger ready. So let me share with you some clips from the 60 minutes report. And we'll start off here with this one from the 60 minutes reporting. Here in the US, high speed rail looks like this. Hardly passenger ready. America's hopes for its first high speed rail were kindled in 2008, when California voters approved a ballot measure for a train connecting Los Angeles to San

40:31Francisco in less than three hours. The estimated price tag $33 billion. Completion date 2020. We would cut pollution, revitalize local economies, clear gridlock. Status update. Today, the state's high speed rail authority is preparing to lay its first tracks at roughly the same cost. Only slight course correction here. Instead of that like to San Francisco, it will run one-third of that distance connecting, wait for it. The metropolis of Bakersfield and Merced population 96,000. But when when will it open? 2033 maybe. Oh, but wait, it gets so much worse. First off, Bakersfield and Merced in California, they're often referred to as the armpit of California. I used to, I had a radio gig in Bakersfield. You opened up the studio door and outside of it, it was actually in a sort of a side city. It was in Bakersfield, but it was in a place called

41:36Oildale. And you opened up the studio door and there were just rows of the oil rigs, the kind that you see on the show, Landman. There are two major thoroughfares in California that run north and south that you can take if you want to go to Northern California. You can take one that's scenic up through the coast so you can do one that's more inland and is basically a straight shot. lengthy drive, but still incredibly easy. There is no need for this boondoggle. And I'm just waiting for the reporting to come out to expose the level of fraud, because somebody is getting paid in all of this. Here's more of the reporting for 60 minutes. I think that the California High Speed Rail Knightmare is the public quintessential example of covering away some mismanagement. You say this needs to stop. He's off. Congressman Vince Fong, a Republican from Bakersfield, sits on the House Transportation Committee. He says that when

42:38California voters first approved High Speed Rail, the promise and price tag were more marketing campaign than realistic projection. We're now in 2026. There are no trains. There's no track laid. There's a complete paint switch. If I vote for a mansion in Malibu by next year and someone says actually, you know what, in five years we're going to have a dog house in Modesto. How do things go so off the rails? The business plan that was put out in 2008 was very theoretical. You know, this is what we think is going to happen and it became very clear that they didn't have the specifics worked out. So the estimated price tag on this was $33 billion. $33 billion. However, they need more money for this now. And if you thought $33 billion was a lot, wait until you hear these two California officials being interviewed by 60 minutes who actually have

43:39the audacity to keep a straight face when they present the number that is now needed to create this rail system. There, as we speak right now, are the funds there to complete the latest San Francisco? The entire amount of money we need, not there today. But do we believe we can get those funds to get the project done? Absolutely. How much do you estimate it's going to cost to connect? I speed rail San Francisco to L.A. Today, we estimate with the right optimization just over $125 billion. I think $126 billion is the current estimate for that. That's more funding than Amtrak has received in its history and still leaves a short fall of roughly $90 billion. That's a big gap to fill. It is a big gap to fill. But again, we have an understanding of how to get there and to fill that gap. $125 billion. Just wait, there will be a report.

44:41There is no way there is not rampant fraud taking place in this program. Now, why does it matter? It matters for a couple of different reasons. It certainly matters when it comes to Gavin Newsom and his potential 2028 political presidential aspirations. It matters when it comes to what we were talking about earlier. Look, 60 minutes understands where the public at large is right now when it comes to fraud, waste and abuse. People care about this. And it's because of the reporting from alternate alternative news sources that people are even aware that it's going on. Sure, the media has covered fraud in the past, but never to the detail of what we've seen. And we've only seen them covering more in detail, the fraud that's been taking place, especially here in Minnesota, because of other individuals that have come to the forefront to push the issue. Other media outlets like Alpinus, which I guarantee you would probably not fit whatever criteria, this group of individuals that we were talking about last hour,

45:46they want to payroll tax credit to stay in business as news outlets. Now, 60 minutes understands that this is not going to be a good look for Democrats, but they also know that this is what the public wants to hear about right now. But also can programs like this ever get funded in the short term again, given enough timeline, people are going to forget about this depending on how long this goes on. But right now nobody has an appetite for these projects anymore. And the same thing rings true for fraud. While we all wait for accountability, it's increasingly less likely that any new programs are going to be created because of the attention to fraud right now. And just as a sidebar on that point, this is why you have Democrats in Minnesota that are doubling down on issues like exorbitant vehicle tabs, because they know with the focus on fraud could result in fewer tax dollars being brought in to fund all of these DFL programs. And think about our own light rail here in Minnesota, just what a boondoggle that's

46:50been. It's the same progressive policies that drive the mindset of this boondoggle in California. Oh, but wait, there's more. What the people in California actually call this incomplete high-speed rail system. Here outside Fresno in California Central Valley, one of the few signs of concrete progress, literally structures like this. Locals here jokingly refer to it as their own stone hint. Ideally, these bridges and viaducts will one day be used to support California high-speed rail. But for now, these are curiosities in a field. Monuments to promises that haven't been met in plans that haven't been executed. Ironic, because American rail was once the world envy. In the 1800s, the US government oversaw the birth of the Transcontinental Railroad, stitching the country together as it expanded westward. And I have family that's in California. I went back to visit a couple of years back and go back and visit again sometime in the near future.

47:53The place is not what it used to be. Thankfully, my family lives in nicer areas. They haven't had to experience the brunt of what Gavin Newsom has done to that once great state. But you've got rampant homeless going on in Los Angeles, the major metropolitan areas. San Francisco has just become a joke. And yet all told that they get the funding for this, you're looking at some 160 billion dollars on a 22 train, where there are already two major freeways and everybody has cars. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, talking about the Trump administration and high speed rail had this to say with President Donald Trump. 2025, President Trump canceled $4 billion in federal grants for the train, swiping at a political nemesis in the process. Did you ever hear of Gavin Newsom? He has got that train is the worst cost over on I've ever seen. In a statement to 60 minutes, Secretary of Transportation

48:57Sean Duffy said the administration is in favor of high speed rail, but this project has quote wasted billions in taxpayer dollars yet delivered nothing. Can this be done without help from the federal government? This initial segment we believe so. The ultimate 494 miles of billiness out without the federal government's help will be challenging. There's no doubt about that. Is this a non-starter to build a project like this without federal funding? Well, not only can't it be done, it shouldn't be done because a lot of the benefits of the project, the reason why you build the project is public pollution reduction, congestion reduction, improved safety, comfort, reliability. All of those things are public benefit. Yeah, I like my automobile. Thank you very much. Thank you for hanging out on the show this morning. If you missed any portion of today's show, be sure to check out the podcast. That'll be available up on the iHeartRadio app.

50:00On tomorrow's show, Trump orders UFO data released. People are asking the question of aliens exist. What would they think of us? I think the question should be what would we think of them? David Garton Steinross returns after a week off will get your latest artificial intelligence questions answered. The show gets underway just after 6 a.m. Have yourself a fantastic Monday. I'll talk to you guys tomorrow. Thanks everybody. You guys are the best. John Justice Twin City's news fantastic talk radio host. Good morning, and I love your show. This financial literacy month, we are talking about the one investment most people ignore, building a business around the life you actually want. It was just us making happen whatever he said was going to happen and then it happened. On those amigos, entrepreneurs like America, Sam and Joe Havk get real about money, taking risk and while your dream might be the smartest move.

51:02At the end of my life, what am I really going to care about and the conclusion I came to is what I did to make the world a better place and whatever way? Listen to those amigos on the iHi Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Miles Turnne. And I'm Brianna Stewart. And our podcast, Game Recognized Game, has never been done before. Two active players giving you a real look at our lives and what we actually think on and off the court. Nothing's off-lookers. We talk tanking. I might get in trouble for this answer, but I think it's like definitely happening in the WBA. We talk about our mistakes too. They pulled me to the side and was like, hey man, we got a call last night. You can't be rolling around the city like this tonight before games. Check out Game Recognized Game with Stuy and Miles on the iHi Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Hello Gorgeous, it's Lala Kent, host of Untraditionally Lala. My days of filling up cups at Sir may be over, but I'm still loving life in the valley. Life on the other side of the hill is giving grown-up vibes, but over here on my podcast Untraditionally Lala,

52:03I'm still that Lala you either love or love to hate. It's unruly, it's unafraid, it's Untraditionally Lala. Listen to Untraditionally Lala on the iHi Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Iris Palmer, host of the Against All Odds podcast. Every week, I'm sitting down with exceptional people who have broken barriers even when the odds were stacked against them, like Chef Victor Villia of Villas Tacos. You know the taqueto from the Bad Bunny Half-Time Show? It was great, it was a big moment, it was special and I felt like I was really representing my family, you know, my brand, my city. I was representing all taquetos, not only of like, you know, the US but of Mexico and beyond all the taquetos of the world. Listen to Against All Odds on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.