Mornings with Pat Kreitlow

This week includes National Independent Bookstore Day, so we’ve asked author Laura Bird to join us and discuss what makes them important—not just for the local economy but for diversity in reading op…

Pope Francis died Monday morning, after more than a decade of leading the Roman Catholic church toward a rediscovery of its roots of inclusion and mercy. Already the debate has begun over whether the…

Each day brings its own challenges during this presidential administration, but the headlines today alone threaten to be overwhelming—with Trump cuts affecting public health, consumer protection, and…

Fake elector Robert Spindell is somehow still a member of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. On Thursday, his latest spewing of conspiracy theories about voting in Milwaukee led to a shouting match …

This has been a week of declarations in Wisconsin. There are now multiple candidates running for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District. We’ll talk to Emily Berge of Eau Claire about her decision…

These are serious times we’re living in right now, which makes it that much more critical that we pause now and then to enjoy some lighter moments. Instead of every movie featuring drama and potentia…

It won’t be much longer until the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee of the Legislature starts to write its own version of a two-year state government budget. It will certainly be differen…

It wasn’t that long ago that wetlands were considered a wasteland—and the people who urged that they be protected were mocked by politicians who joked about canoes unable to navigate dry culverts. No…

They were some of the surest words that could be spoken or written: “Back by the full faith and credit of the US Government.” People like to mock the government, but US Government bonds were always t…

Banning billionaires from election bribery is at the heart of a bill introduced by legislative Democrats who want to tighten the existing ban on outright bribery to include the kinds of end-runs that…

We’ll talk to the chief economist from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities about the perpetual roller coaster ride when it comes to trade and tariffs and what it all means for rural Wisconsin.…

Pat’s back home after a week out west, but his celebration for a team called the Broncos has nothing to do with Denver. We’ll also discuss the unending pointlessness of the legislation and the rhetor…

We’re 50 years removed from Watergate, when Richard Nixon faced impeachment for trying to use the US Department of Justice to go after his political enemies. Now Donald Trump is weaponizing DoJ in wa…

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin has become a nationally known fundraising machine and is enjoying its share of statewide successes since Ben Wikler took over as chair six years ago. With Wikler ste…

Legislative Democrats were on the road this week to hear from taxpayers exasperated by an endless series of property tax hikes because Republicans have consistently underfunded education and then cas…

If Congress gave out awards for dramatic performances, the representative from Wisconsin’s 3rd District would have to prepare an acceptance speech. Derrick Van Orden’s latest one-act play has it all:…

If the state budget is going to live up to Gov. Tony Evers’ wish that it reflect what he calls “The Year of Kid,” legislators are going to have to do more to shore up support for child care and for s…

There appears to be a job requirement to serve as chair of the Wisconsin Assembly Elections Committee that you be willing to embrace and spread conspiracy theories—especially if they’re about the big…

During President Trump’s first-term trade war, farmers in Wisconsin and nationwide got $23 billion in bailout payments but they would’ve rather had the $27 billion in export business Trump blocked. N…