PODCAST · news
The Recombobulation Minute
by Civic Media
Dan Shafer, creator of The Recombobulation Area, brings you the latest perspective on Wisconsin politics.
Episodes
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What Last Week's Elections Mean for Wisconsin 2026
Last week, Democrats notched a number of big victories in elections across the country, with important wins in states like New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia and California. And while Wisconsin did not have an election on November 4 of this year, these results can tell us something about November 3 of...
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A Reexamination of Mandela Barnes' 2022 Senate Campaign
We are just about one year away from the 2026 midterm elections, and after some recent big announcements, the Democratic field in the race for governor is very nearly set. Just one major decision looms, and that’s the one from former lieutenant governor Mandela Barnes. Barnes seems likely to run...
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Wisconsin DoT Announces Start of I-94 Construction Project
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation just announced the official start date for one of its biggest ever construction projects, the I-94 East-West project, which will reconstruct and widen a 3.5-mile stretch of interstate highway in the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County. This is a…
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Increased I.C.E. Activity in Wisconsin
In recent weeks, the level of activity from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has increased quite a bit. There was a raid in Manitowoc at a Walmart parking lot where dairy workers were known to congregate, a series of arrests in Madison, and in Milwaukee, ICE is looking to expand its...
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Tom Tiffany Announces Run for Governor
Tom Tiffany, Republican congressman representing Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, has finally made it official: He’s running for governor. The election for governor in 2026 is the state’s first open race for the office since 2010, and it’s sure to invite many candidates to run. And on the...
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Civic Media Launches Network Newsletter - Civic Media Today
We’re taking a little bit of a detour this week on The Recombobulation Minute so I can tell you about a brand new project we’ve been working on here at Civic Media, that we’re really really excited about. Here at the Civic Media network, we produce a tremendous amount of content on any given day....
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Republican Controlled Budget Committee Cuts Veteran Housing
This year’s Wisconsin state budget included a rather unfortunate cut: The Republican-controlled budget committee eliminated funding for the Veterans Housing and Recovery Program that would have kept two facilities, in Green Bay and in Chippewa Falls, open and operational. This state program aims…
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Right-Wing Supreme Court Justice Will Not Seek Reelection
Big political news dropped the Friday before Labor Day weekend in Wisconsin, with right-wing state Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley announcing that she will NOT be seeking re-election to another 10 year term on the court. In her statement announcing the decision, Bradley bemoaned a “shift…
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Too Early Breakdown of the Governors Race
Look, it’s probably too early to have a conversation about the 2026 race for governor in Wisconsin. But our readers spoke, and they asked for our take on this, so we delivered an extensive breakdown of who is running and who might be running in both the Democratic and Republican primaries for the...
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Massive Floods In Milwaukee And Moving Forward
In early August, massive flooding hit southeastern Wisconsin after what some are calling a “thousand-year rain event.” One Milwaukee County official even likened it to experiencing a hurricane. So many people are going to be struggling to recover from this cataclysmic event. Because of that, it…
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The Wisconsin Legislature and the Milwaukee Police Department
This week Wisconsin Republican lawmakers called on Mayor Cavalier Johnson to urge Police Chief Jeffrey Norman to “temporarily reorganize MPD to allow for the maximum amount of available sworn officers to be assigned to our streets.” The Mayor’s office pushed back and said “We thank the state...
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First Look at the Wisconsin Governors Race
With Gov. Tony Evers choosing not to run for a third term, that means we’re going to have the first open race for governor in 16 years. We already know who some of the candidates will be. On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez launched her campaign and Milwaukee County Executive David...
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Governor Evers Has Made His Decision
After weeks of speculation, Gov. Tony Evers has finally made his decision: He is not running for a third term. Evers has had an accomplished career as a dedicated public servant for five decades and has been a terrific governor for the state of Wisconsin these last six-plus, and we should be...
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The Next Step For Fair Maps
In February of 2024, Gov. Tony Evers signed new maps for the Wisconsin State Legislature into law, putting an end to one of the most extreme partisan gerrymanders anywhere in the country. While that was a momentous achievement for democracy in the state, that wasn’t the end of the story. Since...
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2025 Wisconsin State Budget Bill Passed
In a chaotic and somewhat discombobulating end to the process, Wisconsin lawmakers passed a state budget and Gov. Tony Evers signed it into law at about 1:30 a.m. on July 3. What made this budget different from the others signed in this era of divided government — with a Democratic governor and a...
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What Wisconsin Agrees On
Ever since I launched The Recombobulation Area, I have written an in depth breakdown of every new edition of the Marquette University Law School Poll. The newest poll asks about a range of topics — whether Tony Evers should run for a third term, where people stand on Donald Trump’s economic...
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Should Governor Evers Run for a Third Term?
For the last few months, Gov. Tony Evers has said repeatedly that he would make a decision about whether or not to run for a third term after the state budget process is completed. In a recent opinion column at The Recombobulation Area, I made the argument that the decision the Evers should make...
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Senator Johnson and the Big Beautiful Bill
In discussions over the so-called “big beautiful bill” backed by Donald Trump that’s making its way through Congress, none other than Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson has emerged as the most prominent Republican critic of the bill, saying at a recent Milwaukee Press Club event that it is “not even...
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Wisconsin's Political Off-Season
I’m Dan Shafer. Let’s recombobulate. We are in a rare moment right now in Wisconsin politics. Why, you ask? Well, it’s because we are not actively in the middle of a campaign cycle. It’s been more than six weeks now since any of us have seen a campaign ad. It’s been pretty nice, hasn’t it? This...
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Refusing to Have the Debate
I’m Dan Shafer. Let’s recombobulate. The biggest thing that happens in Wisconsin’s state government every two years is the state budget, and last week at the state capitol, Republican lawmakers took a step forward in the process, by voting out more than 600 measures from Governor Tony Evers’...
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Your Voice Matters This Budget Season
I’m Dan Shafer. Let’s recombobulate. There’s been a whole lot happening in the political universe these past few months. Much of it has been rather discombobulating, you might say. From the first 100 days of the Trump administration to the high-stakes race for Wisconsin Supreme Court and…
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Hold the Vote, Mr. Speaker
I’m Dan Shafer. Let’s recombobulate. On April 22 in the Wisconsin State Senate, something happened that you don’t see too often — a high profile bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. The Republican-controlled chamber voted 32-1 to extend Medicaid coverage for new moms from 60 days to…
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Addressing Lead in Milwaukee Schools
I’m Dan Shafer. Let’s recombobulate. In recent months, Milwaukee health officials have uncovered significant lead hazards in city schools, mostly due to lead-based paint. Several schools have been closed as the problem has been found to be more widespread. In late March, city officials formally...
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Wisconsin Cannot Be Bought
I’m Dan Shafer. Let’s recombobulate. In the April 1 Spring Election, Susan Crawford won the incredibly expensive race for Wisconsin Supreme Court. And she didn’t just win, but won decisively, gaining 55% of the vote, a 10-point margin ahead of her opponent, Brad Schimel. It is a remarkable…
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The Impact of Opioid Settlements in Wisconsin
I’m Dan Shafer, let’s recombobulate. In the race for Wisconsin Supreme Court, so many issues are on the line, from reproductive rights to redistricting, to even just basic checks and balances. For right-wing candidate Brad Schimel, though, one issue deserves more scrutiny, and that’s his record…
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We've got to talk about Derrick Van Orden
I’m Dan Shafer, let’s recombobulate. Folks, we’ve got to talk about Derrick Van Orden. The second term congressman representing Wisconsin’s Third District is at it again, dodging public meetings and making all kinds of unhinged comments. As many scramble and struggle to understand the chaos of...
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Veto Watch in Wisconsin
I’m Dan Shafer, let’s recombobulate. Governor Tony Evers has released his budget, calling this the most pro-kid budget in state history. This is now the fourth time that Evers has put forth a budget proposal, and the three prior were all met with a similar fate. Republicans and the legislature...
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The Spring Primary and the race for State Superintendent
Believe it or not, it is once again time for Wisconsinites to head to the polls and vote. I know, we all have a bit of election fatigue after 2024, but the Spring Election Primary is coming up on Tuesday, Feb. 18. One race that will be on every ballot for the Spring Primary is for State...
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The birthright citizenship battle
Guests: Dan Shafer
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The first legislative priority
Wisconsin Republicans prioritize a constitutional voter ID amendment, aiming to boost right-wing turnout for the April Supreme Court race. Democrats criticize focus shift from pressing issues like healthcare and gun violence. Guests: Dan Shafer
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A new legislature is sworn in
Wisconsin’s State Legislature sees a historic shake-up with 37 new members. The Republican majority shrinks, potentially paving the way for compromise and increased accountability in a more balanced political landscape. Guests: Dan Shafer
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End of the year recap
Reflecting on 2024’s political landscape, from Milwaukee’s RNC to Chicago’s DNC. Delve into impactful stories about fair maps, state legislature elections, and interviews, with Dan Schaeffer leading the charge.
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Act 10 is struck down
Wisconsin’s Act 10 anti-union law partially struck down; political motives exposed in union differentiation. Appeals loom, highlighting the critical upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Stakes are high for labor rights.
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Ben Wikler is in the race for DNC Chair
Ben Wickler, Wisconsin’s Democratic Party Chair, enters the DNC Chair race, appealing to both centrists and progressives. Will his ‘just right’ approach shape Democratic strategy amid Trump’s influence?
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Dan Shafer, creator of The Recombobulation Area, brings you the latest perspective on Wisconsin politics.
HOSTED BY
Civic Media
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Recombobulation Minute have?
The Recombobulation Minute currently has 34 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Recombobulation Minute about?
Dan Shafer, creator of The Recombobulation Area, brings you the latest perspective on Wisconsin politics.
How often does The Recombobulation Minute release new episodes?
The Recombobulation Minute has 34 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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Who hosts The Recombobulation Minute?
The Recombobulation Minute is created and hosted by Civic Media.
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