Monthly Archives: March, 2022

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would make daylight saving time permanent starting in 2023.

Lawmakers unanimously adopted the Sunshine Protection Act, which advocates say will boost economic activity. The measure must pass the U.S. House of Representatives before going to President Joe Biden for consideration.

The bill, S.623, would apply to those states who participate in daylight saving time. Most states observe daylight saving time for eight months each year. The bill would do away with changing clocks twice a year. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not participate in Daylight Saving Time.

U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, R-FL, and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-RI, sponsored the measure.

“Resetting the clocks may soon be a thing of the past,” Whitehouse said in a statement. “This is a bipartisan bill that has received a very strong response from constituents. I’m hopeful we can get the House of Representatives on board with an extra hour of afternoon sun in the winter and send this bill to the President’s desk.”

Nineteen states – Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming – have passed similar laws, resolutions, or voter initiatives, Rubio said. States need federal approval to make the change.

“I think the majority of the American people’s preference is just to stop the back and forth changing,” Rubio said.

The Florida Senator said research shows switching the clocks had been linked to increased heart attacks, car accidents and pedestrian accidents. He said other research suggests light later in the day could reduce crime and childhood obesity.

U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-OK, another bill sponsor, previously said the bill would appeal to parents of young children, among others.

“I don’t know a parent of a young child that would oppose getting rid of springing forward or falling back,” he said in a statement last week. “Congress created Daylight Saving decades ago as a wartime effort, now it is well past time to lock the clock and end this experiment.”

(The Center Square) – Americans are seeing the real costs of inflation in their daily lives as they pay record high gas prices, significantly increased grocery costs, and suffer sticker shock at restaurants, hair salons and other places.

Restaurants are charging more, with some posting notices on their doors. Increased prices, they say, are necessary to stay open simply to cover their increased costs for cooking oil and other goods. Some restaurants post signs accompanying empty containers to show that while they’re not increasing prices, their portion sizes are smaller.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that prices have increased by 7.9% in the past 12 months, since the start of President Joe Biden's presidency. But the increased prices don't take into account the fact that consumers also are paying more for less in another way: shrinkflation. The term points to how less of a product is sold at the same or an inflated cost.

Consumer World points to shrinkflation in its Mouse Print report, noting how products “have recently shrunk in size.”

By reading the fine print on bags of chips or the label on canned goods, consumers are noticing that what was previously 12 ounces is now 11.25 or less.

Consumers have been posting pictures of old and new products made by the same brand on social media sites. One popular page is Reddit’s “shrinkflation” page. Consumer World’s Mouse Print is similar.

For example, what was once a 24-can box of Coca-Cola now holds 20 cans.

“Coffee's getting smaller,” another user posted, along with pictures of an older 100g tin of Nescafe Azera compared to its new new 90g tin.

Those still heading to the gym for a workout may notice their Gatorade bottles have lost weight. Their new hourglass figure is 28 oz. The drink has long been available in 32 oz. plastic bottles. By charging the same price for less, consumers are paying 14% more.

SUN-MAID raisins have the same package and cost the same amount but have 13% fewer raisins, a Reddit consumer points out.

“Aldi Mandarin oranges price up and calories down,” writes another who posted a picture of older cans next to a newer can with the same serving sizes listed on their labels. But the older can’s serving size is 90 calories; the new can’s is 70.

“Hidden Inflation?” another user asked, posting a picture of two Dove soap bars. “Purchased in 2020 (left) & 2021 (right),” they wrote, pointing to a 4 oz. bar of soap on the left and a 3.75 oz. bar on the right.

Other popular posts are of Keebler’s repackaged products. Its Chips Deluxe with M&Ms, for example, was previously 11.3 oz. Now, it’s 9.75 oz. Its E.L. Fudge packages also lost 1.3 ounces and 20 calories per cookie, consumers note.

“Inflation is hitting everyone … we took just a little bit out of the bag so we can give you the same price and you can keep enjoying your chips,” Frito-Lay said of shrinking its Doritos bags, Quartz reported.

But it’s not the same “price,” because consumers are effectively paying more for fewer chips.

“One of the most puzzling reductions is ‘Family Size’ boxes of products,” Quartz states.

While the average size of an American family has increased according to U.S. Census Bureau data, family-sized packaging of some foods is smaller, it notes.

“A box of original Wheat Thins used to be sold in Family Size 16 oz. boxes and is now packaged as 14 oz. at the same price. That’s a 14% price increase. The reduced fat version of Family Size followed, going from 14.5 oz. to 12.5 oz. – a 16% price increase,” Quartz reports.

For those rushing out to get toilet paper, they may want to check the fine print as well. “Over the past 60 years we’ve seen Charmin toilet paper go from 650 single-ply sheets on a roll to the equivalent of 90% ... assuming you could even find single rolls any longer,” Mouse Print states. “The latest change shows ultra soft ‘Mega’ rolls going from 264 double-ply sheets per roll to 244. And ‘Super Mega’ rolls went from 396 sheets to 366.”

Shampoo and conditioner bottles are also coming out with new shapes – and less product. They usually held 12 oz., now they hold 10.4 oz. or less.

While selling less of a product for the same amount of money isn’t illegal, it has resulted in lawsuits, Quartz notes. In 2021, McCormick paid $2.5 million to resolve claims made by customers after it sold less black pepper in the same-sized containers; Mondelez was sued over how it changed its Toblerone candy bars.

It is illegal, however, for labels to be inaccurate.

Americans "have the right to expect that the information on the label, including the ingredient list, is accurate," the FDA states.

The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act – which provides authority for FDA’s consumer-protection work – requires that labels on packaged food products in interstate commerce not be false or misleading in any way.

The FDA monitors food products to ensure that labels are truthful and not misleading. If products aren't labeled according to the law, the FDA "takes appropriate action."

If consumers suspect a label is inaccurate, they are encouraged to contact the FDA's Consumer Complaint coordinator for the state/region in which they live.

(The Center Square) – The Biden administration extended the federal mask mandate for public transportation Thursday even as states and local governments around the country drop their mandates.

The Transportation Security Administration announced the mandate would be in effect through April 18 of this year. It applies to federally regulated public transit such as planes, trains and airports.

“At CDC’s recommendation, TSA will extend the security directive for mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs for one month, through April 18th,” the TSA said. “During that time, CDC will work with government agencies to help inform a revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor. This revised framework will be based on the COVID-19 community levels, risk of new variants, national data, and the latest science. We will communicate any updates publicly if and/or when they change.”

The decision came as a surprise to many Americans since the CDC announced last month that the majority of Americans can now go maskless.

CDC officials said in February that masks are no longer necessary unless someone lives in an area where hospitals are struggling to keep up, which means about 70% of Americans can go maskless.

"We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing ..." CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said.

The CDC does not create any mandates of its own, only guidance for other entities. The CDC website has a feature that allows users to see if their county is considered “high-risk” enough to necessitate masks.

“Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area,” the CDC site says. “Take precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 based on the COVID-19 Community Level in your area.”

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki defended the decision during the press briefing Thursday.

“When you get into an airplane, you travel to different places. You are not just static in one place whether it’s a green zone or a yellow zone or a red zone.”

(The Center Square) – Fourteen Republican attorneys general, led by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, have sued the Biden administration for not responding to a Freedom of Information request related to the Department of Justice calling for surveillance of parents expressing opinions at school board meetings and other forums.

The lawsuit follows a chain of events that began last October.

It was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana Indianapolis Division. It asks the court to force the Biden administration to respond to the requests for information.

It names President Joe Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, the U.S. Department of Justice, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and the U.S. Department of Education as plaintiffs.

The coalition, led by Rokita, are from the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.

On Oct. 4, Garland issued a memo on the “disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff” and called for the FBI and other federal law enforcement agents to monitor activities in school districts nationwide.

Six months later, the attorneys general argue, the Biden administration has provided no evidence of any spikes in threats against school personnel by American parents.

Garland issued the memo after the National School Board Association sent a Sept. 29 letter to the Biden administration lamenting that parents were opposing the teaching of critical race theory and other divisive ideologies, referring to parental protests as "domestic terrorism.”

Garland’s memo “attacked dissent by parents during local school board meetings in an effort ‘to intimidate parents into giving up their constitutional rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children,’” the attorneys general argue.

They anticipated his memo was based “on the NSBA’s false accusations against parents.” Garland confirmed this during his Oct. 21 testimony before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. He said, the “National School Board Association, which represents thousands of school boards and school board members, says that there are these kinds of threats. When we read in the newspapers reports of threats of violence … .”

According to his testimony, the White House asked for examples of specific threats. However, no such threats were presented.

The National School Board Association apologized for the language it used in the letter the day after Garland testified, on Oct. 22. More than half of its state affiliates distanced themselves from the national group, some pulling dues and membership.

But these actions weren’t enough, the attorneys general argue. Garland still hasn’t rescinded his memo. And the administration hasn’t responded to their request for information six months later.

The 14 attorneys general sent a letter Oct. 26 requesting information from Biden and Garland. It followed an Oct. 18 letter sent by a 17-state coalition. They’ve demanded Garland rescind his memo instructing the FBI to investigate parents and produce all communications of any federal officials or agencies related to the Sept. 29 NSBA letter.

They never received a response, they said, prompting the lawsuit.

“We just want the facts,” Rokita said. “Rather than cooperate, the Biden administration has sought to conceal and downplay its culpability. What are they hiding? Why won’t they come clean? Hoosiers and all Americans deserve to know.

“The Biden administration wants to sweep under the rug these inexcusable assaults on parents’ freedom of speech,” he added. “But we’re fighting for full transparency and accountability for this misconduct so it doesn’t happen again.”

(The Center Square) – Two more economic markers Wednesday raised concerns about the state of the U.S. economy, even as gas prices rise, inflation soars, and the invasion of Ukraine further threatens the supply chain.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses released a report Wednesday showing that small businesses have become increasingly concerned about their future.

"In February, the NFIB Optimism Index decreased by 1.4 points to 95.7, the second consecutive month below the 48-year average of 98," the group said. "Twenty-six percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem in operating their business, a four-point increase since December and the highest reading since the third quarter of 1981."

Inflation remains chief among those concerns after the Consumer Price Index has shown for months the most significant price increases in about 40 years.

“Inflation continues to be a problem on Main Street, leading more owners to raise selling prices again in February,” NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said. “Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages also remain problems, leading to lower earnings and sales for many.”

The report found that “the net percent of owners raising average selling prices increased seven points to a net 68% ... a 48-year record high reading.”

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released new data Wednesday showing that there were 11.3 million open jobs for the month of January, another new record high. That figure is more than the number of unemployed Americans, showing that many businesses are having trouble finding and keeping workers.

“Job openings decreased in several industries, with the largest decreases in accommodation and food services (-288,000); transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-132,000); and federal government (-60,000),” BLS said. “Job openings increased in other services (+136,000) and in durable goods manufacturing (+85,000).”

NFIB’s report found this has become a major issue for small businesses.

“Forty-eight percent of owners reported job openings that could not be filled, an increase of one point from January,” the report said. “Ninety-three percent of owners hiring or trying to hire reported few or no qualified applicants for their open positions.”

Many small business owners also reported having trouble keeping certain items stocked because of the supply chain issues.

“Thirty-seven percent of owners report that supply chain disruptions have had a significant impact on their business,” the report said. “Another 33% report a moderate impact and 21% report a mild impact. Only 8% of owners report no impact from the recent supply chain disruptions.”

A minority of small business owners expect better business conditions in the next six months.

“Price raising activity over the past 12 months has continued to escalate, reaching levels not seen since the early 1980s when prices were rising at double-digit rates,” the report said.

(The Center Square) – Protection of parental rights and other education reforms are the focus of several bills passed by the Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday.

The Empowering Parents K-12 Education Reform Package of bills includes legislation aimed at increasing charter schools in the state as well as eliminating parent income limits and pupil caps for eligibility in the several of the state’s parental.

The bills easily passed the Republican-led chamber, but it’s anticipated all will be vetoed when they reach the desk of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, the former superintendent of Wisconsin’s public school system.

A recent Marquette University Law Poll reported 59% support the use of publicly funded vouchers to attend private or religious schools. Real Clear Opinion Research found that 72% of registered voters support the concept of school choice, an 8% increase since early 2020.

Assembly Bill 963 requires the government prove “a compelling interest” before public employees usurp parental or legal guardians’ authority to guide their children’s religion, medical care and records, and education.

The bill specifically ensures parents the following rights, unless these rights violate a law or court order:

• The right to determine the religion of the child.

• The right to determine the type of school or educational setting the child attends.

• The right to determine medical care for the child, unless specified otherwise in law or court order.

• The right to review all medical records related to the child, unless specified otherwise in law or court order.

• The right to determine the names and pronouns used for the child while at school.

• The right to review instructional materials and outlines used by the child's school.

• The right to access any education-related information regarding the child.

• The right to advanced notice of any polls or surveys instituted by the child's classroom.

• The right to request notice of when certain subjects will be taught or discussed in the child's classroom.

• The right to opt out of a class or instructional materials for reasons based on either religion or personal conviction.

• The right to visit the child at school during school hours, consistent with school policy, unless otherwise specified in law or court order.

• The right to engage with locally elected school board members of the school district in which the child is a student, including participating at regularly scheduled school board meetings.

• The right to be notified of the creation of or updates to a security or surveillance system at the child's school.

• The right to be informed of any disciplinary action taken against or threatened against the child.

• The right to be timely informed of any acts of violence or crimes occurring on grounds of the child's school.

AB 963 also acknowledges parental and guardian rights may be more comprehensive than outlined in the bill. Parents and legal guardians will be allowed to sue any public entity accused of violating any of the rights listed in the bill. The bill doesn’t authorize any parental or guardian neglect or abusive behavior of their child or children, nor does it prevent a court from issuing any order within its purview.

AB 967, if signed into law, would allow any charter school governing board to open additional charter schools if its currently operated schools achieve in either of the Department of Public Instruction’s top two performance categories.

AB 968 aims to establish the Charter School Authorizing Board, which would be attached to the Department of Public Instruction. The CSAB would be granted authority to approve future charter schools.

AB 970 eliminates the income limits on the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and the Racine Parental Choice Program. The bill would also remove the cap on pupil participation limits in the WPCP.

(The Center Square) – Rideshare groups are dealing with a disturbing trend of violence against gig workers in Illinois and the rest of the country.

A new rideshare driver safety hub has opened up in the Chicago area and more could pop up around the state. Officials say the office in Park Ridge will offer legal support, safety and health resources, and a support network for drivers who have experienced trauma.

Lenny Sanchez, director of the Illinois Independent Drivers Guild, said incidents of violence against gig drivers are out of control.

“I say it is at crisis level is the best way that I can describe it,” Sanchez said. “We have met hundreds and hundreds of drivers that have been assaulted at gunpoint, their vehicle shot at by being lured in by the application.”

Lyft received an increasing number of reports of sexual assault in recent years, including more than 1,800 in 2019. Lyft released the figures nearly two years after Uber put out a similar report that showed more than 3,000 sexual assaults were reported within the U.S. in 2018.

Just last summer, an Uber driver died after being shot in the head in Cicero. Joe Schelstraete, a 38-year-old driver, picked up four armed men who used the Uber app to hail him.

Sanchez said the violence is forcing drivers to take action to protect themselves.

“Before, drivers used to occasionally carry a firearm but now it is a very common thing,” Sanchez said. “We’ve seen drivers that we met that are wearing bulletproof vests.”

To improve safety, Sanchez is asking drivers to submit a selfie that would be shared with the app in case of a crime to be later used as evidence.

(The Center Square) – The investigation into the 2020 election in Wisconsin will last at least another month.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on Tuesday extended former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Mike Gableman’s investigation until the end of April.

“The office of Special Counsel has done an outstanding job looking into the election concerns people all across Wisconsin had,” Vos said in a statement after signing a new contract with Gableman.

Vos said he is continuing the investigation because there are both unanswered questions from election managers and mayors across the state, and because there are unsettled lawsuits surrounding Gableman’s efforts.

“Justice Gableman continues to face unwarranted resistance,” Vos explained. “We will continue to fight the obstruction and myriad of lawsuits filed by Democrats and out-of-state liberal activists, questioning the legislature’s subpoena power and ultimately keeping this matter from concluding in the time frame we expected.”

Democrats at the Wisconsin Capitol were outraged by the extension.

“It is far past time that this sham investigation ended,” Assembly Democratic Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, said in a statement.

She called Gableman’s probe “anti-democratic,” and “embarrassing.”

Former President Trump also weighed-in on Gableman’s probe.

“Congratulations and thank you to Robin Vos, Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and State Assemblywoman Janel Brandtjen, Chair of the Committee on Campaigns and Elections, for standing by highly respected Justice Michael Gableman on the incredible findings just announced on Election Fraud in the great State of Wisconsin,” Trump said in his own statement Tuesday. “I feel confident that Robin will exercise his moral duty to follow up on Justice Gableman’s findings.”

Trump said, based on the finding of Gableman’s initial report, “there can only be a Decertification of Electors.”

Gableman brought up the idea of decertifying Wisconsin’s electors, but said it would not change the outcome of the 2020 race.

Top Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol say recalling the state’s electors or changing the outcome of the 2020 election would be unconstitutional.

Property taxes are the lifeblood of local governments and municipalities across the United States, accounting for over 70% of all local tax revenue. Property taxes - such as taxes levied on homeowners and landowners - go to fund schools, parks, roads, and other public works and services.

While states typically impose a minimum property tax, property taxes are mostly determined at the local level - and are often a percentage of a property or home's overall value. Depending on where you choose to buy a home, property taxes can range from negligible amounts to nearly matching a mortgage payment.

Across Wisconsin, the effective annual property tax rate stands at 1.53%, the eighth highest among states. For context, homeowners in the U.S. pay an average of 1.03% of their housing value in property taxes a year.

The effective property tax rate is calculated by taking the total amount of taxes paid on owner-occupied homes in a given area as a share of the total value of those homes. While an effective property tax rate is useful for comparing taxes at the state level, it is important to note that property tax rates can still vary considerably within a given state.

Because property taxes are typically levied as a share of a given home's value, Americans living in places with higher home values often pay more in property taxes in dollar terms, even if the effective property tax rate is relatively low. In Wisconsin, the typical home is worth $197,200, lower than the national median home value of $240,500.

All data in this story is from the Tax Foundation, a tax policy research organization, and the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey.

RankStateEffective property tax rate (% of home value)Median home value ($)Median household income ($)1New Jersey2.13348,80085,7512Illinois1.97209,10069,1873New Hampshire1.89281,40077,9334Vermont1.76233,20063,0015Connecticut1.73280,70078,8336Texas1.60200,40064,0347Nebraska1.54172,70063,2298Wisconsin1.53197,20064,1689Ohio1.52157,20058,64210Iowa1.43158,90061,69111Pennsylvania1.43192,60063,46312Rhode Island1.37283,00071,16913Michigan1.31169,60059,58414New York1.30338,70072,10815Kansas1.28163,20062,08716Maine1.20200,50058,92417South Dakota1.14185,00059,53318Massachusetts1.08418,60085,84319Minnesota1.05246,70074,59320Maryland1.01332,50086,73821Alaska0.98281,20075,46322Missouri0.96168,00057,40923Oregon0.91354,60067,05824North Dakota0.88205,40064,57725Georgia0.87202,50061,98026Florida0.86245,10059,22727Washington0.84387,60078,68728Virginia0.84288,80076,45629Oklahoma0.83147,00054,44930Indiana0.81156,00057,60331Kentucky0.78151,70052,29532North Carolina0.78193,20057,34133Montana0.74253,60057,15334California0.70568,50080,44035Idaho0.65255,20060,99936Tennessee0.63191,90056,07137Mississippi0.63128,20045,79238Arkansas0.61136,20048,95239Arizona0.60255,90062,05540New Mexico0.59180,90051,94541Delaware0.59261,70070,17642Nevada0.56317,80063,27643Utah0.56330,30075,78044South Carolina0.53179,80056,22745West Virginia0.53124,60048,85046Colorado0.52394,60077,12747Wyoming0.51235,20065,00348Louisiana0.51172,10051,07349Alabama0.37154,00051,73450Hawaii0.31669,20083,102

(The Center Square) – Two years of the coronavirus appear to have changed some of the attitudes toward public schools in Wisconsin.

The latest Marquette Law School Poll shows over half of voters in the state think schools in the state are worse than they were a few years ago, and nearly half say education standards are too low.

“A majority of respondents, 55%, say public schools are in worse shape than a few years ago, while 29% say they are in about the same shape, and 9% say they are better now,” pollsters wrote. “In August 2018, 44% said schools had gotten worse, 34% said they were about the same, and 15% said schools had gotten better.”

For learning standards, the poll says 47% of voters say the standards are lower than they should be. That’s exactly where that number was when the Marquette Poll last asked that question in 20014.

The poll shows a huge political difference on the question of who should have the biggest say in a school’s curriculum.

Pollsters say 56% of Republican voters and 43% of independent voters believe parents should have the biggest say, while just 9% of Democratic voters believe the same.

CJ Szafir with the Institute for Reforming Government is not shocked.

“The Marquette Law School Poll confirms what so many of us have been fighting for. Wisconsinites want parents to be in-charge of their children's education - not bureaucrats and special interests,” Szafir told The Center Square Thursday.

The poll shows that more than half of Democratic voters believe teachers should drive curriculum in schools.

Szafir and his group are driving the Parents Bill of Rights in Wisconsin that would spell out that parents are in charge of their kids’ education.

“As seen all over the country, parents are fed up with unnecessary school closures and curriculum that does not align with their values and have a renewed interest in finding a school that fits their child's unique needs,” Szafir explained. “It is concerning that only nine percent of Democrats agree [that parents should be in charge]. This represents a clear philosophical difference between the two parties about whether to empower parents. There's no question the progressive base is on the wrong side of history.”

The Wisconsin Assembly approved the Parents Bill of Rights last week, but it is almost certainly headed for a veto from Gov. Evers once it reaches his desk.

(The Center Square) – Inflation has risen steadily since President Joe Biden took office, and his new plan to fight rising prices has been met with skepticism by critics.

Biden vowed to fight inflation during his State of the Union address by pushing a “buy American” agenda.

“One way to fight inflation is drive down wages and make Americans poorer,” Biden said. “I have a better way to fight inflation: lower your costs, not your wages.”

Biden emphasized the role of the supply chain, not soaring federal spending, as the cause of inflation.

“We’re going to make more cars and semiconductors in America," Biden said. "More infrastructure innovation in America. More goods moving faster and cheaper in America. More jobs that you can earn a living, a good living by, here in America. Instead of relying on foreign supply chains, let’s make it in America again.”

The consumer price index has risen the fastest in 40 years with food and energy costs among the most affected. Gas prices have risen about $1 from the same time last year.

"The president found a lot of boogiemen to blame for the steepest inflation in 40 years, including businesses to whom he instructed, 'lower your costs, not your wages,' ” said Joel Griffith, an economic expert at the Heritage Foundation. “The inflation scourge and supply shortages – evidenced by sparse shelves and lengthy delivery times – stems from the senseless COVID-19 restrictions that suppressed production, wreaked havoc on transportation networks, and kept millions of workers off the job.”

Griffith acknowledged the supply shortages' role in inflation, but pointed to something Biden did not focus on in his speech: skyrocketing federal debt spending.

“Meanwhile, our federal government stoked demand at a time of plunging supply by spending trillions of dollars,” he said. “The Federal Reserve aided much of this spending by purchasing government bonds with newly ‘printed’ money and directed yet more new money into the housing and financial markets. It’s no surprise that artificially reduced supply combined with a system awash in newly ‘minted’ cash is stoking sky-high inflation.”

Biden has taken fire for his COVID-19 relief bill, in particular. It cost nearly $2 trillion and created federal unemployment benefits that reports show increased unemployment.

“Predictably, Mr. Biden assigned no blame to his excessively large American Rescue Plan for stoking inflation by providing the country with its largest peacetime budget stimulus on record at a time that monetary policy was very loose and the economy was recovering strongly,” said Desmond Lachman, an economic expert at the American Enterprise Institute. “He also offered very little in the way of policies to get (the) inflation genie back into the bottle other than offering to release a minimum amount of oil from the U.S. strategic stockpile, encourage companies to buy American, pass parts of his Build Back Better program and adopt cost-cutting measures in selected sectors of the economy.”

Critics of Biden’s “Buy American” push said it will not fix the problem of inflation and may make it worse.

“Any attempt to tame inflation through 'Buy America' policies is unlikely to succeed,” said Colin Grabow, an economic expert at the Cato Institute. “As President Biden himself stated in his State of the Union address, the best way to lower costs is through increased competition. But policies that discourage or prohibit Americans from purchasing foreign products or incorporating other countries into supply chains are the precise opposite of that. Restricting the ability of Americans to source foreign products is a restriction on competition. It is not a coincidence that the low inflation enjoyed by Americans in recent decades has correlated with increased global economic integration and the vigorous competition it has produced.”

Biden said solving this issues is a "top priority.

"But we know that despite this historic recovery, too many families are still struggling with higher costs," he said. "I get it. Our top priority must be getting prices under control."

(The Center Square) – Schools across Wisconsin are getting millions of new dollars to help them afford school lunches during “supply chain challenges.”

The state’s Department of Public Instruction this week announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sending Wisconsin $17 million to supplement the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.

“School food authorities are facing extraordinary challenges in responding to shortages and price fluctuations, and this funding will immediately help nutrition programs across Wisconsin serve the students who rely on these meals every day,” Superintendent Jill Underly said in a statement.

Every eligible school district in the state, as well as eligible private schools, will get a guaranteed base payment of at least $5,000. Many schools will see more money.

Brett Healy, president at the MacIver Institute, said it is telling that the Biden Administration is having to spend more money to solve a problem it created.

“When President Biden began his unprecedented tsunami of federal spending and printed money to partially pay for all of that spending, everyone knew that it would lead to inflation, higher prices, supply chain problems and higher interest rates,” Healy told The Center Square. “To say that this grant will resolve, as the headline suggests, supply chain problems our schools are facing or immediately help in any meaningful way feed needy students is another lie and an insult to the intellect of the American people.”

DPI did not say just what school lunch menu items are more expensive or hard to find because of the supply chain issues.

The USDA says groceries in the United States were 7.4% higher in January of 2022 than they were in January of 2021.

Healy said folks at home clearly see that, and certainly feel it.

“Now, the President thinks he can fool the American public again into thinking that by handing out even more taxpayer money, it will somehow lower their grocery bill, the price of gas and return the economy to what it was under President Trump. How dumb does the President think we are?” Healy asked.

(The Center Square) – Most voters in Wisconsin don’t know most of the candidates running for governor or U.S. Senator this fall. And just over half of voters in the state think Wisconsin is on “the wrong track.”

The latest Marquette Law School Poll shows the candidates running in this August’s primary have a lot of work to do connecting with the voters.

“The poll finds 51% of registered voters saying they don’t know whom they will support in the Republican primary for governor or the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate,” pollsters said on Wednesday. “Forty-six percent say they support one of the current candidates.”

Among the Republicans running for governor, former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch has the most name recognition at 50%. Eighty percent of Republican voters say they don’t know who Kevin Nicholson is, and 86% don’t know anything about Tim Ramthun.

In the Democratic race for U.S. Senate, the poll says 62% of voters haven’t heard of current Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes. Pollsters say 73% of voters haven’t heard of second-place candidate and son of the Milwaukee Bucks’ owner, Alex Lasry. The rest of the crowded field of Democrats was unrecognized by 85% or more of voters.

“It is not unusual to see half of registered voters undecided with more than five months to go before the primary, but the high percentage of undecided is a vivid reminder that the primaries are not uppermost in voters’ minds at this point,” pollsters noted.

On the issues, the poll found more people think Wisconsin is “on the wrong track.”

Shortly after Gov. Tony Evers took office in 2019, Marquette pollsters say 57% of voters in the state thought Wisconsin was on the right track. Now, 53% say Wisconsin is headed in the wrong direction.

Voters are most concerned about inflation. The poll shows 96% of voters in Wisconsin are at least somewhat concerned about the rising cost of everything from gas to groceries and homes.

Voters also seem to be increasing their trust in the 2020 presidential election.

The poll notes that 38% of Republican voters in the state now say they trust the outcome of the last presidential vote. That’s up from 29% in August of last year.

Democrats remain unflinching in their support for the 2020 election, with 96% of voters saying they trust the results. That number was 97% last summer.

This poll interviewed 802 registered Wisconsin voters by landline or cell phone Feb. 22-27, 2022. The margin of error is +/-3.8 percentage points for the full sample.

You can find the full audit here and find the toplines here.

(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden blasted the defund police movement during his State of the Union address Tuesday evening, but others in his party are not going along with his messaging.

"We should all agree: The answer is not to defund the police," Biden said in his address. "The answer is to fund the police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities."

Almost immediately, Biden was met with pushback from his own party. Some Democratic lawmakers and a contingent of activists have continued to push for “defunding police” despite Biden’s rhetoric to the contrary during his time in office.

“With all due respect, Mr. President,” Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo, wrote on Twitter in response to the speech. “You didn’t mention saving Black lives once in this speech. All our country has done is given more funding to police. The result? 2021 set a record for fatal police shootings. Defund the police. Invest in our communities.”

While Bush doubled down on her message, other Democrats have drifted from it.

Tuesday was not Biden’s first time to emphasize funding police. He has consistently held that message, defying others in his party. Last June, Biden called for hiring more police to stop the wave of violent crime that continues to sweep across American cities.

​​“But what I would say to you is that the president has never supported defunding the police,” Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a news briefing at the time. “He’s always supported community policing programs. He’s supported giving funding to – to states and localities around the country, including through his American Rescue Plan, because he thinks there is an essential role to play for community policing.”

Biden also pointed to specific policing strategies, like beat cop patrols as well as measures meant to prevent deaths, like “body cameras, banned chokeholds, and restricted no-knock warrants for its officers.”

“Like some of you that have been around for a while – I’ve worked with you on these issues for a long time,” Biden said Tuesday evening. “I know what works: Investing in crime prevention and community policing – cops who walk the beat, who know the neighborhood, and who can restore trust and safety. Let’s not abandon our streets or choose between safety and equal justice. Let’s come together and protect our communities, restore trust, and hold law enforcement accountable.”

During his speech, Biden noted he met with the families of slain New York City Police Department officers Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera.

“I recently visited New York City Police Department days after the funerals of Officer Wilbert Mora and his partner, Officer Jason Rivera,” he said. “They were responding to a 911 call when a man shot and killed them with a stolen gun. Officer Mora was 27 years old. Officer Rivera was 22 years old. Both Dominican Americans who grew up in the same streets that they later chose to patrol as police officers. I spoke with their families, and I told them that we are forever in debt for their sacrifices and we’ll carry on their mission to restore the trust and safety in every community deserves.”