Community Solutions Podcast

Community Solutions MN are experts on local, non-partisan, politics. Our podcast centers around issues that hit you everyday in your own backyard. We share our years of education with you to shorten your learning curve and help you understand what's going on where you live.

Episode 307- The Business Of Elections 03/25/2024

Episode 306- Constitution, Shmonstitution 03/16/2024

Episode 305- They've Got To Control The Narrative 03/09/2024

Episode 304- North Atlantic Trouble 02/29/2024

Episode 303-Bordering On Disbelief 02/22/2024

Episode 302- Somalia First- MSGA! 02/05/2024

Episode 301- Truth And Censorship 01/25/2024

Episode 300- Ones And Zeros 01/18/2024

Episode 299- Bigger, Bolder, Better 11/30/2023

Episode 298- A Very Bad Idea 11/14/2023

Episode 298- A Very Bad Idea It's no secret, we hate odd year elections. Very few people come out, and the majority of those are activists, union members, and the uber political. Should 3,500 people decide who makes policy for a city of 50,000? Why don't we just make it easy for people to vote? We hear so much about making it as easy as possible for everyone to have their voice heard, and then so many places have these odd year elections. They are done solely so one side can control the election results. This is the wrong way to go about it. You will find odd year elections in small cities like Appleton and in big cities like Minneapolis and St Paul. Some races have competition and some are completely uncontested. How do races even go uncontested, let alone an entire slate of races in a single city or school district? There were numerous referendums and sales tax implementations on the ballot, which passed more in the metro than outstate. Minneapolis also has a number of races where candidates are either on the Democratic Socialist ticket and the Socialist Workers' Party ticket. Ilhan Omar hand-picked the new mayor of St Louis Park. Have fun with all that. We have to stop with the odd year elections. They do nothing, but secure the DFL's hold on local elections. We also discussed the recent death of Matthew Perry and those that went too soon that have left an impact on us. It prompts a discussion on the search for meaning, and I think we may have figured it out. Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and ! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/28630523

Episode 297- Crazies Coming Out Of The Woodwork 11/05/2023

Episode 296- Stop Playing Their Game 10/26/2023

Episode 296- Stop Playing Their Game If we want to change the direction of our government, it takes us getting serious about our local elections. Top-down government never works, but yet we almost completely ignore the offices that are closest to us. The real problem is that we are playing a game that progressives created and wrote the rules to. Almost every city in Minnesota (and really, in the nation) are either a weak mayor/council or manager/council form of government. The progressives created this so that administrators could run the day-to-day operations of the government. Our government was set up to have separation of powers to limit the strength and function of each branch. We need to have some elected representation to provide oversight of the city employees. That should be the function of the mayor. The mayor should decide the direction of the administration, have veto power, propose a budget, etc. Stong mayors have traditionally had a full-time position, and in smaller cities, that's just not feasible. We lay out a case for a new approach to all local government bodies, starting with the history, methodology, and our ideas for necessary reforms in order to strengthen the local government against the state and federal government, but make it more responsible to the people. We give our early take on the horrific attack of Hamas upon Israel. We lay out the ten-cent history of the area to give you insight into the events that led up to this war. It's a take you won't get in too many other places. We also discuss our thoughts about how 2024 is shaping up. Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and ! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/28427924

Episode 295- Wringing Out Every Last Cent 10/17/2023

Episode 294- Give Up Everything You Love 10/10/2023

Episode 294- Give Up Everything You Love We hear all around us about the impending doom that is climate change. A group called C40 Cities in collaboration with Arup advisors have come up with so that we can all save the earth... or something like that. There's a problem, however, that if we do these things, we will have to completely give up our way of life. Their JUMP Campaign demands things that no one wants to do, including the elites that say these things and then will keep doing them after they've forced you to stop. First, they expect that we will eat a largely plant-based diet. Second, that you buy no more than three new pieces of clothes per year. They also want to limit your freedom to travel. Are you sold yet? Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, Houston, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philidelphia, Portland, Phoenix, Seattle, New Orleans, Miami, Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal . Do you like your car? Too bad! Do you like to eat meat? Too bad! Is this really the kind of future you want? You have to say something now. You have to stop voting for anyone that is behind these kinds of policies. Our freedom is on the line. This is not a drill. We also discuss the assassination of Rev Martin Luther King Jr, and whether James Earl Ray is the sole perpetrator or not. There were signs that he may have been the mastermind and signs that maybe he wasn't. Let us know what you think! Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/28273481

Episode 293- They Want Their Cut Too 09/19/2023

Episode 292- Complete Bedlam 09/11/2023

Episode 291- End The Met 09/03/2023

Episode 290- You Need Not Apply 08/14/2023

Episode 290- You Need Not Apply Golden Valley is a mess. In their pursuit for "equity" they are destroying the city. They that required all contractors looking to do business in Golden Valley to answer certain equity-related questions. They put equity ahead of fairness and have a plan to ensure things work that way. Equity has become the foremost standard in hiring police officers, which by the way, they are at 50% capacity. (who is black). Mayor Shep Harris influenced the decision toward Green. Jesse Smith (who was on a city equity-based task force) encouraged people to find dirt on Nadeau and engage in race-based hiring. Are hiring quotas a fair way to grow a workforce? They acknowledge that , but don't do a dang thing to give the land back. Put your money where your mouth is. Why aren't they doing anything about it? Because they're not serious about it. They're spouting off empty words so that they sound like they are embracing woke values without having to live by them. Shep isn't running for election, so who will be the face of Golden Valley? They continue to move hard to the left, and the people complain. Yet they keep voting for these results. How about trying something different? These things are coming to your town if you aren't aware. Now is the time to plan a run in 2024. If you have odd year elections, get in now! Don't risk taking one more step backwards. We also discuss the recent revelations in the Hunter Biden debacle. The news and the documents supporting these claims have been public knowledge for a couple of years, but only now is the discussion being forced into the mainstream of American discourse. What took so long? Why are they finally having to talk about this? We give our opinions on all of this. Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/27743340

Episode 289- Broke, But Who's Counting? 07/17/2023

Episoode 288- Flush With Cash 06/26/2023

Episode 287- The Learning Curve 06/14/2023

Episode 287- The Learning Curve On their way out of session, . As you know, we hate omnibus bills. So much junk passes through in these things, and the Republicans are just as complicit as the Democrats. They could choose to stop this horrible practice with a unified "no" vote, but they refuse. Is education now fully funded? Instead, Republicans and Democrats are falling all over themselves to spend this money to serve their Education MN masters. Not one word of this deals with academic outcomes, but has a whole lot of bad in it. $74.4 million was set aside for personnel aid and workforce development for student's mental health. $45.2 million was earmarked for school library aid. $37 million of our money was given for "Grow Your Own Teachers" grants. $430 million for a special education teacher pipeline. This is only the tip of the spending iceberg. Don't forget the conservative policy changes. All schools have to drop their Native American mascots, unless every Minnesota tribe ok's it. Schools have to limit their use of suspension and expulsion. There's also a provision that to be admitted to the school. This is specifically an anti-Christian measure. Crown College and the are suing the state, because this is purely unconstitutional. Way to legislate conservatively, Republicans. We also discuss the recent Republican failure on the raising of the debt ceiling. It turned out that there was nothing gained, and the president was still saying that it wasn't good enough and that he'd just do it under the 14th amendment. There's no way that stands up to judicial scrutiny. Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/27144942

Episode 286- Eye In The Sky 06/02/2023

Episode 286- Eye In The Sky Police departments are starting to . Don't we have a fourth amendment anymore? Aren't we supposed to be secure in our persons, homes, papers, and effects? How can this be allowed? Yet if we say anything, the same people that marched in the streets and ran for office on the platform of defunding the police call us anti-police. Hello, pot? Meet kettle. But since when hasn't hypocrisy been an artform for these folks. Those who want to hide abortions and sex changes from parents on the grounds of privacy, neglect our privacy when they want some of our info or property. Over 70 law enforcement agencies in MN are using drones including , Robbinsdale, . They are supposed to get a search warrant to fly them, but there are rules to get around that too. Using them for rescue might be one thing, but using them for a threat assessment or to spy on people is unreasonable behavior. In Warren, MN, they are . Did you give them permission to do that? They joined forces with other MN and German cities in the Climate Smart Municipalities Partnership. This doesn't seem legal to me, but hey, what does that have to do with it anymore? We also discuss the official "end" of COVID. The new Congress doesn't seem to be doing enough to fulfil their promise to get to the bottom of the origins on COVID. When they have subpoena power, why isn't there more pressure to get to the bottom of this? Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/27023022

Episode 285- Stacking The Deck 05/22/2023

Episode 284- The Total Takeover 05/05/2023

Episode 284- The Total Takeover Our cities are expected to be built the same as each other, using the exact same infrastructure, zoning, and policies. Everything is interconnected and collecting, analyzing, and reporting all different kinds of data. They're pushing electric vehicles, smart meters, and safer streets. They monitor activity and use that to try and drive behavior. They are putting sensors on your garbage cans, taking readings off of your smart meters, and making commercial buildings report their carbon emissions. They try to limit the water you use, the electricity you draw, and how far you travel. This is why there are cameras everywhere, recording everything we do. They are implementing a smart grid that delivers the right amount of electricity, at the right time, to the right places. Do you want the government or companies that are colluding with government to control if and how much energy you are getting? What about "wearable devices" that monitor and track your personal stats? At what point is this helpful and when does it cross over into being an invasion of privacy? Which cities are already considered "Smart Cities"? Never backing down from a little competition, we unveil the concept of "Brilliant Cities". Send in your ideas! We also discuss the recent departure of Tucker Carlson from Fox News and what that means for the network going forward. Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/26751972

Episode 283- Fool's Gold 04/23/2023

Episode 283- Fool's Gold The Gold Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line just got a huge financial shot in the arm from the Federal government. It is only a 10-mile line, and $240 million alone is coming from the Feds. $120 million a piece have come from Ramsey and Washington counties. That is such a short route, and it stops in so few places. It will serve such a small segment of the population, but that doesn't stop them from building it anyways. All this in a time where more people are staying home for one reason or another. They are looking to open the Gold Line in 2024, and they want to create bus-only bridges and lanes. You'd think that Republicans might stand up and put a halt to all of this spending and forced redevelopment, but they aren't. They seem to join in with the Democrats and vote to spend, spend, spend. They know it's part of a bigger agenda, but they refuse to stand up for individuals and small businesses that are being bullied by large corporations and government working together. For instance, Rochester is looking to put together a 3-mile BRT line to please Mayo clinic, complete with a 13 acre Transit-Oriented Development site. Southwest Light Rail is 10 years over schedule and double under budget. Metro Transit is cutting routes, because they are so empty. We've got to stop this madness. We also discuss Wells Fargo's recent plan to consolidate office space. Corporations are entering into a new era where more people are working from home, AI is replacing jobs, and fewer people are working at all. Having all of these big office buildings are no longer tenable for big corporations, so what's next? We discuss. Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/26622666

Episode 282- Green Fascism 04/08/2023

Episode 282- Green Fascism There is no end to the amount of money that government is asking from us. The problem is that the costs grow out of control as we implement all of these new green regulations. Thrifty is a word not found in the government dictionary. , but it will cost at least $300 million, which is only three times what they originally thought. They want to pay for this jail with a local option sales tax, which hits the poorest people the hardest. And hey... the county may annex some township land and acquire some businesses to boot. Remember that new Vikings stadium we just bought seven years ago? Well for maintenance, and $48 million this year alone. They paid $527,500 to have the building assessed. They need the money for weather stripping, a broken sign, and to put into their A/V system. Cities and counties are writing plans on how to renovate everything, making sure that they can make all of their green updates. They get all sorts of funding from the Federal and state governments, but there are always strings attached. Groups like make zoning recommendations to move cities toward zero emissions. How do we get a handle on this and drive back the push to remake America in the image of autocrats? We also discuss the recent indictment and case against President Donald Trump. Most people, regardless of affiliation, are in agreement that this is political. How is this going to play out? It's throwing a bunch of gasoline on a fire that was already coming to finish the job it already started. All we know is that this is just warming up. Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/26481330

Episode 281- Let's Take This Outside 03/27/2023

Episode 280- Oh Give Me A Home 03/15/2023

Episode 280- Oh Give Me A Home I'm not sure that anyone can explain how property taxes are figured out, but we're going to give it a shot. You get the county, the city, and the school district, all with their hands in the pie. There are 47-some classifications of properties, despite there being four main classifications (residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural). But as with all things, government makes everything more complicated. Also, your home value is not tied to how much you pay. Your taxes do not move up and down with your home value. They figure out how much money they need, and break it up among property owners based on your property. Leave it to government to confuse the issue further, with a number of levies for each government body. Schools have operating levies and deferred maintenance levies. Hennepin county has the general levy, but also a Railroad Authority levy and a Housing Authority levy. Why don't they just take the money and split it up afterward? We take a stab at some solutions for a simpler way of figuring out and assessing property taxes. Maybe we're on to something? We also discuss Tim Walz's strange behavior in where the state of Minnesota will not assist another state when an adult bring a child into the state for gender-affirming care, even if it's illegal in the state they are coming from or the adult has no legal right to bring the child to Minnesota. They are refusing to get involved, even if the adult is breaking the law (i.e. non-custodial parent or other adult bringing a child without parental consent). Our state government has lost it's ever-lovin' mind, and we're all suffering for it, despite the fact that 49% of the state didn't vote for these clowns. Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/26234859

Episode 279- Are You Master Of Your Domain? 03/05/2023

Episode 279- Are You Master Of Your Domain? Property ownership is a bedrock of American society. It has been ingrained in the fabric of our great country since before the beginning. Yet, government has found a way to confiscate our property, despite what the constitution says. Government came up with eminent domain as a way to take that property back. They would just take what they wanted, when they wanted it. Then laws were tightened after the Kelo v New London case at the Supreme Court. This was a terrible decision that set lawmakers to tightening up the laws around eminent domain. Minnesota statutes state that there are certain situations in which the government can take your land. What does it mean when a property is blighted? What is "public use"? Of course these are defined very vaguely, so that the government still has the greatest opportunity to get what they want. The growing fascism in this country (and the world) has brought government and business together to take from the people, so that we are completely dependent on them. It's time for local governments to take action to further protect property rights by narrowing the scope under when eminent domain is allowed. We've got some ideas on how to start. We also discuss how the schools are losing touch with all common sense. With the recent blizzard, Robbinsdale schools closed for three days way too early... but the State High School Girls Hockey Tournament went forward as planned that night. Ummmm...? Our schools are in trouble and they don't seem to be getting any better. They are drifting further into propaganda and losing their neighborhood feel. Somebody help? Have you checked out our ? At the beginning of each episode, Jason quotes some song lyrics that have to do with the subject matter of the podcast. Andrew never knows what they are, but now he can… and so can you! We’ve launched the Spotify playlist: “!” You can listen to Roundabout from Yes after listing to Episode 30 on Roundabouts… or kick back and enjoy a rocking playlist just for the thrill of it. We add a new song every week. Subscribe and enjoy! Don’t forget that you can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify! /episode/index/show/commsolutionsmn/id/26129001

Episode 278- Feds Are Bringing Up The Caboose Again 02/24/2023

Community Solutions Podcast

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