Monday, January 20, 2025
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Monday, January 20, 2025

Milwaukee Press Club 'Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism' 2020 & 2021 Award Winners

Meg Ellefson’s 2024 Winners of the Year in Conservative Politics

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In reflecting upon the past year in Wisconsin Conservative Politics, I’m so grateful that sound judgment, wisdom and reasoning prevailed in the 2024 elections in Wisconsin, that I’m nominating Common Sense as one of the winners.

The remaining winners are in no order of importance. I’m simply acknowledging the joy in the realization that the majority of those among us are sensible and intelligent critical thinkers and voted accordingly in 2024. My faith in mankind has been restored and renewed.

We should all literally thank God that our fellow citizens had their “heads screwed on straight” (as my dear dad used to say) when they voted.
Winners

I’ve shared many times that the 3 axioms (I added one) in politics that never change are #1. Candidates matter, #2. Issues matter and #3. Self-awareness matters. My objective is to lead as many listeners to the light by encouraging them to use critical thinking skills in politics, as this is a winning strategy worth embracing.

I’m not shy about sharing my opinions on and off the air – after all, it’s called The Meg Ellefson Show. This past year, an obscure faction on the right have attempted to impose their version of DEI on me, by demanding that I give every candidate (even the obviously unelectable ones) a participation trophy, aka ‘equal time’ on my show. Viable and intelligent candidate selection is about strategy, acumen and instincts. Some people just don’t have it. However, thankfully, the Wisconsin primary election in August demonstrated that the majority does.

Here are my top picks for Winners in 2024:

#9. Talk Radio

This is a medium that has proven to work, especially in local elections. Getting the intelligent word out about the smartest, most capable, qualified and best candidates to represent us is a priceless gift (public service) and of utmost importance in winning. So grateful for the Godfather of Talk Radio, truth teller Rush Limbaugh. He is the one that continues to inspire me.

#8. Wisconsin Right Now

The premiere news source in Wisconsin, award-winning investigative journalists Jessica McBride and Jim Piwowarczyk are dedicated to providing thorough research, outstanding reporting and exceptional writing. Every concerned Wisconsin citizen should be relying upon Wisconsin Right Now for their news. Their work is unmatched.

#7. Normal Conservative Republican Voters

This one is self-explanatory. Enough with the circular firing squad. Calling out the crackpots is necessary in highlighting why normal conservative Republicans should be in charge.

Normal made a comeback in 2024. Here’s to more of it in 2025!

#6. Kim Trueblood

Kim trueblood
We really dodged a bullet in the August primary election.

The feckless local cast of clowns that insisted upon primarying a hard-working, highly qualified and respected conservative county clerk truly revealed much about themselves. Kim Trueblood is exactly the individual that we need representing us in the Marathon County Clerk’s office and administering our elections with masterful competence and integrity. The voters agreed and spoke resoundingly in August.

The unsuccessful candidate that challenged our county clerk was unfit to be in the role and was fired from her taxpayer-funded job for – among other reasons – campaigning on the taxpayer dime. (As it turns out, it actually cost us a lot of dimes.) Not only did the crackpots’ preferred candidate squeeze Marathon County (we the taxpayers) of $23,000 in severance pay, we also had to pick up the $12,545 tab for an outside law firm’s investigation of this county employee. An open records request revealed that this person was terminated due to “insubordination, unprofessional conduct, unwillingness to accept responsibility for her behavior, lack of integrity and honesty.”

Remember Axiom #1? Candidates matter.

#5. Brent Jacobson

Brent jacobson
Image courtesy of marathon co

Brent Jacobson is the pride and joy of Central Wisconsin. Well on his way to becoming America’s Favorite Legislator, America’s Favorite Mayor Jacobson prevailed bigly in Wisconsin’s 87th Assembly District August primary.

He was challenged by a truly lacking and unqualified opponent that was propped up by…guess who? The local crackpots. These witless grifters have bamboozled some in the local county Republican party, but many others are very aware. (Refer again to Axiom #1 and Axiom #3 – self-awareness matters.)

The citizens of Mosinee will now share an exceptionally qualified, intelligent and dedicated representative in our state legislature with the rest of us. He will competently serve and confidently bring our Central Wisconsin values down to Madison.

#4. Republican Assembly Incumbents

This was a fantastic victory for Wisconsin. All crackpot candidates challenging Republicans lost in the August primary. (See all 3 Axioms for reference.) This was a cause for celebration at summer’s end!

#3. Republican Speaker Robin Vos

Wisconsin’s longest serving Speaker of the Assembly was victorious in keeping the majority this past November. Despite their best gerrymandering efforts and spending millions to flip the legislature, Wisconsin Democrats were still unsuccessful. A group of crackpots (calling themselves Republicans) spent over $1 million in yet another failed attempt to unseat Republican Speaker Vos.

Normal conservatives hope that this bizarre and obsessive behavior targeting Republicans will cease so that we can focus on beating Democrats in future elections and pass some meaningful legislation.

Robin Vos has proven himself to be a champion at winning.

#2. RPW Chair Brian Schimming

Brian schimming
Brian schimming

A state treasure, RPW Chair Brian Schimming has been winning elections since he entered politics decades ago.

He brought that impressive record to the 2024 Presidential Election to help deliver Wisconsin and an electoral victory for Donald Trump.

He is Wisconsin’s most-dedicated Republican.

#1. Donald Trump

Trump will win wisconsin

Former President Trump After A Bullet Grazed The Side Of His Head/Ear In Apparent Assassination Attempt – Photo by Fox News

Donald Trump beat all the odds – and an assassination attempt to win not only Wisconsin, but the 2024 Presidency. Even those who didn’t vote for him will benefit from his success in Making America Great Again. Just wait and see – you will learn to love winning!

In a quote often attributed to Vince Lombardi, I concur: “Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.”

We rejoice in all of the winners that emerged in 2024. Here’s to more winning in 2025!

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TikTok Restores U.S. service after Trump Intervention

TikTok restored service to American users Sunday after temporarily shutting down in response to a Congressionally passed law upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court over its Chinese ownership.

The company said it was restoring service after President-elect Donald Trump pledged to sign an executive order to give TikTok more time to work out its ownership concerns.

"We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive," TikTok said in a statement. "It's a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States."

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the ban signed by President Joe Biden was constitutional.

"There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community," the Supreme Court said in its decision. "But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok's data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners' First Amendment rights."

The ban enacted by Biden mandated that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, sell by Jan. 19 or be shut down.

Federal lawmakers had argued the ban was necessary to safeguard sensitive data while the Chinese-owned company's legal team argued that it violates First Amendment rights, stating officials failed to provide sufficient evidence related to those concerns.

Trump had previously petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to delay the enforcement after expressing sympathy over TikTok's position. He asked that his incoming administration address the national security concerns through "political negotiations" rather than an outright ban.

"I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security," Trump wrote on Sunday. "The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order."

Trump also said he'd like the U.S. "to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up."

• The Center Square reporter Shirleen Guerra contributed to this report.

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DAY ONE: Here’s What Trump Could Do on His First Day in Office

President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to take office Monday, has made a series of promises of major executive actions on “day one” in office.

One of the simplest and more controversial of those “day one” plans is to pardon some of the Jan. 6 protesters currently behind bars or facing prosecution. The president has broad power to pardon, shown most recently when President Joe Biden pardoned his own son for crimes he committed or may have committed over more than a decade span.

But Trump’s “day one” executive orders are far from limited to pardons.

On energy policy, Trump has pledged to open up domestic oil drilling in a major way in an effort to lower costs for Americans and boost the energy industry. He has also promised to end a Biden-era rule that would require more than half of Americans to transition to electric vehicles over the next decade.

Trump has also consistently tapped into America’s frustration over the border crisis and broken immigration system.

Since President Joe Biden took office, more than 12 million illegal immigrants have entered the U.S., overwhelming some cities and raising national security concerns, since some migrants are on the federal terror watch list.

Trump has also promised to end transgender participation in women’s sports, something lawmakers in the House have already passed a bill to quench.

Trump has threatened “day one” tariffs as well, though it is unclear how wide-ranging those tariffs could be, since Trump likes to wield them as a negotiating tool against other nations.

On foreign policy, a ceasefire in the war between Hamas and Israel apparently has been reached, just days before Trump took office. In the Ukraine-Russia war, Trump promised on the campaign trail to put an end to that war "in 24 hours.”

In a series of campaign speeches and media interviews, Trump has promised some “day one” actions to address the border and immigration crises.

These actions include:

• Trump has plans to reinstate Title 42, a COVID-era policy that helps shut down the southern border.

• Trump has said he would also reinstate “Remain in Mexico,” a policy that Trump used during his first term that requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their claim to be processed. Biden ended that policy and let migrants in and asked questions later.

• According to Politico, Trump is considering designating cartels south of the border as terrorist organizations, a policy once pushed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis when he was running for president that could open up a flood of new resources and executive powers at the border. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott designated the violent Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua, a foreign terrorist organization last year.

• Trump has threatened to end birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants born in the U.S., but it remains unclear if he has the Constitutional authority to do so since birthright citizenship is enshrined in the 14th Amendment.

• Trump has made overtly clear that he plans to kickstart a massive, never-before-seen deportation program for the millions of illegal immigrants in the U.S. Trump’s appointee as border czar, Tom Homan, has been clear saying publicly that Trump named this as a top priority when choosing him for the job.

“On day one, we will SHUT DOWN THE BORDER and start deporting millions of Biden's Illegal Criminals,” Trump said over the summer during the campaign. “We will once again put AMERICANS First and MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!”

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