♪♪ >> Cathy: LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED BUDGET AGREEMENT THIS AFTERNOON, AFTERNOON RETURN TO ST. PAUL FOR A MONDAY SESSION TO AVERT A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ON JULY 1ST.

HOW DID THEY FINALLY GET THERE?

FINE FODDER FOR THIS WEEK'S VERSION OF THE POLITICAL PANEL.

REPUBLICANS UP FIRST TONIGHT.

BRIAN MCDANIEL IS A FORMER LEGISLATIVE STAFFER TURNED LOBBYIST AND NOW STAND-UP COMEDIAN.

PREYA SAMSUNDAR IS A GOP STRATEGIST, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE RNC AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.

DEMOCRATS ON THE COUCH, KARLA BIGHAM, FORMER STATE SENATOR, NOW A WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER.

AND WE WELCOME BACK SARA LOPEZ, A PARTY ACTIVIST AND POLICY DIRECTOR AT UNIDOS MN.

BRIAN, THE LAST TIME LEADERSHIP HAD AN AGREEMENT THERE WAS POUNDING ON THE DOOR BY LAWMAKERS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT IT.

DO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT'S IN THIS THING?

>> WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT'S IN THIS THING, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE VOTES TO PASS MANY OF THESE ITEMS.

THERE IS A HEALTH BILL WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PARTS OF MINNESOTA'S STATE BUDGET WHERE WE HAVE NOT SEEN LANGUAGE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS IN THERE LANGUAGE-WISE, AND THE PROCESS THAT THIS HAS GONE THROUGH, THE PRODUCT IS ONE THING, THE PROCESS THAT IT'S GONE THROUGH IS EMBARRASSINGLY BAD.

>> IT'S BEEN A TOUGH PROCESS.

SPENT THE AFTERNOON UP AT THE CAPITOL DEFENDING LOCAL CONTROL ON THE SALES TAX THAT THE COUNTIES RECEIVE, IS BEING SHIFTED OVER TO THE MET COUNCIL TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $93 MILLION.

>> Eric: SO THEY JUST TOOK IT OUT OF YOUR POT OF MONEY.

>> STOLE IT!

>> Eric: WHY?

WHY?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> THEY WANT TO DO A REGIONAL BALANCED APPROACH, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS ABOUT POPULATION.

BUT IT TOWARDS BUS RAPID TRANSIT AND THAT MEANS THAT PREDOMINANTLY A LOT OF THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT LINES WILL GO IN THE HIGH DENSITY AREAS.

>> Eric: IT DOES SEEM, SARA, THAT THE DEMOCRATS WERE ABLE TO PRESERVE MOST OR MUCH OF WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TWO YEARS?

>> SO I THINK THE DEMOCRATS HAD A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL RUN PROTECTING WINS FROM 2023 AND 2024.

THE UNDOCUMENTED PIECE IS AN INCREDIBLY HARD PILL TO SWALLOW.

I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT THE CHILDREN WILL STAY BUT AS THE MURDER BILL FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMES DOWN AND ANOTHER SPECIAL SESSION MIGHT BE CALLED FOR THE SUMMER, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, I HOPE THAT THE CHILDREN REALLY DO STAY AND THAT THIS IS THE LAST THING THAT GETS WATER WHEN IT COMES TO THE IMMIGRANT AGENDA THAT WAS PASSED LAST SESSION.

>> I THINK THIS IS A SESSION WHERE REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME OUT AND SAY THAT THEY HAD A LOT OF WINS.

THE TAKING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS OFF OF MEDICARE IS ONE OF THEM, THIS WAS ONE OF THEIR BIG PIECES, ONE OF THEIR BIG, THEIR BIG PIECES THAT THEY WANTED TO COME AWAY WITH, THEY GOT IT, THEY WERE ABLE TO CUT GOVERNMENT.

THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY WANTED TO DO, THEY WANTED TO COME IN STRONG SO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO POINT TO ESPECIALLY HEADING INTO 2026.

>> THAT'S AN EXPENSIVE BILL TO PAY IN THE END BUT I DO THINK DEMOCRATS CAN CAME IN AND WILL HAVE A VERY STRONG AGENDA OF WINS WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS FOR EDUCATORS AND ALSO PAID FAMILY LEAVE, SAFE AND SICK TIME, THE FAMILY TAX CREDIT, ALL THE THINGS, THE PRO-FAMILY AGENDA THAT REALLY HAD BEEN A PINNACLE OF WALZ' ADMINISTRATION BUT ALSO OF THE D.F.L.

MAJORITY IS INTACT, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

>> Eric: HOW IS THE GOVERNOR BEING GRADED?

>> WELL, I THINK HE'S BEING GRADED ON HIS TRAVEL SCHEDULE.

BECAUSE HE'S BEEN SPENDING A CERTAIN, CERTAINLY A LOT OF TIME AWAY FROM MINNESOTA.

LAST WEEKEND WHEN A LOT OF THIS NEGOTIATING COULD HAVE BEEN DONE, HE'S IN SOUTH CAROLINA TELLING DEMOCRATS TO BE MEANER AND THEN FLYING OVER TO CALIFORNIA AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING, HE'S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, FINE.

HE HAS THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.

BUT MINNESOTA NEEDS HIM RIGHT NOW, AND WHEN THEY NEEDED HIM HE WASN'T HERE.

>> Cathy: THIS SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEEN A REAL TOP-DOWN SITUATION IN TERMS OF THERE'S A LOT OF, LAWMAKERS, LEGISLATIVE LEADERS HAVE BEEN TALKING, RIGHT, BUT WHERE HAVE BEEN THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE OR WORKING GROUP CHAIRS OR THE OTHER FOLKS WHO USUALLY WEIGH IN?

I MEAN, YOU'RE A FORMER LAWMAKER, WHERE HAVE THEY BEEN?

>> AS FAR AS I KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS, I'VE BEEN HAVING DIRECT CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO THE TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS THAT WE HAD, COUNTIES HAVE HAD.

I KNOW THAT CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN ONGOING WITH THE LEADS OF THE COMMITTEES RELATED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

SO I GUESS I DON'T FEEL LIKE THE LEGISLATORS AVE BEEN ABSENT ON THAT.

I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I NEVER REALLY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR IN LEGISLATIVE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT I ALSO WAS ONE OF THE LOWER MEMBERS ON THE TOTEM POLE, SO.

>> Cathy: BRIAN.

>> NO ONE SAYS THAT ABOUT YOU, YOU'RE A TREMENDOUS SLOUCH.

[ LAUGHTER ] BUT, NO, WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE?

OKAY, GREAT.

YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP IS INVOLVED, THE GOVERNOR'S STAFF IS INVOLVED, AND SOME OF THE MEMBERS ARE INVOLVED, BUT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO COME OUT WITH PROPOSALS AND THEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO TEST IT BY WHAT DO, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE PEOPLE IN THEIR DISTRICTS OR IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA?

THE PEOPLE ARE NOT PART OF THIS PROCESS, WE'RE JUST FINDING OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AFTER IT HAPPENS, AND THEN NEXT YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE, OH, WE CAN FIX IT, THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK.

>> THAT WAS HARD FOR BOTH SIDES, RIGHT?

EVEN FOR ALLIES ON BOTH SIDES, OKAY, WHAT'S GOING N, HOW CAN WE GET INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.

THERE WAS A HUGE GAP IN COMMUNICATION I WILL SAY FROM BOTH SIDES AND I THINK THAT CAUSED SOME PROBLEMS.

>> Cathy: HAVE YOU SEEN THAT BEFORE?

>> WE HAVE A TRIFECTA SO EVERYTHING WAS LIKE AMAZING 2023 AND 2024 AND NOW THE CHESS BOARD HAS SHIFTED.

>> Eric: 14 BILLS -- >> 10:00 A.M. TO 7:00 A.M. >> Eric: GONNA MAKE IT >> YOU HAVE ONE LAWMAKER ALREADY SAYING MONDAY IS GOING TO BE HILARIOUS, SAYING THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO I REALLY DOUBT IT.

>> YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE HILARIOUS BECAUSE THE WHOLE REPEAL OF MINNESOTACARE IS VERY CRUEL.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLY CRUEL THING TO SEE.

>> NO.

YEAH, NO.

THEY'LL BE THERE A GOOD CHUNK OF THE WEEK.

>> CARLA AND I WATCHED THEM TALK ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION BILL TODAY WHERE TWO MEMBERS SAID THEY DON'T THINK THE VOTES ARE THERE TO PASS THAT BILL.

WE KNOW THERE'S PROBLEMS WITH THE TAX BILL AND CERTAINLY EVERYTHING THAT SARA IS SAYING ABOUT THE UNDOCUMENTED HEALTH CARE IS VERY TRUE.

DEMOCRATS ARE NOT WALKING AROUND SAYING BIG WINS, BIG WINS, AND THAT IS A LARGE PART OF IT.

>> Cathy: SAY, IS A BONDING BILL PART OF THIS?

IT IS, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?

>> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE BONDING BILL IT'S A SORT OF REGULAR BONDING BILL WITH LOTS OF LOCAL PROJECTS.

THERE'S NO WAY IT WOULD HAPPEN AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME.

IF THEY'RE JUST FOCUSED ON INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE, ROADS, BRIDGES, STUFF LIKE THAT, THEN I THINK -- WASTE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, I THINK THEY CAN GET THAT DONE AND I HOPE HEY DO.

>> Eric: OVERNOR WALZ IN TROUBLE WITH PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNIONS?

>> I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCONTENT IN TERMS OF LIKE GOING BACK TO, LIKE THE GOING BACK TO WORK THING.

I THINK HE'S BEEN A PRETTY PROLABOR GOVERNOR, WITH SAFE AND SICK TIME AND PAID FAMILY LEAVE, I THINK THERE WERE SOME BIG WINS DELIVERED.

>> COME BACK TO WORK, THAT WAY THEY CAN GET THEIR LAYOFF NOTICE.

>> Eric: AFSCME AND MAPE ARE GOOD RELIABLE DEMOCRATIC PARTNERS.

>> IT'S BEEN A TOUGH SESSION FOR EVERYBODY OVERALL.

>> THE GOVERNOR SAID A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THEY'RE NOT THROWING HIM A PICNIC ANYTIME SOON.

>> Eric: HOW DOES THIS SET UP 2026, THE ELECTION, ALL 201.

>> THAT'S THE QUESTION, WE DON'T KNOW.

>> Eric: HARD TO KNOW UNTIL WE SEE A SPECIAL SESSION IN SEPTEMBER?

, OR?

>> EXACTLY, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FALL AND 2026 IS A LIFETIME FROM NOW.

>> EXACTLY, OH, YEAH.

AGREED.

>> YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ELON AND DONALD FIGHTING AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO BRING IN ROYCE WHITE AND THE MY PILLOW GUY TO MEDIATE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT, IT'S EMBARRASSING.

>> I MEAN, KANYE IS TRYING TO MEDIATE RIGHT NOW.

>> OH, I MISSED THAT, OKAY.

IT JUST GETS BETTER EVERY MINUTE.

>> Eric: TWO PRETTY BIG PERSONALITIES AND BIG EGOS THERE, I DON'T THINK IT'S A SHOCK THAT THE BROMANCE IS OVER.

>> THEY'RE USED TO DIVORCES, BOTH OF THEM.

>> I MEAN, BENIFER?

>> I THINK ANYBODY WHO LOOKED AT THIS EVOLUTION OF THIS FRIENDSHIP, ALLIANCE, KNOW THERE WAS GOING TO BE A BREAKUP AT SOME POINT.

THE FACT IT CAME UP AT A TIME WHERE THEY'RE CALLING IT THIS IS A BREAKUP OVER E.V.

MANDATES, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE CAMEL, YOU KNOW, THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK BUT THIS REALLY STARTED AROUND ELECTIONS IN WISCONSIN A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, ELON SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN WISCONSIN.

THINGS DID NOT GO THE WAY REPUBLICANS WANTED THEM O.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE POINTING FINGERS AT ELON, HIS AMERICA PAC THE DAY AFTER AND I THINK THERE WAS A START OF SOURING OF A RELATIONSHIP IN THE BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND ELON MUSK AND I THINK IT GOT WORSE FROM THERE.

>> Eric: DOES IT MATTER IF THEY'RE FEUDING?

>> I WOULD SAY IT'S THE TRUTH THAT THIS BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ADDS A LOT OF MONEY TO THE DEFICIT, KICKS A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF OF HEALTH CARE, IT'S NOT POPULAR.

>> ALSO BRINGING LARGER DONORS INTO THE FRAY IN SUCH A PERMANENT WAY.

>> DEMOCRATS DO THAT ALL THE TIME.

>> IT'S NOT POLLING WELL.

>> Cathy: WHAT DOES THE SENATE DO IT DO YOU THINK?

>> Eric: U.S. SENATE.

>> I HINK THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE IT SIGNIFICANTLY AND I THINK THE ELON/TRUMP STUFF DOES DEFINITELY IMPACT WHAT THE SENATE CAN DO, IT EMBOLDENS THEM TO DO THAT.

I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THE DEMOCRATS ONCE AGAIN ARE TAKING THE BAIT WHERE THEY'RE MORE EXCITED ABOUT ANTI-TRUMP MEMES ON X AND NOT JUST SAYING LOOK AT ALL THE STUFF THAT'S ACTUALLY IN THERE.

>> SO I AGREE.

I THINK LIKE TRUMP IS MASTERFUL AT DISTRACTIONS AND PLAYING TELEVISION, RIGHT?

AND SO THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS BILL ARE DEVASTATING TO AMERICAN FAMILIES.

AND TO HIGHLIGHT THE PAIN AND CRUELTY THAT THESE BILLS ARE GOING TO INFLICT IS SOMETHING THAT DEMOCRATS CAN NOT LOSE TRACK OF VERSUS -- >> I THINK -- >> VERSUS THE END OF THE RELATIONSHIP.

>> THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT AMERICANS VOTED FOR AND THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE GETTING.

>> Eric: I'M ETTIN' THE