♪♪ >> Mary: RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A ONE-VOTE MARGIN FOR REPUBLICANS HERE IN THE HOUSE.

AND A ONE-VOTE MARGIN FOR DEMOCRATS OVER IN THE SENATE.

BOTH OUR NEXT GUESTS WILL BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND MUCH MORE.

WE HAVE THE FORMER SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, REPUBLICAN AMY KOCH.

AND WE HAVE A FORMER STATE SENATOR, SHE IS A DEMOCRAT, SHE ALSO SERVED IN THE HOUSE, SHE TALKS ABOUT BEING HOUSE TRAINED HERE A LITTLE BIT.

>> THE OTHER BODY.

>> Mary: AND A COUNTY COMMISSIONER.

WELL, LET'S START, MADAM COMMISSIONER.

IS THE HOUSE OFF TO A GOOD START HERE OR NOT SO MUCH?

>> I'M GLAD THEY'RE BACK.

MINNESOTANS ARE GLAD THEY'RE BACK, THEY NEEDED TO COME BACK.

LOOK, THEY NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

MINNESOTANS EXPECT IT.

I THINK -- I APPLAUD THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON IN FRAUD.

I THINK THEY REALLY CAN GET THERE.

I THINK THE HOUSE NEEDS TO BE MORE LIKE THE SENATE.

>> Mary: RIGHT.

WHERE THEY'RE POSTING BIPARTISAN VOTES.

>> YUP.

>> Mary: AND BILL AUTHORS.

THE HOUSE IS NOT DOING THAT YET.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY NEED TO.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT.

I THINK THAT THAT WILL HELP IN -- WELL, JUNE, PROBABLY.

[ Laughter ] >> Mary: WE'LL GET TO THAT.

>> SO, AT THE END OF SESSION, IT WILL BE HELPFUL IF THEY START UNDERSTANDING NOW THAT BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND THAT RAPPORT.

>> Mary: FRAUD WEEK, GOOD ISSUE FOR REPUBLICANS, CAN IT BE A GOOD ISSUE FOR DEMOCRATS, TOO?

>> WELL, IT SHOULD BE.

>> Mary: YEAH.

>> AND THEY SHOULD DIVE IN WITH IT.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S TELLING TO ME, WE HEARD FROM CHAIR ROBBINS THAT EVEN BIPARTISAN BILL LIKE HER WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION BILL, WHICH, RIGHT, I THINK IS THE RIGHT FIRST STEP, YOU NEED TO PROTECT AGENCY, PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING WITHIN THE AGENCIES TO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THEY CAN COME FORWARD WITH INFORMATION AND OF NOT BE RETALIATED.

AND, YET, THAT BILL, SHE SAID, PASSED COMPLETELY WITH NO NO VOTES IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE AND IT PASSED ON BIPARTISAN LINES HERE.

AND THAT'S TELLING.

SO IT'S -- YOU KNOW, HERE SHE IS, PUTTING FORTH A VERY BIPARTISAN BILL THAT SHOULD HAVE BIPARTISAN AUTHORSHIP, AND, YET, YOU KNOW, I DON'T -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE DFL IN THE HOUSE ARE NOT SIGNING ON TO SOME OF THESE BILLS.

THEY SHOULD.

IT WOULD SERVE THEM WELL.

>> AND I THINK THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR REPORTS ARE ANOTHER INDICATION OF MAYBE GETTING SOME WORK THROUGH.

I ACTUALLY THINK THAT THE LEGISLATURE'S AS A WHOLE HAS TO PAUSE ON SOME OF THESE REPORTS AND ACTUALLY DO THEM.

>> Mary: LISTEN TO THE REPORTS -- [ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> PUMPING THEM OUT.

>> Mary: THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR.

THE REQUESTS FOR YOU.

>> RIGHT?

RIGHT?

[ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> THIS THEY REQUEST THE REPORT.

>> Mary: RIGHT.

BUT EVERYBODY STILL LOVES THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Mary: IS THAT ONE OF THE GREAT PARTS OF MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT THAT WE HAVE A NONPARTISAN TRUSTED AUTHORITY ON WHAT'S GOING WRONG IN GOVERNMENT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> IT'S LITERALLY MY FAVORITE AUDITOR IN THE STATE.

THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR.

BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JIM NOBLES PRIOR TO OUR EXISTING O.L.A.

>> YUP.

>> AND, ET, THAT TRADITION IS CARRIED ON BECAUSE THEY TAKE THEIR JOB VERY SERIOUSLY.

THERE'S NOT A REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT OUT THERE THAT CAN SAY THERE'S PARTISANSHIP IN THAT OFFICE.

>> Mary: WHICH IS SO HARD TO DO IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE.

IS THAT REMARKABLE THAT THERE'S A PREMISE -- >> IT IS.

>> Mary: -- AGREE ON TO MOVE FORWARD?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Mary: SPEAKING OF THAT, HOW DO WE HAVE THE FEDERAL AND STATE INTERPLAY, BECAUSE NOW WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MINNESOTA CAN'T SAY, OH, IT DOESN'T AFFECT US, IT'S NOT OURS.

IT'S AFFECTING MINNESOTA NOW.

>> I MEAN, THERE'S SOME RACQUETBALL GOING UP AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THAT IS A LOT OF CHAOS.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT IS NERVE WRACKING.

AND I DO THINK IT'S GOING TO PLAY INTO THE STATE LEVEL IN THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY, 10% OF OUR EDUCATION FUNDING FOR THE STATE COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

>> Mary: THAT'S A BILLION DOLLARS.

>> AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, I WILL SAY, 80% OF OUR BUDGETS ARE MANDATED FUNDING FROM THE FEDS AND THE STATE.

SO IT IS GOING TO PLAY INTO THAT AND HOW THEY, YOU KNOW, PREPARE NTO MAY.

>> Mary: LET'S SEE A SLICE OF THIS.

WE HEARD EARLIER ABOUT FARMERS AND FARMERS IN MINNESOTA REALLY FEELING THIS.

>> YEAH.

>> Mary: REPUBLICANS HAVE MADE BIG INROADS WITH FARMERS IN MINNESOTA.

DOES THIS HURT THEM?

>> FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK THE FARMERS, Y AND LARGE, YOU SEE A HUGE SHIFT AND MOST OF THE FARMERS THAT I KNOW, IN FACT, ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE VOTED FOR TRUMP.

THEY UNDERSTAND.

I THINK THAT THEY HAVE SOME CAUTION AROUND SOME OF THIS.

BUT MOSTLY THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO FARM, THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SELL THEIR GOODS, AND THEY KNOW THAT BETTER FOR THE MARKET IS REPUBLICANS IN CHARGE OF THINGS.

CERTAINLY THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE BORNE THAT OUT.

AND ALSO THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN RYE ROCKETING.

BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, NEED REPUBLICANS AT A FEDERAL LEVEL TO FOCUS ON IT IS THINGS THAT PUT THEM IN OFFICE.

WHICH WAS INFLATION.

WHICH WAS FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE.

WHICH WAS, WANTING TO CONTROL THE BUDGET AND.

AND HERE I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DOING THAT IS A GENERAL RULE REPUBLICANS AND MOST AMERICA WOULD APPLAUD, MOST PRESIDENTS HAVE TRIED SINCE JIMMY CARTER TO CONTROL THAT BUDGET AND NO ONE HAS.

BUT THERE'S SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO, LIKE, TAKE A HAMMER TO SOMETHING AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TAKE A SCALPEL.

>> YEAH.

>> AND KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE, AND NOT ALWAYS JUST TAKING A HAMMER TO SOMETHING IS WHERE I THINK THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS STRUGGLED.

>> LAHAMMER.

>> I WILL SAY THAT INFLATION, GOT THE REPORT, INFLATION'S ALREADY UP.

AND THAT'S TRUMP'S AMERICA RIGHT THERE.

>> OKAY HE'S BEEN IN OFFICE A MONTH.

THAT'S COMPLETELY DISINGENUOUS TO SAY.

>> THE TARIFF -- >> HIS FIRST MONTH IN OFFICE IS GOING TO MESS WITH THE INFLATION OF BIDEN.

>> IT'S TRUCH'S AMERICA NOW.

IT'S TRUMP'S AMERICA.

TARIFFS, WHERE THE FARMERS BUY THEIR FERTILIZER FROM CANADA, MOST OF THEM, O, THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE.

THE SOYBEAN MARKET, CORN MARKET, WITH THE TAR RIPS, REALLY HURTS THE FARMERS' MARKETS.

THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW THAT.

THE UNCERTAINTY REALLY DOES HURT OUR AGRICULTURE.

HISTORY WITH CARGILL, WITH GENERAL MILLS.

AND ALL OF THAT TRICKLES DOWN.

[ OVERLAPPING CONVERSATION ] >> Mary: FARMS ARE HERE HUGE HERE.

>> I DON'T LIKE TARIFFS.

>> I KNOW.

>> BUT, ALSO, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW HE WORKS THIS, RIGHT?

HE IMPOSED TARIFFS ON CANADA AND MEXICO.

HE CUTS A DEAL ON WHAT HE WANTS.

>> WHICH IS ALREADY IN PLACE, PRETTY MUCH.

>> AND THE TARIFFS GO AWAY.

IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THE PANEL CANAL.

>> Mary: LET'S COME BACK STATE SIDE.

>> ALL I KNOW, FOOD PRICES ARE GOING UP, I WAS TOLD ARE COMING UP, THEY'VE GONE UP.

>> Mary: LADIES' NIGHT IS GETTING A LITTLE SPICY HERE.

SO LET'S BRING IT BACK STATE SIDE.

>> YEAH.

>> Mary: EARLIER, WE HEARD THIS REFERENCE TO TO JUNE OR JULY.

SESSION IS SUPPOSED TO END IN MAY.

WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT JUNE AND JULY ALREADY?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAD THE BOYCOTT FOR THE FIRST MONTH.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THAT'S JUST, IN A YEAR WITH A BUDGET, AND IN A YEAR WHEN YOU HAVE A 67-66 SPLIT OR 67-67 SPLIT, WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE SPECIAL.

BY THE WAY, 34-33 IN THE SENATE, BEST-CASE SCENARIO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 201 LEGISLATORS, 101 DEMOCRATS, 100 REPUBLICANS.

>> OKAY.

>> THAT'S A DEAD EVEN.

>> Mary: LAST WORD GOING TO THE BREAK TO JULY?

>> BOOK YOUR CAMPING FOR FOURTH OF JULY.

AT COUNTY PARKS.

NOT STATE PARKS.

>> A SHUTDOWN IS COMING JULY