It’s a high-wind, high-stakes Thursday on the Steve Hallstrom Show. As a massive winter storm shutters I-29 and shakes the studio walls with 60 MPH gusts, Steve navigates a whirlwind of news—from the latest federal fraud probes in St. Paul to a surprise inflation report that has Wall Street surging. Steve is joined by Dr. Scott Bowyer, Dean of the Business School at the University of Wyoming, for a candid breakdown of the "K-shaped" economy and whether the Trump administration’s tariffs are actually to blame for your grocery bill. Plus, a deep dive into the human side of the deportation debate and a critique of the President’s latest address to the nation.
Key Moments
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The Blizzard of ’25: Steve and meteorologist Dean detail the dangerous conditions across the Red River Valley, including wind chills plunging to 40 below and widespread road closures on both the North Dakota and Minnesota sides of the border.
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Inflation Shocker: A breakdown of the new Consumer Price Index numbers showing inflation slowing to 2.7%. Steve and Dr. Scott Bowyer discuss whether this is a data anomaly from the government shutdown or a green light for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates in January.
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Deportation Dilemma: Steve examines the local story of Jose Cadena Velasquez. The discussion sparks a flood of listener calls and texts debating whether the law should be absolute or if there is room for exceptions for contributing members of the community.
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Critiquing the President: Steve reviews President Trump’s 18-minute prime-time speech. While praising the content, Steve suggests a strategic shift: focusing more on the "kitchen table" struggles of American families and less on political "mess-fixing."
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The "Warrior Dividend": A look at the President’s plan to send $1,776 checks to 1.4 million service members. Steve offers a bold, potentially unpopular take on whether these one-time checks are a helpful "pick-me-up" or a "gimmick" that ignores the $38 trillion national debt.
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Fraud in Minnesota: Staggering news from U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, who claims more than half of the $18 billion spent on 14 social service programs since 2018 is tied to fraud. Steve reacts to Governor Walz’s latest calls for Republicans to turn over whistleblower tips.