each and every day on Live at 3:00, our panel takes on some of the hottest topics of the day.  On Wednesday, they included:

-Brett Favre's future in Minnesota
-Swine Flu, Santa, and you
-People's Sexiest Man Alive

Click on the VIDEO link to watch the conversation!

Every day on Live at 3:00, we have a segment called "Sound Off," where you can give us your take on a topic.

Wednesday's Sound Off Question:  Should women follow the new government guidelines on breast cancer screening?

Click here to read more about the story and click on the VIDEO link to see what fellow viewers had to say.

Each and every Day on Live at 3:00, our illustrious panel tackles the biggest topics.  On Tuesday, those included:

-Scaling back on breast cancer screenings
-A single mom refuses deployment to Afghanistan
-'Unfriend' is the 2009 Word of the Year

Click on the VIDEO link to watch the discussion!

Every day on Live at 3:00, we have a segment called "Sound Off," where you can give us your take on a topic.

Tuesday's Sound Off Question:  Will Sarah Palin play a major role in national politics in the future?

Click here to read more about the story and click on the VIDEO link to see what Palin backers and haters alike had to say.

Each and every day on Live at 3:00, our esteemed panel tackles the hottest issues and topics.  On Monday, those included:

-Mayor Barrett running for governor
-Should accused terrorists go to an Illinois prison?
-Should the alleged mastermind of 911 be prosecuted in New York?

Every day on Live at 3:00, we have a segment called "Sound Off," where you can give us your take on a topic.

Monday's Sound Off Question:  Will Tom Barrett be Wisconsin's next governor?

Click the Video Link to watch today's dicussion.

     The entire process was bare knuckle politics at its worst and truly shameful from the start.

     First, in late 2008 former Waukesha County Judge Mark Gempeler, a lifetime Democrat, manipulated his "retirement date" in order to give Jim Doyle an appointment - and guarantee that his successor would not have to run for election until  2010.

     Then Doyle bypassed several qualified attorneys (including an Assistant District Attorney and a Court Commissioner) and appointed local criminal defense and traffic attorney Richard Congdon to fill Gempeler's position.  Among Congdon's qualifications for the job are that he is a political contributor to Doyle (of course!) and, more importantly, the former attack dog chairman of the Waukesha County Democratic Party.

     If Congdon had simply run for the judgeship in 2009, my guesss is that he'd have lost in an electoral landslide.  Obviously, Doyle hoped that by giving Congdon a one-year head start, people would forget the political machinations that led to Congdon getting the position in the first place.  In their most optimistic view of the situation, Congdon and Doyle probably also hoped that Congdon would not draw an opponent.

     Well, those plans have blown up and Congdon has not only drawn an opponent - but an incredibly formidable one at that!

     State Representative Mark Gundrum has announced that he is running for Congdon's seat.  Gundrum, a captain in the Army Reserve who has served with the Judge Advocate General in Iraq, has been a leader on legal issues in the State Legislature for years.  He's also frequently been talked about as a possible candidate for Wisconsin Attorney General.

     I've known Mark Gundrum for years and believe that he will make an outstanding circuit court judge.  That aside, his entrance into the race gives the voters of Waukesha an opportunity to weigh in on the way Congdon got his judgeship in the first place.

     When Doyle has tried to manipulate the system in the past to appoint people who would probably wouldn't get the position otherwise, the results haven't been pretty come election time (think Louis Butler).  My guess is that the same scenario will play out in this case.

     In other words, it looks like the clock is ticking on "Richard of 500 days"!

Each and every day on Live at 3:00, our esteemed panel tackles the hottest issues and topics.  On Thursday, those included:

-Safety at UWM
-Taylor Swift dominates the CMAs
-A student suspended over his haircut

Click on the VIDEO link to watch the discussion!

Every day on Live at 3:00, we have a segment called "Sound Off," where you can give us your take on a topic.

Thursday's Sound Off Question:  Should Mukwonago missing mom Katie Cruz be charged with a crime?

Click here to read more about the story, and click on the VIDEO link to see what fellow viewers thought.

     Imagine 14 hogs somehow getting loose in the storeroom where the farmer keeps his feed.  Imagine the chaos and noise that comes from the resulting feeding frenzy.

     Now imagine that you're the farmer - except instead of slop, the hogs are going after the money in your wallet.  

     Not a pretty picture, is it?  Yet that's precisely what happened Tuesday night when 14 Kenosha County Supervisors decided to belly up to the trough, stick out their big snouts and eat their fill at the expense of the taxpayers.

     For reasons that pass understanding, there are 28 (!) Kenosha County Supervisors.  Being a Kenosha County Supervisor is a very part-time job that pays a modest stipend of $6000 a year.  The kicker though is that County Supervisors get to attach themselves (not unlike leeches) to the health insurance plan offered full-time County employees.  The taxpayers currently underwrite 90% of the cost of the health insurance for the Supervisors.  For 2010, this sweetheart deal was scheduled to cost taxpayers $286,500.

     Not a bad perk for part-time work!  This is especially true given that many of the Supervisors presumably have "real jobs" which  undoubtedly provide them with access to health insurance.  Still, why pay for it yourself when you can foist the bill on the taxpayers?.

     In any event, Tuesday night Supervisor Dayvin Halprin moved to strike the entire benefit.  My guess is that Supervisor Halprin felt that in a county where the unemployment rate currently is pushing 10%,  expecting the taxpayers to shell out $286,500 for part-time Supervisors was - well - borderline immoral.

     I think it's fair to say that Supervisor Halprin was viewed by some of his colleagues as the you-know-what in the punch bowl.

     Seeing little support for eliminating the benefit entirely, Supervisor Rob Zerban suggested reducing the County's contribution to 50%.  This would have still been a sweet deal for the Supervisors but it would have at least shown a little consideration for the taxpayers. The motion was defeated 22 to 5.

     It was at that point that the hogs broke through the door to the storeroom.   Kenosha County Supervisor James Huff moved to eliminate any premium cost for supervisors.  13 of his pals quickly oinked their approval and the motion passed.

     Think about it.  In the midst of one of the most extreme economic downturns of our lifetime (and on the day that Dairyland Greyhound Park announced it is closing), a majority of the Kenosha County Board voted to increase their benefit plan. 

     Have they no shame?  Seriously, how can any of these people go out in public after this?

     Here, in order, are the names and photographs of the Gang of 14 together with contact information.  

     James Huff (the founder of the feast),  William Grady, Richard Kessler, Anita Faraone, Ronald Johnson, David Singer, Gabe Nudo, James Moore, Mark Molinaro, Jennifer Jackson, Gordon West, Kimberly Breunig, Fred Ekornaas (the former Kenosha County Sheriff - who really should know better) and Dennis Elverman.

     I'm sure these people have many wonderful qualities.  Undoubtedly their families love them and they're kind to small children and kittens.  Still, what they did last night was an incredible betrayal of the taxpayers of Kenosha County.

    Unless he's looking to commit political suicide, my guess is that this proposal will be greeted with less than open arms by the Kenosha County Executive.  Still, veto or no, last night's action casts serious doubts on the ability of these 14 to continue to serve the interests of Kenosha County taxpayers.

     Recall anybody?