Yellow Stripes & Dead Armadillos
Over the Mnookin
Heading back to the Emerald City this morning, so we’ll make this a quick one. The UW Regents hired Jennifer Mnookin to be the next UW Madison chancellor. She’s currently the dean of the UCLA law school and she went to Harvard, Yale and MIT. All fine schools, but she has no ties to Wisconsin.Continue reading “Over the Mnookin”
Rare
Whether or not the Democrats can ride what appears to be the impending overturning of Roe v. Wade to victories in November turns on one word: rare. When I wrote about this last week I said that I liked Bill Clinton’s formulation that abortion should be “safe, legal and rare.” I suspected when I wroteContinue reading “Rare”
Midwest: A New Voice
I admit it. I’ve got a chip on my shoulder when it comes to the Midwest. Virtually all of our national media and culture (movies, TV, radio shows, publishing houses, etc.) comes from the coasts. And their attitude toward the middle of the country? To paraphrase Rick played by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, “They’d despiseContinue reading “Midwest: A New Voice”
Keep Politics Out of Math
Florida rejected a bunch of math textbooks because they allegedly contained a liberal bias. The left went nuts. I tended to side with the left until I read the New York Times’ breathless take on the whole thing. Here’s one example of a math problem that was flagged as a problem by a Florida textbookContinue reading “Keep Politics Out of Math”
Light Blue Gets Good Review
Last week, Capital Times editor and publisher Paul Fanlund wrote a nice review of my book, Light Blue: How center-left moderates can build an enduring Democratic majority. With his permission we repost it here. By Paul Fanlund When you’ve been a journalist in Madison as long as I have, you’ve seen the gamut of personalityContinue reading “Light Blue Gets Good Review”
He Shoots! He Scores!
Tom Nelson has joined Alex Lasry and Sarah Godlewski with a television ad buy. The least-funded of the four major candidates vying to take on Sen. Ron Johnson in November will probably have the smallest reach, but the ad itself could pack a bigger punch. The fourth candidate, Mandela Barnes, has yet to hit theContinue reading “He Shoots! He Scores!”
Abortion Opponents Aren’t Evil
A few months ago we ended the practice of posting long opinion pieces by others verbatim. A reader and veteran journalist brought our attention to the concept of “fair usage.” That’s the principle (and law) that says it’s okay to quote bits and pieces from another writer but not to cut and paste their entireContinue reading “Abortion Opponents Aren’t Evil”
Midwest: Firewood
I’m late with my Midwest post this Sunday, but I’m still getting it in before Sunday ends — and I have a good excuse. It’s the firewood window up here in the U.P., and so I was using every daylight hour I could to put in my stock for the fall. I count the firewoodContinue reading “Midwest: Firewood”
Safe, Legal & Rare
For the third time in six years Democrats and liberals are being given an opportunity to turn tragedy into progress. Will they blow it again? What was surprising about the leak of the draft of a decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade was the leak itself, not its substance. From the moment the SupremeContinue reading “Safe, Legal & Rare”
Sorting Through the Leaked Roe Draft
Somebody violated protocol and leaked an early draft of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade. This has sent people off, as you might expect it would, but let’s try to sort through it as rationally as we can. The first thing to observe is that the leak itself was aContinue reading “Sorting Through the Leaked Roe Draft”
Pledge Wins; Prayer Loses
I’m headed north today, so we’ll just have a quick update on an issue we addressed a few weeks ago. As the new Dane County Board reorganizes itself after the spring elections, there was a move to eliminate the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance before the board meetings. There was also a proposal toContinue reading “Pledge Wins; Prayer Loses”
Midwest: Where Is It?
Now on week three of my promised Sunday morning series about the Midwest, some thoughtful readers have chimed in to ask: do you even know what you’re talking about? Now, in truth, that question is asked regularly on any number of topics I have addressed in this and other spaces. It’s not even limited toContinue reading “Midwest: Where Is It?”
Am I an Eisenhower Republican?
Fellow Madison blogger David Blaska has accused me of being an Eisenhower Republican. I think I’ll take that as a compliment. Dwight Eisenhower was my President when I was born in 1959. Consider these things about Eisenhower: His proudest accomplishment was the Interstate Highway System, the biggest single public works project in American history. (FDR’sContinue reading “Am I an Eisenhower Republican?”
Sifting Through the Latest Marquette Poll
One of the best things that has happened in Wisconsin over the last several years is the advent of the Marquette University Law School Poll. The detailed poll, run by Charles Franklin, never fails to provide interesting data, mostly on politics but also on the state of the state more broadly. For a political columnist,Continue reading “Sifting Through the Latest Marquette Poll”
$1000 For Dane County Employees? Bad Idea
Let’s say you’re a public official with $3 million burning a hole in your pocket. Pick the option that aligns with your values. Get it out to local small businesses contending with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 shutdown. Increase efforts to attack the homeless problem, which was made worse by COVID. Bolster food pantries,Continue reading “$1000 For Dane County Employees? Bad Idea”
Let’s Make a Virtue of Resilience
From time to time here at YSDA we consider creating a new weekly feature which would be called something like Oh, For Cryin’ Out Loud. In OFCOL we’d highlight the inanity of the week. Michael Gableman alone could provide fodder nonstop. The only challenge would be to decide which of Gableman’s stupid moves and dumbContinue reading “Let’s Make a Virtue of Resilience”
Midwest: Rust Belt No More
What other region would put up with a moniker like “The Rust Belt”? Would the West Coast be okay with “The Drought Belt”? How about “The Wildfire Belt” for the Mountain states? Or the “Flooded Cities Belt” for the East Coast? But virtually every news outlet, including local ones, uses “Rust Belt” without a secondContinue reading “Midwest: Rust Belt No More”
Purge the Activists
I’ve served as an aide to politicians and as a politician myself and here’s what I’ve learned: activists have no role in a public official’s office, and when they start pushing for their own agendas they should be shown the door as soon as possible. This comes up now as the Biden Administration is bleedingContinue reading “Purge the Activists”
Leave Mickey Alone
Anybody else tired of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis kicking Mickey Mouse around? Here’s the back story. A few weeks ago Florida passed a law, supported by DeSantis, which restricted formal teaching about gender identity (but not any discussion of it) in K-3 education. The left went ballistic, dubbing it the “don’t say gay bill.” UnderContinue reading “Leave Mickey Alone”
The Pay for Grades Hoax
The UW Madison is about to do yet another really dumb thing. According to a story in today’s Wisconsin State Journal, Chancellor Rebecca Blank, who will soon (but not soon enough) leave for her new job at Northwestern, is proposing that the school should pay athletes for being students. That’s right. Blank would pay theContinue reading “The Pay for Grades Hoax”
Midwest: Bad Weather
This week we’re inaugurating a new weekly feature here at YSDA: a Sunday morning essay about the Midwest. I’ve been thinking about the Midwest for a long time, at least going back to my days as Mayor of Madison. I would go to national conferences, many in Washington, DC, and get the feeling when IContinue reading “Midwest: Bad Weather”
A New Party of the Center
America is likely to get a moderate third party in the same way that a woman needs a man, which as we all know, is the way a fish needs a bicycle. I’ll pause here and let you sort that out. Okay, let’s move on then. My point is that it’s all but impossible toContinue reading “A New Party of the Center”
Senate Race: Anybody Else?
Sen. Ron Johnson is a national embarrassment for Wisconsin. I want him gone. So, in the August Democratic primary I’ll vote for the candidate that I think has the best chance to beat RoJo. That’s my only real consideration. I wish I could have another one. That other consideration would be what that Democrat standsContinue reading “Senate Race: Anybody Else?”
Don’t Cancel Jefferson
We’ve been struggling with a way to write about the move by the Madison School Board to change the name of Jefferson Middle School — in a way that says something more enlightening then that it’s a really bad idea. Well, our old friend Harry Peterson published an oped in the Wisconsin State Journal recentlyContinue reading “Don’t Cancel Jefferson”
UW Screws Up Again
What is it with my alma mater? Last year the UW became a national curiosity (to put it gently) when it banished a boulder for committing the offense of being referred to by an ugly name. Once. A century ago. At a time when the ugly name was in common usage. On the heels ofContinue reading “UW Screws Up Again”
Economic Justice Bill of Rights Misses the Mark
I agree with everything in the Economic Justice Bill of Rights being touted right now by the Legislature’s most liberal Democrats. And I think it’s a terrible idea. This is a political document and, as such, it reveals just how out of touch liberal Democrats are. It’s a political document because, with Democrats in deepContinue reading “Economic Justice Bill of Rights Misses the Mark”
Wednesday Catchup
Since we reduced YSDA from a daily blog to three days a week we find ourselves leaving stuff on the cutting room floor. And, of course, without our wisdom and guidance, you’re left wondering what to think about important issues. Well, let’s solve that problem by doing some quick hits. First, there’s the heartbreak ofContinue reading “Wednesday Catchup”
Reparations Are a Terrible Idea
I’m spending the week in California, where the weather is wonderful, and the politics are like the weather in Wisconsin. The latest bright idea to come out of the Golden State is reparations for slavery, or for something. We’ll get to the ‘or for something’ problem in a minute, but specifically, what’s going on isContinue reading “Reparations Are a Terrible Idea”
“Light Blue” Banned!
Since we released our e-book, Light Blue: How center-left moderates can build an enduring Democratic majority, earlier this month sales have been, uh, modest. Then we remembered that one of the very best marketing strategies for books is to get them banned. And there’s plenty of stuff in Light Blue that should get the bannersContinue reading ““Light Blue” Banned!”
God Help Me, Blaska for School Board
If I was still a practicing Catholic I would vote for David Blaska and then rush to the confessional to confess a venial sin and get my comeuppance of three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys. And it’s a Hail Mary that I will toss up when I cast my write-in vote for Blaska forContinue reading “God Help Me, Blaska for School Board”
The Portal Changes All
It was subtle, but it said it all. Last week in a column he cleverly titles “Open Jim”, new Wisconsin State Journal sports page editor Jim Polzin answers a reader’s question, which goes like this: “What does the Wisconsin men’s basketball team need in the transfer portal?” The “transfer portal” is a phrase that hasContinue reading “The Portal Changes All”
Transgender Athletes & Profiles in Courage
To my knowledge nobody is out there working on a new volume of Profiles in Courage replete with fresh new examples. But last week did bring us a couple candidates, and so let’s acknowledge them here. Governors Spencer Cox of Utah and Eric Holcomb of Indiana each vetoed bills that would ban transgender athletes fromContinue reading “Transgender Athletes & Profiles in Courage”
Simkin For Our Schools
I have been strongly critical of the current Madison School Board and the direction it has taken us in the last few years. There has been a breakdown in basic safety and order. Staff and teachers feel like this Board doesn’t have their backs. The Board seems focussed on kids who are disruptive and under-achievingContinue reading “Simkin For Our Schools”
Dems Win on Redistricting (In a way)
Think of it this way. You’re the Packers. You’ve had a dismal first half of the season. (I don’t know. Maybe Aaron Rodgers left the team for an eight week Panchakarma cleanse.) You went 0-8, but now Rodgers is cleansed and you’ve gone 5-2 with a couple games remaining. You’re not going to make theContinue reading “Dems Win on Redistricting (In a way)”
Pledge of Resistance
In the category of ‘oh, why open up this can of worms?‘ comes a story from yesterday’s Wisconsin State Journal about Dane County Supervisor Heidi Wegleitner’s attempt to end the practice of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before board meetings. Her proposal would also eliminate any reference to an opening prayer. Let’s start with theContinue reading “Pledge of Resistance”
Bet on Evers
While it’s far from a sure thing, I am feeling increasingly confident that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will eke out a victory in November. Here’s why. Let me deal with the headwinds first. It’s a mid-term election and mid-terms can be brutal for the party that controls the White House. Evers’ Democrats are likely toContinue reading “Bet on Evers”
Language Lessons
God help me, I listen to public radio and read the New York Times. People talk and write in those places in ways that normal human beings just don’t. What’s worse is that the gap between how liberal elites talk (or at least the language they accept) and how average Americans speak is growing andContinue reading “Language Lessons”
Madison School Board is Out to Lunch
After two melees outside of East High School last fall, after a student was beaten outside of West, after another student showed up at La Follette with a loaded handgun and had to be wrestled to the ground by Madison police, after another La Follette student with special needs was beaten so badly that heContinue reading “Madison School Board is Out to Lunch”
The Party of Dane County Will Lose
It’s pretty much all over now. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has spoken and it has locked in another decade of Republican rule — unless Democrats figure out how to win again in rural and small town Wisconsin. Last week Justice Brian Hagedorn joined the court’s three liberals in selecting Gov. Tony Evers’ redistricting maps overContinue reading “The Party of Dane County Will Lose”
‘Don’t Say Gay’ Doesn’t Say That
If you’re looking for a Democrat you might try a graveyard. No, they’re not in residence there yet. That will come in the fall. But you can hear them whistling as they walk past. The case in point today is education. Republicans have introduced a flurry of bills designed to make a political point. InContinue reading “‘Don’t Say Gay’ Doesn’t Say That”
Fans Are Shut Out Again
Let me stipulate that this is not the most important issue facing the world right now. That would be what’s going on in Ukraine, but you have a thousand options for commentary on that, and I don’t have anything fresh to say after my earlier post on the subject. This is a humanitarian disaster broughtContinue reading “Fans Are Shut Out Again”
A Softer Sell on Climate Change
I believe that human-caused global climate change is the most serious existential threat to the human race short of nuclear war. It’s a catastrophe. So why do I want liberals to stop saying that it is? Because talking about climate change like we have been is not working. How many times over the last couple ofContinue reading “A Softer Sell on Climate Change”
Baldwin Keeps the Wolves At Bay
Would I kill some wolves to keep Sen. Tammy Baldwin in Washington? You bet I would. Last week, Baldwin joined crazy conservative Sen. Ron Johnson and two Republican senators from Wyoming in introducing a bill that would delist the gray wolf and turn management of the species back to the states. This has raised howlsContinue reading “Baldwin Keeps the Wolves At Bay”
Biden Takes the Right Tack
In his State of the Union speech earlier this week Pres. Joe Biden tacked to the center. In doing so, he gave his party some slim hope for the fall. I especially liked three things the president said and one set of things he didn’t say. First, he clearly and forcefully rejected the “defund theContinue reading “Biden Takes the Right Tack”
Please Make It Stop
It’s getting pretty hard to write about Michael Gableman. How many times can a guy use words like idiot, fool, incompetent and bungler, in a post? How many times can a reader stand to see “investigation” in quotes? How many references can one make to clowns and circuses before he gets a cease and desistContinue reading “Please Make It Stop”
Did Putin Just Save Democracy?
He’s a dangerous egomaniac who doesn’t listen to anybody. There’s not much there even when he’s all there, and now there’s reason to believe that he’s not. No, I’m not talking about Donald Trump, but rather his old boss Vladimir Putin. And yet, maybe no one has done more to revive liberal democracy than theContinue reading “Did Putin Just Save Democracy?”
Pfaff Gets It, His Party Doesn’t
Nothing illustrates just how far gone the Democratic Party is, how out of touch they are with average citizens, and how little interest they have in winning elections, then this week’s votes on bail reform in the Wisconsin Legislature. Some quick background. In December a man with a long criminal history drove through a crowdContinue reading “Pfaff Gets It, His Party Doesn’t”
Public Safety Can’t Be Left to Public Officials
It’s time for sensible people in Dane County — which, I am convinced are the vast majority of people here — to wrest control of public safety issues from our paralyzed public officials. Three issues demand a reasoned approach. First, there is the Dane County jail. Former Sheriff (and star public servant, in my book)Continue reading “Public Safety Can’t Be Left to Public Officials”
Liberals Value Education Above All Else
Much of the Democratic Party is now made up of extremely liberal, affluent and well-educated urbanites. They’re super woke and pro-union, but when woke and solidarity run head-on into the education of their offspring, education is going to leave their other values in pieces on the side of the road. What liberals understand, intuitively ifContinue reading “Liberals Value Education Above All Else”
Marathon Completed
Welcome to the 365th day of consecutive posts here at YSDA. I made it. I’ve crossed the finish line. I get the medal and the t-shirt. And two tickets for use at the beer tent. For reasons I can’t put my finger on, I decided several months ago to see if I could post aContinue reading “Marathon Completed”
Vos: Not Crazy Enough?
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is the longest-serving speaker in Wisconsin history. To some on the hard-right in his own party he may have over-stayed his welcome. Vos has spent most of his career holding onto power by appeasing the crazies in his own caucus just enough. That explains his embarrassing “investigation” into last November’s electionContinue reading “Vos: Not Crazy Enough?”
Bice Opens the Door to Questions About Barnes
This was coming. Let’s see how far it will go. Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes has been running away with the Democratic nomination to take on Sen. Ron Johnson. It has been clear for some time now that the only way any of his three main challengers can catch up is to make the case thatContinue reading “Bice Opens the Door to Questions About Barnes”
Dems Should Support Bail Reform
Wisconsin’s legislative Republicans are passing a series of bills aimed at putting Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on record against them and, they hope, on the wrong side of hot-button issues. Since he took over as governor, Evers has vetoed 66 bills, but the pace has picked up recently. Evers has vetoed measures sent to himContinue reading “Dems Should Support Bail Reform”
PSC Must Kill Cardinal-Hickory
The Public Service Commission must rescind its approval of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line. Every day they dither, more rate-payer money is wasted and a deeper scar gets torn unnecessarily through the Driftless Region. A federal court has closed off any chance that the line can cross the Mississippi River at its planned spot, andContinue reading “PSC Must Kill Cardinal-Hickory”
Saturday Evening Drove Me From the Left
Maybe nothing better describes why I’ve been driven from the Democratic left to the center than what happens on public radio at dinner prep time on Saturday evenings. For a couple of decades I loved chopping and simmering stuff while listening to A Prairie Home Companion. Garrison Keillor was an unabashed liberal Democrat, who oftenContinue reading “Saturday Evening Drove Me From the Left”
‘Seinfeld’ As Political Movement
The other day, in the Wall Street Journal, Peggy Noonan gave advice to her Republican Party. What is their job, she asked? “It is to be sane,” she wrote. “It is to stand against excess. It is to put itself forward as worthy of leadership. It has to be centrist in its mood and attitudes, and inContinue reading “‘Seinfeld’ As Political Movement”
Cold
Tomorrow it will be eight degrees for a high here in Watersmeet. A nice breeze will make it less toasty, though. I’m going skiing. Nothing unusual about that. I’ve been out cross country skiing on 10 of the last 12 days. I love winter. I love cold weather. Now, there’s nothing wrong with people whoContinue reading “Cold”
What the Hell’s Going On?
On February 3rd state Department of Justice personnel, Dane County Sheriff’s deputies and Madison police sought to arrest a man named Quadren Wilson on the city’s far east side. Several shots were fired, none by Wilson, and Wilson was hit five times. He was taken to a hospital for treatment, but then released after onlyContinue reading “What the Hell’s Going On?”
In Praise of Pols
We’ve been saving up small stories of moderate, bipartisan political courage and today we’d like to share them with you along with a nice round of applause for the pols who have done the right thing. Let’s start with former Vice President Mike Pence. Last week Pence finally came out and said plainly that DonaldContinue reading “In Praise of Pols”
Let’s Pay Off Everyone’s Car Loan
The government should pay off all of our car loans. It’s the progressive thing to do. The hard-left is disappointed that Pres. Joe Biden hasn’t made good on a pledge to pay off $10,000 of every student’s loan debt, no questions asked. Progressives think even Biden’s pledge was too modest. Sen. Elizabeth Warren would goContinue reading “Let’s Pay Off Everyone’s Car Loan”
Biden’s Sister Souljah Moment
When I started writing in support of Judge J. Michele Childs for the Supreme Court I didn’t realize that she would be opposed by the hard-left in the Democratic Party. So, that was a happy surprise. Now there’s reason to support her all the more. Last week the Washington Post reported on the growing unrestContinue reading “Biden’s Sister Souljah Moment”
Refocussing Affirmative Action
Good Sunday morning. Today we’re going to hear from our old friend, New York Times columnist John McWhorter. In this post from last month, in light of the most recent legal challenge before the Supreme Court, McWhorter makes the case for keeping affirmative action, but retooling it to focus on addressing economic disadvantages instead ofContinue reading “Refocussing Affirmative Action”
Suck It Up, People
Today we’re going to hear from Jessica Bennett, an opinion writer for the New York Times. Bennett’s piece, headlined If Everything is ‘Trauma,’ Is Anything? appeared on February 4th. One of our enduring themes here at YSDA is that we’ve become a culture of whiners. Instead of encouraging the positive human trait of cheerfully turningContinue reading “Suck It Up, People”
Biden Moves Center
This has been a good week for Pres. Joe Biden. There are indications that he may have concluded that he’s done enough to placate the hard-left in his party and now he’s going to move back to the center. This week Biden dusted off a fight against cancer that he started as Vice President, madeContinue reading “Biden Moves Center”
Why Does Lasry Continue?
Senate candidate Alex Lasry just dumped another $2 million into his own campaign. When a guy can treat that kind of cash like kindling, well, I guess his kids will still be able to eat, but you start to wonder what the point is. I’m at a loss to understand what Lasry’s theory of theContinue reading “Why Does Lasry Continue?”
Liberals Are Not Dumb
The other day a close friend who is an occasional YSDA reader and a certified Madison liberal offered this pithy, sarcastic analysis of our work: “Yeah, liberals are dumb. We get it, already.” That got me to thinking. Well, no, I don’t think my fellow liberals are dumb, exactly. I think too many of themContinue reading “Liberals Are Not Dumb”
Judge Childs For Supreme Court
When liberals talk about diversity what they mean is diversity of race and gender. Well, they don’t actually mean quite that either. For example, the Madison school board has been touted by liberals as the most diverse in history, yet six of the seven members are women and there are no white men on theContinue reading “Judge Childs For Supreme Court”
Let’s Not Have to Mourn Our Morning Paper
You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone. That’s how Madisonians might feel if they wake up one morning and discover that their morning daily newspaper has been bought up and hollowed out by a “vulture capital” group. Alden Global Capital is making a hostile takeover attempt to acquire a controlling interest in LeeContinue reading “Let’s Not Have to Mourn Our Morning Paper”
Dems See an America Most Americans Don’t Recognize
Good Sunday morning. Today we’re going to hear from Christopher Caldwell. Caldwell is a contributing editor at The Claremont Review of Books. He is the author of “Reflections on the Revolution in Europe: Immigration, Islam and the West” and “The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties.” This piece appeared on January 25th in the NewContinue reading “Dems See an America Most Americans Don’t Recognize”
Electoral Count Act is the Thing Now
I’ve got guests and we’re out there on the cross country ski trails of the U.P., and so I’m not sitting around in my nice warm chair writing blogs. What I’m saying is that it’ll be a cut-and-paste weekend. Today we’re going to hear from Larry Diamond. He is a senior fellow at the HooverContinue reading “Electoral Count Act is the Thing Now”
Mandela Runs Conservative Race
Mandela Barnes is running as if he’s already got his party’s nomination sewn up. I’m not so sure that kind of cautious approach is going to win the day. Last week the Wall Street Journal ran a lengthy story about the top Democrats looking to unseat Republican Sen. Ron Johnson. State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, BucksContinue reading “Mandela Runs Conservative Race”
Manchin’s Justice
Let’s just cut to the chase. It comes down to this: which Black woman jurist will be acceptable to Sen. Joe Manchin? That’s really all that matters now that Justice Stephen Breyer has announced his retirement. Pres. Joe Biden has locked himself into selecting a Black woman, but he still needs all 50 Democrats, includingContinue reading “Manchin’s Justice”
Dems Keep Missing the Point
One thing the party in the majority can do, if not actually pass legislation, is to control the agenda, begin the conversation. For the last several months Democrats have been talking about topics that aren’t top of mind for most voters. The two topics Democrats want to talk about are voting rights and their BuildContinue reading “Dems Keep Missing the Point”
Redistricting: Short-term Pain for Long-term Gain
Democrats are pursuing a redistricting strategy that could result in an absolute bloodbath this fall, but better news for them over the coming decade. That’s my takeaway from this interesting analysis by the Associated Press. Democrats will start out with two big disadvantages in the mid-terms. The first is just history. On average, the partyContinue reading “Redistricting: Short-term Pain for Long-term Gain”
Stay the Course in Green Bay
Here’s how bad it is. If, with two minutes remaining in Saturday evening’s Packers-Niners game, the devil had appeared in my Fritos bag to offer me a bargain — Packers win for Trump victory in 2024 — I would have… had to say I’d get back to him. Of course, of course, I’d do theContinue reading “Stay the Course in Green Bay”
The Case For More Biden Pressers
Good Sunday morning, Packers fans. I wish I could say that pitchers and catchers report in three weeks, but there’s a lock out. Sometimes here at YSDA we like to assign ourselves the task of making a counter-intuitive argument. It’s like doing an extra set of stomach crunches. Tones the writing muscles. Makes us betterContinue reading “The Case For More Biden Pressers”
Dems Over-react on Drop Box Ruling
Remember the bad old days of Jim Crow Wisconsin? In that deeply oppressive environment voters were forced to cast their ballots in person at a limited number of polling places during a single 13 hour period. On a Tuesday! When people had to work! And if a voter wanted to cast a ballot by mailContinue reading “Dems Over-react on Drop Box Ruling”
It’s OK to Lie, Just Not About Vos
It’s okay to spread lies and disinformation and to just generally be bat-shit crazy and still be a member in good standing of the Wisconsin Assembly’s Republican caucus. Just don’t lie about the Speaker. That’s the message that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has sent about one of his nuttiest members, Rep. Timothy Ranthum of Camblesport.Continue reading “It’s OK to Lie, Just Not About Vos”
It’s Time for Left-Center to Get Organized
In the year that I’ve been writing YSDA I’ve been contacted by a number of people who lament their lack of political choices, particularly at the local level. They’re not imagining things. Only four candidates have shown up to run for three seats — two without incumbents — on the Madison School Board. That’s justContinue reading “It’s Time for Left-Center to Get Organized”
Biden’s Problem
I think I’ve hit on Pres. Joe Biden’s fundamental problem: he was never a mayor. When you’ve been a mayor of a liberal city you learn one thing right out of the gate: the left is never, ever satisfied. The left lives to be disgruntled. They cannot govern because being outside shouting at the powersContinue reading “Biden’s Problem”
I’m For Free Speech
Let’s hear it for Becca Meltz. Meltz chairs the College Republicans of UW-Madison. When she was contacted for comment about the scheduled appearance on campus next week of 1619 Project author Nikole Hannah-Jones, Meltz said the group has always been and will continue to be advocates for free speech. Students should have the opportunity toContinue reading “I’m For Free Speech”
MLK and Thinking For Ourselves
To my knowledge, I’ve never quoted Martin Luther King. I’ve also never quoted Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Bobby or John Kennedy, all men I admire just like King. In fact, outside of the occasional quip (quips are timeless), I pretty much try never to quote any historic figure. Here’s my problem with quoting quotable people:Continue reading “MLK and Thinking For Ourselves”
Biden’s Bad Choices
Good Sunday morning. It’s chilly out there. Today we’re going to hear from Ross Douthat, a right-center columnist for the New York Times. And let me pause here and put in a word for the good old Times. The paper’s snobby, condescending coastalness and obsession with the latest fashions in affluent white liberal thought oftenContinue reading “Biden’s Bad Choices”
Opt-Outs: Another Reason to Pay the Players
This week I did something I promised myself I wouldn’t do: I watched the college football national championship game. The game featured two teams from adjacent states, neither of which owns a single snow plow between them. Teams that had sat near the top of the rankings all season and might as well have beenContinue reading “Opt-Outs: Another Reason to Pay the Players”
It’s Time For Bunny Rabbits and Ice Cream
Here’s what Pres. Joe Biden’s press secretary said yesterday about his troubles getting his legislation through Congress: “You do hard things in White Houses, You have every challenge laid at your feet, whether it’s global or domestically. And we could certainly propose legislation to see if people support bunny rabbits and ice cream, but thatContinue reading “It’s Time For Bunny Rabbits and Ice Cream”
Madison Needs More Black People
Yesterday, Milwaukee’s new mayor Cavalier Johnson announced a comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence and reckless driving in his city. Over 200 people were murdered in Milwaukee last year and 65 were killed as a result of traffic crashes. One of Johnson’s initiatives is to maintain Milwaukee’s current police staffing strength. That’s important because 180Continue reading “Madison Needs More Black People”
The Voting Rights Mess
If Pres. Joe Biden and Vice Pres. Kamala Harris went down to Georgia yesterday to shoot themselves in the foot, well, mission accomplished. They can hobble around Washington now because they came back weaker than when they left. The campaign swing through Georgia was designed to show their base that the administration is fired upContinue reading “The Voting Rights Mess”
Open the Schools
On the merits of the case, it’s a close call. On the politics it’s a no-brainer. I’d go with the politics. I speak here of decisions to open schools or force teaching online due to the latest virus surge. The decision pits parents (also known as voters) against teachers unions (also known as THE sacredContinue reading “Open the Schools”
RoJo, Annotated
Yesterday Ron Johnson announced his candidacy for reelection. Did he make his announcement in Wisconsin or in his hometown newspaper at least? Nope. He announced on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal — while decrying “the mainstream media.” Johnson has a way of saying things he doesn’t actually believe. For example, shortly afterContinue reading “RoJo, Annotated”
Dems Misunderstand the Threat
Good Sunday morning. Baby, it’s cold outside. This week we’re going to hear from one of our favorite center-right (but center-left outside of New York or Madison) columnists, David Brooks. I thought Brooks did an exceptionally good job analyzing the Democrats’ voting rights bill. It has no chance of passage, but even if it didContinue reading “Dems Misunderstand the Threat”
Beware Ron Johnson
Press reports this morning indicate that Sen. Ron Johnson will announce his bid for a third term next week. This doesn’t surprise me… though if he had decided to hang it up, that wouldn’t have surprised me either. Truth is, I had no idea what the guy was going to do. Johnson is the oddestContinue reading “Beware Ron Johnson”
Should Rodgers Be MVP?
Aaron Rodgers will almost certainly win most valuable player honors in the NFL again this season. He will win, but should he? That question was raised by one the 50 sports writers who will vote on that decision at season’s end. Hub Arkush called Rodgers “the biggest jerk in the league” and vowed not toContinue reading “Should Rodgers Be MVP?”
1/6/21 – 11/5/24
It feels like we’re in the interim, a tense time when we’re waiting to see what happens next. January 6, 2021 was one of those days when people needed to stand up and be counted. It was like December 7, 1941. Leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor there was a robust isolationist movementContinue reading “1/6/21 – 11/5/24”
Disappointing School Races
Well, so much for that. Despite our repeated urgings here at YSDA, few candidates have stepped up to run for Madison School Board. At yesterday’s filing deadline only four candidates had filed to run for three seats. That means two seats will go uncontested. Four other board seats are not up this year. Board PresidentContinue reading “Disappointing School Races”
Last Words
Last week I listed my 10 favorite books of 2021, but I didn’t count local writers in that list. Over the course of the next month, I’ll look deeper at a handful of books by Wisconsin writers that I enjoyed last year. Let’s start today with Dead Lines by George Hesselberg. One advantage of havingContinue reading “Last Words”
An Open Email to Matt LaFleur
Hey, Matt. Congratulations on securing the top seed in the playoffs, man! Just want you to know that I was confident all along. That stuff you may have seen on social media after that opening game bummer against the Saints? That was just me blowing off steam! Plus, I saw the team needed some motivation.Continue reading “An Open Email to Matt LaFleur”
Radical Practicality
We all know that mayors are where it’s at. Presidents and governors give speeches, senators hold hearings, Congressmen where nice buttons on their lapels. But mayors do stuff. Even the loftiest of politicians, once they become mayor, quickly transform into the purveyors of nuts and bolts. They might come into office talking about “new urbanism”Continue reading “Radical Practicality”
It’s Okay to Reject Critical Race Theory
Last year we pumped out 262,750 words in 395 posts here at YSDA. That’s the equivalent of three or four average length books. Of course, it goes without saying that every one of those words was carefully chosen and absolutely correct. I know you agree. I thought today we’d revisit the most popular (or, atContinue reading “It’s Okay to Reject Critical Race Theory”
Naive Optimism for 2022
Here we are on New Year’s Eve. Or what you might think of as the Eve of Destruction. If you’re a Democrat, or just somebody who happens to like democracy, things are not looking so good. On the world stage the trend is sobering. China has snuffed out democracy and a free press in HongContinue reading “Naive Optimism for 2022”
’21 Could Have Been Worse
Good news is rare, not because it doesn’t exist but because “news” is pretty much defined as negative. There are exceptions, of course, but when things go right that’s more or less expected, and when they go wrong that’s notable. So, for example, when your city plows the streets beautifully after a blizzard, it doesn’tContinue reading “’21 Could Have Been Worse”
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Yellow Stripes & Dead Armadillos 