Author Archives: dave cieslewicz

The last thing our country needs is to fan the flames of another already hot issue. But that’s what’s likely to happen when the Supreme Court issues its ruling — probably next June — on the latest challenge to Roe v. Wade. Most legal tea leave readers that I’ve come across seem to think thatContinue reading “A Middle Ground on Abortion”

Good Sunday morning. For your Sunday jazz selection, and in keeping with the season, let’s try John Coltrane’s version of “My Favorite Things.” Today we’re going to hear from former Montana Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. Bullock ran for president in 2020 and then U.S. Senate. He lost both races, but I was impressed with himContinue reading “Dems Need to Get Out More”

This evening is the Big Ten Football Championship game. We’re still smarting over the Badger’s inexcusable loss to the Gophers last week, robbing us of a rematch against Michigan. But I own a place in the U.P., and paying property taxes there entitles me to conveniently switch my allegiances. I’ll be up there today, arrivingContinue reading “Now Pay All the Players”

Three of the seven seats on the Madison School Board are up this April. It’s important that voters get the chance to choose a new direction. As of Wednesday candidates could start circulating nomination papers. The minimal number of signatures can be picked up easily in a few days, so there’s plenty of time beforeContinue reading “Run For School Board”

It’s a free country. Freer then it should be, in my opinion, when it come to vaccinations against COVID 19. I support a universal vaccination requirement. But since that isn’t going to happen, we need to look at other ways that the majority of us, who have done the responsible thing, can protect ourselves againstContinue reading “Dine at Quivey’s, Drink at Genna’s”

Yesterday the Wisconsin Supreme Court dealt a serious blow to any hope of fair legislative and Congressional district maps for the next decade. On a 4-3 decision the court said that it would base its ultimate ruling on the principle of least change to the heavily Republican gerrymandered maps that have been in place forContinue reading “Maps: Evers Didn’t Do Enough”

As a rule, I’m no fan of the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. But they’re right about a couple of things. Founded a decade ago with a big gift from the conservative Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, WILL is pretty much just a front for the Republican Party. They’ve shilled for the party most notably —Continue reading “Dems Should Support Parents”

In recent years the old saying that ‘all politics is local’ has been turned around. It seems like we’re so polarized now that all politics is national. It feels like it all just comes down to which side of the divide you claim to be on. Or maybe not. There are encouraging signs in localContinue reading “Is All Sanity Local?”

Good Sunday morning. For your Sunday easy-going music selection and to honor Stephen Sondheim let’s try “Somewhere” as sung by Lucy Thomas. It’s routine among columnists to write about what they’re grateful for at Thanksgiving. I have some sympathy for that — you don’t have to come up with an actual idea for a topic.Continue reading “Thankful for Biden”

So, here’s a question for you. Two judges have ruled that opponents of the American Transmission Company’s massive power line from Iowa to Middleton have a case that’s likely to prevail. So, why does ATC keep building it anyway?  Here’s an answer that may not surprise you. Because they’ll make money even if the lineContinue reading “Why Does ATC Exist?”