dave cieslewicz

The Paul R. Soglin Madison Municipal Building

Ok, so here’s a man-bites-dog story for you. Capital Times Emeritus Editor Dave Zweifel has started a campaign to rename the Madison Municipal Building after the city’s longest serving mayor, Paul Soglin. And I agree. That might surprise you because Paul and I went head-to-head for the mayor’s job twice. In 2003, I beat himContinue reading “The Paul R. Soglin Madison Municipal Building”

Pic of the Day/Does

It’s opening day of gun deer season in Michigan. These does greeted me this morning on my way into my stand. They’re old friends who hang around our cabin all year, so they will definitely not be on my meat pole.

The Sacred Week

I’m not a religious guy. I’m not even a spiritual guy. I distrust passion. I like calm, rational people. To all ultimate questions my answer is, how the hell should I know? Is there a god? Is there life after death? I don’t think so, but on the other hand, how the hell should IContinue reading “The Sacred Week”

CRT (Lite) Is Taught in Schools

Good Sunday morning from the snowy north woods. This is a special week; the week leading up to the opening of Wisconsin gun deer season at dawn on Saturday. Denny Burke’s Sunday jazz pick is “Mumbles” by Clark Terry. This week we’re going to highlight a column from another YSDA favorite, New York Times columnistContinue reading “CRT (Lite) Is Taught in Schools”

Homeless Need Responsibility

The city of Madison has done the right thing to shut down a homeless tent encampment and to provide a humane alternative. But it can’t just be a giveaway. For too long, city leaders tolerated an unsightly and unsanitary mess of a tent encampment at Reindahl Park. Finally, they acted to shut down the encampmentContinue reading “Homeless Need Responsibility”

Build Back Smaller

It’s the issue that has rocketed to the top of the charts: inflation is back. I would not have written this even a week ago, but I now think that Pres. Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan should be scaled way back from its current $1.75 trillion iteration. Inflation is now the biggest issue threateningContinue reading “Build Back Smaller”

Veterans Day

I was going to write something else today, but when I saw this moving piece in this morning’s Wisconsin State Journal, I wanted to share it with you. It’s written by Rick Larson, a 75-year old Vietnam veteran who now lives in Monona. Here it is. Every year around Veterans Day, I recall my timeContinue reading “Veterans Day”

Just Play the Game

I know. I know. You’ve been wondering what to think about the whole Aaron Rodgers vaxgate thing, waiting for the sage wisdom of YSDA to kick in. Wait no more, sports fans. We haven’t had much to say about this deal because we haven’t been able to come up with anything original. Yes, Rodgers isContinue reading “Just Play the Game”

Will McCoshen Reconsider?

Gov. Tony Evers is in trouble. In a new Marquette Law School poll fully 53% of respondents said they would vote for somebody else next November. Only 40% said they planned to vote for Evers. That, along with the drubbing Democrats took last week, amounts to grim news for the first term governor. But aContinue reading “Will McCoshen Reconsider?”

If Not Woke, Then What?

You may have noticed my subtle criticism of woke policy and politics. I’ve referred to woke as “garbage.” Some could regard this as a gentle signal that I may disapprove of it. I’m also a believer in David Shor’s theory of popularism. That is the complex political strategy of finding out what voters want andContinue reading “If Not Woke, Then What?”