dave cieslewicz

In Defense of Joe Manchin

Can we get a little perspective here, people? Sen. Joe Manchin is taking a lot of flak from the left for not being onboard with their $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate change program. “Two people do not have the right to sabotage what 48 want, and what the President of the United StatesContinue reading “In Defense of Joe Manchin”

Pic of the Day/Neighbor’s Art

My neighbor is an artist in his spare time. I love his work.

Blank Slate

Rebecca Blank has been a good administrator, but she has not defended classical liberal values. The UW Madison chancellor is heading to Northwestern at the end of this school year after almost a decade here. Let’s start by giving her the credit she deserves for what she has accomplished. This is how the Wisconsin StateContinue reading “Blank Slate”

Reading the Maps

Let’s start by giving Gov. Tony Evers’ People’s Maps Commission its due. It fulfilled its assignment. The commission produced new legislative maps that were fair in the sense that they were drawn in compliance with current legal standards, and more or less blindly to partisan advantage. And while the products themselves (three sets of mapsContinue reading “Reading the Maps”

Pic of the Day/Joe Hesse

Went to my sheepshead friend Joe Hesse’s memorial service today. Joe was a beloved German and French teacher at Stoughton High School. After our last game, shortly before he died, Joe’s lasts words to us were, “See you on the other side, boys.” See you there, Joe. You buy the first pitcher.

Evers Doubles Down on His Pardon Peril

Last night, for the first time in 20 years, a Madison police officer was shot. We’re lucky that the officer’s injuries are not life-threatening, but it’s yet another indication of the dramatic rise in shootings here and nationwide. And the Democrats sleep. Here’s more evidence that Democrats just aren’t getting how dangerous crime is —Continue reading “Evers Doubles Down on His Pardon Peril”

Pic of the Day/Dave’s Supper Club

I’ve always wanted to have my own Northwoods supper club (but only in high concept; I wouldn’t want to do all that actual work.) Now, I’ve got my theme down. It would be “Dave’s Supper Peninsula Club: Where the Elite Retreat to Eat Meat.”

Kloster Muck

We now have a better understanding of why Speaker Robin Vos won’t release the names of people working with Michael Gableman on his “investigation” into last November’s election. He’s embarrassed — and he has every right to be. Vos hired the former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, who was never considered the sharpest member of theContinue reading “Kloster Muck”

Pic of the Day/Empty Dock

The fishing boat and kayaks went into the garage yesterday. Fall’s coming… and so are the guys who take in the dock.

The Gableman Follies

Let us review. Joe Biden won the November election in Wisconsin by about 20,000 votes. That has been confirmed through the normal, rigorous and demonstrably accurate canvass process and reconfirmed through extraordinary recounts and in court challenges from former Pres. Donald Trump and his pals. It’s fair to say that this has been the mostContinue reading “The Gableman Follies”