Author Archives: dave cieslewicz

Is there any trace of decency and common sense left in the Republican Party? We’ll find out in the coming days. Tommy Thompson represents the pre-Trump party. Steve Nass reflects the ugly populist hot mess it has become, though in truth, Nass was a jerk before Trump ever dreamed of running for president. Here’s theContinue reading “Thompson v. Nass”

Along the bike path on Trout Lake, Vilas County.

My patience — to the extent I’ve ever had any — with the unvaccinated officially runs out today.  Yesterday, the FDA gave final approval to the Pfizer vaccine. Look, it was always a weak excuse to say that you wouldn’t get vaccinated because the vaccines had only emergency approval. And it was an especially richContinue reading “The Trifecta of Idiocy”

A windswept sculpture at the University of Minnesota Arboretum west of Minneapolis. The Minnesota Arboretum is a much different facility than ours here in Madison. There’s less emphasis on native plant communities and natural settings and more on a variety of plants and manicured gardens.

Speaker Robin Vos (R-Burlington) talked with reporters today from a truck stop in Georgia promising he’d be back home, “on Friday. Saturday at the latest. Maybe Sunday.” Vos was invited to fly with former Pres. Donald Trump on Trump’s private jet to a rally in Alabama on Saturday. But Vos first had to drive toContinue reading “Vos Expected Home Friday”

Let me start by stipulating that I believe Congressional moderate Democrats are right. They just need to be cautious about how far they press their case. Some House centrists are saying they want to vote to approve the $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the Senate as soon as possible, leaving the $3.5 trillion packageContinue reading “Moderates Need to be Careful”

For those you who lament the antics of the Madison City Council, it could be worse. You might live in Minneapolis. I’m up here this weekend to attend a wedding and, so, I got a chance to read the Minneapolis Star-Tribune this morning. (Yeah, I know, I could read it online anytime, but why wouldContinue reading “It Could Be Worse”

I commit the four grave sins of the Democratic Party. I am a middle-aged, straight, white man. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Now, of course, you may have caught on that I’m being sarcastic there, but I’m constantly surprised at how many liberal men really are self-loathing. Here’s a comment I gotContinue reading “In Defense of Guys”

Today I’m just going to quote at length from an excellent story in this morning’s Wisconsin State Journal about the reactions of Afghan war veterans to the disastrous U.S. pullout. The story was reported by Riley Vetterkind and Mitchel Schmidt. In fairness, their story did quote the father of one soldier who died in AfghanistanContinue reading “Peace Activist: We Should Have Stayed”