Author Archives: dave cieslewicz

Few issues put the split between liberals and the hard-left in more stark relief than the proposal to build a new Dane County jail. Here are the basics. The county currently runs three jails. The main facility is in the Public Safety Building and it is a relatively new, modern jail. But the old jailContinue reading “Build a New Jail”

If you think Joe Manchin is too conservative, how would you like to have Mitch McConnell running the Senate again? Hard left Democrats and activists are beside themselves about Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona are the two main flies in the progressive’s ointment. About a week ago,Continue reading “Manchin or McConnell?”

Sometimes I wonder why I’m still a Democrat. Then the Republicans remind me. In just the last few days, legislative Republicans have debated or passed bills or motions that would do the following: Short-change education funding to the extent that they are risking losing $2.3 billion in Federal funding under the COVID relief bill. ProhibitContinue reading “Republicans, Help Me Out Here”

In a sign that the Democratic Party might continue in a pragmatic fashion, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe easily won his party’s primary on Tuesday. This bodes well for 2022. McAuliffe, who was prohibited by law from seeking a second consecutive term but who was free to run again after sitting out for awhile, bestedContinue reading “Good News From Virginia”

Over 500 colleges and universities will require students to be vaccinated before showing up on campus this fall. But not the University of Wisconsin. That has to change. Marquette, the state’s largest private school, joined Beloit College and Lawrence University yesterday. Nationwide, the list is growing fast. In April, only about a dozen schools wereContinue reading “Immune From Reality”

Last week featured two of the least surprising stories of the year. The UW picked Chris McIntosh to be its new Athletic Director and Gov. Tony Evers announced that he would run for reelection. McIntosh has the job, despite getting some flack for being hired in a process that wasn’t inclusive enough. But, of course,Continue reading “Can Evers Win Again?”

The Wisconsin Democrats are holding their virtual convention this weekend. Let’s take a look at how they’re doing. Let’s start with the reasons for optimism. 1. They’re printing money. In the last cycle Wisconsin Democrats out raised the other guys $23 million to $9 million. That’s a huge reversal of fortune from the days, notContinue reading “Sizing Up the Dems”

Robin Vos is a nightmare for a columnist. The Republican from Burlington and long-time Assembly speaker never does anything that is in the least bit surprising.  What you’d like, as a writer, is a subject that gives you an opening to explore an angle that is unexpected. In Vos’ case that would be an opportunityContinue reading “Inspector Clouseau is on the Case!”

It’s no secret that I have a lot of issues with Critical Race Theory, but efforts by state legislatures to prohibit it are a mistake. A fundamental part of being a classical liberal is that we believe in maximum free speech. Let ideas get exposed to lots of healthy debate and the good ones willContinue reading “Don’t Ban Critical Race Theory”

There was so much wrong with Donald Trump and his administration that it was hard to get your head around it. But Michael Flynn has brought it all into stark relief: he’s a traitor and he’s a fool, just like his old boss. I would say that it was a strategy if I thought theContinue reading “Flynn’s a Traitor”