Author Archives: dave cieslewicz

Here’s the question posed in a headline from this morning’s New York Times: “Will Schumer Satisfy the Left?” I can answer that question. The answer is ‘no.’ From my long and painful experience with left-wing activists I can assure you that it is impossible to satisfy them. Political practicality is just not in their DNA.Continue reading “Chuck Schumer’s Dilemma”

Notice anything about the debate over the COVID relief package? It’s so normal. In fact, it’s almost boring and isn’t that wonderful? I hasten to clarify that I’m referring here to the national effort, not what’s going on in the Wisconsin Legislature. Here, the Republicans in the Assembly and Senate have started to snipe atContinue reading “Sweet Normalcy”

A typical response from my liberal friends, when I criticize some lefty over-reach, is outrage at my audacity. “You cannot be comparing that to insurrection!” they say. Well, no. Relax. I’m not comparing erasing Dianne Feinstein’s name from a San Francisco school to storming the Capitol with the intention of stopping the final confirmation ofContinue reading “The Dodge of the Equivalency Outrage”

If progressives really care about the Supreme Court, they should want to build a sustainable, long-term majority. That means moderating their positions and making smart, rather than emotionally charged, arguments. I asked a liberal friend to have a look at this website and offer his comments. He told me that he liked it, but heContinue reading “Aggressive Progressive v. Sober Centrist”

If both sides were serious, a bipartisan COVID relief plan wouldn’t be that hard to imagine and it could happen fast. President Joe Biden’s long experience in Washington is already showing why a government run by a competent practitioner is so much better than government run by a populist zealot of any stripe. On MondayContinue reading “A Moderate Way Forward on COVID”

By Harvey M. Jacobs The Biden administration swept into office with a flurry of executive orders. One seeks to reduce the amount of fossil fuels extracted from federal lands. That has elicited support from national environmental groups (though some say the order won’t go far enough) and local tribes while it is being roundly criticizedContinue reading “Searching For a Responsible Localism”

Sometimes the big picture is more important than the details. That’s the case with the COVID relief package working its way through Congress right now. President Biden’s plan would cost $1.9 trillion. Ten Republican senators have offered a plan — with few public details at this point — costing around $600 billion. That’s a canyonContinue reading “Let’s Make a Deal”

The “war for the soul of the Republican Party” turned out to be a pillow fight where not a feather was shed. And Donald Trump won. So much for that. It was a Grand Old Party. Now it’s gone. Date of death: on or about January 28, 2021. On Tuesday, January 26th, long-time Republican strategistContinue reading “Requiem For The GOP”

Gov. Tony Evers is not the most powerful man in Wisconsin. Nope. That’d be Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. The Rochester Republican is now the longest serving Speaker in Wisconsin history. He didn’t get there by being a nice guy and he didn’t get there by being an idiot. He’s been able to stay in powerContinue reading “Somebody’s Gotta Stand Up To Robin Vos”

There’s much to admire about California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, not the least of which is that she spells her name with two n’s just as my wife does. Feinstein was the first woman to serve as mayor of San Francisco and she was highly regarded in that job before being elected to the senate. There,Continue reading “Between a Rock and Dianne Feinstein”