Author Archives: dave cieslewicz

From time to time I feel the need to explain myself to my readers.  But first off, thank you for reading. I know I must be a great frustration to you. Just when you think I’m going to go left, I go right. Just when you think I’ve become a conservative, I go the otherContinue reading “Where I Stand”

The other day I needed a permit that allows me to harvest firewood in the Ottawa National Forest up here in the Upper Peninsula. So I drove over to the nearest Forest Service office and bought my permit. The two women working the office were very nice and very efficient. They were also very professionalContinue reading “The Cold Incompetence of Elon Musk”

One of my many complaints — probably my central complaint — about the Madison school district is its obsession with identity politics. For a decade or more the district has fallen all over itself to find and address “systemic racism”. Most notoriously, it enacted its discredited Behavior Education Plan, which weakened the control teachers haveContinue reading “What If It’s Not All About Race?”

As the world economy crashes because of the grudges and whims of one very dumb and very unstable man, it’s time to ask ourselves if we’ve invested too much power in the presidency. The answer is yes, we have. Here are four examples of how that is playing out in awful ways. The president apparentlyContinue reading “Curb Presidential Powers”

This week’s quote comes to us from none other than Jose Felipe Alvergue. Prof. Alvergue is the chair of the English Department at the UW Eau Claire. He’s on paid leave while the university sorts out what he did this week. He’s accused of flipping over a table staffed by College Young Republicans on behalfContinue reading “The Q&Q For 4/5/25”

With more information and a little time for reflection, here are some more thoughts about what Tuesday’s big win for Democrats — in that “nonpartisan” election —might mean. Was Schumer right? I was with those Democrats who were frustrated with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer’s decision not to fight Trump on his bill to keepContinue reading “More On the Election”

The Trump Administration is going after academia. I have mixed feelings. Trump is using the enormous leverage he has through Federal grants to force universities to comply with his demands. Actually, so far, his demands haven’t been unreasonable. He freed up $400 million in taxpayer money for Columbia when the school agreed to add threeContinue reading “No Free Lunch at the Campus Cafeteria”

It’s mercifully over. No more ads giving you nightmares about rapists and serial killers haunting your garage. So, what did we learn from last night’s results? Democrats were fired up and Republicans weren’t. Democrats and liberals were burning to shout NO! STOP! at Donald Trump. Trump voters showed once again that they show up onlyContinue reading “Sorting Through the Election”

It’s election day, people. I like to vote on election day. I like the ritual of it. And I like to keep my powder dry. You never know if something might happen to change my mind. Nothing has. I’m voting for Susan Crawford for Attorney General because, while she’s run an awful campaign loaded withContinue reading “Election Day”

Anybody else just sick of the ads in this Supreme Court race? Brad Schimel is corrupt! Susan Crawford is a radical! And Elon Musk will pay $100 for your vote with a chance to win up to a million! This campaign insults the intelligence of voters. The Supreme Court rarely decides a case involving violentContinue reading “Let’s Stop the Madness”