Author Archives: dave cieslewicz

This week’s quote comes to us courtesy of a headline in the Wisconsin State Journal. The story was on the reintroduction of beer sales at UW football games and the headline read: “Sale of Alcohol Appears Strong” A) Sun to Rise in East this Morning, Set in West Later Today B) Oxygen Found Necessary ForContinue reading “The Q&Q For 9/7/24”

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes is right. In the wake of the latest fatal school shooting, this one in Georgia, Barnes is once again asking the Madison school district to return police officers to its high schools. It never made any sense to remove these cops in the first place. Officers had been in theContinue reading “Put Cops Back in High Schools”

Okay, folks, it’s now after Labor Day and my prohibition on paying any attention to the polls has been officially lifted. Now that the dust has settled (kind of) on the summer of: Biden’s disastrous debate, assassination attempt on Trump, successful GOP convention landing with a thud after Trump’s 90-minutes of grievance, Biden’s dropping out,Continue reading “Questions For the Fall”

The Madison school district will ask voters to approve a $507 million capital spending program in a November referendum. Voters should send them back to the drawing board. It’s the progressive thing to do.  That biggest-ever ask would replace five schools and substantially renovate two others, but some of those buildings are well below capacityContinue reading “Madison Needs to Close Some Schools”

When I was fighting (I’ve come to hate that over-used word, but in this case it really was a hell of a fight) to get the Edgewater Hotel built in Madison, one thing I touted was the jobs it would create in an economy still recovering from the 2008 crash. In response I was accusedContinue reading “Harris & McDonald’s, I’m Lovin’ It”

I’m pro-union. But in an abstract kind of way. As a matter of public policy, I think unions have done a lot of good historically and, for the most part, they continue to improve the lives of working people, even for those who are not union members. And how’s that for a chilly statement ofContinue reading “Unions and Me”

This week’s quote is a picture that says a million words: A) An official Army photographer at Arlington National Cemetery. B) A Fox News photographer. C) Melania Trump. D) A Trump campaign photographer. 2. What happened shortly after this picture was taken? A) Trump’s campaign aides apologized to a cemetery staff member when she remindedContinue reading “The Q&Q For 8/31/24”

Here’s a quote from a New York Times story from this week: “So it is especially notable that Democrats, four years after hemorrhaging Latino support, have not been offering a slew of overt appeals. Rather than ads filled with promises about immigration reform and Spanish phrases, Democrats have been focusing on economic messages, talking aboutContinue reading “Breaking Identity Fever”

Wisconsin prisons are a mess. A dangerous and too often lethal mess for both inmates and staff. And yet, where’s the action from state lawmakers and the Governor? This morning it was reported that yet another inmate has died in the prison system. This time it was a 19-year old man apparently murdered by hisContinue reading “Where’s the Urgency on Prisons?”

Tim Walz was a good choice for Kamala Harris’ running mate. He could be better. Somebody said that Walz looks like a guy who just climbed out of a deer stand. Having witnessed many guys soon after they’ve departed their deer stands, I’d say that’s about right. Walz is a hunter, a former teacher andContinue reading “Beneath the Camo”