dave cieslewicz

Project 2025 is About Abortion

Why is Donald Trump running so hard from the Heritage Foundation’s 920-page Project 2025 document? Why are the Democrats trying to tie him so closely to it? In a word, abortion. Yesterday, Trump had the director of Project 2025 — which was also about gathering resumes for a second Trump administration — tossed under theContinue reading “Project 2025 is About Abortion”

I’m Puzzled

Let’s take a break from politics to talk about…. jigsaw puzzles. I love these things. I always have one going up at our cabin. My current project is simply called “America” and it’s got postage stamp size logos for each state. My technique is to dump all the pieces in the center of my tableContinue reading “I’m Puzzled”

Harris Needs to Capture the Center

Here’s some unsolicited advice for Kamala Harris from a center-left, moderate Democrat who wants to see her win — and most definitely wants to see Donald Trump defeated. As the party gets closer to its Chicago convention the relief and elation caused by Joe Biden’s stepping aside and the quick rallying of the party behindContinue reading “Harris Needs to Capture the Center”

The Q&Q For 7/27/24

This week’s quote comes to us from none other than newly minted GOP Veeper J.D. Vance In a 2021 interview with Tucker Carlson he said that top Democrats — Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez — were: “A bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choicesContinue reading “The Q&Q For 7/27/24”

Knock Off the Rust

“Rust Belt.” I heard that awful moniker used over and over again by the national news media at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last week. Ironically, the convention was held at the shiny new Fiserv Forum and its swanky surroundings, largely funded (shamefully) with taxpayer money, but nonetheless very, very nice. And that arenaContinue reading “Knock Off the Rust”

Let’s Be Real About Joe

Let’s be honest. Joe Biden did not graciously sacrifice his own career for his country. He was dragged, kicking and screaming, from the stage. By hanging on as long as he did, he did damage to his party and the nation. If Kamala Harris wins in November all will be forgiven, If she loses, he’llContinue reading “Let’s Be Real About Joe”

Let Us Chill

A lot has happened this month. On June 27th Joe Biden cratered his campaign at a debate he himself had demanded to display his superiority to Donald Trump. Then somebody tried to kill Trump. Then the Republicans had an unusually united and more or less disciplined convention topped off by a rambling and typically mean-spiritedContinue reading “Let Us Chill”

GOP Getting Smarter

Let’s spend a day not talking about Donald Trump or Joe Biden. You’re welcome. Instead, let’s talk about generic political strategy, regardless of the candidates. Republicans have performed worse than expected in recent cycles and the reason generally offered is that since Roe was overturned voters are taking them to the woodshed over abortion. IContinue reading “GOP Getting Smarter”

Dems: Take A Breath

The Onion headline writes itself: Democrats Replace Candidate Sure to Lose With Candidate Pretty Sure to Lose. Now that Joe Biden has — at long last — dropped out of the race, the Democrats should not rush to select his replacement on the ticket. They’ve got almost four weeks before their convention and they shouldContinue reading “Dems: Take A Breath”

An Odd Angle

The UW’s power plant on Walnut Street is one of my favorite buildings on the campus. It’s clean, crisp, unadorned, functional. Odd Angles is a regular Sunday morning feature at YSDA. On my many walks around Madison I like to snap pictures of spots I like that nobody else would think to photograph.