Author Archives: dave cieslewicz

Let me dispense with the suspence right away. No, I will not vote for a Republican for president in the general election in 2024. But what about the Wisconsin primary next April? I’ll have nothing to vote for in the Democratic column, so I’ll feel like a free agent. And what if, by the timeContinue reading “Could I Vote For a Republican?”

It seems to me that all the debt ceiling drama is overwrought. It would certainly be a mess if the government defaulted, but predictions of armageddon are probably over-stated. Since it has never happened before nobody knows what would really happen. In any event, we’re not likely to have to find out. It looks likeContinue reading “Debt Limit Drama: Meh”

Goodbye ACC. So long, PAC 12. Aloha, Big 12. The Power Five conferences will, by the time this decade is out, be the Power Two. That’s the clear implication from a lot of observers, the most recent of which appeared in this morning’s State Journal sports pages. The paper ran a piece by Omaha WorldContinue reading “The Big Two”

Conservative commentator David Blaska and I have one thing in common in addition to a first name. We don’t mind angering our friends. Blaska wrote an oped this morning in the Wisconsin State Journal explaining why he’ll never vote for Donald Trump again. His argument was strategic more than anything: Trump is a loser whoContinue reading “Blaska and Me”

As a self-proclaimed moderate you’d think I’d love No Labels. I don’t. I really, really don’t. Here’s why. No Labels is a sort of third party movement designed to push the two major parties toward the center. They would do that with what is essentially a big threat. They will run some sort of self-styledContinue reading “Check the Label”

This is how environmentalists get a bad name. So, here’s the deal. There is a 645-mile oil and natural gas pipeline that runs from Superior, Wisconsin to Ontario through northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula. It’s vital for the economy in the Upper Great Lakes region. And it runs not too far from our placeContinue reading “Let Line 5 Flow”

Last night I attended the annual dinner of an organization called Wisconsin Women in Government. I was there because Janet Piraino, a long-time friend and my chief of staff for all of the eight years that I was mayor of Madison, was getting the organization’s Legacy Award. Piraino has been chief of staff to twoContinue reading “In Defense of Guys”

Lots of interesting stuff in the paper this morning, none of it necessarily calling out for an entire column. Take your time. I’ve been a little critical of Dane County Executive Joe Parisi’s quick (and it turned out disastrous) hiring process for a new human services director. Six weeks wasn’t enough. But how about moreContinue reading “Wednesday Stuff”

First, let me make it clear that I will not pay off your college debt. You signed a contract promising to pay it back. So live up to your responsibilities and do what you said you would do. Doing things you promised to do — especially when they turn out to be harder than youContinue reading “My Speech to the Class of ’23”

Here’s an observation on human nature. When you insult people they tend to not like you. If forced to continue to sit in a room with you anyway, they will stop listening. I’ve found myself writing a lot lately about diversity, equity and inclusion programs, mostly I suppose because there has been a fair amountContinue reading “Progress on DEI”