Republicans wanted something. Democrats wanted something. Everybody was in Madison under the same dome. Why didn’t anybody try to work something out? Yesterday encapsulated what’s wrong with Wisconsin state government. Republican Speaker Robin Vos called an extraordinary session in an attempt to override a veto of a GOP bill to end extra Federal unemployment benefitsContinue reading “Our Dysfunctional State Government”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Please Get Vaxed
My guess is that the readership here at YSDA is pretty diverse. Of course, if you found your way here you are an intelligent, thoughtful and discerning person by definition. But, since I’m a center-left moderate (and still a liberal in many ways) who isn’t shy about taking on the hard-left and Democrats when IContinue reading “Please Get Vaxed”
What a Prehn
It has become a clear Republican strategy: burn down the house. So, I suppose we shouldn’t have been surprised when Fred Prehn refused to do the honorable — and usual — thing and step down. Prehn is the chair of the state’s Natural Resources Board. He’s been there since 2015 when he was appointed byContinue reading “What a Prehn”
UW Should Require the Vax
Over 600 colleges and universities are now requiring that their students and/or their faculty and staff be vaccinated against COVID 19 when they show up this fall. But not the UW. That’s just wrong. When I wrote about this earlier in the summer I speculated that UW System President and former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy ThompsonContinue reading “UW Should Require the Vax”
Reconsidering Breyer
When presented with the opportunity to make a sophomoric point and a serious one, I alway like to begin with the juvenile. Have you ever noticed the resemblance between Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and Mr. Burns? Uncanny. Ok, now that that’s out of the way, let’s take up this issue of Breyer’s retirement —Continue reading “Reconsidering Breyer”
Moderate Doesn’t Mean Weak
I have been getting leaned on a bit by some of the Democratic Party elders. Their subtle, nuanced message amounts to: lay the hell off Tony Evers, you asshole. This has caused me to reflect on what it means to be a moderate. First, a quick recap. I was so unhappy with Gov. Evers’ decisionContinue reading “Moderate Doesn’t Mean Weak”
BRT Gets Madisoned
Do we really have to be all “Madison” about this, people? The city is on the verge of doing something historic. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will be the biggest improvement in urban mobility in these parts in at least a couple of generations. The high comfort, high frequency, limited-stop system will compete well versus carContinue reading “BRT Gets Madisoned”
Barnes’ Gets Third Degree Over His Degree
What do Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglas, Winston Churchill, Brad Pitt, Ellen DeGeneres and George Clooney all have in common? None of them completed a four year college degree. And, ya know what, they turned out alright anyway. I mention this now becauseContinue reading “Barnes’ Gets Third Degree Over His Degree”
Vos Misreads Me
Well, I suppose I should at least thank Speaker Robin Vos for reading my stuff. But if the Speaker thinks that my criticisms of Gov. Tony Evers are going to help him defeat Evers in the November, 2022 general election, he’s wrong. Here’s what Vos said according to a story yesterday in the Milwaukee JournalContinue reading “Vos Misreads Me”
The Practical Idealist
In my youth I was an idealist. To use a baseball analogy, I wanted to swing for the fences. Now, I’ll take a walk, a single, a bunt and a sacrifice fly. One method is more dramatic than the other, but it’s still one run. Last week I wrote a column on crime, cleverly titled,Continue reading “The Practical Idealist”
Yellow Stripes & Dead Armadillos 