I was introduced to a new website this week, called Jabberwocking.com. It’s written and edited by Kevin Drum, a journalist who used to work for Mother Jones. While Drum takes a mostly progressive view, he’s also not shy about calling ’em as he sees ’em, like this blog about the culture wars. But another thingContinue reading “Introducing the Pic of the Day”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Let’s Be Against Crime
Democrats need to come out forcefully against the bad guys. A few weeks ago I had a conversation with new Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes. I was impressed by him overall, but I was especially taken by one of the first things he told me. “I hate crime,” he said with conviction. “I just hateContinue reading “Let’s Be Against Crime”
Dems Need Alternative to Evers
Democrats deserve a choice. Do they want to nominate Tony Evers again and, at best, get four more years of wishy-washy or do they want to take a chance on actually making a difference? Tony Evers is the Stockholm Syndrome Democrat. For the second time in two chances he signed a Republican budget that bearsContinue reading “Dems Need Alternative to Evers”
No Wolf Hunt This Fall
It would be irresponsible for Wisconsin to move forward with a wolf hunt this November or at any time this year or next. February’s ill-advised hunt plus poaching, car hits, and legal kills made by farmers may have reduced the population by as much as a third. That’s according to UW environmental studies professor AdrianContinue reading “No Wolf Hunt This Fall”
The Challenges and Possibilities for Progressive Cities
In June primaries Buffalo, New York selected the country’s first openly socialist mayor of a major American city since Frank Zeidler was mayor of Milwaukee in the 1950s, and New York City’s city council moved decidedly to the left (these are Democratic cities where a primary victory largely assures election in November). In this columnContinue reading “The Challenges and Possibilities for Progressive Cities”
The Moderate Case for HR-1
Let me try to make a moderate’s case for two progressive goals: the elimination of the Senate filibuster and the Democrats’ voting rights bill, HR-1. The moderate case goes like this. When 75 million people vote for an autocrat, American democracy, and the liberal Enlightenment values that it is based on, are in serious trouble.Continue reading “The Moderate Case for HR-1”
Pretty Sure it’s Corrupt
It looks like PSC now stands for Pretty Sure it’s Corrupt. Attorney General Josh Kaul needs to start an investigation into former Public Service Commissioner Mike Huebsch for possible misconduct in public office. And at least two other commissioners have conflicts that, while not criminal, should have prevented them from being appointed to the PSC inContinue reading “Pretty Sure it’s Corrupt”
America’s Promises
America makes some outlandish promises. The story of the country is all about the struggle to keep them. When I was a young county supervisor I sat on the zoning committee. My city of Madison colleagues and I on that committee were often the target of heated comments about how much we disrespected freedom. Why?Continue reading “America’s Promises”
Three Threats to Freedom
On the eve of Independence Day I find myself more grateful for my freedom than ever before. That’s because I no longer take it for granted. It wasn’t so long ago that I thought that blood and soil nationalists and ivory tower Marxists were only to be found on the fringes of American life andContinue reading “Three Threats to Freedom”
The No-Spin Zone
It’s the start of a holiday weekend, so let’s talk baseball! Now, most of our readers are in Wisconsin, so I have to be sensitive to the fact that due to a half decade of baseball absence in Milwaukee or to the dominance of Chicago media in the southeast corner of the state or toContinue reading “The No-Spin Zone”
Yellow Stripes & Dead Armadillos 