history

June 15, 2026

Why Germans Fled Hitler, And Americans Fear Trump, Dane County Dinner Conversation Hits The Mark

It was shortly after ten o’clock Sunday night when one of the nine people gathered around the large dining table posed the question. With a deliberative style, the question was asked about what criteria were used by German citizens who felt it necessary to leave their homeland as they witnessed the rise of Hitler and… Continue reading

conservatives, Dane County, donald-trump, history, republicans

democracy, germany, history, hitler, politics, trump
June 13, 2026

The Lowest Moment As We Watch Public Life Decline In Donald Trump’s Second Term

I was a toddler when President John Kennedy was assassinated. Over the course of my lifetime, there was always a respectfully placed invisible line around his death and the loss of life so young due to his role as our national leader. A young widow and young children, and the continuously unanswered questions of what… Continue reading

donald-trump, ethics, history, Kennedy Center, politics, Social Commentary, Society

1963, donald-trump, ethics, history, jfk, Kennedy Center, Morals, news, politics, president-kennedy
June 12, 2026

Caffeinated Politics Podcast: Democracy, Courts, And Trump

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2026 Midterm Elections, Caffeinated Politics Podcast, donald-trump, Elections, Law, Strengthen Democracy, Tom Tiffany

2026 Midterm Elections, donald-trump, Elections, history, news, politics, Tom Tiffany, wisconsin
June 11, 2026

Democrats Play Hardball Successfully Over FISA Bill

Needless to say, we can be proud of the work by Congressional Democrats and some Republicans, and of the outcome it is producing regarding the need for a new head of DNI. Effective professional men and women with established resumes of expertise must be the only acceptable heads of the vital departments of our national… Continue reading

Congress, Democrats, DNI, donald-trump, Strengthen Democracy

Congress, Democrats, DNI, donald-trump, history, news, politics
June 6, 2026

Ridiculous Spectacle On White House Lawn With Cage Fight

John Adams was an intelligent man, a driving force for independence in the founding of our nation in 1776. He was also quick-tongued and not above bluntly saying what he meant. So, if he were to come back and look out at the South Lawn of today’s White House (what I think is fair to… Continue reading

conservatives, donald-trump, Founding Fathers, republicans, semiquincentennial, Social Commentary, Society

conservatives, donald-trump, Founding Fathers, george-washington, history, john-adams, news, politics, utc
June 5, 2026

Donald Trump’s White Trash On Parade Before Judges

There is a daunting set of data that I want my readers to be aware of in today’s column. Scores of individuals who were granted clemency by Donald Trump have subsequently faced new criminal charges. A comprehensive study by Lawfare Media revealed that nearly 1 in 16 recipients of the sweeping January 6th blanket pardons… Continue reading

conservatives, donald-trump, January 6th, Law, MAGA, republicans

conservatives, crime, donald-trump, history, jan-6, Law, MAGA, news, politics, republicans, white-trash
June 1, 2026

Why America’s 250th Birthday Doesn’t Feel Like 1976’s Celebration

America is about to turn 250, and you wouldn’t know it unless you happened to trip over a press release from the city or county about a parade or upcoming fireworks displays. For a nation that once threw itself a year‑long Bicentennial bash — tall ships crowding New York Harbor, wagon trains converging on Valley… Continue reading

donald-trump, history, President Gerald Ford

bicentennial, donald-trump, gerald-ford, hancock, history, july-4th, politics, semiquincentennial
May 19, 2026

Watertown School Board Tried to Silence Music About LGBTQ+ Community, But Gave It Wide Publicity

The Watertown School Board has achieved something truly remarkable, something they had not intended. They tried to undermine a dignified instrumental piece about LGBTQ+ history, but instead turned it into the most talked‑about spring cultural event in much of Wisconsin. By “remarkable,” I mean the kind of strategic brilliance that belongs in a museum exhibit… Continue reading

wisconsin, Wisconsin Politics, republicans, conservatives, Society, Gay Rights, culture-wars, Social Commentary, bigotry

music, news, history, transgender, writing, lgbtq, bigotry, Gay Rights, classical-music, Watertown, omar-thomas
May 17, 2026

Donald Trump’s Slush Fund Runs Counter To Founding Fathers’ Constitution

Though the particulars and specifics were not known in 2024, a presidential election year, countless voices across the political landscape, including mine, stated that a primary motive for Donald Trump to gain the Oval Office was to grift and make a lot of money. The irony was clear for all to see. His conservative supporters… Continue reading

Congress, Constitution, donald-trump, ethics, Founding Fathers

Congress, congressman-raskin, donald-trump, history, news, politics, slush-fund
May 13, 2026

A Band Concert Shouldn’t Be a Culture War; Yet The Watertown School Board Created One

The news from Watertown is truly disheartening. Watertown High School’s wind symphony will not be allowed to play a musical piece with ties to LGBTQ history at an upcoming spring concert. The decision didn’t come without fiery opposition from most in attendance at a School Board meeting Tuesday. Board members voted 7-1 to prohibit the… Continue reading

bigotry, conservatives, Education, Gay Rights, music, republicans, Watertown, wisconsin, Wisconsin Politics

classical-music, Gay Rights, history, lgbtq, music, news, omar-thomas, stonewall, Watertown

Recent Columns

Humphrey History Minute

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Perfect Addition To A Cup Of Hot Steaming Coffee

My book is about a rural family, finding a way through the years of being bullied, and the suicide of my best friend. Many recollections about the days in broadcasting, the state legislature, and coming out as a gay man.