Caffeinated Politics

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

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

bigotry, classical-music, Gay Rights, history, lgbtq, music, news, omar-thomas, transgender, Watertown, writing
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 16, 2026

Another Pardoned Trump Insurrectionist Broke The Law, Gun Threat On Church Property, Thug Behavior Continues Among White MAGA Males

One does not even need to do an online search for the latest criminal behavior from the MAGA males who violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. One only needs to read a newspaper or listen to the news on the radio. There’s a certain grim predictability to these people and their low-brow… Continue reading

conservatives, donald-trump, MAGA, republicans, Social Commentary, Society

conservatives, donald-trump, MAGA, news, politics, republicans
May 15, 2026

What Donald Trump Got Wrong On China Trip

Leonid Brezhnev, the leader of the Soviet Union for 18 years, died on November 10, 1982, at age 75. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was asked that evening how the personal relationships between Washington and Moscow would fare following the death. He made it clear that personal relationships were not the guiding force of international relations.… Continue reading

china, donald-trump, Henry Kissinger, history, international, Uncategorized

china, donald-trump, Henry Kissinger, international, politics, Xi
May 15, 2026

Getting Serious About Helping Obese Children In Our Society

We have all seen pictures in the news of children who are obese. Not plump. Not overweight. Obese. It is sad to see. We know of medical problems that either presently exist for these kids or are on the horizon. These youngsters are all across the nation. Rural or urban. Wisconsin, Texas, Oregon, or Virginia.… Continue reading

Children, food, parenting, Social Commentary, Society

abuse, Children, diet, health, nutrition, obesity, weight-loss, wellness
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
May 13, 2026

Let’s Talk About ‘Concern For Children’ In Plainfield, Wisconsin

The Waushara Argus reported that the Plainfield Village Board addressed several key issues during its regular meeting on May 5. The proposed public health vending machine sparked debate among board members following County Nurse Jennifer DeVitt’s proposal to place a 24/7 public health vending machine at the village library. The vending machine is funded entirely… Continue reading

Plainfield, Social Commentary, Society, Waushara County, wisconsin

concern-for-children, health, mental-health, narcan, news, opioids, Plainfield, politics, Waushara County
May 11, 2026

The Billion‑Dollar Ballroom Nobody Asked For, But Republicans Want You To Pay For

So, we are to believe that Donald Trump supporters in 2024 were so unable to afford eggs and pay their bills that they needed to defy logic and reason and vote for the Republican candidate in the November election. If we were able to keep a straight face reading that line, let’s try out another… Continue reading

Congress, conservatives, donald-trump, Social Commentary, Society

ballroom, Congress, conservatives, donald-trump, election-2024, news, politics, republicans
May 10, 2026

Governor Tony Evers Correct: Conversion Therapy Widely Discredited And Harmful

I am sixty-three years old, and I have lived long enough to watch the world change in ways my younger self could never have imagined. I grew up in a time when being a gay teenager was treated by some as a defect; my grandmother surely would have termed it a moral failure. It was… Continue reading

conservatives, Conversion Therapy, Gay Rights, Social Commentary, Society, Tony Evers

bullying, Conversion Therapy, hancock, lgbtq, mental-health, politics, queer, teenagers, Tony Evers, Waushara County, wisconsin
May 9, 2026

Melanina Trump Is A “Working Mom”, I Call It Bunk

The latest insult to American women came from Donald Trump’s third wife. Melania Trump, who emphasized her experience as a “working mom” while serving as First Lady. It pays not to eat food and read the newspaper at the same time. Surely more than one person nearly choked when reading the Op-Ed column supposedly written… Continue reading

donald-trump, Melania Trump, Social Commentary, Society, Women

donald-trump, Melania Trump, news, politics, Social Commentary, Society, Women

David Crowley For Governor

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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.