Caffeinated Politics

April 17, 2026

Madison Comes Together In Severe Weather

James and I spent the tornado warning early this evening in Target on University Avenue. It was the same store we spent a few hours in during the amazing 15-inch rainstorm in 2018. No, that was not a typo. Then we watched from the high windows as cars floated on University Avenue. Today I grabbed… Continue reading

Weather, Society, madison, Isthmus, Social Commentary

madison, life, travel, Weather, Dane County
April 15, 2026

Trump Needs A New Title: King Of Blarney And Bull

Trump made a most dreadful series of comments in the past few days regarding Pope Leo. It has been most embarrassing for our country. Clearly, Trump believes he is even ‘above the Pope’ when it comes to theological reasoning. As such, we need to ask if he feels hemmed in by the mere title of… Continue reading

donald-trump, history, Pope Leo, Religion

faith, history, jesus, louis-xiv, politics, Pope Leo, queen-victoria, sun-king, trump
April 14, 2026

Trump’s Jan. 6th Pardons Became Permission Slips For Child Molestation, Murder Plots, Etc.

The news of more pardons for criminals who tried to undermine a national election on January 6, 2021, does not come as a surprise. Really, does anything surprise us at this point when it comes to the absurdity of the Trump Administration? Or the Republican lie about law and order? Balanced budgets? Family values? (Does… Continue reading

donald-trump, January 6th, Law

crime, donald-trump, January 6th, Law, news, politics
April 14, 2026

Even Good News Carries The Weight Of Our Time

The news was welcomed, and from a legal perspective, not surprising. Still, it was all very troubling. To settle a lawsuit from LGBTQ+ and historic preservation groups, the Trump administration agreed on Monday to allow a rainbow Pride flag to continue flying at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City after removing it in… Continue reading

donald-trump, Gay Rights, Law, Social Commentary, Society, Strengthen Democracy

gay, history, lgbtq, national-park-service, politics, pride, pride-flag, stonewall
April 13, 2026

Americans Suffer From Psychological Jolts Due To Donald Trump’s Outlandish Absurdity

James and I were relaxing during the rain on Sunday. Following the much-desired electoral ousting of Viktor Orban and the hoped-for renewal of ties with the EU, we watched The Murder at the Vicarage, Agatha Christie’s first Miss Marple detective story. We read books and drank coffee and tea. As such, we were separated from… Continue reading

donald-trump, Religion, Social Commentary, Society

christianity, donald-trump, jesus, politics
April 12, 2026

Those Who Sided With Viktor Orban Will Be Damned, Authoritarianism Is A Loser

I spent some time this afternoon upstairs looking for a column in a back issue of Foreign Affairs. I knew it contained the essence of what I wanted to stress in this column. That followed the most welcome news that Peter Magyar’s center-right Tisza party was projected to win Hungary’s parliamentary election, bringing an end… Continue reading

conservatives, donald-trump, Hungary, international, J.D. Vance, republicans, Strengthen Democracy, Uncategorized, Viktor Orban

autocrat, democracy, eu, europe, history, Hungary, J.D. Vance, monica-lewinsky, news, politics, trump, tucker-carlson, Viktor Orban
April 12, 2026

Senator Ron Johnson Makes Us Stop And Think

The Wisconsin State Journal wrote this weekend in an editorial that, “When (Wisconsin Senator Ron) Johnson, a fan of conspiracy theories, is the voice of reason, you know things are bad. Some found that sentence all too true, given the absurdity that has been unleashed by Donald Trump’s Iran war; others surely laughed. I have… Continue reading

conservatives, donald-trump, Iran, iran-war, republicans, Ron Johnson, Wisconsin Politics

donald-trump, logic, news, politics, reason, Ron Johnson, trumps-iran-war, war, wisconsin
April 11, 2026

Madison TV News Story About Grocery Prices Was Seriously Tone Deaf

If one were looking to report on the impact of high grocery prices on the wallets of Madisonians, it might be assumed a reporter would head to Hy-Vee, Metcalfe Market, or a Woodman’s store. But when the WKOW news team chose the story, they went to Whole Foods. Or, as it is comically referred to,… Continue reading

Economics, Inflation, journalism, madison, media, politics

economy, food, fred-risser, groceries, Inflation, journalism, news, politics, wkow
April 10, 2026

COVID Shot Benefits Report Undermined By Robert Kennedy Jr., Propagandist With No Credibility

When I hear Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name, a basic thought instantly comes to mind about what he is doing as Secretary of Health and Human Services. He purposely sows disinformation, creating public confusion that then undermines evidence‑based policymaking. His long, ridiculous record of promoting lies about vaccines, outrageous claims repeatedly debunked by scientists, medical… Continue reading

Covid, RFK Jr., Science, Strengthen Democracy, vaccination

news, politics, health, Covid, Science, vaccines, RFK Jr.
April 9, 2026

If Illinois Can Do It, Why Can’t Wisconsin? Stop Pistols From Easy Conversion To Automatic Weapons

The news from Illinois regarding gun control measures is, once again, uplifting. State lawmakers are weighing another measure aimed at the firearms industry: requiring some gun manufacturers to redesign pistols so they can’t be easily converted into automatic weapons. The latest effort by Illinois, long a national leader on gun control, mirrors legislation California passed… Continue reading

guns, Gun Control, Illinois, Society, nra

firearms, gavin-newsom, Gun Control, gun-violence, guns, Illinois, nra, politics

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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.