February 20, 2020

Barr ‘Rebuke in Retrospect’

op-ed (will be) published by Ray Mueller March 2020 There has almost always been an ugly underground in American politics. It usually surfaced only in cities, counties, and a few states. But now it’s in full view on the national stage. Left unchecked, it will destroy the country’s fundamental structure of government after 240 years. The long-standing institutions of government …

Continue reading
February 20, 2020

Op-Ed Response to blindly following Trump

by Gary Lemke published February 8, 2020 Recently someone recommended that we come together to support the president.  How did that work when President Obama was in office?  Many Republicans worried about the color of his skin which was black unlike the orange skinned “silver spoon baby” in there right now. After rigging the election he is living on the coattails …

Continue reading
February 10, 2020

Suppression Tactics Affect Election Results

by Ray Mueller published 2/13/2020 Are there subtle ways to win an election before the ballots are counted? That seems to be a foolish question but it’s relevant as voting starts in what portends to be a pivotal political year. That’s because voter suppression persists in various ways throughout the country. Multiple tactics are used to dissuade some people from …

Continue reading
February 10, 2020

Twenties a Topsy-Turvy Time

by Ray Mueller published 1/20 Just over 20 years ago, there was lots of apprehension about the impending arrival of the year 2000. A major concern was whether everything that was computer run – a technology developed in years starting with 19 – would convert to the 20s. When January 1, 2000 dawned, everything kept humming and seemed to be …

Continue reading
November 21, 2019

Brad Pfaff Fired as DATCP Secretary

November 2019 Still fuming over their loss of the governorship (and all other state level offices) a year earlier, all 19 Republicans in the Wisconsin senate vented a bit of their fury on November 5 by refusing to accept Gov. Tony Evers’ appointment of Brad Pfaff to be Secretary of the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection – …

Continue reading
November 5, 2019

GOP Excesses Out of Bounds

By Ray Mueller The arrogance and audacity of the Republican leaders in the Wisconsin legislature seem to have no limits. And, with rare exceptions, they enjoy full backing by their fellow Republicans, including those from this area. Stung by the loss of all five state-wide offices to Democrats in the 2018 election, Republicans retaliated quickly to defy the will of …

Continue reading
November 5, 2019

Mueller Report Fallout Looms

By Ray Mueller, originally published June 6, 2019 “He got away with it” – at least for now – is a simple way to assess the standing of President Donald J. Trump in the wake of the long-awaited but redacted Mueller report. As long as he remains on the scene, Trump will crow about “no collusion” and “total exoneration” to his adoring …

Continue reading
November 5, 2019

Mass Shootings a Daily Disgrace

By Ray Mueller Hardly a day goes by when there isn’t a mass shooting somewhere in the United States – more than 250 of them already in 2019. In what tends to draw widespread media attention, a “mass shooting” means there were at least four victims. No place seems exempt from such shootings by someone who has “a score to settle” …

Continue reading
November 5, 2019

Thoughts on November 7 State Legislature

When Wisconsin’s legislators gather on Thursday, November 7 for a session to consider new legislation proposed by Gov. Tony Evers on restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns, it’s likely to result in a sham session. That’s because the Republican leader of the state senate has already declared that he’ll immediately adjourn the session after calling it to order. …

Continue reading
August 5, 2019

Why & How to Call Your Representative

One of the most important tools we have beyond voting is keeping an open communication line with those who pledged to represent us and our democracy. It’s irrelevant what their political party affiliation is–they pledged their allegiance to our Constitution to represent all their constituents, not just the ones who agree with their policies.

Continue reading