
David Blaska: Madison goes all Minneapolis on immigration
Envious Madison is determined to stumble in the footsteps of Jacob Frey, the preening mayor of Minneapolis.
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Envious Madison is determined to stumble in the footsteps of Jacob Frey, the preening mayor of Minneapolis.

The social issues that hurt Democrats are on a cold back burner. Try as they might to change the subject, there’s no reason to think the Republicans can do much of anything to save themselves this November.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth believes he is fighting old warrior wars — no need for those who have more brains than brawn.

Does stunning change in voters’ preferences foretell fall election results?

Electing a statewide schools chief may have reflected good governance a century ago. Today it looks more like a constitutional artifact.

Wisconsin energy policy needs to increase energy availability, not subsidize utilities’ gambles.

Gas plants used to power data centers increase costs for consumers, risk of exposure to pollutants, and accelerate the harms of climate change.

It’s possible that taxpayers will be on the line for most of a $20 million loan given to the UW Athletic Department in 2020.

The conjunction of a member-owned co-op and an employee labor union is unique. Group Health Cooperative has a chance to regard this as an opportunity, find common ground with employee organizers and become a national model for labor-management cooperation.

Before Operation Metro Surge sent thousands of armed federal agents into Minneapolis, terrorizing families and spreading chaos and violence in formerly peaceful residential neighborhoods, local parent organizations were already setting up networks to provide mutual aid and safely transport children of immigrants to and from school.

Couldn’t understand the words, still the message came through loud and clear.

I surely was not the only one who laughed out loud when Congressman Andy Ogles described the Super Bowl halftime show as “gay pornography.” I viewed the show as stylized and choreographed in the same tradition that has defined pop‑music halftime shows for decades. But all of a sudden we are to believe that a cultural emergency has befallen the country.

Maybe the culture wars started with the Dixie Chicks. The “Dizzy Chicks” hated on Dubya and the president’s supporters returned the disfavor. Today, even Big Bird is suspect.

The state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund contained more than $2.1 billion at the end of 2025, well above the threshold to maintain the lowest employer tax rate schedule. The state Department of Workforce Development yesterday issued a financial summary for

Wisconsin residents expressed widespread concerns about a proposal before the Public Service Commission creating a new rate class for hyperscale data centers. Scores of individuals tuned in yesterday for a virtual public comment period on a We Energies’ proposal that

The city of Madison will work to protect against unreasonable monetary damages and will continue to encourage, promote, and protect the right to vote — including absentee voting. You don’t have to take my word for it; we prove it each and every election.

As lawmakers once again are poised to consider a bill related to online sports betting, they need yet another reminder that the state constitution has not changed. While the tribal gaming lobbyists may be pushing hard to get what they want, the Legislature has absolutely no power to give it.

As a doctor who has researched and used the hemp plant to help people, it would be a betrayal of Wisconsin’s consumers to take the only form of legal cannabis in Wisconsin and allow it to end or hand it over to an industry with no history, understanding or support of the plant.

Starting in 2027, Wisconsin families could become eligible to receive millions in new funds – at zero cost to the state – for all kinds of educational opportunities. The funds could be used for anything from tutoring to supplemental courses not offered in their school, to covering tuition at a private school. But there is one catch. A single person gets to decide whether Wisconsin families get to access those funds.

Until conservatives show up in the spring the way they show up in the fall for the likes of Donald Trump and Ron Johnson, our schools are going to be run by entitled elitists who want to enrich themselves all the while schools in our state are going to hell.

Envious Madison is determined to stumble in the footsteps of Jacob Frey, the preening mayor of Minneapolis.

The social issues that hurt Democrats are on a cold back burner. Try as they might to change the subject, there’s no reason to think the Republicans can do much of anything to save themselves this November.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth believes he is fighting old warrior wars — no need for those who have more brains than brawn.

Does stunning change in voters’ preferences foretell fall election results?

Electing a statewide schools chief may have reflected good governance a century ago. Today it looks more like a constitutional artifact.

Wisconsin energy policy needs to increase energy availability, not subsidize utilities’ gambles.

Gas plants used to power data centers increase costs for consumers, risk of exposure to pollutants, and accelerate the harms of climate change.

It’s possible that taxpayers will be on the line for most of a $20 million loan given to the UW Athletic Department in 2020.

The conjunction of a member-owned co-op and an employee labor union is unique. Group Health Cooperative has a chance to regard this as an opportunity, find common ground with employee organizers and become a national model for labor-management cooperation.

Before Operation Metro Surge sent thousands of armed federal agents into Minneapolis, terrorizing families and spreading chaos and violence in formerly peaceful residential neighborhoods, local parent organizations were already setting up networks to provide mutual aid and safely transport children of immigrants to and from school.

Couldn’t understand the words, still the message came through loud and clear.

I surely was not the only one who laughed out loud when Congressman Andy Ogles described the Super Bowl halftime show as “gay pornography.” I viewed the show as stylized and choreographed in the same tradition that has defined pop‑music halftime shows for decades. But all of a sudden we are to believe that a cultural emergency has befallen the country.

Maybe the culture wars started with the Dixie Chicks. The “Dizzy Chicks” hated on Dubya and the president’s supporters returned the disfavor. Today, even Big Bird is suspect.

The state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund contained more than $2.1 billion at the end of 2025, well above the threshold to maintain the lowest employer tax rate schedule. The state Department of Workforce Development yesterday issued a financial summary for the UI Trust Fund covering 2025. The fund is made

Wisconsin residents expressed widespread concerns about a proposal before the Public Service Commission creating a new rate class for hyperscale data centers. Scores of individuals tuned in yesterday for a virtual public comment period on a We Energies’ proposal that would create a new class for so-called “Very Large Customers”

The city of Madison will work to protect against unreasonable monetary damages and will continue to encourage, promote, and protect the right to vote — including absentee voting. You don’t have to take my word for it; we prove it each and every election.

As lawmakers once again are poised to consider a bill related to online sports betting, they need yet another reminder that the state constitution has not changed. While the tribal gaming lobbyists may be pushing hard to get what they want, the Legislature has absolutely no power to give it.

As a doctor who has researched and used the hemp plant to help people, it would be a betrayal of Wisconsin’s consumers to take the only form of legal cannabis in Wisconsin and allow it to end or hand it over to an industry with no history, understanding or support of the plant.

Starting in 2027, Wisconsin families could become eligible to receive millions in new funds – at zero cost to the state – for all kinds of educational opportunities. The funds could be used for anything from tutoring to supplemental courses not offered in their school, to covering tuition at a private school. But there is one catch. A single person gets to decide whether Wisconsin families get to access those funds.

Until conservatives show up in the spring the way they show up in the fall for the likes of Donald Trump and Ron Johnson, our schools are going to be run by entitled elitists who want to enrich themselves all the while schools in our state are going to hell.