Submit columns for consideration to wisopinion@wispolitics.com

LaKeshia N. Myers: The draft is back on the table — and our communities need to pay attention
During the Vietnam era, the draft exposed the fault lines of race and class with brutal honesty. Black men were drafted at higher rates, assigned to combat roles more frequently, and denied the deferments that wealthy and well-connected white men used to avoid service altogether.

David Blaska: Sacrilegious, blasphemous, and just bad politics
Donald Trump, heal thyself!

Dave Zweifel: In Trump’s make-believe world, war is all that matters
As Trump blows vast amounts of money on his war, the administration has its sights on even more pain for the folks who can least afford it.

John Torinus: Who knows final outcome for UWWC campus?
Citizens of Washington County have no clear idea about the end game for the former University of Wisconsin – Washington County campus. But a few things have become clear.

Jill Underly: Wisconsin is losing teachers — it’s beyond time to act
If we’re serious about addressing the teacher shortage, that starts with adequate state funding.

Deb Andraca: We already know how to fix Wisconsin’s school funding problem
We already have a plan, and the path forward is clear: build a foundation of transparency and accountability using the bipartisan solutions discussed in the Blue Ribbon report.

Natalie Eilbert: We have to talk about grooming
Until Wisconsin adequately responds to educator sexual misconduct the way it’s modeled in other states, we will be in a poor position to deal with the problem.

Steven Walters: How Evers plan to issue commutations works
Evers’ commutation process offers hope to some lifers, but excludes sex offenses and recent violence behind bars.

Rolf Lindgren: Keep Brian Schimming
Changing horses midstream is a bad idea.

Jessica McBride: Post Maria Lazar rout: Diagnosing the problem
This is so much bigger than Maria Lazar or her campaign strategy.

Dave Zweifel: Thanks to Trump, we’re getting hosed at the pump
Ironically, it was the man who insisted that Americans continue to rely on carbon-emitting fossil fuel-guzzling engines who is responsible for making them more expensive and, for many families, even unaffordable.

Jerry Hanson: Walworth County ICE cooperation could victimize citizens
Walworth County deputies do not routinely determine the citizenship or immigration status of those in their custody before transferring them to ICE. ICE administrative warrants could easily sweep individuals into ICE custody who are here legally or have not violated immigration laws.

Alyza D. Lewin: Wisconsin adopting IHRA definition of antisemitism is commendable
The IHRA definition is critical to protecting Jews from contemporary antisemitism. It explicitly states it is not antisemitic to criticize actions or policies of the Israeli government.

Samer Alatout: UW must respond to state law on speech
Existing anti-discrimination laws already provide robust protections against harassment and exclusion on the basis of religion. The IHRA framework does more than extend those protections. It regulates political speech.

Brian Fraley: Government Oversight, Accountability and Transparency Committee wants answers from DPI
State lawmakers will hold a public hearing Wednesday to examine the Department of Public Instruction’s administration of student assessment contracts and associated expenditures.

Richard Moore: How to cut state spending, really
An amendment capping spending growth. An amendment restoring legislative oversight of rulemaking. Mandatory sunsets. Reining in the counties and towns. The state has plenty of ways to cut state spending.

John Nichols: Just how big could Democrats win in 2026?
The results from an important race in Wisconsin this week suggest the Republicans could be in very big trouble.

David Blaska: Waukesha County is RINO country
Three days after an abortion-without-limits lobbyist won election, we’re thinking even Trump-Only Republicans should welcome back into the party a few more RINOs like Brian Hagedorn on Wisconsin’s supposedly non-partisan Supreme Court.

John Norcross: Waukesha’s purple wave: Local activists flip the script on partisan school board takeovers
After several election cycles, communities are beginning to see and react to the negative consequences of partisan-controlled school boards. The 2026 results show that there is a path for communities to flip the script on the MAGA takeover of public education.

Michelle Bryant: MPS: A crisis of priorities
We cannot continue to say one thing about the importance of education while doing another when it matters most. In the end, how we treat our educators is the clearest reflection of our priorities and how we are willing to treat our children.

WisOpinion: ‘The Insiders’ weigh in on the political fight over data centers in Wisconsin
The WisOpinion Insiders, Chvala and Jensen, look at the political uproar over data centers and legislation for siting them in Wisconsin. Sponsored by the Wisconsin Counties Association and the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership.

Rewind: Your Week in Review for Dec. 12
On this week’s episode of “Rewind,” WisPolitics.com’s JR Ross and Wisconsin Public Radio Capitol Reporter Anya Van Wagtendonk discuss Gov. Tony Evers’ actions on a series of bills, new teaching requirements for Universities of Wisconsin faculty, the race for governor, timelines in cases challenging Wisconsin’s congressional district lines and more.