Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness cannot exist when people face gun violence in their homes, schools, workplaces and neighborhoods.

As July 4th approaches, I find myself trying to better understand the link between virtue and happiness as political language. The Founders believed that a free people could be virtuous and that a virtuous people could be happy. I do not think a majority of the nation in 2026 believes we are experiencing that now.

A flag is not a fashion statement, a team jersey or a campaign logo, and it never was. You don’t show your love for something by turning it into a costume. You show it by living up to what it means.

Looking around, the mood is hardly celebratory, yet celebrate we should. Another July 4th fast approaches, another Independence Day, but this one marks an especially notable milestone, 250 years since the great experiment began.

I believe deeply in America’s greatness, but not as a slogan that looks backward. I believe in the greatness that moves us forward toward a more inclusive, just and faithful expression of our democratic ideals

As we celebrate 250 years of our democracy, we need to step back and appreciate how fortunate we are to live in such an amazing country.

While the Trump administration hopes their war on mail-in ballots will combat election fraud, in Wisconsin, this war will help Democratic candidates at the expense of Republican candidates.

We mark a milestone this week that once seemed impossible: the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

The capacity to work together to solve problems — not reveling in some fleeting thrill of attacking others — will make or break the country’s future.

For the first time in the history of this greatest nation in the history of the world, there are massive numbers of Americans who no longer believe in the principles of the Founders.

In 1777, facing an outbreak of smallpox that threatened his troop’s combat readiness, General George Washington ordered that the Continental Army be inoculated against smallpox.

There’s a particular rot in American politics that doesn’t come from policy differences, but rather from the partisan-grade production of false narratives.

Community pushback against a massive solar development in St. Croix county just revealed how little local input is worth when it gets in the way of a utility’s renewable energy goals.

More than a third of Dane County households are struggling to afford basic needs, and it’s not for lack of effort.

Longtime journalist, theater and film critic passes away at age 84.

If the winner of the primary for lieutenant governor is not the governor’s preferred candidate, they often get sidelined.

Democrats attack each other. And did one of them leak story to Journal Sentinel?

Gubernatorial fashion choices are painting Tom Tiffany as the normal guy running against a bunch of college kids at a frat party.

Democrats seem destined to handcuff themselves in this fall’s midterm elections over an intraparty divide between its far left and moderate factions.

Today’s Democratic Party is a civil war zone. Socialist revolutionaries are storming the winter palace.