A WAR CORESPONDENT
Those of us born in the 1940’s and 50’s well remember the Cuban missile crisis when the Soviet Union placed missiles in Cuba that were minutes from destroying Washington DC and other major US cities. And we all remember President Kennedy’s speech to the American people telling us that the Soviet Union meant no harm and was just defending itself from American aggression and that Cuba was a sovereign nation and had every right to allow Russia to place missiles on its soil. There was nothing to worry about.
Of course, we all know exactly the opposite ...
Tribute to Dr. Al Gedicks
I am saddened to bring you the news that Dr Al Gedicks has passed away. I will leave you this by Zoltan Grossman who says it best.
~Nancy
Tribute to Dr. Al Gedicks
By: Zoltan Grossman
Wisconsin (and the world) has lost a giant. Dr. Al Gedicks, a driving force of environmental justice alliances against mining companies in the Midwest, passed away on Saturday, May 9, after a long bout with cancer. His brother Bob Gedicks reported that Al “was at peace and surrounded by family.”
Below is the April 26 tribute I read for our friend Al at the ...
War Spending in Perspective
We all know federal spending on war and preparation for war – what we euphemistically call “defense” spending – is huge. But most people have no understanding of how big these numbers are, how they compare with other government spending, and what it all means for their lives.
People might understand $100,000 because that is about the median family income in the U.S. (which means half of families live on less). An average house costs around $400,000. But $7,400,000,000,000 – the total federal budget for FY 2026 – is just a big, incomprehensible number.
U...
Illegal Pesticide Use is Poisoning the St. Croix Riverway — And the County is Looking the Other Way
The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is one of the most treasured natural corridors in the upper Midwest. But right now, neighbors along its banks are spraying triclopyr to control buckthorn — and St. Croix County is doing nothing about it.
Triclopyr is sold under brand names like Garlon 3A and Garlon 4. It may seem like a reasonable solution to an invasive plant problem. It is not legal here. Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 118.06(6)(b)3 is clear: within the Lower St. Croix Riverway, herbicide use is limited to direct topical application to cut stems only. Broad ...
This Issue is a Tribute to Dave Svetlik
This edition is dedicated to Dave Svetlik. Dave was a brilliant man as well as one of the founders of Middle Wisconsin. Dave contributed thoughtful pieces he truly believed in on a regular basis to Middle Wisconsin. Sadly, Dave passed away on Friday, May 8, 2026.
Losses like Dave make me think of legacies. What kind of footprint will you leave? What would you like people to remember about you? Will anything you do today make a difference tomorrow? What creates that legacy?
Far too many people look at what they have gained out of life, their possessions and accompli...
Christian Nationalism in Power
Join the Marathon Dems this Thursday, May 21 at 6 PM as we welcome Kelda Roys, one of our fine candidates for Governor. I am sure there will even be time for some Q & A.
After this we will be showing an information packed movie called “Bad Faith 2026: Christian Nationalism in Power.” The Winning WI 07 team along with Building Unity is looking for new ways to educate all of us going into the fall elections.
COOPERATION 106
cooperation [ koh-op-uh-rey-shuhn ]
an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit
mutually beneficial interaction among organisms [nations] living in a limited area [planet Earth]
It was back in November of 2024 that I wrote COOPERATION 105 in this series. There has been so much turmoil in the ensuing 3 months that it has been hard to imagine any sort of cooperation in the U.S. or globally. Yet the urgency for cooperation has only grown – in the U.S. and globally.
Donald Trump, of course, moved ...
RETURN OF THE ROBBER BARONS 3.0
THE POLITICIAN WILL HAVE TO DISGUISE HIMSELF
Non-Partisan Leader Cartoon 1917
https://digitalhorizonsonline.org/digital/collection/ndsu-npl/id/45/rec/68
North Dakota State University Archives
The Non-Partisan League was formed by the farmers of N.D. because neither the Republicans nor the Democrats of that time were serving their interests. The League would go on to establish the public Bank of North Dakota in 1919 which serves the people of N.D. to this day.
Americans are frightened and appalled by the current assault on traditional federal ...
FAIR MAPS FOR GOOD
FAIR MAPS FOR GOOD - RALLY DATE: THURSDAY, JUNE 4 at 5:30 PM
Join the Fair Maps Coalition for a coordinated statewide day of action, just days after candidates file signatures. We're making our demands clear: Without an Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) in place soon, we'll face the same fight against gerrymandering after the 2030 Census. An IRC puts citizens—not politicians—in charge of drawing fair maps. This is the permanent fix Wisconsin needs to end gerrymandering.
With your help, we can win this. We’re seeing just how much fair maps can turn our ...
Worker’s Memorial Day
Photo Credit: TomKilian