Politics

Left perspectives on power and policy across Wisconsin and the Madison area.

A long shot photo of Lake Mendota at either dawn or dusk time, in limited light. The sky has a pretty mix of dark and light blue colors amid the yellow-orange of the sun near the horizon line. A large budding tree stands in the middleground next to an illuminated lamppost.

USRowing’s trans-exclusionary policies only divide us all

Amid institutional erasure of their autonomy, trans athletes deserve to be openly embraced by their teammates and representatives.

Latest in Politics
Photo of a Black man, Reggie, wearing a navy-blue windbreaker over a grey sweatshirt hoodie. He sits on the edge of a moving truck's deck that is partly covered by a black tarp. Inside the truck are several miscellaneous items like a teal blanket and black and yellow storage container.
What do we owe each other?

Reggie and Anne navigate life without housing after the closure of Dairy Drive.

A digital illustration shows a map of Madison's central Isthmus, superimposed over a collage-style art piece showcasing urban development in the Soviet Union.
The Madison “uniparty” is not oppressing you, because it’s not real

Local debates aren't what they should be, but they're not being crushed by the far left.

Photo of the Wisconsin Capitol with the "Forward" statue on the stairs. Image has been desaturated except the yellow of the dome. A mesh screen filter has also been added.
What’s ahead in Wisconsin politics in 2026?

Madison politics reporters discuss their perspectives on WORT-FM's "A Public Affair."

A photo of a winding road leading up to the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, with a heavy, obfuscating black-and-white filter applied.
Coliseum renovations should proceed with caution

Dane County should apply strict scrutiny of its partnership proposal with FPC Live, even if it's the only bidder.

Photo of a museum gallery with several works of art on display.
Could an exhibition like “Guiding Ethos” find a home in Madison?

A group show at Appleton's Trout Museum stands up for "political" art in an era of cowardice and compliance.

A branding logo for "A better Beltline / Studying Highways 12, 14, 18, 151" is rendered in a slightly glitchy aesthetic with a CRTV filter.
Beltline expansion proposals suggest dead-end logic

"Another lane will fix it" still reigns at WisDOT, but the public is pushing back.

A protest during a winter night. The photo shows a couple dozen protestors bundled in heavy coats. Many hold white signs that read "Power To The People Not To Big Tech" in black lettering. A few others on the right address the resistance against AI and support of Wisconsin families. The boxy Discovery World Science and Technology Museum appears behind them to the right, illuminated in red and green above its sign.
Opting out of the tech-backed AI inevitability narrative

As data centers set their sights on harvesting Wisconsin's human and natural resources, refusal and resistance starts locally.

Photo from the police crackdown of the student protest encampment at UW-Madison on May 1, 2024. A UW-Madison police officer wearing a neon vest holds a baton and shows a smart-phone screen to a masked protestor in a black hoodie who is presumably handcuffed. The background shows a sea of officers and a general state of commotion.
UWPD’s careless assault on student protest

Police records from the encampment crackdown in May 2024 show enforcement inconsistency and the "obstructing or resisting" trap.

Photo of a few dozen Group Health Cooperative employees and union supporters of various ages gathered outside the GHC building. They pose with signs for the camera. Many of the signs feature a yellow background with the solidarity fist and inspiring language about standing with GHC workers and unions. A few other signs display "Stronger Together" and "Unions Benefit Every One."
Is Group Health still a Cooperative?

Instead of union-busting, the Board should see union organizing as a gift of collective problem-solving.