Approval Voting: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Approval voting. It works just as it sounds: you vote for everyone you “approve” of. Your ballot looks exactly the same as it does in familiar first-past-the-post. A bunch of circles with names by them — but now, you can fill in more than one circle. That’s the only difference. We get rid of the rule of only voting for one. Continue reading Approval Voting: What Is It and How Does It Work?

It’s Not Just the South: Anti-Black Racism in the Great Lakes

US cultural memory seems to embrace the defeat of the South in the US Civil War as an exoneration of the North. But the North has racism baked into its core. The contemporary and historical experiences of Black Americans in the North – especially in the Great Lakes region – show how true this is. Continue reading It’s Not Just the South: Anti-Black Racism in the Great Lakes

The Union Difference: How Their Power and Influence Affects Everyone’s Safety

The difference is clear: the Madison School Board has a relationship of respect with the union, Madison Teachers Inc. and those it represents. The University of Wisconsin disdains those who work at the University and disrespects their organizations. The anti-union bias of the University places all of us in jeopardy. Continue reading The Union Difference: How Their Power and Influence Affects Everyone’s Safety

A shattered red cross symbol is super-imposed over UW Madison's Smart Restart dashboard, which shows a growing percentage of positive tests.

Blaming Students for Systemic Stupidity

This is just another example of how the response to COVID-19 is shaped to fit the logic of capitalism. Activities that generate profits – labor, purchasing goods and services – are approved, but people must limit the non commodified social interactions that would actually enrich their lives and sustain their mental health in order to keep conditions favorable for the profitable activities to continue. Continue reading Blaming Students for Systemic Stupidity