Might Blaska provoke the progressives?
(He might … he just might!)
My old employer is co-sponsoring an on-line debate among candidates for the Madison Board of Education. We reproduce the ad from today’s print edition. Class, what’s missing? You there, furiously waving your hand? (Oh. The bathroom is to your left.) You there!
That’s right, it’s missing Blaska! They have not invited David Blaska, your write-in candidate for Seat #4 for Madison school board. Why is that? asked a noted Madison journalist unaffiliated with Capital Newspapers Inc.
David: In 2019, The Capital Times sponsored a mayoral forum at The Barrymore Theater in which a write-in candidate, Toriana Pettaway, shared the stage with candidates on the primary ballot. How come she could participate in a Cap Times forum and you can’t?
Blaska, write-in candidate for Seat #4 on the Madison school board, refers that question to our platinum-level subscribers. We suggested that inquiring minds might want to ask Paul Fanlund, editor of the Cap Times, as it calls itself these days. His e-mail address: pfanlund@madison.com
Hardly an oversight
It’s not that there are too many candidates. Four for three seats? Pretty paltry. Because Blaska is a write-in (for seat #4)? Upsets Madison’s apple cart? Might enliven the debate? Too “diverse”?
We note that the Wisconsin State Journal plans to run a news interview with Blaska either Monday, March 14 or 21. The Fitchburg Star submitted a written questionnaire, as did Madison City Hues. Grandparents United for Madison Public Schools co-sponsored an on-line debate with the East Madison Progressives on February 20. One of the organizers, former school board member Nan Brien, e-mailed the five participants afterward, closing with:
David, you enlivened the forum; thanks for hopping into the race and providing something besides a “me, too” refrain. If you have time, I’d really like to have the behavioral stats from 2016 and 2019 that you cited. They were astounding.
Thanks again for your participation!
Why a write-in?
Because he and a liberal friend wore out our Rolodexes trying to recruit a candidate of color (we would play the progessives’ own game) among the many moderates in Madison. Eventually, Blaska said he’d settle for a Norwegian. (Your write-in candidate related that to Eric Hovde before realizing his faux pas.) Has Madison given up on its public schools?
Blaska did make the ballot three years ago — also against Ali Muldrow for Seat #4. Raising (and spending) $20,000 was laborious but still not enough, judging by the results. We are not raising money this time. Instead, volunteers, unbidden, are painting signs and spreading the word. Another worked up this poster: Blaska for school board. Download, print, and tack up on your favorite coffee shop or supermarket bulletin board. Send the link to your e-mail friends list. (Send two to your enemies list!) Post on social media. Share this blog with the world! Spread the Blaska agenda! (No face mask can stop it!)
But The Capital Times cannot spare one more Zoom window?
Blaska’s Bottom Line: We are raising questions that aren’t being asked such as: Are disadvantaged kids doomed to Woke experimentation with identity politics? Can kids learn if they don’t feel safe? If they’re not taught self-discipline? Madison schools have been doing restorative justice for 7 years now …
Education
Blaska Policy Werkes 
Pettaway was invited after she was too stupid to ensure she had enough valid signatures on her nomination papers and then cried “White supremacy!”.
Blaska is obviously a victim of Asian supremacy. Yes I know… the best excuses make NO sense.
BTW last I checked Toriana was grifting down in Texas.
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You most certainly should have been invited to the forum. Without your voice, the debate will be close to meaningless.
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I disagree. Simkin will be the voice of reason and will stand firm on SROs.
Joyner will rip everyone new assholes on unimaginable topics.
Mulder will extoll “successes” much like Jennifer Cheatum is doing at Harvard.
That other candidate will hide her wokeness.
Could be very entertaining.
Let’s face it, Blaska is the big bad wolf. He will never be elected to MMSD because he eats children for breakfast. Let’s all get behind Simkin.
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One Eye labors under a fundamental misconception. Blaska is not running against Simkin. She is running for a different seat — Seat #3 versus Shepherd Janeway/Joyner. Although all seats are at large, Madison requires you pick one of three seats. Blaska is running for Seat #4 against Ali Muldrow. Nichelle Nichols is unopposed for Seat #5.
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Understood; let me put it plainly: your inclusion in the debate would hurt Simkin.
“Guilt by association”.
You have served your purpose by presenting an alternative view. Problem is you are unelectable. Take that as a badge of honor. Simkin shares some of your views without being repulsive to the typical Madison voter.
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O.K., I get that as a political realist. Which is why we recruited other candidates hard this time (and last time, actually). But if Madison wants to use Blaska as an excuse to vote for the performance artist over Simkin, let them have at it. Could also be considered that Blaska makes voting Simkin seem moderate. A compromise.
I would note that former mayor Dave Cieslewicz has published that he will vote me and that blogger Greg Humphrey has endorsed me.
Anyway, appreciate the thoughts.
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The door is open to rational, common sense solutions; Go Write In.
David Blaska 4 School Board #4
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Dave, there’s an obvious answer to your snub. CRASH THE FORUM! As usual, Madison liberals prefer their own little circle jerk to any kind of meaningful meeting of minds with “diverse” viewpoints. The only way to make your voice heard is to play by your rules, not theirs. Imagine the publicity they’ll get if they eject you. Even the somnolent local media will have to pay attention to such a blatant suppression of free and open debate among candidates for public office. Go for it!
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It’s on line.
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Hire a Russian hacker to get you in.
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Honestly Dave, I think you’d be wasting your time attending this, invited or not. Do you think the average Cap Times reader is going to vote for you over Muldrow? I certainly have opinions about those that suppress the voices of those they disagree with and those that do should be chastised for it. But participating in any forum facilitated by Cap Times makes as much sense as ketchup on a bratwurst.
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I see your point, but I suspect there are more people than just myself who read the CT strictly for the (unintentional) humor. They might be interested to attend a forum if they could be promised the possibility of seeing someone stand up to the usual pantomime of liberal politics in Madison.
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Hear hear!
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I hope that’s true Gary, but I wouldn’t bet money on it. My experience with people who identify with the views of the Cap Times is that they want an echo chamber, not diversity of opinion. Some others might read it for the same reason they’d read The Onion, but it is more horror than humor to me. Still, Dave is free to give ‘em hell.
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You don’t send missionaries to the Vatican. You send them to the heathens.
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The Vatican is lead by a heathen. One billion missionaries wouldn’t save it.
From the Pope:
‘We can’t keep trying to speak to our audience in a whole new world with an old book that is several thousand years old. We are losing disciples and have to try to modernize the church, rewrite the Word of God, even if it is only the Old Testament, in which there are certain passages that it is better not to repeat’, declared the Pope.
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Francis will soon be howling in Hell alongside John XXIII.
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My letter is sent to Herr Fanlund, have any of you? This is typical disgusting politics being played in Madison. No different than Frau Conway picking and choosing who she wants in her committees.
Maybe if everybody wrote to der Führer, he would be forced to add Mr. Blaska.
This city is getting SO disgusting.
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Thanks for confirming this possibility since we do, after all, have his e-mail address now. I’ll send him something polite yet firm ASAP. …Maybe more than one…
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I agree with Gary that Dave should crash the forum. Dave, just make sure you bring people with you to film the event with some high-quality camera and voice equipment. Have some people in the room with camera phones to record this event as well so if your recordings are confiscated, you will have more than one recording of the event.
Put the recording up on youtube, facebook and twitter to see how well it is received. Give the recordings to our local media outlets. Let conservative websites have the tape so if you tube, facebook and twitter don’t put it on their web sites it will be shown on conservative sites.
I would also let Dan O’Donnel and our Miss Vicki have the recordings so that if the main stream press won’t run with the recordings, they will.
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It is on line
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Well, of course. How can we expect an in-person event with daily covid deaths in Madison decimating the population?
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The Squire posits:
“Are disadvantaged kids doomed to Woke experimentation with identity politics? Can kids learn if they don’t feel safe? If they’re not taught self-discipline?”
All legitimate, all important, questions, and “The Capital Times cannot spare one more Zoom window?” is an even more telling question. If the Cap Times had real dog in this school board hunt, then Blaska should be assigned his own Jumbotron…
Since this forum is on-line, “barging-in” is not an option. Sigh…
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Fanlund says David wasn’t included because his name wasn’t on the ballot. Nothing personal or a difference in ideology.
Horse Hockey.
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Here is Paul Fanlund’s reply to my email today.
“Our rationale for excluding Mr. Blaska is that his name is not on the ballot. If it were, we would include him. Why should write-in candidates who decide to run long after the filing deadline get the same treatment and attention as those who jump through the hoops required to qualify as an on-the-ballot candidate? The decision is not personal and has nothing to do with ideology. Thanks for your letter of concern. Paul Fanlund”
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He must have a rubber stamp. I got the same, word for word.
It’s no different than the reply you get from 1/2 of the alders and the mayor.
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Yet they invited Torriana Pettaway to the mayoral debate a few years back even though her name wasn’t on the ballot.
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Yes, but Ms. Pettaway is black, or Black or — nevermind.
She was also Madison’s “Equity” Coordinator or something. TCT couldn’t ignore that!
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I agree with Fanland’s reasoning. Pettaway arguably “jumped through the hoops” albeit in an incompetent manner. Also keep in mind Pettaway in person was Pettaway’s biggest liability (much like our current Vice President). The Cap Times wasn’t doing her any favors by letting the voters get a better look at her.
Interesting discussion about crashing the forum. Post pandemic will we go back to in person meetings and see the return of the imbeciles from Freedom Inc.?
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I got the same response to my e-mail and responded with the info. about Pettaway. I’m not expecting a response to that one.
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Where does one go to find data on the performance of the MMSD?
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Try the other MMSD All things in the toilet wind up there.
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Short answer: at the DPI: https://dpi.wi.gov/wisedash/download-files
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Dave. I was all set to donate toward your campaign, but then I got an e-mail from trump. He is now asking for donations so he can purchase a new private jet for himself. So I’m sorry buddy; your out of luck. I guess being a multi-billionaire ain’t what it used to be.
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