no, really. i was. for hours at a time i’d sit in the library at olaf and devour centuries-old texts from john stuart mill, jean-jacques rousseau, hobbes, plato, locke, marx… nearly all of it fantastic stuff, explaining how the world works– or at least how it ought to work. i briefly, foolishly, contemplated a career in politics: to experience the life dedicated to serving the country and constituents, and to apply my knowledge of political theory to making the world a better place.

reality hit. in the form of a month-long internship at (then) congressman bill luther’s office in january 1998. lewinsky aside, being a political intern isn’t the most glamorous gig, but it was more than that: i got to see inside the machine (ugly) and, worse, i got a glimpse of the intolerance, ignorance, and spite that some spout under the guise of political discourse.

i don’t read much plato these days. however, stories like this are all too familiar. i’ll grant that this link displays conservatives in a bad light, but i’d be writing even if the parties were reversed. this line, in particular, sickens me:

Liberalism kills the goose that lays the golden eggs.

can you *truly* believe that level of rhetoric? i suppose some folks– if you watch enough FAUXNews– do. in fact, one might argue that the white house is currently occupied with people who exhibit that level of thinking. (if you’re not for me, you’re against me.) but where’s the sense of compromise? how about working together for the embetterment (sorry) of the world instead of dogmatically stating that the other side is always completely, utterly, and inalterably wrong.

or maybe i’m expecting too much.

It’s so Minnesotan, isn’t it? Well hell, it is Monday after all.

Still, it was so nice to walk out to my car this morning and not shiver. It was nice to have dew on the windows instead of frost or ice. It was nice to have my windows intact. Heh. In any case, it would seem we’re getting our annual dose of early spring this week. Highs will be well into the 50s for the next two days, and that plus a rain on Wednesday should put an end to all the snow that was a pain in our butts just two weeks ago.

And if that last sentence doesn’t sum up Minnesota weather, I don’t know what would. I’m sure in another two weeks I’ll be back to talking about the lousy Smarch weather. Today, however, I’m going to sit back and enjoy the ride. I didn’t even wear the winter coat to work. And if I can’t get outside later, I’ll at least have the windows open.