All politics

This blog exists for days like today.

I had the privilege of accompanying two of my state's most dedicated advocates for all that is fair and just on a visit with a state legislator.

I've glimpsed behind Oz's curtain enough to know that legislators at all levels are human beings - nothing more, nothing less - relying on the wisdom of lots of other people to make difficult decisions. But this brought the humanity to a new level.

What was to be a morning meeting was postponed when Ms. Legislator couldn't start her snowblower and was marooned in her driveway. Later we got the call that she was available, and uber-advocate CB picked me up in her hybrid vehicle, handed me a blanket to warm up with, and briefed me again on the issues as we went to meet our representative.

My co-conspirators wore fuzzy boots, grandmotherly sweaters, and knit caps. Our legislator friend wore a fur-lined v-neck, a tight skirt and knee-high stilletto leather boots.

She, the former lobbyist and social worker, listened attentively to our ideas on payday loans, unemployment eligibility, sales taxes, food stamps, and motor vehicle excise taxes and explained in brilliant and nuanced fashion which ideas were good ones and which ones would be uphill battles. At the end of the meeting we had the names of five other legislators who would be interested in these issues and a promise that she would propose legislation on three of them and do research on another.

While she escorted us to the door, she and our ringleader exchanged stories of snowblower trauma and grown children having just joined the circus.

Real people working on behalf of real people. It gives me hope.