Catching Up...

It is indeed a glorious day outside, maybe even into the 60s. I'm starting to sprout seeds for the garden -- watching the shoots come up and grow is a pleasure. They're so delicate at this time, but you can watch the growth from day to day.

I'm inside now, tracking a FedEx delivery due to arrive at 3pm. It's an investment really -- a "historic document" from one of those History for Sale websites. A small gamble, in hoping it can be resold years and years later for more, but it spoke to me, and the pleasure of framing and having it on my study wall for years will no doubt be worth the minor cost, in case I am long gone when it resells in years to come. Are these things good investments? I may be one of the few that enjoyed "WaterWorld"; I really liked how scraps of paper were valued so highly...

I did get out and vote, and wanted to expand here on the referenda issue mentioned a few posts back. Some say it's silly for regular Wisconsin folks to share their views on whether or not the troops should be brought home from Iraq; I disagree. Once you understand this is "non-binding", and know a bit about the history of such a vote, I think you come to respect it more.

Briefly, Wisconsin has a statute on the books that allows such referenda questions, should supporters petition and gather enough signatures to place such an item on the ballot. To me, this is unlike the infamous Madison City Council, that spends meeting time deciding whether to formally approve such resolutions as approval/disapproval for policies in Gaza, or Nicaragua say. Of course such items are beyond the scope of local government, and are only symbolic, as is our collective vote today.

Many, many communities thoughout the state will be voting on the troop withdrawal issue. The ballot language has been finessed to meet the requirements of each town or city, but the essential question remains the same. There has been news coverage of the issue, but no real heated arguing from either side, as there as been somewhat in my city, which has a contentious school referendum on the ballot.

I like this idea of being asked to vote my opinion. Some belittle it. Mostly those outside Wisconsin. What is to fear asking the question? It's really little more than a formalized poll. Some issues, of course, should never be decided by majority vote. National security is one. But kudos to the state of Wisconsin, with her Progressive Party roots (see Robt. LaFollette) for making such a mechanism available to her people.

Personally, I think it spurs discussion, and reinforces the idea that the government in the United States really is us -- we the people. With the lobbying emphasis, and the huge amounts of money in play, I personally think the idea that the Legislative branch represents "the people" has fallen from vogue. It's easy to get apathetic -- what can my vote do when we're up against it? That's one reason I personally don't fear "activist" courts. Sometimes asking your wisest and most chosen minds to decide, can be better than relying on the Legislative branch to represent the people's interests; that is, you may truly have a more neutral decisionmaker on some issues than those we've chosen to represent us.

So hurrah for Wisconsin, no matter how today's vote turns out. The Green Party helped sponsor many of the petition drives, and of course, there is always the risk that asking people their views might bring an answer you don't want to hear. That's the risk you take in a democracy -- see the people who voted for Hamas, who apparently believed the delivery of everyday services to them was more efficient than under the rule of the incumbent.

I really do have mixed feelings on this one, as I noted below. Yes, it would be a shame to "cut and run" -- a pithy summary of the anti-troop withdrawal position. I do believe "we broke it; we bought it" to quote another. Yet, if I've been following this story correctly, it's the regular folks over there who are really suffering, as our troops remain mostly cloistered in the Green Zone -- except for planned missions. Again, will the level of protection given to the average Iraqi to go about their everyday life increase or decrease if American troops were withdrawn and the militias given free reign? Sounds like they almost have that level of power at the moment.

Somebody is making money over there -- reconstruction efforts are falling amazingly short -- but we're really not getting the job done, no fault of the common soldier. Is the progress worth the cost, or would another approach be more efficient?

Yes, it is an abstract internal debate, much like pondering how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. But in this state, farmer land -- the power of one -- watching things grow, neededing to band collectively with neighbors to battle nature, pulling the crops in when the timing was right, raising the barn, there is a long history of self sufficiency, working cooperatively with others, and puzzling things through yourself. So scoff all you like, I'd tell our critics, but I think it's a good thing that we all consider the effects of our decisions, the knowledge that we are indeed all in this together.
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And lest you think I'm lazing, all signs point to a job interview again bringing decent employment. Having a bit more of a routine leads to intellectual blossoming in other areas as well. Think positive thoughts if you like; they'll be returned, no doubt, one hundredfold...