hello all! so i totally meant to blog yesterday, but poor blogspot was having technical difficulties - sorry! sit down and buckle up today - i have a lot to say!

first off - i went to visit reagan. i got in line at 11pm and i left the capitol at 4am. it was intense. however, i am glad that i went. i think that it is important to acknowledge someone who has done so much for americans. i don't know that reagan did that much for america, i don't buy any of his policies - but i do know that he did a lot for americans, and i think it's important to recognize that. i don't necessarily agree with how he went about this, the stances that he took to gain their love, but he did what he did and america loved him for it - there is no doubting that. his re-election in 1984 gave him an incredible mandate, one that hadn't been seen since nixon in 72. it's remarkable. one of my personal passions rests in the american people's complete lack of interest and love for their gov't and politics. i think that this is the one thing that is truly wrong with our country - we are blessed to have this country, and it only works if its citizens participate - and it bothers me that people take it for granted. america requires participation to be successful, and if you don't participate then you have no right to complain about this country b/c you have the power to change it - and you choose not to. either way, reagan made people love their country again, which was a huge feat. in 1980 we were still recovering from watergate, vietnam, the 1968 dem convention, nixon's pardon, malaise - reagan put this out of our minds. while he did this without actually solving any problems - and this wasn't the best to way to accomplish the difficult task, he was the man to do it. i don't think clinton could have been elected if reagan hadn't served. so if nothing else, we owe him that. and any man that can create such love from the american people, can get these people to vote, to care deserves my respect. and i'll wait 5 hours to give it.

on a separate note - maybe it's the small idealist left in me after 4 years in DC, but i have to believe that paying respect to a fallen president is something that all americans should do, in a bipartisan manner. i'm idealistic enough to believe that if carter lies in state the numbers should be the same, that just as many reps will show up for carter than dems showed up for reagan. i don't really think carter will lie in state, but hypothetically speaking . . .

and of course, one last note that IS partisan. i think that it is a sign that comes from going to a liberal, private east coast university, living in a city, hanging out with other 20 somethings and working at a democratic political action committee, but i don't come into contact with republicans very often - and i came across a heap of them tuesday night! it's always so shocking to me to hear people logically arguing for what i have been ingrained to think is wrong. listening to people say that we should have gone into iraq sooner and that saddam and osama were working together makes my blood boil. and it also makes me realize exactly how bush and kerry are even in the polls and kerry isn't beating bush by 20 points. i think it is sometimes healthy to go and immerse yourself in the other side to see how they see things - but it is extremely painful.

well i think that's it for now. i jet off to seattle today (in like 5 hours i think) to go see emily before she heads into the wilds of the peace corp (AKA fiji - but whatever). i have a busy busy weekend ahead but i am mad excited - anything that combines harry potter, hiking, shakespeare and the west coast is right up my ally! plus i get to hang out with one of my favorite people (and em - if you're reading this - my favorite person!). peace.