I've had a couple of cold-water-in-the-face encounters with the reality of politics and although they won't be news to anybody here (and really weren't to me--I just had persuaded myself beforehand that I would hear something different than what I did) I thought I'd post them as a reality check, in print, principally to myself.
First, there was a local "town hall" meeting with Pete Stark. Then, a World Affairs Council event in San Francisco with Mark Halperin and John Harris. Both events drove home to me how much work there is to do in winning hearts and minds if we ever hope to restore the Constitution, stop this war and the next, and deal with poverty. Basically, create justice.