'07 wrestling match starts up Monday

Monday begins the annual wrestling match, the grappling of ideas and the struggles for power that turn the sausage grinder of representative democracy in Utah.

Nearly a century ago, Theodore Roosevelt painted a vivid picture as he described the man in the arena, "whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again ..." At the worst, he said, these warriors will fail "while daring greatly," which puts them way ahead of those "cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

It was a powerful rebuke to the apathy of the well-fed — those who either don't vote or who do so without much thought or analysis, and those who are capable but think public service would be a bother.

The only problem I have with Roosevelt's quote, delivered in a speech in Paris in 1910, is that he prefaces it by saying, "It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better."

Believe me, critics are in the arena, as well. Just sit at my desk some time and answer the calls and e-mails, or see what folks are saying on their blogs; or hear how we get attacked in the halls of the Capitol.

Then again, what would you expect a politician to say about the press?

OK ... I promised myself I wouldn't go there — not until tomorrow, anyway. Utah lawmakers and editorial pages often slug it out in the arena. That's a healthy part of democracy, but it's not what this column is about. Instead, this is an acknowledgment of the sacrifices of public service, and a thank you.

I've been covering politics in one form or another for about 25 years now. I've observed people who get involved in public service for a variety of reasons. These aren't always noble. Some of them want to settle a score on a specific issue. Some have a desire for power or to pass laws that further their own chosen profession.

But the majority of them get involved out of a sense of duty, and because they really believe they can make things better. That's something to respect, even if you disagree with what they do.

Last week I asked a prominent state senator whether he was "keeping busy" in the days before the legislative session begins. All he could do was chuckle. "The biggest lie," he said, "is when they tell you that being a legislator is a part-time job."