We all look at Washington DC as existing in an altered reality. So much of the discussion has nothing to do with our everyday lives. The fighting back and forth and political point scoring is incredibly annoying. Every once in while, I find myself breathing a huge sigh of relief that I don't live in that bubble.

I have suspected for some time that our own capitol dome in St. Paul has some bubble like properties of its own. Visiting with the people of Alexandria and Glenwood this weekend confirmed my fears. Here is what I mean:

In The Bubble – Legislators have been working for weeks on proposals to divert the voter approved Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment funding. Some want to use it to balance the budget while others think the funds should go toward their own pet projects rather than continue to follow the advice of the panels of citizen experts who have guided much of the process in the first two years. They say we can't afford luxuries during this budget crisis....Luxuries like clean drinking water and protecting the vast sectors of our economy that rely on our lakes, outdoor recreation, tourism and the arts.

Outside The Bubble – The people of Alexandria and Glenwood hosted the first Legacy Destination Weekend over the past few days. This tourism weekend featured activities and institutions that are all benefiting from the Legacy Amendment. There were thousands of people in town and not a single vacant hotel room on Saturday night. I spoke to dozens of people at the Ice Fishing Tournament on Lake Agnes. No one seemed to be catching any trophy fish, but everyone I spoke to was sure that Legacy funding should not be diverted. At Winterama on Lake Minnewaska in Glenwood, the people who took the Polar Plunge into the icy water (and their loved ones) were happy that Legacy funding was being put to work preventing pollution from septic systems in the area from reaching the lake. 400 people enjoyed the candle light skiing at Glencoe State Park on Saturday night and none were overheard saying that we should return to the decade of neglect that inspired passage of Legacy Amendment in 2008.

Polling conducted in the fall of 2010 showed two-thirds of Minnesotans strongly support the Legacy Amendment and oppose attempts by legislators in St. Paul to raid these voter designated funds to make up for budget shortfalls. I hope that fact can burst the bubble.