I need a vacation from being on vacation.

Justin left today, and I’m on my own for the first time in three weeks since I got back to Oxford. Justin, Kelley, and I had a blast! I have definitely got my hosting skills down (if anyone else wants to visit), and it was great to have close friends here in this very strange place.

But visitors are not necessarily the best thing for the business of governing. I’ve tried to do work during the last few weeks, and I have mostly succeeded, but sitting here is the first time that I’ve been guest-free and in Oxford since late November. And I admit, I have an itch to sit down, read long hours, and do some nose-to-the-grindstone work. Maybe out of exhaustion, and maybe out of desire. So while the blog posts for the past few weeks have been Jerry Bruckheimer–short, full of fireworks, and good fun, I would expect more Aaron Sorkin now that I’m back to the business of governing–longer, more carefully crafted, witty, better political/social commentary.

Tonight’s post will be a bit shorter, as I am recovering from the past few days and sleep would help! I will give the top few thoughts that are on my mind, as well as a few links–I will probably expound on these in the next few days.

1. Italy no longer has a prime minister. It has had more than fifty governments since World War II, and the recent governing coalition, led by ex-premier Romano Prodi, just fell apart. Only two days after I left Rome! The vote of “no-confidence” happened in full public, on the floor of the Italian Senate. Senators shouted “merda!” at those in the opposition. After one swing-Senator chose to vote to keep Prodi (who lost by a very narrow margin), another Senator put his hand in the shape of a pistol and shot him. The first Senator pretended to fall, feigning death. After Prodi lost, the center-right party uncorked Spumanti on the floor.

What a country.

The President of the country can call a snap election (which Silvio Berlusconi, ex-PM, desperately wants) or set up a caretaker government. Walter Veltroni, the young (mid-fifties–very young for Italy) mayor of Rome is a prime candidate for the new PM–he is reputed to be the honest face of “new politics” in Italy. Silvio Berlusconi, who served as PM for most of the last decade, is selling himself as the “face of change” and wants to stand for re-election as PM.

Maybe they aren’t so different from us after all.

Italian Government Collapse

2. Speaking of, Obama’s South Carolina victory is huge! This leads to several points, all of which require further detail.

a. My increasing distaste for the Clintons. I used to defend them. I drew a lot of criticism from my family and friends, but I thought a lot of them. After the last week, though, I have really turned from them, especially Bill. In a big way. Will explain why soon.

Apparently, I’m not alone: The Clintons’ Road to Republican Victory

3. Tomorrow, I head back to London for a job interview for the summer. The running question of what I plan to do this summer will be addressed in a future post, too.

4. Finally, one of the most e-mailed New York Times articles this weekend spotlights my former school, Phillips Exeter Academy, and its billion-dollar endowment (twice what it was when I matriculated there). Earlier this fall, I praised Exeter for offering a zero-price education to all students whose families made under $75,000 a year. This article highlights that, as well as the substantial riches of our private schools.

I am a defender of Exeter. It gave me tremendous opportunities, and helped me where I am today. It has a seemingly obscene amount of wealth, but I do think that Exeter is a good steward of its wealth. Exeter teaches us that a large amount of resources, well-spent, can make amazing things happen. I do think that Exeter provides a better opportunity for its students than many public schools–but I don’t fault my old school for that. Rather, I want to get into the business of making other schools–even ones with smaller endowments–still able give their students opportunities.

That’s it–good night to all!

ERB