If it were my place to address The People, I would start with an apology for the shutdown taking place in our government—I would do this without question. I would hold a special press conference during prime time television at the time when all Americans are on one accord—Thursday nights watching Scandal.  I would acknowledge the real-life, scandalous episodes you’ve been living since October 1st, 2013. 

Your forgiveness would be of paramount importance to me and reporting your anger to Congress men and women would be a justifiable burden to bear.  On behalf of Congress, I would acknowledge the fact that The People are the reasons Congress men and women occupy those seats on Capitol Hill—WE elected them.  I would stress that it is in no way our fault that too many members of Congress are vengeful, egomaniacs denying The People access to the livelihoods we know and need.  For legislating without logic and replacing duty with loathing and lies, on their behalf, I would employ them to seek The People’s forgiveness. 

If it were my place to address The People, I would seek the answers to share with you their motives for making the people suffer.  I would investigate the number of times Congress chose to take time away from legislating but chose to address moot points through filibuster, instead. I would address the stealing of The People’s sense of legitimacy in government and I would demand that Congress compensated The People for duties they never served.

If it were my place to address The People, I would ask everyone to do a little a soul-searching as to the choices we made or didn’t make during the local elections.  Did the eligible ones of us vote? I would ask everyone to consider the feelings of Congress toward the office of the President—and whether we still believe their feelings justifiable now that our government has shutdown. I would ask: Do we still perceive the uttering of Congressional members’ ill will toward a presidential administration harmless political banter now?

If it were my place to address The People, I would scold Congress and render them unfit to uphold, honor and defend the Constitution–its written and unwritten parts.  I would scold Congress for not adhering to the advice of the George Washington regarding political parties:

“It serves to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration….agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one….against another….it opens the door to foreign influence and corruption…thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.”

I would also remind Congress of another of George Washington’s renderings:

“…cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible…avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt….it is essential that you…bear in mind, that towards the payments of debts there must be Revenue, that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not…inconvenient and unpleasant…”

Congress, there is no place for big egos in government, but there is always room of apology, reckoning, and doing your job.