Shutdown: Embarrassing America & Washington

Looks inevitable that the United States government will be closed for business beginning tomorrow.  A self-inflicted wound and a shocking development that will have untold implications for this country's standing in the world, not to mention devastating consequences for the world economy and jobs here at home.

It's not just the current manufactured "crisis" over health care reform . . . the main job of the Congress is to deliberate about, and pass, an annual budget. Despite this constitutional mandate, the national legislature has not passed a budget in many years.

Where are our leaders?  Why won't they lead?  Do they know anything about history?

Times like this call for us to remember the wise leaders of the past, like President George Washington.  Washington's Farewell Address to the young country warned that political factions who seek to obstruct the execution of the laws created by the government, or prevent the constitutional branches from enacting the powers provided them by the constitution may claim to be working in the interest of popular demands or solving pressing problems, but their true intentions are to take the power from the people and place it in the hands of unjust men.

In his Farewell Address, Washington also warned of the dangers of political parties to the government and the country as a whole.

Washington's wisdom from 217 years ago bears re-reading, and heeding, in our day.  But tonight, in the town bearing his name, the U.S. Congress has strayed far, far, from the ideals of the father of our nation.

George Washington
National Portrait Gallery