Disagreeing without being Disagreeable
Yesterday, as it sometimes happens, I was on television for a little bit to talk about the issues of the day. I was on two very different shows, with two very different hosts, and two different audiences. I like to do that—to talk with people who think differently than I do. And my staff told me that many of you called my Washington office to say thank you. One man said that he didn't agree with me on much, but he liked seeing me on a channel he watches. It meant something to him that I was willing to do that. It means a lot to me, too.
Last week I was honored to give an invocation at an event to honor Congressman Sam Graves. As the former chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, Congressman Graves was honored with a portrait unveiling. It was good to honor a fellow Missouri Member, even one with whom I do not often agree. All Missouri Members of the House—Democrats and Republicans—and one of our Senators, lined up in a row for a picture. We believe in many of the same ideals, although we disagree about how best to make them into reality.
Believe it or not, four of the Members from Missouri are on the House Financial Services Committee. We have worked together over the years on issues like protecting community banks. Earlier this week we had a bipartisan dinner, where Democrats and Republicans broke bread together. We talked about our family—especially about our grandchildren—about football, and about the future.
As the whole world knows, the U.S. legislative process has a snag. We spend too much time fighting ourselves and too little time fighting for our constituents and the issues we believe in.
These past few months we have tussled over taxes, hassled over health care, and now we are being impolitic over immigration. At their annual retreat this weekend, Republicans proclaimed their strategy is to divide Democrats. America is tired of division. America is tired of delay. Let's be adults and get to work. Our election brawling has inspired nasty name-calling.
As you know, one way I work toward this goal is in my civility messages. I write a civility message every week to my colleagues in Congress. I sometimes like to share them with you as well.
A young rooster, feeling his oats, challenged the ruling rooster. The fight was a blood-letting; they fought savagely. Finally, the older rooster slipped away, defeated, into the hen house. The conqueror, full of exuberance, made his way to the top of the house. He began his victory strut, crowing at the top of his lungs, "cock-a-doodle-doo!"
Just then, a golden eagle perched in a high hillside tree heard the rooster flapping and crowing, and flew in the direction of the sound. The eagle spotted the rooftop celebration. With his powerful talons the eagle swooped down and lifted the proud and boastful rooster for a short flight to the eyrie, where her hungry eaglets were eagerly awaiting dinner.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives is the privilege of a lifetime, an opportunity to serve our constituents above all else. As someone once said, "When the game is over, the king and the pawn go into the same box."
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