Franklin Roosevelt once offered this piece of advice about giving a speech: “Be sincere; be brief; be seated.”

Okay, here it goes.

Ladies and Gentlemen of Congress,

The American people are sick and tired of hearing excuses for your lack of effectively working together.

They’re tired of listening to the arrogant sound bites at “impromptu” press conferences.

You were not elected to hold press conferences and talk about what you can’t get done.  You were elected to get things done.

You were not elected to posture, bully, or huff and puff about what you don’t agree with. You were elected to find agreement.

You were not hired to work for your own political needs, party agenda or special interests.  You were hired to work for the needs of all Americans.

If you cannot work effectively with majority members; if you cannot work productively with minority members, then step aside and allow others to do so.

Right now, the country needs statesmanship over partisanship.

Right now, the country needs a Congress that is willing to demonstrate the kind of selfless integrity Americans can trust.

Americans want that trust; they need that trust, now more than ever.