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Introduction by Condoleezza Rice
When a nation reaches a point where its government can no longer perform its most basic functions, it is not merely a political failure — it is a civic warning. A government shutdown, at its core, is not about budget lines or partisan tactics. It is about trust — the trust between leaders and citizens, between parties and institutions, between today’s actions and tomorrow’s promise.
Throughout my career, I have seen the extraordinary capacity of Americans to unite when purpose outweighs politics. Whether in moments of global crisis or domestic renewal, our strength has never come from uniformity, but from the discipline of cooperation — the recognition that freedom requires responsibility and that disagreement does not erase devotion to country.
This series, Solving the Shutdown, brings together some of the most thoughtful voices from across the political and intellectual spectrum — men and women who understand that America’s vitality depends not on the victory of one party, but on the health of our shared system. Here, you will not hear talking points. You will hear ideas — grounded in pragmatism, moral clarity, and the belief that democracy is not self-sustaining; it must be tended, tested, and renewed.
If we are to restore confidence in our government, we must begin by restoring confidence in one another. That begins not with sweeping declarations, but with small acts of courage — listening, compromise, and accountability. The conversations that follow are not about scoring wins. They are about rebuilding the house we all share.
(Note: This is an imaginary conversation, a creative exploration of an idea, and not a real speech or event.)
Topic 1 — Restoring Trust & Communication Between Parties
Setting: A quiet room in the U.S. Capitol at dusk. The city hums beyond the marble walls. Five figures sit around an oval table — Joe Manchin, Lisa Murkowski, Hakeem Jeffries, Mike Johnson, and Condoleezza Rice. The air feels heavy with both frustration and resolve.
Moderator:
Before we talk about fixing the system, let’s begin with the simplest question: What exactly broke our ability to trust each other?
Lisa Murkowski:
What broke is that governing became theater. Negotiation used to mean finding the middle; now it means you’re weak. Every conversation is broadcast to score points on social media before it even finishes. People stopped listening because being right became more valuable than being effective.
Joe Manchin:
Lisa’s right. The center collapsed under pressure from both edges. We used to have the courage to compromise and explain it back home — now compromise is a campaign liability. You can’t govern when you’re constantly preparing your next reelection ad.
Hakeem Jeffries:
Trust collapsed because empathy disappeared. It’s not that people suddenly became more partisan; it’s that they stopped seeing the other side as sincere. When motives are questioned — when every disagreement is painted as evil — no bridge can hold. Rebuilding trust requires rehumanizing each other.
Mike Johnson:
I agree, though I’ll say it differently. My voters expect me to fight for values they hold sacred. But I’ve learned you can fight without hatred. The shutdown, in my view, reflects not just policy failure but communication failure. We need to argue honestly and then have coffee afterward. That’s how you heal.
Condoleezza Rice:
Trust dies when identity replaces principle. In diplomacy, I’ve seen nations at war talk through back channels simply because they respected the process. Congress has lost that discipline. There must be confidential spaces — quiet rooms where people can fail safely, revise, and return without fear of being destroyed on cable news.
Moderator:
If you were to build that quiet space again — a structure that forces real dialogue — what would it look like?
Manchin:
A bipartisan leadership council, formalized by law, meeting weekly with the President. No cameras, no leaks, just straight talk. The public doesn’t need every detail, only the result. We’ve forgotten that negotiation isn’t performance art.
Rice:
Exactly. During international crises, we relied on what we called “red rooms” — neutral zones where sides were stripped of hierarchy. In domestic politics, we could replicate that. Have trained facilitators, not partisans, guide those sessions. America needs professional mediation, not perpetual outrage.
Jeffries:
I’d add community input to that model. People must see that compromise isn’t betrayal but representation. If every district held citizen assemblies before major budget votes, leaders could negotiate with genuine mandates rather than media noise. Transparency from the bottom up creates confidence at the top.
Murkowski:
And we need truth-telling rules. Right now, leaders misrepresent negotiations and get rewarded for it. There should be bipartisan agreements on what’s communicated to the press. A shared statement after each closed-door session — short, factual, and approved by all parties — would go a long way.
Johnson:
I’d take it further. Require leadership retreats twice a year — no staff, no cameras, just lawmakers talking like humans again. We forget that shared meals build more than committees. I’ve seen hardened colleagues soften after a single night of honest prayer and laughter.
Moderator:
Beautiful visions, all of you. But the question that always follows is: How do you convince the public — and your own parties — that rebuilding trust isn’t surrender?
Jeffries:
By reframing the narrative. Cooperation isn’t capitulation; it’s strength. Americans are exhausted by drama. If leaders start measuring victory by stability instead of scandal, people will follow that energy. The public mood shifts faster than politicians realize.
Johnson:
I’ll be honest — it takes courage. The base doesn’t always reward moderation, but they do reward results. If a Republican or Democrat brings home functioning government, that’s worth more than ten viral clips. We just need to have faith that good governance eventually pays political dividends.
Murkowski:
And we must defend those who dare to cross the aisle. Too many colleagues have been destroyed for acts of good faith. Party leaders should publicly support bipartisan votes, not hide from them. If courage isn’t rewarded, it won’t survive.
Rice:
The public also needs role models. I remember how President Bush and President Obama quietly continued several bipartisan programs — AIDS relief, education, national security. Continuity itself built confidence. Leaders must model continuity across administrations instead of erasure.
Manchin:
And maybe, at the deepest level, we need humility. America’s bigger than any of us. The moment we realize that losing a policy battle isn’t losing the country, we’ll start acting like a family again. You can fight your brother all day — but you don’t burn down the house.
Moderator:
(quietly) That last line may be the truest thing said in Washington this year. Before we close — if each of you could name one small action Congress could take tomorrow to begin healing trust, what would it be?
Rice:
Mandate bipartisan sponsorship for every major spending bill. Even one co-sponsor from across the aisle changes the tone.
Jeffries:
Ban anonymous leaks from closed negotiations. Transparency means accountability, not sabotage.
Johnson:
Bring back joint press conferences between both party leaders after major votes. Let America see unity in shared responsibility.
Murkowski:
Reinstate bipartisan seating during the State of the Union. Symbolism matters — it’s the small gestures that rebuild faith.
Manchin:
And schedule monthly “unity votes” — symbolic resolutions reaffirming the principles both sides still agree on. You’d be surprised how healing it feels just to stand for the same sentence again.
The lights of Washington flicker outside as the group falls silent. For the first time in a long while, the air in the room feels less like tension — and more like possibility.
Topic 2 — Budget Reform & Automatic Stabilizers
Setting: A conference room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Rain taps softly against the tall windows. The atmosphere feels analytical yet urgent. Around the polished table sit Janet Yellen, Paul Ryan, Maya MacGuineas, Larry Summers, and Glenn Hubbard.
Moderator:
Let’s begin with the obvious: America’s recurring shutdowns are symptoms of a deeper disease — a broken budget process. Why does the system fail every few years despite everyone knowing it’s unsustainable?
Paul Ryan:
Because the incentives are wrong. The budget process rewards brinkmanship, not results. Lawmakers get more political mileage from fighting than from governing. Each side crafts a moral drama instead of a math solution. The annual appropriations circus is designed for conflict, not completion.
Janet Yellen:
Paul’s right, but it’s also structural. The federal budget operates on deadlines that collide with political calendars. You can’t have coherent fiscal planning when leadership changes every two years. The process was built for a smaller, simpler economy — it hasn’t evolved to match the scale or complexity of today’s federal responsibilities.
Larry Summers:
It’s also cultural. There’s a performative fiscal hysteria — everyone wants to sound “responsible” without making hard trade-offs. Real budgeting is about priorities. It’s not a morality play; it’s a strategy for national strength. We’ve confused austerity with prudence and spending with compassion. Neither extreme works.
Maya MacGuineas:
Exactly. Budgeting should be like long-term navigation, not short-term theater. Our problem is that we’ve made fiscal discipline optional. Congress can miss every deadline without consequence. Until we build automatic stabilizers — mechanisms that keep government running even when politics falters — we’ll repeat this chaos forever.
Glenn Hubbard:
And let’s not forget economic credibility. Every shutdown shakes investor confidence. Fiscal instability raises borrowing costs and undermines growth. The world’s watching whether the United States can manage its own checkbook. That’s not a partisan issue; it’s a test of governance.
Moderator:
If you could rebuild the budget system from scratch, what would it look like?
MacGuineas:
I’d start with an Automatic Continuing Resolution — a law that keeps government funded at 99% of the previous year’s levels until a new deal passes. That alone would remove the shutdown weapon. Then, set multi-year targets for spending and revenue tied to GDP, not political whim.
Ryan:
That’s smart. I’d add a rule that each Congress must produce a five-year budget plan by its first 100 days. If they fail, a bipartisan commission steps in — economists, governors, maybe even business leaders — and their plan becomes law unless Congress overrides it by supermajority. Force responsibility.
Yellen:
I’d modernize the timeline. Move major budget deadlines away from election seasons. You can’t expect serious fiscal negotiations six weeks before midterms. Also, synchronize debt ceiling and budget talks so we stop holding the economy hostage twice a year for the same issue.
Hubbard:
And build in countercyclical stabilizers. When the economy slows, automatic adjustments should kick in — temporary spending boosts or tax relief — to prevent recessions without waiting for political approval. It’s not about bigger government, it’s about smarter government.
Summers:
I’d argue for truth in projections. The Congressional Budget Office should release two parallel forecasts: one showing realistic fiscal outcomes if political games continue, and another showing what responsible governance could achieve. Shame is underrated as a reform tool. When numbers speak plainly, ideology shrinks.
Moderator:
These are compelling structural reforms. But how do you make them politically possible? Every reform sounds rational — until it hits the partisan wall.
Ryan:
You have to redefine victory. Right now, lawmakers see compromise as defeat. If both parties could claim success for avoiding disaster — not just for scoring ideological wins — reform becomes easier. The media narrative must change from “who caved” to “who governed.”
Yellen:
I’d lean on markets and public pressure. When credit ratings drop or investors panic, Washington listens. We should communicate the cost of dysfunction clearly: interest rate spikes, slower growth, weaker dollar. Translate fiscal consequences into household language — “your mortgage just went up because Congress can’t pass a budget.”
MacGuineas:
Transparency helps too. Imagine a public dashboard showing the daily cost of a shutdown — lost paychecks, delayed benefits, halted projects. When voters see real damage, pressure for reform grows. Accountability isn’t punishment; it’s clarity.
Summers:
And reform requires leadership with long horizons. Presidents often avoid structural fights because benefits come after their terms. We need someone willing to invest in stability, not headlines. Leadership isn’t about fixing next week — it’s about protecting the next generation’s fiscal freedom.
Hubbard:
You also need bipartisan ownership. If only one side authors reform, the next majority will undo it. Pair every budget rule with co-sponsors from both parties, and make sunset clauses dependent on bipartisan reauthorization. Shared fingerprints mean shared survival.
Moderator:
Let’s end with this: if you each had to propose one concrete step Congress could enact this year — not in theory, but tomorrow — what would it be?
Summers:
Pass the Automatic Continuing Resolution. It’s the simplest, fastest fix to end the shutdown cycle permanently.
Yellen:
Merge the debt ceiling and budget process into one integrated fiscal bill. Two crises for the price of one makes no sense.
Ryan:
Establish an independent Budget Performance Board to audit spending outcomes annually. Accountability drives reform.
MacGuineas:
Create a Fiscal Responsibility Score that grades every lawmaker’s record on deficit impact — publicly posted each quarter.
Hubbard:
Adopt multi-year budgeting tied to GDP growth, not annual politics. Predictability is the foundation of prosperity.
The rain intensifies outside, but inside, the conversation feels oddly calm — as if these five minds, from different worlds, have just drawn the blueprint for a government that remembers how to function.
Topic 3 — Aligning Incentives for Accountability
Setting: A quiet auditorium at Georgetown University. The stage is bare except for five chairs and a single banner: “Public Service and Responsibility.” The audience is made up of students, journalists, and congressional aides. Onstage sit Mitt Romney, Cory Booker, Ben Sasse, Nancy Jacobson, and Andrew Yang.
Moderator:
We’ve talked about systems and structures. Now let’s talk about people. Why do politicians face no personal cost when the government shuts down? How did accountability disappear from leadership?
Mitt Romney:
Because incentives are upside down. If a senator refuses to compromise and the government shuts down, their fundraising goes up, not down. The system rewards outrage, not outcomes. Until we align personal consequences with public harm, the cycle continues.
Cory Booker:
That’s exactly it. Politics has become an emotional marketplace. Outrage sells better than progress. But here’s the moral failure — every shutdown punishes the innocent: federal workers, families, small businesses. Accountability starts when leaders remember that their decisions ripple far beyond Washington.
Ben Sasse:
We’ve professionalized politics and dehumanized responsibility. The Founders imagined citizen legislators, not career influencers. Today, many see office as a brand platform. When reputation management replaces civic duty, accountability evaporates. We need structural reforms, but also a cultural revival of shame and honor.
Nancy Jacobson:
I agree. The culture of Congress has calcified. It’s tribal, performative, and insulated. That’s why my organization, No Labels, focuses on bipartisan problem-solvers who risk backlash to do the right thing. But we need to institutionalize accountability — “No Budget, No Pay” should be law, not a slogan.
Andrew Yang:
And the root of all this is systemic feedback. Politicians behave rationally — within a broken incentive loop. They get data showing that fear, division, and anger drive engagement. We’ve gamified democracy. You can’t fix that with speeches — you fix it with code.
Moderator:
If we were to redesign those incentives — make responsibility more rewarding than obstruction — what would that system look like?
Yang:
Imagine a digital dashboard where citizens track their representatives’ productivity, bipartisanship, and attendance in real time. Voters reward data, not drama. Combine that with secure online primaries that let independents participate — you’d get moderation through math, not manipulation.
Booker:
I love that idea, but we can’t algorithm our way out of a moral crisis. We need moral leadership. Every new member of Congress should undergo ethics and empathy training — not just orientation on procedure. Teach them to listen. Teach them to see the faces behind the numbers.
Sasse:
Cory’s right — technology can’t replace virtue. But it can expose vice. I’d require transparency dashboards showing each lawmaker’s missed votes, partisan language scores, and committee attendance. If you skip work, the world should know. Sunlight is a form of discipline.
Jacobson:
And pair it with financial consequences. When a shutdown happens, all congressional salaries should be suspended, travel budgets frozen, and campaign fundraising banned. If citizens lose paychecks, so should politicians. Pain is an equalizer — it breeds empathy fast.
Romney:
Those ideas would make a real difference. I’d go one step further: tie leadership positions to bipartisan performance. You can’t chair a committee unless you’ve co-sponsored a certain number of cross-party bills. Make collaboration the ladder to power, not obstruction.
Moderator:
So accountability isn’t just about punishment; it’s about motivation. But how do you sell this idea to a polarized public that often celebrates inflexibility as authenticity?
Booker:
By appealing to shared values. Americans, at their core, still respect decency and effort. They might not agree on policy, but they admire sincerity. If leaders show humility — admitting mistakes instead of spinning them — that vulnerability can rebuild trust. Authenticity doesn’t require rigidity; it requires honesty.
Yang:
Also, show results. People don’t hate government; they hate inefficiency. If we automate transparency and give citizens direct data on how shutdowns affect their communities — lost GDP, delayed services — the outrage will redirect toward dysfunction, not compromise.
Jacobson:
Public campaigns help too. Imagine a “Govern Together” rating system promoted like a credit score — citizens could check which leaders actually cooperate. Peer pressure works. If collaboration earns social credibility, voters will start demanding it.
Sasse:
And civic education is crucial. We’ve raised two generations of Americans who think government is either the enemy or a vending machine. Civic literacy should be mandatory — understanding how budgets, votes, and compromises shape their daily lives. Informed citizens demand better behavior.
Romney:
Ultimately, you can’t legislate virtue. But you can encourage it. I’ve seen colleagues change when they realize people are watching. Accountability thrives in daylight and dies in apathy. The more Americans care, the less politicians can hide.
Moderator:
Let’s end with this: one action, one concrete reform each of you would champion to make shutdowns personally costly for lawmakers and publicly transparent for voters.
Yang:
Pass a Civic Accountability Act that links pay, pensions, and perks to government uptime. You don’t get paid when the government doesn’t.
Jacobson:
Make bipartisan legislation a prerequisite for committee leadership — hardwire collaboration into Congress’s DNA.
Sasse:
Establish a Congressional Performance Scorecard — attendance, bipartisanship, fiscal responsibility — published quarterly.
Booker:
Institute empathy and ethics training for all incoming lawmakers. Power without conscience leads to cruelty.
Romney:
Mandate town halls during shutdowns — every member must face their constituents live within 72 hours. No hiding behind talking points.
The audience rises in applause. Students whisper among themselves — not about who “won” the debate, but how strange it felt to hear five leaders agree that responsibility, not rhetoric, might just save the Republic.
Topic 4 — National Priority Budget Council
Setting: The Roosevelt Room of the White House. A round table glows beneath a brass chandelier. The mood is calm but charged — these are serious people discussing serious reform. Sitting together are Robert Gates, Susan Collins, Gina Raimondo, Arthur Brooks, and Heather Boushey.
Moderator:
The idea on the table is a “National Priority Budget Council” — a bipartisan, long-term planning body that would guide U.S. spending priorities beyond election cycles. Why is this needed now, and how could it actually work?
Robert Gates:
Because we’ve lost strategic continuity. Every administration resets the compass, and we drift from crisis to crisis. In national security, continuity saves lives. In budgeting, it could save the nation’s solvency. A council would institutionalize memory — it would remind us that the United States is not a two-year project.
Susan Collins:
Exactly. Congress is so focused on annual deadlines that we’ve forgotten to think in decades. Infrastructure, education, climate resilience — these need stable funding over time. A nonpartisan council could give Congress something we rarely have anymore: an agreed-upon foundation to argue from.
Heather Boushey:
It’s also an equity issue. Long-term planning means we can invest where returns take years to show — childcare, green energy, innovation. Politics punishes patience. A council can create space for policies that pay off beyond the next election.
Arthur Brooks:
And that’s moral economics. A nation without a sense of continuity loses meaning. Budget fights today are not about numbers — they’re about values. We need an institution that aligns economic efficiency with human dignity. The council could be where moral consensus meets math.
Gina Raimondo:
It’s also about coordination. Federal agencies often compete for overlapping missions because no central body ranks national priorities. A council could act as an integrator — connecting innovation policy with education, or manufacturing with climate strategy. We need a conductor for this orchestra.
Moderator:
That’s a compelling vision. But who should sit on this council — and how do we keep it from becoming another partisan stage?
Collins:
It has to be balanced — half from government, half from outside. Economists, governors, business and labor leaders, maybe military voices. The mix should reflect America’s diversity — not just demographically, but ideologically.
Brooks:
I’d also include faith and civic leaders. Not to push religion, but to remind policymakers of the human dimension of budgets. Numbers without compassion are cold; compassion without numbers is chaos. A council works only if it balances both.
Boushey:
Agreed, but structure matters. I’d suggest fixed, staggered terms — like the Federal Reserve Board — so no one administration can dominate. Members would be confirmed by bipartisan vote, and their forecasts would be binding unless overridden by supermajority in Congress. That forces accountability.
Raimondo:
And transparency is key. The council’s findings should be public — every projection, every assumption. Secrecy breeds mistrust. Let Americans see the long-term trade-offs: what happens if we underfund schools, ignore bridges, or delay climate adaptation. Visibility creates pressure to act.
Gates:
Yes, but confidentiality has its place too. I’ve seen how politics poisons planning. The council should hold closed sessions to discuss sensitive trade-offs — especially defense spending. We need honesty without fear of headlines. There’s a balance between openness and operational security.
Moderator:
Let’s talk outcomes. How would this council actually change what Congress does year to year? How does it prevent shutdowns rather than just write reports?
Raimondo:
By setting five-year spending baselines that automatically roll over unless Congress passes an alternative. That’s stability by default. It removes the cliff-edge pressure that triggers shutdowns and gives businesses predictability for investment.
Boushey:
And by embedding social impact analysis into those baselines. Every dollar we cut or add should be measured not only in GDP points but in lives improved or harmed. The council can quantify morality — not as sentiment, but as data.
Gates:
It would also help prioritize defense spending rationally. We waste billions preparing for wars that won’t happen while underinvesting in cybersecurity and emerging threats. A long-term lens could prevent both overreach and negligence.
Collins:
The key is collaboration, not replacement. The council wouldn’t take power from Congress — it would provide the backbone of information and consensus that Congress often lacks. Think of it as scaffolding for democracy, not a substitute for it.
Brooks:
And it could restore moral confidence. Americans are tired of politics that swings from one extreme to another. A council producing steady, credible roadmaps sends a signal that the country’s compass is steady even when its politics aren’t.
Moderator:
Before we close, I want to ask each of you: if the council existed today, what’s the first national priority you’d place on its agenda?
Boushey:
Childcare and early education. Every study shows it’s the highest-return investment we can make for future productivity and equality.
Gates:
National security modernization — especially cybersecurity. We’re fighting 21st-century threats with 20th-century infrastructure.
Brooks:
Rebuilding social trust. Create a civic renewal fund that supports community-based programs bridging political divides. Economics follows trust.
Collins:
Infrastructure resilience — physical and digital. Our roads, grids, and data systems are the skeleton of America’s future economy.
Raimondo:
Advanced manufacturing and AI integration. The next decade’s prosperity depends on whether we harness innovation responsibly and keep it anchored here at home.
Moderator:
And if you could name one principle to govern this council’s spirit?
Raimondo:
Coordination.
Brooks:
Compassion.
Boushey:
Equity.
Gates:
Continuity.
Collins:
Trust.
For a brief moment, those five words — coordination, compassion, equity, continuity, trust — seem to hang in the air like a blueprint for what governance could be if wisdom ever outweighed noise.
Topic 5 — Civic Pressure & Public Engagement
Setting: A modern studio in downtown Washington. Cameras are off. The room glows with warm light and quiet intensity. Sitting around a circular table are Elon Musk, Ken Burns, Ben Shapiro, Van Jones, and Doris Kearns Goodwin — an unexpected combination of technologist, storyteller, commentator, activist, and historian. The question tonight: how can civic engagement help end the cycle of government shutdowns and restore accountability?
Moderator:
Shutdowns happen because leaders believe the public will tolerate dysfunction. So let’s start there: Why doesn’t civic pressure work anymore?
Van Jones:
Because people feel powerless. They see gridlock as permanent and politics as performance. Outrage fatigue sets in, and apathy follows. Civic pressure used to come from organized communities; now it’s scattered across angry posts. The people have power, but it’s uncoordinated — like a thousand flashlights when we need a single beam.
Ben Shapiro:
I’d say it’s not apathy but polarization. People do care — they just care selectively. Half the country cheers when government shuts down if it hurts the other side. Civic engagement without shared civic virtue becomes tribal warfare. We’ve mistaken participation for wisdom.
Ken Burns:
We’ve also lost the long view. When you study American history, you realize every era had division — but people still believed in the idea of “us.” Now it’s all “them.” We have to reawaken the memory that democracy is a collective story. People fight for what they feel part of, not what they’re told to fear.
Elon Musk:
Technology amplified emotion faster than wisdom could catch up. Platforms reward outrage because outrage gets clicks. But we can invert that. Imagine a digital civic dashboard where citizens see real-time effects of government actions — jobs gained, services halted, dollars lost. Data, not drama, creates informed pressure.
Doris Kearns Goodwin:
Yes, and storytelling is how we translate that data back into humanity. When Lincoln faced division, he held “public opinion baths” — he listened. People need to see themselves reflected in leadership again. The failure isn’t just political; it’s emotional. The government doesn’t feel like family anymore.
Moderator:
So, if we wanted to rebuild civic pressure into something constructive — something that pushes leaders toward unity — what would that system look like?
Musk:
Transparency is the foundation. We should make every budget delay and its cost public in real time. A digital “Governance Tracker” that updates like a stock ticker — how many agencies are affected, how many workers unpaid, how much GDP lost. People move when they see impact.
Jones:
Transparency is good, but it must be paired with empathy. Numbers can numb us. We need stories, not just stats. Local storytelling — short films, podcasts, and town halls — showing how shutdowns hit single parents, veterans, kids waiting on medical support. Emotional data.
Shapiro:
And intellectual honesty. Civic engagement collapses when the media treats facts as flexible. We need platforms — left, right, and center — that agree on one reality. Otherwise, public pressure splits into competing delusions. An informed republic requires a common ground of truth.
Burns:
That’s where history helps. The more we understand what we’ve survived — civil wars, depressions, assassinations — the less fragile we become. A National Civic Education Fund could support documentaries, school programs, and archives that teach not just what America is, but what it endured.
Goodwin:
I’d bring back public rituals of unity. National service days, shared holidays focused on cooperation, not consumption. When we work side by side, our politics soften. People remember that democracy is an act of participation, not a spectator sport.
Moderator:
But how do you motivate citizens who feel cynical — who’ve stopped believing their engagement changes anything?
Shapiro:
Show them results. When public outrage stops a bad law or forces a compromise, celebrate it. The media should highlight functional government, not just dysfunction. Reward good behavior with visibility.
Jones:
And lower the barrier to entry. Not everyone has time to join marches, but everyone has a phone. Create one-click civic actions — sending digital petitions, contacting reps, funding local journalism. Empowerment should be as easy as scrolling.
Musk:
I’d use gamification. We can turn civic engagement into a network effect — users gain badges or social influence by participating in verified actions: voting, volunteering, mentoring. People are already addicted to online validation; we just need to redirect it toward citizenship.
Burns:
That can work, but only if it feels sacred, not superficial. Patriotism must be redefined as service, not noise. When people contribute to the story of America, they rediscover meaning. Cynicism fades when belonging grows.
Goodwin:
And leaders must model humility. Nothing inspires participation like empathy at the top. When presidents, governors, or mayors admit errors and invite help, citizens feel seen. Democracy thrives on shared vulnerability, not perfect authority.
Moderator:
Let’s close with something practical. If you each could propose one civic innovation to ensure the next government shutdown never happens again, what would it be?
Musk:
A public “Government Status Board” — like a mission control screen — tracking operations in real time. If the lights go red, citizens instantly know who’s responsible.
Burns:
A National Story Archive — collecting and broadcasting human experiences during shutdowns to remind future generations what political failure costs ordinary lives.
Shapiro:
A bipartisan civic education curriculum — mandatory in every school — teaching how the federal system works and what happens when it stops. Ignorance is tyranny’s fertilizer.
Jones:
A Digital Town Square — moderated by AI but led by communities — where citizens can deliberate respectfully on budget priorities and submit crowd-sourced proposals to Congress.
Goodwin:
A “Unity Day” — one day each year where government, business, and citizens collaborate on national service projects. A shared day of purpose could be our new civic heartbeat.
Moderator:
Beautiful ideas. If civic power truly returned to the people, perhaps shutdowns would become impossible — not because politicians changed, but because citizens refused to let them forget who they work for.
The group sits in reflective silence. Outside, the Capitol dome glows softly in the night. For once, it feels less like a monument — and more like a promise waiting to be kept.
Final Thoughts by George Washington
Measured, fatherly, imbued with gravitas and hope — addressing both the need for strength and the virtue of cooperation.
In every generation, the Republic must prove itself worthy of the freedom it inherited. The challenge before you is not new: how to hold together a nation vast in its interests, diverse in its opinions, and restless in its pursuit of justice.
Some will demand bold action; others will plead for restraint. Both are right, in measure. For a free people must possess both courage and conscience — the power to act decisively, and the wisdom to act justly.
A shutdown of government is not a triumph of principle, but a pause of progress. It does not signal strength; it signals neglect. Yet from such moments can arise renewal — if they stir in us the will to lead again.
You who serve in public office bear a sacred charge: not to win every contest, but to keep the Republic steady. The farmer, the soldier, the teacher, the worker — all look to you not for perfection, but for perseverance. When their faith in government is returned by integrity in leadership, America stands firm once more.
So let us end not with accusation, but aspiration. Let us govern with vigor, speak with respect, and remember that power, once trusted to us, belongs always to the people.
If unity seems distant, recall this truth: it is not forged by words alone, but by deeds. Let your deeds, then, prove worthy of the freedom generations before you have defended — and worthy of the generations yet to come.
Short Bios:
1. Joe Manchin
U.S. Senator from West Virginia known for centrist, bipartisan positions. Manchin has often acted as a key swing vote in major legislation, emphasizing fiscal discipline and pragmatic compromise.
2. Lisa Murkowski
Republican Senator from Alaska respected for her independence and willingness to collaborate across party lines. She focuses on energy, Indigenous rights, and responsible governance.
3. Hakeem Jeffries
Democratic Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York. A skilled orator and advocate for social justice, Jeffries represents the next generation of Democratic leadership.
4. Mike Johnson
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and conservative constitutional attorney. Johnson prioritizes family values, limited government, and strong adherence to the rule of law.
5. Condoleezza Rice
Former U.S. Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, and political scientist. Renowned for her diplomatic acumen and emphasis on leadership through integrity and education.
6. Janet Yellen
U.S. Treasury Secretary and former Chair of the Federal Reserve. Yellen is one of the most influential economists in modern American history, known for her expertise in fiscal and monetary policy.
7. Paul Ryan
Former Speaker of the House and longtime advocate of budget reform. Ryan is recognized for his detailed policy work on entitlement reform and deficit reduction.
8. Maya MacGuineas
President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. A nonpartisan voice for fiscal responsibility and long-term budget sustainability.
9. Larry Summers
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary and President Emeritus of Harvard University. Summers combines academic insight with real-world experience in economic strategy and global finance.
10. Glenn Hubbard
Economist and former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush. He specializes in tax reform, business policy, and market-driven growth.
11. Mitt Romney
U.S. Senator from Utah and former Governor of Massachusetts. A Republican elder statesman, Romney is known for principled leadership and a focus on moral governance.
12. Cory Booker
Democratic Senator from New Jersey and former mayor of Newark. Booker advocates for unity, social reform, and spiritual resilience in politics.
13. Ben Sasse
Former U.S. Senator from Nebraska and current university president. Known for his intellectual conservatism and emphasis on civic virtue in governance.
14. Nancy Jacobson
Founder and CEO of No Labels, a centrist political organization dedicated to bipartisan problem-solving and accountability in government.
15. Andrew Yang
Entrepreneur, author, and founder of the Forward Party. Yang champions innovation, data-driven governance, and systemic political reform.
16. Robert Gates
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. A bipartisan figure recognized for steady leadership and strategic insight.
17. Susan Collins
Republican Senator from Maine known for moderation and cross-party collaboration. She plays pivotal roles in key Senate negotiations.
18. Gina Raimondo
U.S. Secretary of Commerce and former Governor of Rhode Island. Raimondo brings technocratic precision and data-driven solutions to national economic strategy.
19. Arthur Brooks
Social scientist, author, and Harvard professor focusing on moral leadership and the intersection of economics and human happiness.
20. Heather Boushey
Member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers and co-founder of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. Expert in inclusive and sustainable economic policy.
21. Elon Musk
CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter). Musk is a visionary entrepreneur focused on technology, innovation, and the future of humanity.
22. Ken Burns
Award-winning documentary filmmaker renowned for exploring American history through emotional storytelling and archival depth.
23. Ben Shapiro
Political commentator and founder of The Daily Wire. Known for sharp conservative analysis and advocacy for free speech and limited government.
24. Van Jones
CNN commentator and social entrepreneur who bridges progressive activism with pragmatic reform, focusing on criminal justice and civic renewal.
25. Doris Kearns Goodwin
Presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author known for her works on Lincoln, Roosevelt, and the moral leadership that shaped America.
26. George Washington (Imagined Voice)
The first President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. Revered as the “Father of His Country,” Washington’s wisdom and restraint remain enduring symbols of republican virtue.
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