Peter Horovitz: Open Letter to Congress

September 9, 2011

Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
President of the Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Honorable John A. Boehner
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Re: Open Letter to Congress

Dear Mr. Biden and Mr. Speaker:

My name is Peter Horovitz. I am an American citizen, small business owner, husband, and the proud father of two girls, Sophia and Madeleine.

My wife and I pay our bills on-time, pay our taxes and work hard to provide a supportive environment for our children. We are hopeful that the country we leave our children will allow them to grow beyond our own limitations.

I watched the President's recent address to the Joint Session of Congress. I agreed with much of what he said, but not all. The purpose of this letter isn't to dissect his policy recommendations, but rather it is to call you to action, and to suggest a small, meaningful and, better yet, tried-and-true change to help you do something, to help you do anything to move this country forward.

Quite frankly, right now, it doesn't matter whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Tea Party member or Independent. The utter inability of 537 people (this includes all voting members of Congress, the President and Vice-President) to get along and work towards a common goal, even if that means respectfully disagreeing once in a while has, and will continue to paralyze this country.

Back to my kids: My children are in the 4^th and 1^st grade respectively. In the 1^st through 3^rd grades at their school they share desks with a classmate. Every month, they switch desk partners.

Much like Congress, the composition of their class rarely changes. Unlike Congress, they constantly focus on learning, compromising, and getting things done – let me know if you'd like to see some of their work, it's fantastic. Their work is often collaborative, but they are always held responsible for their own actions and contributions. If they see a classmate who needs a little help, they give it.

I trust you've seen or know of Robert Fulghum's "All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." If you haven't you should read it. I'd like to propose an update for Congress: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in First Grade.

At the President's address, and indeed at virtually every State of the Union speech, and in your daily work, you sit divided. Republicans on one side, Democrats on the other. The division is graphic and real, and contributes to the divisiveness of your institution. You dismiss ideas because of the messenger, not the merits. You conveyed this divisiveness to your constituents, and it colors how we view our country.

In my daughter's class, if the seating arrangement leads to dysfunction, the seating arrangement is changed. I would suggest you do the same. Ironically, problems are most apparent when desk-mates are "two peas in a pod," as they often don't include others, are disruptive, and neglectful their true work (even while insisting they're really busy). Conversely, sitting with someone you don't necessarily see eye-to-eye with requires a willingness to work together, a bit of compromise, and an open mind.

Perhaps by sitting together, rather than divided you would take a small step towards focusing on common goals, rather than common divisions. Perhaps, by not having easy clues on when to stand, when to clap, when to boo, hiss or heckle, your members would be required to think before acting – using the talents and intellect that we desperately want our representatives to possess and use. At they very least, it would be an outward symbol to the American people of a commitment to work together – you would send the message that you are trying, a message we haven't received for some time now.

You may well feel that in your work you constantly work "across the aisle." Well, from my vantage point, I simply don't see it. Where you sit in your place of work may seem simplistic, and it is. But it is a step; one that it appears your institution has forgotten how to take. Take that small step; mix it up a bit, because what you are doing now is simply not working for this country.

Sincerely,

Peter A. Horovitz