I was in the House chamber on January 6 as America almost lost its democracy. As officers piled furniture in front of doors and pointed their weapons at insurrectionists intent on tearing down humankind's most recognized temple to self-government.

In the aftermath as we were all reflecting on what happened, I wrote down some of my thoughts in this Op-Ed for CNN about how we got here and how we, as citizens and a government, go forward. Here's an excerpt:

I've been thinking about a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin, where he tells a group of citizens that the Constitutional Convention delegates have crafted a republic "if you can keep it." He didn't say "if we can keep it," referring to his fellow Founders in Independence Hall. He put the burden on the citizens in the street in 18th century Philadelphia: "if you can keep it."

Make no mistake. We elected officials have immense work to do. Americans have record levels of disdain for their government, some so much that they would violently destroy it. Joe Biden, our new President, must address this in everything that he says and does. Like the eagle on our crest, he must have arrows of accountability against those who would destroy us even as he offers the olive branch of unity and welcome to those who long for a less divided nation.

I hope you'll read the full article, and consider sharing it with friends and family members. I would love to hear from you about where you think we go from here, and how we can become a less divided nation.

With gratitude,

Jim



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