Washington was lobbied into existence as a compromise between the North and the South.

Initially, Congressmen had to navigate the swamps of Pennsylvania Avenue to visit the White House. Pennsylvania Avenue was nicknamed “the great Serbonian bog.”

Canals were built around the upstream waterfalls that brought slow-moving, putrid water, which came to symbolize government inertia.

The rotting creeks carried raw sewage to its disparate population centers. A stench that is well documented.

From the very beginning, the foundation of our republic has been laid on unstable ground. Built on compromise, cooperation and hard work.

Historically, cleaning the swamp was not about rooting out corruption or sweeping out bureaucrats; instead, they should talk about the hard work of solving problems and working with people with whom they disagree.

We should all demand this from those who seek to serve in our name.

Ron Day
Milford, PA