1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

Failure to meet, negotiate, and reach consensus is failure to govern. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of Congress, the Supreme Court, and they have the White House; this is a Republican federal government in every way. However it is not a monarchy and neither of the other branches is designed to be subservient or beholden to the Executive. Governance has always required both adherence to established law and democratic structures as well as consensus building between members holding office. When representatives in Congress stubbornly regurgitate the president’s position without willingness to negotiate with their colleagues in Congress, governance is impossible. Republicans must come to the table to do the work their roles require; their colleagues cannot make government function by capitulating to an abdication of congressional responsibility that simply rubber-stamps presidential whims. Do the work. Negotiate a consensus that ends the shutdown.