It was September of 1796. George Washington was coming to the end of his second presidential term and had already decided he would not run for a third term. On Sept. 19, 1796, he released his now famous farewell address.

He began, “Friends and Fellow Citizens” and then went on to explain his reasons for his retirement, offered up his thanks, and expressed his confidence in this new federal government, but also used this opportunity to warn the people and the politicians of the dangers of forming political parties, or factions as they were referred to at that time.

Washington was concerned about forming geographical parties that could pit the North against the South or the West but was equally afraid forming parties would divide Congress.

He wrote, “However combinations or associations of factions (parties) may now and then answer popular ends, but they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”

Washington knew then that loyalties to political parties could and would outweigh loyalties to this newly formed Republic. I ask you, how prophetic was that?

Washington goes on to say one party will try to dominate the other, to seek revenge, create disorder, and try to gain too much power allowing party leaders to elevate themselves, threatening the very liberty that self-governance provides.

Washington nailed it. We ignored it, and now we see it played out on Capitol Hill every day. One party against the other instead of uniting on issues that clearly need bipartisan solutions for the sake of the country.

Besides the two main parties, Congress has dozens of caucuses, groups that have formed with like-minded individuals usually on singular issues, like agriculture, or environment, or public health.

But in my mind, with today’s political climate being as divided as it is, no caucus is more important than the Problem Solvers Caucus. It boasts 49 members, almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. Their mission is simple; work together to find common ground to solve problems for the American people.

So I wonder why every representative isn’t a member of this caucus? Are they blinded by the flames of partisanship, or are they rendered deaf by the roars of the extremists? Do they believe that working together across party lines is wrong? I would like to ask those not in this caucus why they chose not to be. In fact, that is a great question.

If you believe that some cooperation is needed in the Halls of Congress, and I believe we need trainloads of it, then I urge you to contact your representative and ask them to consider joining the Problem Solvers Caucus or why they have chosen not to. They owe you an answer.

I am not asking you to do what I will not. Two weeks ago I contacted my representative, Jack Bergman of the First District of Michigan, and asked him that very question. Several days later, I received a call from his office assuring me he would look into it, and that they would let me know his decision and why he made it.

If you are lucky enough your congressional representative is already a Problem Solvers Caucus member, contact and thank them. But if not, and you think we need more bipartisanship in Congress, then I ask you once again to contact your representative and not settle for a lack of response. Remember, they work for you, not the other way around.

This election is over, but our work as citizens and voters is just beginning. Good luck, and please let me know if you did contact your representative and what they said, at gregawtry@awtry.com

Greg Awtry is the former publisher of the Scottsbluff (Neb.) Star-Herald and Nebraska’s York News-Times. He is now retired and living in Hubbard Lake. Greg can be contacted at gregawtry@awtry.com.