For those of you who don't get the reference, it's from the movie Saving Private Ryan. In the next to last scene, Tom Hanks, as the captain who has led his men on a deadly mission to find the last surviving brother of four who were part of the D-Day invasion, with his dying breath tells Private Ryan "earn this," i.e., never forget those who have sacrificed so that he may live.
With that in mind, here are my marching orders for our newly elected representatives:
Humility and the true meaning of privilege
You've just come through a campaign where people cheered wherever you appeared. Don't let it go to your head. You are neither special nor anointed. You are simply the guy or gal who put up a hand when the call went out to serve. Now it's time to live up to that promise. Never forget your elevated view comes from standing on the shoulders of every voter who put you there.
Washington can be a heady place. In fact, Pierre L'Enfant, who laid out the plan for our capital, had in mind a place that would intimidate foreign leaders. But don't fall for the hype. It is a privilege to be chosen to steer the course of our country. And I mean privilege in the sense of gift. Not in terms of the parking spots, good tables in restaurants and early airplane boarding you will enjoy. Do you have a best friend from when you were a kid? Someone who's seen you spew milk out of your nose and wear dopey outfits? Put that person on speed dial and give them the task of pulling you up short if you start to believe your own press.
Be a grown-up and treat us like grown-ups
If you are lacking in self-awareness and emotional intelligence; you have a month or two, make that a priority. Congress is like high school on steroids, so if you have any lingering susceptibility to peer pressure or a need to be liked, get over it. You're there to make hard choices, not win a popularity contest.
The same goes for how you communicate with your constituents. Americans are possessed of plenty of common sense and we know you can't have your cake and eat it too. So don't try to sell us unrealistic solutions or appeal to our worst natures.
Govern like a one-termer
We've all heard the horror stories about how much time out of their day a member of Congress needs to spend fundraising. Forget it. No triangulating or trying to please everyone. You are on probation and it is your legislative record that will determine your likelihood of reelection, not your bank account. If we have proven nothing else this cycle, it's the power of the small donor. We've taken an enormous leap of faith in electing you. At this time in our history, the stakes really couldn't be higher. So we're asking you to take a leap of faith in return. Focus on the job, and if you've served your constituents well, we will make sure you have the funds to be reelected.
Stay away from K Street
Think of K Street as being radioactive. The toxic elements of that place cannot be seen or smelled, but they will rot you away from the inside. And write your own legislation. Period.
"Do or do not... there is no try."
Don't ever be seen on television or quoted in the newspaper talking about what Democrats need to...should do...must do. DO IT! (We're looking at you, Senator Obama). Tim Russert and George Stephanopolis are not your buddies. They have a narrative they are trying to present with you as the patsy. Every appearance where you let them perpetuate a "disorganized Democrats with no ideas" story is a failure on your part. We will be watching.
Got more? Leave your ideas in the comments!