Last night, President Obama and Speaker Boehner addressed the nation about the current impasse. A native Washingtonian, I have lived around political discord all my life. I have never seen it uglier.

This morning’s New York Times editorial got it exactly right when they described the impasse: “…We agreed strongly when Mr. Obama said Americans should be ‘offended’ by this display and that they ‘may have voted for divided government but they didn’t vote for a dysfunctional government.’ “

Holding our nation’s economic health hostage while pandering to the extreme right wing is shameful. It is time for us – the American people – to stand up for reason and compassion.

First, each of us should contact our elected officials to demand that they break the impasse and vote for the greater good.  (You can email them through our website – and follow up with a telephone call.)

Then, we can each take time to pray that our elected officials do what is right. NETWORK is taking part in a daily prayer vigil near the Capitol. Prayers are said at 12:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time each weekday, and you can participate wherever you may be. Here is the prayer service for today. Please take a moment to join us.