By Congressman Brad Wenstrup –

If you walk through the Capitol Rotunda and look up, you will see “The
Apotheosis of Washington.” This beautiful work of art graces the dome
180 feet above the rotunda floor and covers 4,664 square feet. It
depicts George Washington ascending into the clouds, surrounded by the
goddesses of Victory and Liberty and 13 maidens representing the 13
colonies.

While it’s a stunning piece of art with great historical significance,
I can’t help but imagine George Washington chuckling a bit if he saw
it. Because at the end of the day, Washington — the first U.S.
president and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the
American Revolutionary War — was a humble man. He was keenly aware of
the weight of his responsibilities, but never seemed to take himself too
seriously. His life was service-oriented.

There’s a story I like that illustrates how Washington was always
acting on behalf of others. One day, he was riding by a group of
soldiers as they were struggling to raise a beam while building some
structures during the Revolutionary War. The corporal in charge was
shouting encouragement, but still the troops struggled to hoist the beam
high enough. After watching quietly for moment, George Washington asked
the corporal why he did not help his men. The man snapped back: “Do
you realize I am the corporal, sir?” I imagine Washington smiling as
he responded politely, “I beg your pardon, Mr. Corporal, I did,”
before dismounting and adding his strength to raise the beam.

WASHINGTON UNDERSTOOD WHAT FEW IN HIS NAMESAKE CITY TODAY SEEM TO GRASP:
LEADERS ARE HERE TO SERVE. I witnessed this truth firsthand during my
service in Iraq and in the U.S. Army Reserves. The greatest leaders are
the ones who keep their egos in check and who put the needs of the
troops they lead above their own.

I believe that type of servant-leadership is a critical linchpin to the
government framework that those early American patriots envisioned. The
founders structured our system of government so that leaders would be
democratically elected from among the people, to represent the people.
Unlike England at the time, American government officials would not be
pre-selected by their royal bloodlines or distinguished lineages.
Instead, they would be ordinary citizens: small business owners,
soldiers, farmers, preachers, and teachers, who put aside their careers
for public service. That’s why when young people come up to me and
tell me they want to serve in Congress, I always reply, “That’s
wonderful, but do something else first.”

Most importantly, our founders carefully structured our democratic
republic so that ultimate responsibility rested on the shoulders of the
people themselves. Elected officials would serve the will of the people
– not the other way around. Abraham Lincoln called it, “government
of the people, by the people, for the people.”

It may seem like a basic truth, but it is one that bears repeating.
Personally, it’s a big part of why I serve in Congress. Having spent
most of my life serving as a doctor, small business owner, and combat
surgeon in Iraq, I felt called to continue that service in the U.S.
House of Representatives in order to bring the voices of my neighbors,
small business owners, and fellow veterans and physicians, to the halls
of Congress. Because, at the end of the day, the voices of every day
Americans are the ones that matter most.

That’s why getting your feedback is such a big priority of mine.
Whether it’s through meetings, emails, weekly polls, telephone town
halls, or the hundreds of calls my offices receive every day, I
appreciate everyone who takes time to share their opinion with me.
Because your voices matter. As another great American president, Ronald
Reagan, once said, “’We the People are the driver – the Government
is the car.”

After Washington died, President’s Day was established as a perennial
remembrance of his life and leadership. Over the years, the holiday has
expanded to honor all past American presidents. It’s a day when we
reflect on all the individuals who served as leaders of the free world
and defenders of our great republic, and who have left indelible marks
on our national history. As we commemorate President’s Day, though,
let us not forget the truth that George Washington’s example reminds
us of: that our leaders are here to serve. THE GREATEST VOICE SHAPING
OUR NATION OVER THE COURSE OF ITS 238-YEAR HISTORY HAS ALWAYS BEEN –
AND MUST ALWAYS BE – THE VOICE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.