Friends and fellow citizens, Last week, we saw a small group of legislators push our country to the brink of a federal government shutdown. But the forces of moderation and compromise took over, allowing a solid bipartisan majority in the House and Senate to pass a continuing resolution that keeps the federal government open until at least mid-November. It was a temporary moment of bipartisanship. What initially had been a win for U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy turned into a major defeat as he became the first duly elected speaker removed from office on Tuesday. The effort to “vacate” came…