Washington has been very active with a busy Congressional session. Our elected officials are debating issues of critical importance to our country's economic future.

As a Democrat with many Republican friends, I am particularly concerned when I hear that Democrats aren't fiscally capable.   

That prompted me to appear on Fox News 5 and speak to the fact that it was a Democratic President, Bill Clinton, who actually balanced the budget and created a surplus.  

I returned to Fox a few weeks later to discuss the debt limit crisis and the need for Medicare reform.  (See Media Gallery).

I believe there are lessons from the past on how to achieve political compromise to deal with these difficult issues.  A prime example is the 1990 budget deal between President George H. W. Bush and the Democratic Congressional majority.  The President had the political courage to negotiate for the spending cuts and targeted tax increases necessary to set the stage for the Clinton budget surpluses (see A Real Budget Deal).  

We don't hear enough on talk shows and in the media about the value of compromise.  Too much is focused on the differences and not enough on common interests. 

Bottom line is that it's going to take both parties working together to address this budget crisis.  One thought to get things going is in a blog on Common Sense Solutions for Medicare.

I've enjoyed searching out successful entrepreneurs to learn more about the keys to their success. 

Check out my discussion with Bob O'Braitis, a financial genius, and one of my own trusted advisers in Becoming a Trusted Advisor.   

"I've learned that things in life never go the way they are supposed to. There are too many detours, too many things that go wrong. The key is were you there to help that person when they needed you the most? That's something we strive to do more than anything."

I ran into Tom Byers, the head of Stanford University's top tier entrepreneurship program, on the floor of the House of Representatives.  This led me to Stanford's E-Corner which is full of tips on becoming a success in business start ups. 

If you don't already know the five essential qualities of an entrepreneur, check out A Test for the Fainthearted.  You'll see that I think Members of Congress can accomplish a lot more if they practice these qualities in the halls of the Capitol.  

On a lighter note, in our hi tech world of innovation, not many people realize that there remains an ancient Roman ritual associated with the opening of the U.S. House of Representatives.  Read about it in The House is in Session.

A June newsletter would not be complete without a mention of the upcoming U.S. Open to be held at Congressional Country Club.  There will be an exciting group of pros playing, although I must say that the #1 political golfer in Washington is much more important to me.  Golf Digest just named my son, Tony Russo, as the top golfer in Washington's political scene.

Throughout my career in Congress I made many Republican friends across the political aisle and much of this was through sporting events such as the Congressional Baseball Game, pickup basketball games in the House gym, or a competitive game of paddleball with the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.   Here's a look back at a blog from my days as CEO at Cassidy & Associates about The Healing Power of Sports.