"America's capital should be something of a national jewel, glimmering for the rest of the world. "

yeah, right - paid for by taxing the deplorables, whose taxes paid for the dilapidated Metro system and the sad fact that the county's surrounding our "national jewel" are the richest in the country, thanks to government. 

Close it down, let congress vote from home via Skype, and make the lobbyists visit 435 congressional districts instead of a few buildings within 1000 feet of each other.

Country'll grow.