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WASHINGTON — Representative Mick Mulvaney, Republican of South Carolina and one of the House’s most ardent conservatives, released a statement to his constituents this morning. Cutting through the Washington clutter, we offer an annotated version:

“I’ve received a good many calls and emails this week from folks expressing their opinions about the government shutdown.”

“Folks” are very angry at Representative Mulvaney.

“I’m grateful for the feedback and I am listening to your concerns. The House of Representatives is doing everything we can to reopen the government. Indeed — and this unfortunately doesn’t get reported much in the national media — we have sent four different options to the Senate, all of which were immediately rejected (without even debating them).”

It’s not our fault. It’s the liberal media’s.

“The last offer we made was simply an invitation to sit down and try to work through a compromise. Honestly, I was surprised they rejected that one, as it is exactly what many Democrats say they wanted.”

The “last offer” was a bill that linked further funding of the government with a one-year delay in the health care law’s mandate that individuals purchase health insurance, plus a denial of subsidies for a defined set of government employees who must purchase insurance on the new law’s health care exchanges: members of Congress and their staff, the president, vice president, White House staff and executive branch political appointees. The bill also formally appointed House negotiators to a negotiating “conference” with the Senate. So “simply an invitation” is an interesting interpretation.

“I am hopeful we can resolve the shutdown as soon as the Senate agrees to engage in a conversation. In the meantime, you should know that our troops are still being paid and social security checks are going out. In fact, about 75% of the government is open for business.”

Don’t worry, angry seniors, you’ll get your checks. Stop yelling.

“In many ways, then, this is a government ‘slowdown’ more than it is a ‘shutdown.’ I know that is not much consolation for folks who are personally affected by the 25% of government that is closed, but again, the House is working to fix that.”

Again, you’re probably not affected. Really, back off.

“Finally, many of you have asked how it is that I can continue to receive my paycheck while so many federal employees are furloughed. I happen to agree that it’s wrong for Members of Congress to receive pay while other federal workers are not. To that end, I have sent a letter to the Chief Administrative Officer asking that my pay be withheld until the shutdown is resolved.”

It’s not my fault I’m being paid. That’s just the way it is. But I’ll wait awhile to cash the checks.

“As always, thank you for the input, and for taking the time to let your opinions be heard. If more people did that, I am convinced our government would run much more effectively than it does.”

Vote for me in 2014.