Reason #3: Lifetime Leeches
The “lifetime politician” is a uniquely 20th century phenomenon.
Not long ago, I watched Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas flogging his new autobiography on television. The program included footage of his confirmation hearings from almost twenty years ago and I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the senators questioning him. The whole gang was there: Joe Biden, Arlen Specter, Pat Leahy, Orrin Hatch.
“Good God!” I said to myself. “All those dinosaurs are still in office!”
Congressmen, especially senators, treat their elected offices like lifetime appointments. Over the years, they grow such thick roots around their seats, it would take a keg of dynamite to blow them out.
The “lifetime politician” is a uniquely 20th century phenomenon. Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and other founding fathers envisioned politics as a temporary “public service” vocation, something to do for a limited period before returning to private life. Hoping to bring back that kind of “public servant” ethos to government, dozens of states passed laws that capped the amount of time a politician could camp out in office. But unfortunately, careerist pols found a way around the new restrictions. They simply began to play “musical offices,” switching from one seat of power to another.
Mike Honda is a good example of a government “lifer.” For more than a quarter of a century, he’s been trading one office for another, climbing the political ladder from the local to the state and finally to the federal level. Along the way, he’s perfected the art of “dialing for dollars,” but he’s learned precious little about guiding our country in the right direction.
How many politicians have never had another career?
- 174 House Members and 32 Senators list their primary occupations as “Politics / Public Service”
- At least 65 of the 100 Senators have been involved in elected politics for at least 20 years.
- At least 19 out of the 100 current Senators are “career politicians, having pursued no other career for any significant amount of time.”
- Representative John Dingell (DMI) has the longest consecutive service of any Member of the 110th Congress at 51 years.
- At 48 years and counting, Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) has served longer than any other Senator in history. Before him, his father Senator Harry F. Byrd (D-VA) served 32 years, from 1933 to 1965. All told, Byrds have been flying around the senate a combined 80 years.
- Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) is the current Republican Senator with the longest Senate service at 38 years.
There are so many old politicians that they should have retired long ago. Public service should be a “part-time” position. We need fresh blood to replace the incumbents who shouldn’t be serving more than what is required and keep on jumping from one position to another. I know that I’m beating around a dead horse but we need to realize the fact that we have placed these people here.
Don’t get me started on some of the politicians that you’ve listed. Mike Honda is one of the many representatives that supported the bailout bill, Senator Byrd is the pork king of porker projects and Ted Stevens involvement in corruption that has led him to trial that ended with a guilty verdict.
We have to do something about it.
I’m a Dem. My representative is Diane Feinstein (Republican Lite). She doesn’t even bother to campaign. It’s like, “Hey, this seat is mine.” I don’t even bother to contact her anymore. Check out the real story on her in “Project Censored.” She says she’s pro-choice, pro-gay, etc. and women and gays fall for her BS. She knows that she can talk about all the rights she want since she’s rubber stamped all Bush initiative to shred the Consitution.
I never liked Feinstein, she was for the bailout and doesn’t like tax reform. What’s worse, I heard that she may be running for Governor. No way! I would like to see a libertarian in office and try to get rid of our $15 billion debt.
Your are so right about everything. I will keep reading your articles to stay informed and try to do my best when voting.