I find it to be extremely selfish..... what is it about this profession that makes them hang on until near death?
POWER
“what is it about this profession that makes them hang on until near death?”
I read an article on why Senator Strom Thurmond stayed so long. The author had followed him around, apparently for days. People greeted him with, “’Good morning, Senator,’ and, ‘Can I help you, Senator,’ and, ‘What can I do for you, Senator.’” As long as he was a senator he was somebody. When he went somewhere everybody recognized him and was obsequious. He was important. But the moment he pulled the cord and quit he’d be a nobody. His ego demanded the constant attention, just so he’d know he was alive and important. I saw numerous pictures of him in the press with a string of drool hanging from lips to collar as he sat in the Senate Chambers. Pitiful.
Ego. They want to feel important. Some of them have real power. Most don't. But they are all surrounded by flatterers and flunkies. They are courted. It's addictive. If they stay too long, they've also burned all their real bridges back home. There's nothing to go back to except being an ex-Senator telling stories to whomever will listen.
The solution? Term limits, of course. But we could make a start by taking away a lot of the staff. Make them do more of the work themselves, instead of being spoonfed by gophers. Heck, we could just take away their parking and make them walk from metro like ordinary people. That would push 20 or more into retirement right away.
It’s the perks.