When the GOP took the House in 1994, one of the BEST things they did was eliminating the senority for committee chairs,a nds also term limiting the same chairs. They're gonna be in control of the House for another 10 years...at least, and one of the things they shoudl start doing, to avoid getting ossified, is to start encouraging the old bulls to retire....grooming people to replace them..It's like a baseball team..ideally you want to trade an established star just BEFORE his numbers start to decline..
I don't disagree with your assessment, ken5050. Phil Crane likely should have retired before he was booted out. However, I so vividly recall the time when Phil Crane was conservative before conservative was "cool."
Back in the day, when Crane walked into a room - you knew it. He was fearless, always outspoken, and "right" nearly all the time. Yes, his time had past - but, man, he shone brightly and blazed trails.