Retiring senators: Why are so many calling it quits?

CSM on Yahoo ^ | 2/23/10 | Gail Russell Chaddock

[olezip]

Call it the shot heard round the Capitol. With a $13 million war chest and a lead in the polls, Sen. Evan Bayh (D) of Indiana appeared on track to reelection – until he decided that he'd had enough of what the Senate had become.

He took a look at voter discontent with him, and decided to get out. He did not have a prayer's chance of winning another term.

[Non-Sequitur]

To date, 12 senators have announced retirements...

Eleven, really. Brownback is leaving to run for governor in preparation for his next presidential run.

[Ben Hecks]

He voted against Roberts, Alito, and Condi.

He also voted against the confirmation of John Ashcroft to be Attorney General which further destroys Bayh's attempt to portray himself as "bipartisan".

[LouAvul]

He’s a liberal, but people in IN don’t know that.

I grew up in Indiana. Trust me, many hoosiers knew he is liberal, just like his father (whom we couldn't stand, either).

[AnotherUnixGeek]

"The Senate is losing its character and purpose: to be the place of debate and amendment on complicated issues," Senator Gregg added in an interview. "It's moving closer to the House, where [the majority] doesn't allow any amendments that are significant."

Harry Reid's legacy.

[Colorado Cowgirl]

These are voluntary retirements, wait until the November elections, then it will be involuntary retirements. Trust me, there will be blood! Then Confucius will saying:“Who flung dung?” It will be, the take back our country Americans. Amen!

[Star Traveler]

Retiring senators: Why are so many calling it quits?

Probably because they see the U.S. "crashing and burning" pretty soon, because of the Great Depression that we're inexorably sliding into (if not there already) and they don't want to be around to "take the hit" for it... :-)

[NormsRevenge]

For some, I have to believe lobbying is right up there aisle.. easy money.. What did Tommy Daschle make last year?

[BenKenobi]

Not that strange. Ideology has long been associated with plans to bring utopia. Conservativism really isn’t an ‘ideology’, per se. Leave people alone, let them do what they do best, limited government, etc is much different from the Manifesto.