Posted on 12/30/2011 4:49:15 PM PST by Libloather
More retiring from Congress on the horizon
By ALEX ISENSTADT
Updated: 12/30/11 7:16 PM EST
The holidays are drawing to a close, and for the political world a new season is dawning: retirement season.
The new year marks the unofficial starting gun of the campaign season and traditionally produces a flurry of announcements from members of Congress that they will not seek reelection in the fall — and officials from both parties predict this year will be no different.
It’s already begun. Two days after Christmas, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) announced that he will forgo a third term rather than embark on a bruising reelection campaign — a decision that likely hands the seat to Republicans. Then, on Friday, Ohio Rep. Steve Austria also bowed out, citing a redistricting plan that pits him against a fellow Republican congressman.
Democratic officials say they are closely monitoring several other party members, including 73-year-old New York Rep. Maurice Hinchey and North Carolina Rep. Brad Miller, who faces a narrow road to a sixth term after Republicans drew him into the same seat as another Democratic incumbent in this year’s redistricting. Rep. Heath Shuler, another North Carolina Democrat in a challenging district, raised questions about whether he would retire after he told a local newspaper that being in Congress “gets old. You have to keep fighting and keep fighting, and sometimes, people just don’t listen.”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Congress has a 5% approval rating according to Rasmussen...
“I’m being realistic as I wish others would be. Face it. We’re screwed.”
Boy, I’m sure glad you weren’t around during the Revolutionary War! There’s a lot that can happen between now and next November. To be throwing in the towel now is just nuts! You guys are always spouting off about a lack of testicles in the Congress, so just where are yours? “We are Screwed?” Give me a break!
The trouble with Congress now is that too few retire each election.
Rats ~ Sinking ship.
Marxist revolutions have not been particularly kind to most politicians.
The Obammunist doesn't need congress. He has the Attorney General and EPA.
yitbos
In April 2011, 73 y.o. Hinchey was diagnosed with colon cancer. Time to give it up.
What is the average age of House Dems.? I know the average age of Senate Dems is in the 70’s.
List of current Senators by age. Party is not included, but the oldest are Dems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_Senators_by_age
The more dimoKKKRATS that call it quits the better off the country will be.
BLUF - You can get more as a lobbyist if your resume doesn't include a failure to successfully run for reelection.
Therefore it is better to bail prior to the electioneering season than to be thrown out of office in January. Just follow the money, something that all Congress Critters are famous for.
Got to wonder why it is that Republicans from NC are mulling retirement as well after the redistricting. Wouldn’t hurt to recruit some younger Republicans for those seats, but is there any particular reason that they’re retiring?
You make a great point. However, if the GOP does not nominate a Presidential candidate that can get the base,
house and senate races will suffer. There is not a gop contender in the race that can get the base out in the numbers needed.
Oldest three are Dems, youngest three are pubs, but it is actually pretty even inbetween.
According to USAT, disgraced former Rep David Wu(D-OR) will collect up to a million dollars in pension after he resigned this year. Not bad for 13 years.
Lots of these 'public servants' came in middle-class and will leave rich. It's more than 'collecting a pension' - it's living well off corruptions and glad handing.
Someone, who is able, needs to write a carefully documented book about all the different Congress people who obviously gained wealth by being in the Congress. Until it is published they would do well to keep a low profile and watch their back.
A well written and documented book on the subject could blow the cover off from Congress (and maybe a President or two). It could help us get our government back from the depth of corruption, thereby cutting off at least one of heads of the evil "progressive" monster trying to devour our Republic.
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