Seniority is one of the major problems in the senate.
Senators think they are royalty and that once elected the senate seat belongs to them.
How much damage did Robert Byrd do to the country after he became senile but still held a seat in the senate?
LONGEST SERVING SENATORS
1. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) - 51 years, 5 months, 26 days
2. Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI)- 49 years, 11 months, 15 days
3. Strom Thurmond (R-SC) - 47 years, 5 months, 8 days
4. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) - 46 years, 9 months, 19 days
5. Carl T. Hayden (D-AZ) - 41 years, 9 months, 30 days
6. John Stennis (D-MS) - 41 years, 1 month, 29 days
7. Ted Stevens (R-AK) - 40 years, 10 days
8. Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC) - 38 years, 1 month, 25 days
9. Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) - 38 years, 13 days
10. Richard B. Russell (D-GA) - 38 years, 10 days
11. Russell Long (D-LA) - 38 years, 3 days
12. Francis E. Warren (R-WY) - 37 years, 4 days
13. James Eastland (D-MS) - 36 years, 2 months, 24 days
14. Warren Magnuson (D-WA) - 36 years, 20 days
15. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) - 36 years, 13 days
16. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) - 36 years, 13 days
17. Pete V. Domenici (R-NM) - 36 years
18. Richard Lugar (R-IN) - 36 years
19. Claiborne Pell (D-RI) - 36 years
20. Kenneth D. McKellar (D-TN) - 35 years, 10 months
21. Milton R. Young (R-ND) - 35 years, 9 months, 22 days
22. Ellison D. Smith (D-SC) - 35 years, 8 months, 13 days
23. Allen Joseph Ellender (D-LA) - 35 years, 6 months, 24 days
24. William Boyd Allison (R-IA) - 35 years, 5 months
25. John McClellan (D-AR) - 34 years, 11 months
That list right there explains why the country is in such a mess.