Jan
25
Out With the Old, in With the New?
With Senator John McCain (R-AZ) drawing a Republican primary challenger, it is time – I think – for all Republicans in office to consider their position. This is especially true for those Republicans who have been in office – like McCain – for decades. John McCain will be 74 years old in August and has been in the Senate since 1987 – meaning that he is seeking his 5th term. That’s quite a long life married to quite a long political career. Is it not time for a change?
One of the things which bothers me about politics is the way some people cling to office for ages and ages. The late Ted Kennedy (D-MA) entered the Senate more than two years before I was born. Robert Bryd (D-WV) entered the Senate before my parents – both of whom are now deceased – were married. The man turned 93 the day after I turned 45 last year. Is this not long enough in politics? Has there been no man in West Virginia more apt to lead than Byrd?
There is an argument for term limits, but in a practical sense, it would be impossible to get such a thing passed by the very lawmakers it would remove from office. What seems to me a better idea is to cease the coronation of incumbents – each Republican office holder should have a primary challenger, and the Republican party should make no effort on behalf of a candidate until a nomination is secured.
This is the best means to ensure that our Republican office holders remain in touch with the people and, most importantly, it allows us the chance of a regular supply of new blood in office. People enter politics for a lot of reasons, noble or base – but whether they are advancing themselves or are on fire for serving the people, the fact remains that there is only so much a person can do, and after a while it comes time for the next person to carry on the struggle.
This does not mean that a person should only have one or two terms in politics – but think about this: maybe if McCain had decided to run for governor of Arizona back in 2002 – after having served nearly three terms in the Senate – he would have had the clear-cut, executive experience which would have made the election of Barack Obama in 2008 impossible? One can never know, but it was harder to tag Obama on his inexperience when McCain’s last executive experience was decades earlier, and in the rather unique circumstances of Naval service. Maybe McCain has already served one term too long in the Senate?
This is not to just bag on McCain – he’s a good, honorable man and a true patriot and hero. And there are plenty of other over-long serving Republicans in office – though Democrats tend to outdo the Republicans in this matter (Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) has been in the House since 1955 – and he took over his father’s House seat after his death!).
Outside of the necessity of primary challenges, I think that each Republican office holder should reflect carefully on his or her future a year out from any election date. Don’t ask, “can I win” but, instead, “should I remain in office?”. If a person can look themselves in the mirror and honestly state that they are the best person in the district/State to represent the people in the House/Senate, then by all means have at it. But if there’s even the slightest doubt, then its time to move on.
America was never built to be the land of career politicians, and we Republicans – as the true party of the people – should lead the way in re-establishing the ideal of citizen-legislators. People who will sacrifice some years of their lives in service to all, and then retire from the scene in a timely manner to allow fresh people and fresh ideas to come to the fore.
