Retiring U.S. Senators - Democrats

Four Democratic Senators have announced that they will retire this year. If we are lucky, there will be more and, if we are luckier yet, some incumbents will be defeated in November.

Two, Roland Burris (D-IL) and Ted Kaufman (D-DE), were appointed to replace Senators Obama and Biden, respectively, after their election as President and Vice-President. That it was not possible to hold a special election in November of 2009 - or even earlier - seems to be a major flaw in American democracy but at least the voters will be allowed (allowed?) to choose their Senators this year.

The other two are Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT).

On his retirement, Senator Dodd will have spent thirty year in the Senate without distinguishing himself in any particular manner. As Ranking [minority] Member of the Senate Banking Committee, he proved to be either stupid, or unethical, by accepting special treatment from Countrywide Financial Corporation. It is worth noting that Countrywide was shortly thereafter bought by Bank of America (with government guarantees) just before it would have collapsed. His achievements can only be described as minimal.

Senator Dorgan's record is equally undistinguished. The only thing in his favor is that twelve years service in the House of Representatives and another eighteen years in the Senate have been largely, other than bouncing checks at the House of Representatives Bank, free of scandal.

That there should be such a thing as a thirty year career as a professional politician (of either party) is a national disgrace. The Founding Fathers saw politics as a limited period of time to serve their country, rather than themselves, and so should we.

In my not-so-humble opinion, there is value in experience but there are also 'Best Used Before' dates. We would be well served by a constitutional amendment restricting the total length of service in the Congress of the United States.

Few Senators and Representatives have made any significant contributions to our nation after eighteen years in office. Although there are some exceptions, they can be, or could have been, replaced. Eighteen years is a reasonable time. We might have missed the legislative achievements of Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) but we would have been spared the pork barrel appropriations committed by Senator Robert Byrd (D-WVA) who has well served himself and his State, but not necessarily our nation, for over fifty years.

Meanwhile, good riddance to the four who have announced their retirement. They have all outstayed their welcome.