Forty years and out, when did serving in Congress become a career? We need term limits

I am reading a news article about retiring Congressman David Obey, who while apparently quite a powerful figure, I suspect is unknown to most people, me included.   However, I did learn that he is 71 and has been in Congress since 1969.    What is wrong with this picture, age 71, a forty-year career and “retiring” from being an elected politician?

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against a seventy-one year old working, I’m not that far away myself, although I am not sure blogging while in a Panera’s bakery is considered working. I don’t object to a forty-year career either, mine was forty-eight years after all…but as a politician?

I have two words for this situation, Term Limits.  

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I hear you are retiring soon? Na, I like it here.

The Founders never intended that someone “retire” from public service in Congress and neither should we.  It should be very apparent to all of us that a long tenure in Congress is not good.  Every two years (or six) there is the re-election process, there is the  ongoing fundraising, the beholden to this group or that, the growing self-importance and power and of course, the need to play party politics for fear of getting your hand slapped, losing party support or some of your status.

In the early days of Congress, serving was an obligation and most members wanted nothing more than to do their duty and get back to their normal life.  Today it is a profession with a pot of lobbying or consulting gold at the end.  What is wrong with this picture, human nature that is what.

Think how wonderful it would be to have a politician elected once and then be free of all financial influences. Rather than making decisions as if every tomorrow were Election Day, they would be able to accomplish something beneficial for all Americans. Lobbyists would have to persuade with facts and logic rather than their PAC funds.  Politicians would be free to change their minds because they wouldn’t give a damn about being reelected. 

There is one downside, there is a chance that a very talented person would have to leave office and we would lose his or her skills, but the upside is that they could be productive in a real job.

Each member of the House has one five-year term and each member of the Senate one eight-year term, that’s it, move on get out of the Beltway and suffer with the rest of us.

Politicians spend money to get re-elected and Americans re-elect them because they are stupid, greedy, selfish, uninformed, jealous of others (pick one or several).

We need to take the words “but you don’t have to run for re-election” out of policy making.