The Top 40

Us teachers, engineers, farmers have all made some positive contribution to our fellow man - educating them, building them a better world, growing their food.

The others have contributed little of any worth (except the doctors), and all are afraid of losing status and control.

Love of fame is the last thing even learned men can bear to be parted with--
Tacitus

Mr. Wilson and leelu (and Tacitus in any case) are on to something.

We in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania just had a lesson in that this last year ably demonstrated by Arlen Specter. 30 years in the Senate was not enough for him.

Same goes for Byrd.

Looking at this list from Wikipedia (yeah, I know)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members_of_the_United_States_Congress_by_longevity_of_service

I'm not trusting anybody that's been in office longer than I've been alive.

Term limits, term limits, term limits!!!

Ah yes, I know the feeling well. One day a widely respected, well paid, Airline Captain who draws admiring looks as he strides through the terminal to take up his position in the cockpit of his sleek jetliner. Then one day, he turns 60 and he is no longer legal to do what he has done (with admiral skill) for 38 years. The next day he becomes John Q. Citizen, forced to sit in the back with all the other "geese." No more admiring looks, much reduced pay, and no more authority. Even his wife won't take orders from him any more. Yeah, it's quite a come down. If your self esteem depends on your job it can be deadly. Pays to have some interesting hobbies or causes to pursue. Otherwise, you are just Joe Sixpak growing balder, paunchier, less relevant, and waiting to die.

So, yes, I know what motivates these men. We ought to have a mandatory retirement age or term limits for poiliticians as well. They did it to me, why can't I do it to them?

Ah yes, I know the feeling well. One day a widely respected, well paid, Airline Captain who draws admiring looks as he strides through the terminal to take up his position in the cockpit of his sleek jetliner. Then one day, he turns 60 and he is no longer legal to do what he has done (with admiral skill) for 38 years. The next day he becomes John Q. Citizen, forced to sit in the back with all the other "geese." No more admiring looks, much reduced pay, and no more authority. Even his wife won't take orders from him any more. Yeah, it's quite a come down. If your self esteem depends on your job it can be deadly. Pays to have some interesting hobbies or causes to pursue. Otherwise, you are just Joe Sixpak growing balder, paunchier, less relevant, and waiting to die.

So, yes, I know what motivates these men. We ought to have a mandatory retirement age or term limits for poiliticians as well. They did it to me, why can't I do it to them?

Sorry about the duplicate submission.

Dear Mr. Blair: The California state legislature has been term limited since 1990. It's had 20 years to experiment. How well has that experiment worked out? Term limits, for all their emotional appeal, are only part of a solution. The citizenry needs to be able to decide, she's been there long enough, and vote for someone else, even if the new candidate isn't a member of the voter's party. This is not likely to happen, for the other reason we have such an ineffectual, entrenched political class: gerrymandering on state and federal levels. That is an even bigger problem than term limits.

Dear Jimmy J: If the age 60 deadline took you by surprise, my sympathy is limited. If you knew about it and did nothing to make your years after 60 pleasant and productive, knowing that your life would change dramatically, my sympathy is nonexistent.

As for this quote, it is hopelessly perverse. The notion that engineers etc. can let go of their positions tranquilly implies that their careers meant little, i.e. they did nothing that mattered. Whereas the pols are hanging on because they are making a difference. This is the opposite of what he meant to express, I think.

Sincerely yours,
Gregory Koster

Mr. Koster,
My comment was tongue in cheek. Of course I was well aware of the 60 and out rule and well prepared for it.

I did, however, have acquaintance with a few whose identity was so wrapped up in being a sky god that they found the "demotion" very jarring to their self esteem. I make the comparison to that of the career politician who believes he has a position for life or is entitled to his position because he will "make a difference." (Examples - Jim McDermott D WA, or Byrd, or Specter)

Was it not the intent of the founding fathers that our representatives would be citizens who would serve for some reasonable period of time and then return to their real job? What is a career poilitician? Should there even be such a thing? The longer a man or woman serves in Washington, the greater possibility that they will be corrupted by the sense of entitlement that pervades the place.

They have voted themselves pay raises when they are simultaneously spending us into oblivion; failing to deal with the bankruptcy of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security; ignoring the security of our borders; ignoring the root causes for healthcare cost increases; etc. etc. Talk about making a difference! If I had been as skillful, I would have ended up at the bottom of a smoking hole filled with airplane and body parts.

Greg,

Yes, what you say is the opposite of my statement.

I disagree that willingness to let go means their careers meant nothing. Rather, they have chosen to move on to something else. Perhaps it might be the hobby you mention, or a second career.

I think Jimmy J is most eloquent regarding the politicians in his final comment above. Smoking hole, indeed.