Here’s a little story about a man in his early 70’s, hard worker, respected by colleagues and the people he serves. He seems sharp as a tack and is healthy and fit for his age. One day, he’s doing his job and he feels that he just isn’t performing up to the standard he expects from himself and colleagues. So, he retires — some would say early, considering his condition. I would say that his retirement is probably not something a whole lot of people celebrated, since they liked to have him around and considered him a wise person worth consulting. But he knew it was time, and he left before something terrible happened.
That’s my dad, a retired country doctor. His retirement was painful for him. He would often say he felt useless, and with time on his hands, he would think back over cases of people who died who could have lived if more modern treatment were available (“we were so stupid” was a common refrain). He loved his work, but he let it go.
So when I write about a 74-year-old man who was recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer but still wants to lead the Oversight Committee, I have the same expectations for him as I do for my father, and for countless thousands of people who retire every day. If you can’t do the job with the vigor and concentration that it deserves, move over for someone else.
And don’t have any illusions about how difficult the job of a committee chair or other leadership position is. Nancy Pelosi broke her hip while on a congressional delegation to Luxembourg the other day. She’s got incredible energy for her age, but the expectations for leadership are high, so I assume she still takes a lot of trips that would be tiring for anyone, never mind an 84 year-old.
Finally, the whole seniority system is broken and needs to be replaced. It’s a perverse incentive for people who ought to retire to hang on so they can be committee chairs in their later years. And, it’s not always honored: Hakeem Jeffries will be starting his 7th term in Congress next year, but he’s already the minority leader. Certainly there are more senior leaders in the party who should have gotten “their turn”, but didn’t, presumably because Jeffries is more energetic and able. Seniority gives us leaders steeped in traditions that haven’t been honored or acknowledged by Republicans for decades. It gives us leaders who are good behind-the-scenes maneuverers, but often poor spokespeople. It also gives us people from districts where they don’t have to campaign very hard. And it gives us Dianne Feinstein.
The main goal of an opposition party is to oppose. It’s trivial but true that part of that includes the ability for the leadership to get in front of a microphone and be loud and proud about what we’re against (and what we’re for, instead). There’s no sin in expecting our leadership to be up to the job. It’s not ageism to let the voters decide if their representative is still up to the job, but let the caucus rules and norms decide that a sick or feeble person isn’t up to a leadership position.
Update:
Driving the news: Connolly defeated Ocasio-Cortez 131-84, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.
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He had the backing of several veteran lawmakers, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi(D-Calif.).
