OPINION:
Think about this: America is 246 years old. But the combined age of the former three top Democrats in the House is 248. They’re literally older than America.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California is 83, as is former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Former Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina is 82. All gave up their powerful posts at the beginning of this congressional session, but they all stayed in office. Ka-ching!
The Republicans are no different. Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina is 79. Rep. John Carter of Texas is 81. And Rep. Hal Rogers of Kentucky is 85, the oldest Republican in the House. Combined, they are younger than America — by one year.
The Senate is just as bad as the House. Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican, is 89, as is Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vermont independent, is 81, and so is Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican.
The age thing has leaped back into the headlines with Ms. Feinstein missing more than 70% of Senate votes while being hospitalized for shingles and Mr. McConnell being out for five weeks after suffering a concussion in a fall at a private dinner at the Waldorf Astoria.
In an odd twist, even Democrats have called for Ms. Feinstein to resign. Rep. Ro Khanna, California Democrat, said it is obvious that she can no longer do her job.
“It’s time for @SenFeinstein to resign,” Mr. Khanna, who is 46, said on Twitter. “We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties.”
Ms. Feinstein entered politics in 1970, when she was 37. For more than half a century, she’s nursed off the public teat, paid by you, the taxpayers. She’s been in the Senate for more than 30 years and is set to serve until 2025. She makes $174,000 a year — for doing nothing.
In February, Ms. Feinstein decided to retire after finishing this term.
“The time has come,” Ms. Feinstein told reporters. “It’s not till the end of next year. So don’t hold your breath. And you know, there are times for all things under the sun, and I think that will be the right time.”
But a few hours after the announcement, Ms. Feinstein appeared confused when reporters asked about her statement not to seek reelection.
“I haven’t made that decision,” she said. “I haven’t released anything.”
A staffer quickly corrected her, saying, “Senator, we put out the statement.”
Ms. Feinstein appeared surprised. “You put out the statement?”
“We put out the statement,” the staffer said.
“I didn’t know they put it out,” Ms. Feinstein said.
Well, duh.
Over the last couple of years, there have been stories about how Ms. Feinstein is often confused. One member of Congress who met with Ms. Feinstein last year said the once-feisty senator had clearly lost a step — or seven.
“I have worked with her for a long time and long enough to know what she was like just a few years ago: Always in command, always in charge, on top of the details, basically couldn’t resist a conversation where she was driving some bill or some idea. All of that is gone,” the lawmaker told the San Francisco Chronicle.
In that piece, the reporter said it was an “open secret” that Ms. Feinstein struggles with memory loss and other signs of cognitive deterioration.
So why don’t Ms. Feinstein and the others leave? Seriously, you’ve served your country for decades, you’re in your twilight years — and you’ve certainly got plenty of money; members of Congress mysteriously get rich like crazy — so why not buy a house on a lake and chill.
The top answer is ego. Lawmakers who are still in Congress can’t get enough of themselves. Their job is — literally — to talk, and they all love the sounds of their own voices. The dinosaurs can bloviate like nobody’s business.
But another — certainly connected to ego — is that many want to stay in the limelight until they die. You ever see those stories that say “Former member of Congress Joe Blow dies at 89”? They are blips in the news. But the former House speaker dies? While in office? Wall-to-wall coverage.
Plus, many want to lie in state. Presidents, military commanders and members of Congress are eligible for the honor, where a corpse is placed in the rotunda of the Capitol, and grieving Americans stream by to pay their last respects.
Let’s just set a limit. Seventy-five seems like a good number. After that, whoosh, out the door. It’s that simple. The Feinstein rule.
• Joseph Curl covered the White House and politics for a decade for The Washington Times. He can be reached at josephcurl@gmail.com and on Twitter @josephcurl.
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