Retirement ‘Wave’ Building Among House Republicans?
The announcement Friday by former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., that he will not seek re-election in 2008 capped a week in which three veteran House Republicans in a 24-hour span declared that the current 110th Congress would be their last. Hastert’s announcement — coupled with similar ones Thursday by Ohio Rep. Deborah Pryce and Mississippi Rep. Charles W. “Chip” Pickering Jr. — brought to five the number of House Republicans who are not seeking re-election next year, compared with two on the Democratic side. While nearly 15 months remain until the November 2008 election, the retirement decisions of Hastert, Pryce and Pickering will stoke speculation of a larger “wave” of GOP departures that would seriously hamper the party’s quest to make the 16-seat gain that they need to regain the House majority they lost last November. Democrats pounced on the retirements as evidence of sagging morale in House Republican ranks and public disenchantment with President Bush and his party, which ran the House for a dozen years before the 2006 elections. “It is not surprising House Republicans are disenchanted and calling it quits given their party’s record of obstructing progress on key American priorities and rubberstamping George Bush’s endless war in Iraq,” said Doug Thornell, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), the campaign arm of the House Democrats. http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20070817/pl_cq_politics/retirementwavebuildingamonghouserepublicans_1;_ylt=AnRBBiy.cVNkwdy0EmnlVx7kbeRF Why are all these Republicans sudden;y cutting and running? Aren't they willing to serve america when it's difficult?
Public Comments
- I wish we had more turnover both Republican and Democrat in both the house and senate, don't you agree?
- They are anticipating a large number of job seekers in January of 2009 and so they want to be ahead of the crowd and secure a job before the rush. Besides when you cut taxes there simply may not be enough money to pay people what they are worth.
- We can only hope that Byrd and Kennedy join them. These guys are there way too long. Good for the Reps who decided it was time for change. This country isn't dependent on a hand full of people who tend to get more corrupt the longer they serve. Get out.
- YAwn, now go find us a story on Dems retiring.
- Retiring? Chip Pickering is retiring? At his age??? I don't think so ...................... Hastert is obviously retiring because once you've been speaker, being out of a leadership role would be quite a letdown. And there's his age. Pryce is kinda old, too. But yes, it would also be logical to say that many Republicans do not foresee a return to majority control in the House next year, so quitting rather than waiting and hoping for something that won't happen is understandable. BTW, I believe that it would also be appropriate to say that Doug Thornell is a SPINMEISTER, and I am also going to say that I have a hunch that you are Doug's press agent. At least, you sound like you are as much a SPINMEISTER as he is.
- The big issue is that you will see many Republicans who were in leadership positions retire since the conservative base of the Republicans proved their distrust of the Republicans running congress in the 2006 elections. Conservatives have been pushing for change and ensuring that the leadership would see primary challenges for their betrayal of conservatives on issues like judicial appointments, tightening of the budget, growth of government, ethics reform, and immigration.
- They are a bunch of spoiled brats. They refuse to play with the democrats. It's the best thing though. They weren't good sports and they cheated a lot. They didn't share their kool aid with the other team. They are smart enough to know the rules however and they know they wouldn't be able to have any fun in the next congress. No fun at all.
- Was it a loss of morale for the democrats when they had a rash of retirements a few years ago? Far as I'm concerned, there are lots of folks from both sides that need to retire (Kennedy, Byrd, Specter...).
- more turnover the better. Make the special interest groups spend alot more cash generally on a fresh crop. We need serious term limits in this country.
