It appears increasingly likely that Senator Richard Lugar will not be
the senior U.S. senator from Indiana when the next Congress is sworn
in. After 36 years on the job, he is running behind in a tough primary.
His opponent's main knock on Lugar is that he has been in Washington too
long and been infected with the incumbency virus.
To many, this is always a compelling argument.
Anyone who has served in Congress so long that he can navigate
Washington, D.C. without a roadmap needs to return home and go back to
doing honest work.
Now Senator Lugar, who is a gentleman, doesn't
deserve to be run out of town on a rail. A seat in business class would
be more fitting. But even if he is defeated in the primary and his
career in the Senate should come to a not-at-all-premature end, he may
not be leaving Washington or the great game.
Headhunters said Lugar could make more than $1 million per year if he chose to work full-time at a government affairs or lobby firm, and could pull in $250,000 annually in a part-time role, perhaps for as little as one day of work a week.
The fact that Lugar could make that kind of money
if he stays in town may be the best argument, yet, for term limits and,
failing that, for a citizens' movement urging people to vote against any
and every incumbent is running for a third term, regardless of party
affiliation or record. Otherwise, we can look forward to the labors of
enterprises like the …
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