Quitting

Jim DeMint decided to quit the Senate.  Just like that (cue snapping fingers), it's time for (him) to pass the torch to someone else and take on a new role in the fight for America's future. At least, that's what his press release said.

Funny thing about that timing thing, Senator.  Your constituents elected you to serve them for six years.  The time frame was agreed upon when you interviewed for the job (cue election stump speech). Leaving early may suit your needs, but what about those of the people who chose you to represent them?  They didn't have much to say about your decision, did they? And now, they will have a newbie Senator in Washington, a representative chosen by one woman (albeit the Governor) rather than the entire electorate.  Were I a South Carolinian, I'd be pissed.

Mr. DeMint anticipated this line of attack. My constituents know that being a Senator was never going to be my career. I came to Congress as a citizen legislator and I've always been determined to leave it as citizen legislator, his press release went on to state. I think he's missing the point.

His career path notwithstanding, he took a job and didn't finish it out.  Invoking citizen legislator, conjuring up notions of our Founding Fathers returning to their farms after doing their duty for their country, seems somewhat disingenuous here.  He's not going back to a family business, left in the care of a relative while he went to serve the people.  He's going on

to join The Heritage Foundation at a time when the conservative movement needs strong leadership in the battle of ideas. No organization is better equipped to lead this fight .....

So, working within the system lost its allure. Talking to Rush Limbaugh, DeMint conceded in the radio interview that "frustration" with Congress played into his decision to head up the conservative think tank instead of remaining in office.  

Now, there's a lesson he should have learned in elementary school.  Frustration is not an excuse for taking your ball and going home.  Was the gridlock and the petty bickering a surprise to him?  Was he not paying attention when he applied for the job?  Is it possible that he is the only human on the planet who thought that Congress was a malleable body?  

That's not the kind of leadership I was showing Christina-Taylor when I took her to shake Gabby's hand.  I was ready to introduce her to a woman who, despite all odds, took on a diverse district and made it her own.  She didn't turn her back on the frustrations, she learned to work within them, around them, in spite of them.  After all, she was hired by the voters to do a job.

As was Senator DeMint.