“Time to Pass the Torch”
Top Democrat announces retirement, taking stand against gerontocracy
Eighty year old Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois did something today I wasn’t expecting from the Senate’s second-highest ranking Democrat. He voluntarily let go of power.
“I truly love the job of being United States senator but in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch,” he said in a short video statement declaring that he will not run for reelection and will retire when his term ends.
At last, an admonition from the highest ranks of the Democratic Party that it’s time for a new generation of leadership. Durbin, who has been in Congress since 1983 and today enjoys the powerful role of Minority Whip, by relinquishing power is demonstrating the most decisive act of leadership of any Democrat since Donald Trump was elected.
As a critic of gerontocracy and as someone who cares about the country, I found Durbin’s statement a heartening reminder that sometimes even the most powerful people can do the right thing.
And Durbin wasn’t alone.
News soon followed that 80 year old Illinois congresswoman Jan Schakowsky has also decided not to seek reelection, which she plans to announce formally next month. As Chief Deputy Whip of the House of Representatives, Schakowsky is another top Democratic leadership figure choosing to give up power.
“Thank you for everything @SenatorDurbin,” Schakowsky said in a statement posted to X. “Our state and nation are better off because of your service and leadership.”
When in February, Durbin led a bizarre, crowd-free protest in front of FBI headquarters, I mocked him for embodying everything that’s wrong with the feckless gerontocracy that dominates the Congress.
Today he has my respect.
Not for his politics but for his self-respect and willingness to set aside his ego. Despite the opportunity to hold on to incredible power, he chose to ride off into the sunset with a dignity that his colleagues exercising a literal death-grip on power will never know.
As wrist-slashingly depressing as it can be to see headline after headline about the monster mash that is congressional leadership falling down stairs and freezing during speeches, there are increasingly more leaders choosing dignity over Sauron’s ring of power.
In January, Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, who serves as ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, stunned the political world when he announced that he would not be seeking reelection. His statement was a broadside against the gerontocracy, one that also used the phrase “pass the torch.” And at age 66, Peters is practically a kid by the standards of the Senate.
Here’s what Peters said in his own short video announcement:
“When I was first elected to Congress in 2008, I always knew there would come a time to pass the torch to the next generation of public servants and allow them the opportunity to bring fresh energy and ideas to the nation’s capital. Our founding fathers envisioned members of congress as citizens serving their country for a few terms and then returning to private life. I agree.”
Peters had about the most dignified bow out I can imagine, saying his ride off into the sunset would be on a motorcycle. As he put it, he was looking forward to “finding endless, twisting back roads where I can experience the joy of total freedom, riding my Harley Davidson motorcycle on a warm sunny day.”
White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise — now that doesn’t sound so bad, does it?
Evidently other members of Congress agree. Last month, two other Democrats, 78 year old New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen (ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee) and 67 year old Minnesota Senator Tina Smith announced their decision not seek reelection.
Smith said in an op-ed announcing her decision:
“I know my decision may come as a surprise. After all, we live in a time when elected officials tend to continue their service well past what the rest of us consider to be “retirement age.” And I understand, I really do, why it’s so hard for people to walk away from this job … I think it’s important that people in my position do what they can to lift up the next generation of leaders, and our state is fortunate enough to have many such rising leaders who are more than ready to serve in the Senate.”
Shaheen said of her decision in an interview that “it’s important for New Hampshire and the country to have a new generation of leadership.” She also said simply in a video statement: “It’s just time.”
Indeed it is. Let’s see if Chuck Grassley and Nancy Pelosi get the hint.
— Edited by William M. Arkin
I especially appreciated what Gary Peters said about the Founders, who expected men (back then) to serve a few terms and return home. A stint in Congress was presumed to be a financial and personal sacrifice. I don’t think they envisioned professional politicians, especially those who use a seat in Congress as a way to make easy money.
As a longtime Illinoisan cum Chicagoan, Shakowski and Durbin held my respect. They weren’t perfect but they did their job. Time to take the retirement with honor.