A Plea for Homeless Members

Building superintendents and logistics administrators with no appreciation for the vision and purpose of an entity often assume dictatorial powers in revered institutions. The brusque discharge of departing members of Congress reflects this kind of crude mindset. Suddenly the moving, plastering, painting and wiring become fanatically urgent matters. Instead of sharing the inconveniences with those who are remaining and with the newcomers, all of the burdens of transition are dumped on the departing. This Neanderthal thinking appears to be inevitable, traditional and non-partisan – and thus the homeless and powerless retirees are expected to silently comply.

It is imperative that our more enlightened House leadership, which recently activated an Office of House Historian, should notify those in charge of accommodating the departing that our values have changed. If our history is important, then our departing members must be important. We are now beginning to understand why the tribes who put their elderly out on a hillside to die were dominated and replaced by tribes who saw their retirees as vessels filled with valuable experiences and vital information.

To end my preamble and state the grievances of the departing more directly let me focus on the tiny pig pens with two chairs. Immediately behind me is Harold Ford, the man who was almost elected Senator for the state of Tennessee. To my right is a stall containing Martin Sabo, once the Chair of the Democratic Budget Committee and the long-time manager of the Democratic baseball team. For all of us it is impossible to meet with even one person in private. Certainly the hope is that no group of young constituents will show up to ask why, if we are elected to serve until the session ends in January, we have been pushed into some kind of untouchable status.

None of the shabby treatment of departing members has been done with malice. And certainly the staff assigned to service the Center for Departing Members is competent, caring and dedicated. The complaint must be registered against gross institutional insensitivity, which occurs when those “practical