Washington Post

Listen to Bayh's reason for retiring

Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh's decision not to seek reelection will be analyzed ad nauseam for its political implications. Will the Democrats be able to hold the seat? Might they even lose the Senate? Is this bad for me and good for you? Or is it the other way around?

But what everyone in Washington ought to be paying attention to is Bayh's reason for leaving. He probably could have kept his seat if he wanted it, but he decided, basically, that serving in the United States Senate was a waste of his time. "For some time, I have had a growing conviction that Congress is not operating as it should," he said, putting it mildly.

The fundamental message that the country has been sending to Washington for years now is: You people never get anything worthwhile done. That accusation is not literally true, as anyone who pays close attention is well aware. But the big unsolved problems that we've known about for ages -- soaring debt, crumbling infrastructure, a crazy health-care system, you know the rest -- remain unsolved.


Bayh said that one of his final straws was the recent Senate vote to kill a bipartisan commission to come up with solutions for the federal deficit and our long-term debt. "The measure would have passed, but seven members who had endorsed the idea instead voted 'no' for short-term political reasons," Bayh said, in an accurate recounting.

It is incredible that a U.S. senator believes he can be of more service to his state and his nation in some other role -- running a business, leading a university. Wow.

Anyone who wonders why there is such anti-incumbent fervor in the land ought to have a chat with Evan Bayh. I didn't agree with him on every issue, but on the dysfunction in Washington he's absolutely right. This city is broken because too many of our leaders confuse politics with service. Americans know the difference.

By Eugene Robinson | February 15, 2010; 3:20 PM ET