July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
A political shocker
Editorial
No one saw this coming.
And if someone tells you he did, don't believe him.
Evan Bayh's announcement this week that he will retire from the Senate and not seek re-election will go down as one of the most remarkable moments in Indiana political history.
Cynics among us immediately wondered if there is an unknown scandal on the horizon. But Sen. Bayh was pretty thoroughly vetted last year as a possible vice presidential nominee, and we know of no skeletons in his closet.
The jaded among us will wonder if Mrs. Bayh will continue to be such a highly-valued corporate director once her husband leaves office.
And there may be some truth to that.
Certainly her corporate role would have been targeted by political opponents in any re-election bid by her husband, and we suspect Sen. Bayh wanted to spare his family that pain and unpleasantness.
Democrats, upset about the potential loss of another seat to the GOP, are livid with Bayh. Republicans, especially those rallying around Dan Coats, are gleeful.
But both sides may be missing the point.
If we take him at his word, Evan Bayh's decision is based upon the cold realization that America's legislative process has been hijacked by those on both the right and left who are more interested in polarizing the electorate for political advantage than in doing what's in the best interests of the people.
Evan Bayh has always been a man of the center, even when that made him look like a fence-sitter, and the center - at least in Congress - is vanishing territory.
Governance has historically relied upon compromise. It's all about what's possible, rather than what would be ideal.
But today, compromise - on either side - has been equated with surrender.
Those on the right complain about RINOs, Republicans in name only. Those on the left complain about DINOs, Democrats in name only.
Once upon a time, those moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats would have represented America's political center. It's possible that they still do, but there's so much noise and vitriol from both ends of the spectrum that the center is drowned out.
And those who dare stake out a position there, those willing to find compromise, suddenly find targets on their back, with those in their own ranks aiming at them.
Sen. Bayh's decision acknowledges that hard fact. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
And if someone tells you he did, don't believe him.
Evan Bayh's announcement this week that he will retire from the Senate and not seek re-election will go down as one of the most remarkable moments in Indiana political history.
Cynics among us immediately wondered if there is an unknown scandal on the horizon. But Sen. Bayh was pretty thoroughly vetted last year as a possible vice presidential nominee, and we know of no skeletons in his closet.
The jaded among us will wonder if Mrs. Bayh will continue to be such a highly-valued corporate director once her husband leaves office.
And there may be some truth to that.
Certainly her corporate role would have been targeted by political opponents in any re-election bid by her husband, and we suspect Sen. Bayh wanted to spare his family that pain and unpleasantness.
Democrats, upset about the potential loss of another seat to the GOP, are livid with Bayh. Republicans, especially those rallying around Dan Coats, are gleeful.
But both sides may be missing the point.
If we take him at his word, Evan Bayh's decision is based upon the cold realization that America's legislative process has been hijacked by those on both the right and left who are more interested in polarizing the electorate for political advantage than in doing what's in the best interests of the people.
Evan Bayh has always been a man of the center, even when that made him look like a fence-sitter, and the center - at least in Congress - is vanishing territory.
Governance has historically relied upon compromise. It's all about what's possible, rather than what would be ideal.
But today, compromise - on either side - has been equated with surrender.
Those on the right complain about RINOs, Republicans in name only. Those on the left complain about DINOs, Democrats in name only.
Once upon a time, those moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats would have represented America's political center. It's possible that they still do, but there's so much noise and vitriol from both ends of the spectrum that the center is drowned out.
And those who dare stake out a position there, those willing to find compromise, suddenly find targets on their back, with those in their own ranks aiming at them.
Sen. Bayh's decision acknowledges that hard fact. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
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