Six “Leading” D.C. Democrats Have Totaled Almost 300 Years “In Government”
That’s the headline, here are the stunning, some would say frightening details. In reverse order of “governmental seniority” we have:
- Nancy Pelosi 33 years- That’s right she’s the “spring chicken” of this bunch. Nan, born into a very powerful political family, was first elected to Congress in 1987.
- Chuck Schumer 45 years- The current NY Senator graduated from Harvard Law School in 1974, and passed the bar in 1975. He immediately began running for Congress. Chucky did not pass go, did not collect $200, or spend virtually a single moment of his adult life in the private sector.
- Maxine Waters 47 years- Maxine edges out Sen. Schumer by virtue of the fact she was working as the chief deputy to a city councilman in 1973. A couple of years later Ms. Waters was running for the CA State Assembly. She won, and in 1990, she was elected to Congress, where she currently chairs the powerful Financial Services Committee.
- Joe Biden 47 years*- This one comes with an asterisk. That’s because while Joe’s political career began with his 1969 election to New Castle County Council and ran uninterrupted through 2016, one could argue that he’s running for president and has never really left politics; or by extension government. So feel free to add 1-4 years to the 47 as you see fit.
- Patrick Leahy 54 years- The current senator from Vermont and longest-serving Democrat in D.C. was first elected State’s Attorney of Chittenden County in 1966. Closely following the Schumer model, Pat jumped from law school into government within 2 years. Like Chuck, Leahy’s feet barely touched down in the private sector.
- Diane Feinstein between 55 & 60 years- Senator Feinstein began her public tenure in 1960. She was appointed to the CA Woman’s Parole Board by then Gov. Pat Brown. From that point on she was elected to a number of positions including but not limited to San Francisco Board of Supervisors, mayor of that city, and became Senator Feinstein in 1992. Thus the 55-60 estimate.
Here’s some scary perspective. These 6 have totaled more years in government than have passed since our nation’s founding; with much of that time spent holding positions of great power. Yet they seem always in the forefront, bleating about the same problems for which they’ve been unable to find any solutions, throughout their combined 280 plus years of “public service”.
Citizen legislators, they are not. More like lifetime bureaucrats. Is there a better case for term limits?
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