The House of disrepute is fleeing

I’ve just heard that U.S. Capitol police have been warning tourists to stand clear of the doors leading into and out of the House chamber. Members are fleeing, and tourists are in danger of being knocked over. My caregiver says to relax, but I’ve been hooked on the House for a long time.

My first job in D.C. was on a congressman’s staff. Don Fraser was diligent, a serious guy who thought it was an honor to be there. He served for 16 years. Later, I wrote speeches for a Speaker of the House, Jim Wright of Texas, who served for 35 years. I wrote for Bill Gray, a 12-year congressman from Pennsylvania, who as majority whip, was the highest-ranking Black member in the House. When they said they were there to do the “peoples’ business,” they meant it and they hung in regardless of who was president.

This session may set a departure record, or certainly close to it. Already, about 50 members are leaving, a few to run for senator or governor, but virtually all tired of endless bickering, backstabbing, and wasted time. Congressmen and women are fleeing the peoples’ House like it is a house on fire. Don’t stop for your clothes, just head for the door. It’s likely that as many as 10% of the membership will leave, split equally between the parties.

Partisan that I am, I recently attended a small fundraiser for our Democratic candidate for Congress in the First District, which includes Johnson County, but not Linn. About a dozen of us ancient Democrats in our retirement community get together weekly and we invited Christina Bohannan to visit. We promised only our attention, not our money. She came and got a lot of attention, approval, and thus, more money than expected.

I think she will take something special to the House. She is a law professor at the University, trained earlier as an engineer and considered it upward mobility when her family moved to a double-wide trailer from a smaller one. The family picked oranges for income. I think, once elected, she will stay in good times and bad.

Departures, of course, are not rare. Some members find a two-city life difficult. Is flying back and forth many weekends a chore and a bore? Where do the kids go to school, does a working spouse stay home or come along to new work?

Among those currently departing are people who serve on powerful committees. They may chair a subcommittee. They may be a back bencher but not too far back. Many come from safe seats they could represent until they die or gracefully retire.

None of that seems to define this year’s departures. They are tired of revolving door speakers. They are tired of Marjorie Taylor Greene spewing nonsense, making everything difficult, consensus impossible. Even as I write this Marjorie says Speaker Johnson’s days are numbered.

She didn’t invent congressional distemper and dysfunction, but as an echo of Donald Trump, she is driving good people out. Together, Marj and Mike are a powerful force for making congressional service far less attractive. The Capitol police can’t keep good people in, but reasonable Republicans can.

Norman Sherman of Coralville has worked extensively in politics, including as Vice President Hubert Humphrey’s press secretary.