If you think the idea of term limits has no merit, consider this: on Dec. 5, Strom Thurmond turned 100, just prior to his retirement from the Senate and at least ten years after losing coherence. He was first elected Senator in 1954. Fritz Hollings (he did the voice of Foghorn Leghorn, didn’t he?), the “junior” senator from South Carolina, turned 80 years old Jan. 1, 2002 and was first elected in 1966. As the new year dawns, the average age of sitting South Carolinian Senators is 90 and they’ve been planted in their jobs for an average of 41 years.
I suppose Robert C. Byrd (KKK-W.Va.) isn’t too worried about being forced to retire; at 85, the rheumy-eyed, pork- barrelling, old windbag is just a kid.