https://www.adn.com/politics/2022/03/18/alaska-us-rep-don-young-has-died-according-to-former-aides/
Rep. Young was best known in our circles as one of Congress' leading porkmeisters, tenaciously pursuing among other things earmarked Federal transportation funds for projects in Alaska. He was legendary also for his long service in Congress, having won 25 terms in the House and seeking a 26th term.
...and getting rebuked by the Ethics Committee.
He had been in Congress since before my mom was born. :wow:
I can't imagine being so addicted to power that I'd be in politics into my 80s.
A horrific voting record and unprofessional demeanor on the floor. Hope Alaska can actually choose a decent person to replace him.
Let's not get into voting records, now.
His role as the senior-most member of Congress was taken over by my representative, Hal Rogers, who has a road named for him in southeastern Kentucky. Rogers is running for re-election this year and has given no indications he plans to retire anytime soon, although he has visibly slowed down. I last saw and talked with him in-person a year ago when he was inspecting flood damage in eastern Kentucky, and it was obvious to me that he's in physical decline.
Whoever replaces him will become only the 5th person to ever represent the state of Alaska in the House of Representatives.
Why do these 80 some year olds run for reelection? I don't really have anything against it in theory, but don't you just want to retire at that point?
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 27, 2022, 05:29:11 PM
Why do these 80 some year olds run for reelection? I don't really have anything against it in theory, but don't you just want to retire at that point?
I wondered the same thing, that's like a hockey player who still wants to play despite then his best years are now behind him.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 27, 2022, 05:29:11 PM
Why do these 80 some year olds run for reelection? I don't really have anything against it in theory, but don't you just want to retire at that point?
It's a good job that pays well, and there's always some important person that wants to talk to you. You get to feel like you're important too, then. Once they retire all of that goes away and they're just some nobody again. Plus, once they retire, they can't really influence anything anymore and they really don't like that.
It's a power thing. And, I'm guessing that once you reach a certain age, there isn't a whole lot you can fall back on. A younger person can go back to practicing law, or join a think tank, get a contributor gig on a TV news/opinion discussion show, go into business and hype your previous service, etc. I can't remember if Hal Rogers was an attorney or a banker when he got elected to Congress, but I think he had been in radio as well. He certainly has the voice for it. But as old as he is, I'm not sure what he would do after (if) he retires.
As for not being able to influence things, I think a couple of former presidents might disagree with that, as visible as they are in public discourse.
Congess has a gold-plated retirement plan, so they do have something to "fall back on."
Quote from: hbelkins on March 28, 2022, 10:49:19 AM
It's a power thing. And, I'm guessing that once you reach a certain age, there isn't a whole lot you can fall back on. A younger person can go back to practicing law, or join a think tank, get a contributor gig on a TV news/opinion discussion show, go into business and hype your previous service, etc. I can't remember if Hal Rogers was an attorney or a banker when he got elected to Congress, but I think he had been in radio as well. He certainly has the voice for it. But as old as he is, I'm not sure what he would do after (if) he retires.
As for not being able to influence things, I think a couple of former presidents might disagree with that, as visible as they are in public discourse.
But most 80 year olds don't work. Don't these people have enough money to retire and not work in another job?
So that's why FDOT lowered the flag. People at work were asking why flags at half staff.
Quote from: hbelkins on March 28, 2022, 10:49:19 AM
As for not being able to influence things, I think a couple of former presidents might disagree with that, as visible as they are in public discourse.
Apples and oranges–a former president is much more well-known and has way more access to important people than someone who was just 1 of 435. If you needed to get something done in the government, and your only contacts were George W. Bush and J.C. Watts, who would you talk to first?
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 28, 2022, 10:55:59 AM
But most 80 year olds don't work. Don't these people have enough money to retire and not work in another job?
Yeah, they usually have enough money they could plausibly retire after they've been working for 10 years. Not only from their actual salary, but from speaking gigs, books, etc.
But it's not about the money. It's about being afraid to give up the power they've amassed as a member of government and a fear they'll be irrelevant and not liking the idea of not being able to have a say in anything after they quit.
Quote from: roadman65 on March 28, 2022, 11:01:04 AM
So that's why FDOT lowered the flag. People at work were asking why flags at half staff.
I assumed it was because of Sec. of State Madeline Albright, who also died recently.
Quote from: hbelkins on March 28, 2022, 10:49:19 AM
It's a power thing. And, I'm guessing that once you reach a certain age, there isn't a whole lot you can fall back on.
Power is probably the biggest reason. Or they have it in their head that everything will suddenly suck if they're not at the helm (after all, you might have to listen about how everything has become better/worse since retirement, and that's not very reassuring).
From talking to a lot of retirees who decided to go back to work, many feel that they need something to do, or they lose their "sharpness", even if it's not really for the money. They hear stories of those who retire and die six months later, and fear that. Others are content to just work on their hobbies...
I'm not sure if travel counts as a hobby, but how could that not be on the top of the list of things to do when you retire? I get that some people might get bored of that, but I don't think I'd be one of those people.
Quote from: webny99 on March 28, 2022, 02:11:41 PM
I'm not sure if travel counts as a hobby, but how could that not be on the top of the list of things to do when you retire? I get that some people might get bored of that, but I don't think I'd be one of those people.
Travel is great but this forum probably has many more travel fans than the average population does.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 28, 2022, 02:41:32 PM
Quote from: webny99 on March 28, 2022, 02:11:41 PM
I'm not sure if travel counts as a hobby, but how could that not be on the top of the list of things to do when you retire? I get that some people might get bored of that, but I don't think I'd be one of those people.
Travel is great but this forum probably has many more travel fans than the average population does.
Some people get into the "where can travel take me but away from here" mindset when they find a place they actually enjoy living.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on March 28, 2022, 02:44:54 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 28, 2022, 02:41:32 PM
Quote from: webny99 on March 28, 2022, 02:11:41 PM
I'm not sure if travel counts as a hobby, but how could that not be on the top of the list of things to do when you retire? I get that some people might get bored of that, but I don't think I'd be one of those people.
Travel is great but this forum probably has many more travel fans than the average population does.
Some people get into the "where can travel take me but away from here" mindset when they find a place they actually enjoy living.
That does seem to be the case, but I can't imagine myself being one of those people. For me, travel
is living. Never going anywhere gets boring after a while no matter how much of a utopia it is.
Some people may not have the resources to travel, especially if all they have as income is social security. And for many people, at a certain age, travel becomes too physically demanding, or at the very least, too demanding to be enjoyable (did I pack all my meds, is the bus going to be accessible, is there going to be ready access to a bathroom, am I going to be able to hear and understand the instructions of flight attendants/customs officials, can I see well enough to drive a car, etc. etc.)
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 28, 2022, 03:09:44 PM
Some people may not have the resources to travel, especially if all they have as income is social security. And for many people, at a certain age, travel becomes too physically demanding, or at the very least, too demanding to be enjoyable (did I pack all my meds, is the bus going to be accessible, is there going to be ready access to a bathroom, am I going to be able to hear and understand the instructions of flight attendants/customs officials, can I see well enough to drive a car, etc. etc.)
Absolutely. Staying fit and healthy is probably the #1 priority if you want to be able to travel in retirement, and even then, you probably can't expect to do so regularly for more than about 5-10 years at most (assuming you retire at 65). Thankfully I am still many years away from having to think about this stuff, lol.
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 28, 2022, 03:09:44 PM
Some people may not have the resources to travel, especially if all they have as income is social security.
Any 40-year congressman would not be part of the category
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 28, 2022, 05:20:51 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 28, 2022, 03:09:44 PM
Some people may not have the resources to travel, especially if all they have as income is social security.
Any 40-year congressman would not be part of the category
What makes you think 40-year Congressmen don't travel while being sitting Congressmen? Hell, they get to travel and have the government pay for it.
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 28, 2022, 05:51:58 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 28, 2022, 05:20:51 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 28, 2022, 03:09:44 PM
Some people may not have the resources to travel, especially if all they have as income is social security.
Any 40-year congressman would not be part of the category
What makes you think 40-year Congressmen don't travel while being sitting Congressmen? Hell, they get to travel and have the government pay for it.
I'm talking about people without the resources to travel, which congressman would not be in that category.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 28, 2022, 07:39:16 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 28, 2022, 05:51:58 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on March 28, 2022, 05:20:51 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 28, 2022, 03:09:44 PM
Some people may not have the resources to travel, especially if all they have as income is social security.
Any 40-year congressman would not be part of the category
What makes you think 40-year Congressmen don't travel while being sitting Congressmen? Hell, they get to travel and have the government pay for it.
I'm talking about people without the resources to travel, which congressman would not be in that category.
I'm having a hard time trying to come up with a coherent theme all of your posts
are talking about.
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 28, 2022, 12:58:20 PM
Quote from: roadman65 on March 28, 2022, 11:01:04 AM
So that's why FDOT lowered the flag. People at work were asking why flags at half staff.
I assumed it was because of Sec. of State Madeline Albright, who also died recently.
Kentucky's were down over the weekend for her.
Another possibility might be if a Floridian was one of the service members recently killed while on active duty, I think in a helicopter crash. I know a Kentuckian was among those who perished, and our flags will be lowered at some point to honor him.
I sort of wonder if flag-lowering is a practice we ought to curtail somewhat. The fact that there are often so many possibilities for who a particular flag-lowering occurrence might be honoring, such that you have to rack your brain for memories of current events or ask around to try to figure out who died recently, kind of makes it so that it's not really all that much of an honor.
I'd probably draw the line at sitting Presidents or instances of great tragedy, like natural disasters or attacks. That would make the act much more impactful. For instance, when Jimmy Carter dies I probably wouldn't lower the flag for him if it was up to me. Yes, he served four years as President, but he's been retired from that position since before I was born.
I'm sure that federal law specifies certain instances where flags should be lowered on federal property, but in practice it's left up to governors on state property. Most of Kentucky's proclamations that are done when it's also being done on a federal level will specify, "in concurrence with the federal proclamation..." in the announcement. There's also a phrase included where the governor asks private flag-displayers to join in the honor.
And the state will order flags lowered on state property for such things as the death of a former governor, the aforementioned death of a native Kentuckian or person from elsewhere who's deployed as part of a Kentucky-based military unit, and so on.
In fact, we had a controversy a few years ago when there was a governor who stopped issuing flag status orders when non-Kentuckians who were deployed from Fort Campbell died while on duty. He still issued the decree if a native Kentuckian got killed, but not someone from West-Central Alanland who was stationed at Fort Campbell. Public outcry made him change his outlook.
I've even heard of local officials ordering flags lowered in their communities upon the death of a current or former official, prominent citizen, etc.
In my office, I'm in charge of disseminating the directives, but many of our facilities don't pay any attention.