The Ten Longest-Serving Senators. Pick the best.

[elperromagico]

Length of service for sitting Senators is as of 3 January 2005.

[davidinalameda]

1. Daniel Inouye

not Ted Kennedy

[mcscajun]

2. Robert Byrd

Classy always, and eloquently outspoken when it counts...which these days is 'bout every day.

[elperromagico]

3. Hoo-WHEE! Our first vote for Strom.

I had a feeling that would happen...

[eg101]

4. No such thing as a "good" Senator

Our fourth President, James Madison, is often referred to as the Father of the Constitution, as he was in large part responsible for drafting the American Constitution. During the debates in the Federal Convention of 1787, he said the following: "In England, at this day, if elections were open to all classes of people, the property of landed proprietors would be insecure. An agrarian law would soon take place. If these observations be just, our government ought to secure the permanent interests of the country against innovation. Landholders ought to have a share in the government, to support these invaluable interests and to balance and check the other. They ought to be so constituted as to protect the minority of the opulent against the majority. The Senate, therefore, ought to be this body."

[Poppyseedman]

6. Hence, the 17th amendment

was born

[DemGirl7]

5. ok...who voted for Strom Thurmond?? Is this some kind of sick joke??

or are you really high??? The only thing I liked about him were the jokes about him...which I dearly miss...

[jonnyblitz]

12. some DLCers probably.

((JUST KIDDING))) :P

[Poppyseedman]

7. 8 of the 10 longest

sitting Senators are Democrats.

Did it ever occur that might be the problem with the party?

Why we keep getting our heads handed to us?

Maybe a little new blood might be in order.

[MADem]

10. Not all of these guys are still sitting

In fact, most of them are DEAD. Also, Thurmond started out as a Democrat. To me, this says that Democrats are politically viable for a longer period of time than Republicans. Probably because they represent the people, not big business.

What is interesting about this question is that Senate longevity is a 20th Century phenomenon....and now, a 21st Century one.

[tx_dem41]

11. Only 3 of the 10 are current Senators. n/t

[LittleClarkie]

15. We'll have them enter the carousel and renew

No more Senators over 30!

[Hippo_Tron]

16. In case you didn't notice 5 out of 6 of our losses were open seats

Bob Graham, John Breaux, and Fritz Hollings all could've easily kept seats that were taken over by Repukes. Edwards would've had a hard time but he doesn't really count because he's only had one term. And then there's Zell Miller and as far as everybody is concerned, his retirement is like good riddance. Maybe he can pursue a career in dueling.

[elperromagico]

19. One good thing you can say about a longtime Senator -

they're unlikely to lose their seat.

Hell, the people of South Carolina continued to vote for Strom when he was in severe state of putrefaction.

[MADem]

22. That is because he had the BEST, the FLAT OUT BEST

...constituent services machine going. If you needed something, and called or wrote to him, you got a call or a letter back. His staff was motivated, knowledgeable, active, and had plenty of independence to do what needed doing within the sphere of their area of responsibility.

[elperromagico]

23. ... and they even made decisions for him

when poor ol' Strom couldn't do it for himself.

But yes, if you've been in the Senate for damn near half a century, you ought to have a cracker-jack staff. I wonder if the staffs of Byrd, Kennedy, et cetera, are as efficient.

[moggie12]

8. Francis who?

I have to admit -- I never heard the name before

[MADem]

9. He died in 1929

At the time of his death he was THE longest serving Senator, thus his claim to fame.

[MADem]

13. Most of your list consists of dead Senators

Byrd, Kennedy and Inouye are the only ones still on the job. Fritz retired, and the rest are lying peacefully pushing up daisies, not sitting.

[LittleClarkie]

14. You mean?

These senators are no more? They have ceased to be? They've expired and gone to meet their maker? They are late senators? They're stiffs? Bereft of life, they rest in peace? They've run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible? They are ex-senators?

[elperromagico]

18. I never said they were all sitting Senators.

I said the length of service for sitting Senators dated from 3 January. I didn't feel like adding the extra 9 days.

[MADem]

20. Ah, it was a bit ambiguous, but I see what you meant!

[elperromagico]

21. I sometimes phrase things in odd or unnecessarily complex ways.

In fact, one of my common problems here at DU is that my meaning is clouded by my language.

What can I say? I'm pretentious. :D

[AntiCoup2K4]

17. Since this country was stolen on 12/12/2000, it's been Byrd.

Without question.