Let Them Do Their Jobs

We've lost another one.

It has come to the point where a Senator feels he or she must choose between doing his or her job and fundraising for the next election cycle.

Senator Voinovich [R-OH] has announced his retirement at the end of the 111th Congress. The Senator, former Mayor of Cleveland and Governor of Ohio, stated very clearly what we've been arguing all along: The vast amounts of money congressional candidates must raise severely interferes with their day job (that is, running our country).

Senator Voinovich's official statement echoed Senator Warren Rudman's remarks at an Americans for Campaign Reform event last May. Rudman argued that we are facing perilously difficult times and we simply won't be able to overcome the challenges before us as long as fundraising continues to consume vast amounts of Congress's time and effort. Voinovich concurs:

In my lifetime of public service, I have never seen the country in such perilous circumstances. Not since the Great Depression and the Second World War have we been confronted with such challenges, as a nation and as a world.

These next two years in office, for me, will be the most important years that I have served in my entire political career.

I must devote my full time, energy and focus to the job I was elected to do, the job in front of me, which seeking a third term – with the money-raising and campaigning that it would require – would not allow me to do.

How much time do lawmakers spend fundraising for the next campaign? A lot. Estimates from former members range from 30-70% of their time. As you'll see at the 2:38 mark in the video below, Voinovich estimated that it would take about half of his time over the next two years:

With the way things have changed, particularly with fundraising, I would have to project about half my time campaigning and raising the money that's necessary to do that. As I mention in my statement, you can't do both of them; You either do the job or you're gonna be out there raising money."

It is shameful that our democracy has come to this. Every election cycle we lose great leaders in Congress who are simply tired of the fundraising racket. They love every aspect of their jobs, except the demeaning ways in which they must raise increasingly unrealistic amounts of money for themselves and their party.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer had this to say about Voinovich:

After decades in an arena that has sullied so many, Voinovich's personal integrity remains unquestioned. He has never been afraid to work across the aisle, and has never forgotten that tax money comes from the wallets of hardworking people.

The American people will miss Senator Voinovich. But even more, we will miss the precious time and attention our leaders waste seeking endless amounts of contributions.