Lord — er, Congressman — John Dingell announced he won’t seek re-election to Michigan’s 12th Congressional District when his term ends this year.
When Dingell leaves the House, he will have held his seat for nearly 58 years. It will make him the longest-serving member of Congress in American history.
What makes this even more striking is that the previous occupant of Dingell’s seat was his father, John Dingell, Sr., who held it for 22 years. And if John Dingell, Jr., has his way, he seems to be suggesting that he ought to be succeeded by his much younger wife, Debbie, whom he says would make “one hell of a good congresswoman.”
Now, given that the span of Rep. Dingell’s service covers a quarter of Congress’ existence, we appreciate Dingell’s role in history. Still, we have to wonder when an American congressman transfers himself into something more akin to a peer of the realm.
Certainly this was not what our Founders had in mind. Their ideal was Cincinnatus, the retired general who left his plow to serve as Rome’s leader when it was under military threat — but returned to his plow as soon as the war was over. George Washington was called America’s Cincinnatus for similarly returning to Mount Vernon instead of seeking a third term as president, a precedent that wasn’t broken until FDR.
So while we congratulate Rep. Dingell on his long service, we can’t wish others follow his example. Like the poor American cousins on “Downton Abbey” who do not always appreciate Britain’s class system, our ideal politician inclines more to Cincinnatus than Lord Grantham.