Bye Bayh!

There he stood at the podium, his wife with a tear in her eye and his two sons at his side. He was not there to heap embarrassment upon them, but rather heap embarrassment on the United States Congress. I wonder if he succeeded. I doubt it. They are beyond embarrassment.

When a man of Evan Bayh's caliber and experience ops not to run again because he does not love Congress, it is a sad day for the country! Why does this popular two term Senator no longer love it? "There is much too much partisanship and not enough progress. Too much narrow ideology and not enough practical problem solving."

There you have it. Out of the mouth of one of their own! What more will it take for Mr. Reid and Ms. Pelosi to take note? Oops. Wrong. They know. The problem is just what to do about it. They are the ones I'd like to see leave. Not Evan Bayh.

Every time a Senator or Congressman who is known to be willing to work with those across the aisle quits, it weakens the body. The numbers are interesting to me. While the lowest percentage of his career, he has voted with the Democratic caucus 71% of the time. That seems pretty indicative that he is a Democrat, yet he is known as the Senate Democrat least likely to vote with his party this Congress. Is there something wrong with this picture?

We so badly need more willing to work across party lines yet they are being driven out by the leadership's refusal to budge. It would seem the President is more in sync with the leadership than those willing to try the bipartisan route or he wouldn't have dug his heels in on Pelosi's health care reform.

It's going to be an interesting several months leading up to the 2010 mid-terms. I anticipate little more than contentious bickering.

I also anticipate the tea party movement throwing a monkey wrench into the elections by putting up their own ideological candidates thereby weakening Republican chances to make significant gains. If the Democrats prevail they will consider it a mandate. They will be wrong.

Is the voting public wise enough to not let that happen?

How I wish there were more like Evan Bayh. If there were perhaps they could have worked together to move both parties rather then feeling compelled to leave.

One more time, we lose.