Musical chairs

A biennial dance some are sitting out

Sunday, January 1, 2017

There they go again, this state's congressmen, 'round and 'round they go, and where they'll stop nobody knows. For it's time again for members of the U.S. House of Representatives to choose new offices or stay where they are. At last count, 42 incumbents have declined this invitation to the dance because they chose not to run for re-election; 13 had no choice in the matter after their constituents turned them out of office.

It's not easy keeping up with all this (literally) office politics. Some of the players, like Arkansas' Rick Crawford of Jonesboro and Steve Womack of Rogers, are leaving the huge old Longworth building, a fine example of the neo-classical style that fits right into a national capital of a federal republic. It dates back to 1933. There's been a lot of moving around ever since, but happily there are highly professional movers who'll handle the whole thing for the ever mobile members of the House--which is a lot more than the average family making a move across the street or across the country can count on.

Congressman Crawford made his move before the Christmas break, and sounds happy about his current office. "It's about 300 square feet larger," he notes, adding that it now includes "what amounts to a conference room." Which means that visiting constituents need no longer be squeezed into a foyer while they wait for a chance to visit with him, and he with them. He'll be down the hall from Congressman Womack, who literally moved up--to the fourth floor of the Rayburn building earlier this month. He notes that his office, too, will now be bigger "so when we have 10 or 12 people show up to meet with me on a subject, I don't have to have them standing in the hallway. There'll be a place for them, so it's a little better situation for us."

Let's hear it for a couple of other congressmen from Arkansas--French Hill of Little Rock and Bruce Westerman from Hot Springs, both of whom made the sensible, responsible and economical decision to stay where they are for now. "Of the 50 offices ... we had to choose from," says Congressman Westerman, "there wasn't any we would give this one up to take. It's in a good location. It's a little larger than some offices. I don't have any reason to move." Our considered editorial opinion: 'Nuff said.

Congressman Hill's decision made sense, too: "I love the Longworth building. This office is nicely situated, easy for constituents to find. It's above the 24-hour entrance ... . It's above the cafeteria, the gift shop. It's a straight shot into the Capitol to vote." It's a simple, sound rule both in real estate and in life: If there's no good reason to do something, then don't do anything.

It speaks well of Congressman Hill that he let his sentimental streak show when it came to his office. "This is Jack Kemp's former office and when I was in college, Jack Kemp was a personal hero of mine. So I love it and I'm happy, so I didn't want to move." Decision made--for both practical and sentimental reasons.

The same rule applies to U.S. senators. John Boozman is sitting in the catbird seat just now and it sounds like he knows it: "We're blessed. We have a nice office now. It's very functional. We're not going to move. That's really the bottom line." As for the junior senator from Arkansas, he won't have to make any decisions about his office until sometime next year. And who knows where Tom Cotton will be by then?

The only thing clear about the future of politicians is that nothing's clear, any more than is for the rest of us mortals. Office space may be the least of our concerns when that future arrives. The best we can do is keep the faith and be prepared for the ever unknown future.

Editorial on 01/01/2017