Bob McCarty Writes

In case you haven’t heard, Sen. Pete Domenici is not going to seek re-election in 2008. Before he goes, Americans should offer heartfelt thanks to the 75-year-old, six-term lawmaker from New Mexico for, quite possibly, making his greatest contribution ever to the health and future of this nation.

According to a recent news report, Senator Domenici began informing associates late Wednesday he has frontotemporal lobar degeneration, a progressive disease that in some forms can cause dysfunction in the parts of the brain important for organization, decision-making and control of mood and behavior. And therein lies the rub: His decision-making has been hindered by a progressive brain disease!

That, in turn, begs the question: “Is it contagious?” One needs only look at the general state of dysfunction in Washington, D.C., and at the poor decisions made by the men and women of the 110th Congress on an almost-daily basis to conclude that it must be.

While I’m no doctor, I suspect this disease infects new members of Congress immediately upon their being sworn in on the steps of the Capitol. Then, for six years, it lies dormant. Only after a first-term senator or three-term congressman wins re-election does the disease awaken and being to wreak havoc on his decision-making, mood and behavior.

Now, you’re wondering what, if anything, can be done about this horrible disease. Well, if my diagnosis is accurate, the cure is simple: Term limits.

On behalf of every patriotic American who wants to see this Constitutional Republic survive for at least another 200 years, I offer this: “Thank you, Senator Domenici. We’ll take it from here.”