Glenn Reynolds: "Politics is not attracting our best people."
What was your first clue? And when did it ever, more than a generation after the Founding? Lincoln and T.R. might be the only exceptions, and they were both accidents -- Lincoln was thrust into a civil war not of his making (OK, he was the straw that broke the camel's back, but at least he won a majority vote), and T.R. was "that cowboy" who was "now president".
And Reagan, of course, though the Left will see to the destruction of his legacy.
As for Congress, again short of that first generation, there have never been great men in Congress. There have been men who did great things because it was in their interest to do so. But self-interest was always predominant over the country's interest.
On the other hand, great Congressmen (and -women) would not necessarily be known for individual greatness, for they would serve their term and, like Cincinnatus, go back to their plows. They would understand that Congress was never intended to be a man's career. Term limits would never be an issue, because no one would ever serve more than a couple of terms.
(Yeah, sure. What la-la land is Brindle off in, this evening?)
