This Hoosier Not Sad To Say Bye to Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh

As a Hoosier conservative, I'll shed no tears over the loss of Evan Bayh as Indiana's junior senator. As our senator for the past 12 years and as our governor prior to that, Bayh became tiresome to me long ago.

Why? I sense that, despite his letters and statements to the contrary, Evan Bayh's decisions have been based mainly on what will benefit Evan Bayh. Bayh likes to say he is fiscally conservative, but his vote for Obama's budget-buster healthcare package in December was the final straw for many of Bayh's constituents.

Over the years, I've contacted Bayh's office many times with messages. I often get an answering machine, and increasingly in recent months, that answering machine was full. On the few occasions when I reached a live human, I expressed my frustration at being unable to reach the senator with my views. The staffer (who I don't blame; I'm sure he was a 20-something who'd thought/hoped his poly-sci degree would lead to something better than this) was always apologetic, and suggested I try another of the senator's offices when one answering machine was full. Really? I don't think so, senator. It's your job to remain accessible to the constituents who elected you.

In the farewell email he sent me, Bayh claimed to have often been a "lonely voice." Hmmm. He wasn't too lonely when he sided with the other 59 senators who backed the healthcare overhaul (against the wishes of the vast majority of his constituents). Bayh also states that "for some time" he's been concerned about Congress not operating as it should. Funny that he never mentioned this before the earth-shaking election of Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown a few weeks ago.

It's just another example of Bayh always looking to back the winning horse. Another example of Bayh looking out for Bayh was his early backing of Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in the primaries leading up to the 2008 Presidential election. Once Obama became the frontrunner, Bayh let it be known he would be "willing" to be Obama's running mate.

Bayh has had conflicts of interest, many as a result of his wife's involvements on the boards of numerous companies. Many of these boards are pharmaceutical- and health insurance-related. She brings in millions to the family income through these positions, yet the Bayhs claim no conflict of interests exists.

Why did Bayh suddenly resign? Of course we'll have to wait to see if he has any further political ambitions. But from this Hoosier's point of view, Bayh has disregarded and hidden from his constituents for long enough. It's time to retire the Bayh name from Hoosier politics.

Sources:
Evan Bayh Web site
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Across the Boards