Tired of partisanship, Rep. LaTourette retires

I completely sympathize. Steven LaTourette was one of the good ones and one of the last few standing.

Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-Ohio) lamented the demise of bipartisanship in Congress as he announced his retirement on Tuesday, saying the “toll” of the acrimony in Washington had come to outweigh the benefits of being a congressman.

The nine-term lawmaker, a close ally of Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), presented himself as the latest casualty of a toxic political environment that has driven other centrist members out of the Capitol in recent years.
…
LaTourette also decried the politics that go into selecting committee chairmen and party leaders, where fundraising and partisan loyalty are rewarded. He said one unnamed colleague told him that if a member wants to move up the ranks, “you’ve got to give them your wallet and your voting card.”

“I’m not interested in giving them my wallet or my voting card,” he said.

(Must read more here.)

Berman, Russell and Cameron Joseph (2012, July 31). “Rep. LaTourette retires, says partisan ‘toll’ growing too heavy”. The Hill.
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/241261-latourette-retires-says-partisan-toll-grew-too-heavy