This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Shortly after the 2016 election, Sen. Orrin Hatch said he was rethinking his 2012 promise not to seek re-election in 2018 because (a) a lot of people were asking him to run, and (b) circumstances had changed.

As to the latter reason, when have circumstances not changed? The circumstances of each year, month and day, and often each minute and even second, are different than the preceding one.

As to the first reason, a good Republican friend of mine I will call Tom told me he attended a charitable function at which the late Sen. William Proxmire, of Wisconsin, recently retired from the Senate, was a guest. Tom asked him why he had retired, since he still had a keen mind, was in great physical condition and the polls showed he would easily have won re-election.

The senator said when he arrived in the Senate in 1957, he saw all of these old men, some with physical problems, and others with memory or intellectual problems. He asked himself why they were still there, then thought, "Who's going to tell them it's time to leave? Not anyone close to them. Not family members, who enjoy the prestige — and perks — of having a senator in the family. Not staff members, who enjoy the prestige — and perks — of working for a senator, and whose jobs depend on him staying in office. Not the lobbyists, who have spent years — and tens of thousands of dollars — currying the senator's favor." So he decided that if he was still in office at age 70, he would not run for re-election thereafter. He turned 70 in 1985, and did not seek re-election in 1988. Probably good advice for all officeholders.

Bryce Pettey

Bountiful