Elite Dems who don’t know when to quit could be the death of American democracy

It’s amazing how many Dem elites have looked at the horrifying consequences of Ruth Bader Ginsburg gambling with the reproductive freedom of American women and losing big time and apparently concluded that things worked out great:

The Senate’s longest-serving Democrat, long assumed to be on the cusp of retirement, is leaning toward giving it another go.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who has served since 1975 and is in the line of presidential succession, is asking colleagues to support his potential campaign for a ninth term, according to Democratic senators who have spoken to him. The 81-year-old has also indicated to them that he believes he’s “the only Democrat that can win the seat,” said a person briefed on the conversations.Given that Bernie Sanders is an independent who caucuses with Democrats, Leahy’s the only Democrat ever elected to the Senate from Vermont.

If reelected, Leahy could take the record for Senate longevity in a chamber famous for its octogenarians. He’s not the oldest senator — four others are older than he is — but he experienced a health scare earlier this year that prompted anxiety among his Democratic colleagues.

It’s bad enough when Dems providing actual value erroneously conclude that they’re indispensable; for replacement-level or worse Dems like ol’ Blue Slips Leahy or Feinstein it’s even worse. Also note that it was in large measure his desire to pass Stephen Field’s longevity record that compelled Hugo Black to hand over a Supreme Court vacancy to Richard Nixon. Just let someone younger do the damned job rather than trying to compile more stats or inventing imaginary norms.