A law per se.  Should elected officials running for re-election or, in this particular case, for higher office be required to meet certain benchmarks – I really wanted to use timetables as I am thinking of John McCain but I will refrain – of their current office?

I realize that every elected official will miss votes.  They will not always be able to be with their constituency and at the floor of whatever body of government they are on. 

I guess my problem lies more in presidential nominee candidates.  Of the group currently still running, there are four members of Congress – three senators and one representative.  Should there be a law that requires that they not ignore their current responsibilities to run for president?

It started with the State of the Union address.  I am sure that John McCain was not the only member of Congress that was not in attendance.  He was, to the best of my knowledge, the only one that is running for president that was not in attendance.  The State of the Union is a once a year event.  Yes, this year’s was from a lame duck president but it is not all that often that the Congress meets as a whole – both Senate and House of Representatives.  It is imperative that members attend.  McCain chose not to due to campaigning.

Now it is the Senate vote on the economic stimulus plan.  This is particularly disturbing.  The economy has become, for most US voters, the top issue in the campaign.  Economic stimulus is needed.  I realize that McCain’s vote, either aye or nay, would not have change the results.  My problem is he jetted across the country from Arizona and was in Washington, DC but did not vote.  There is even some confusion among his own office/campaign as to whether his intention was to vote or not.

Unfortunate for McCain is the fact that this was a roll call vote so his absence was notable.  Also, unfortunate for McCain is the fact that this lead reporters to dig into other roll call votes this year.  In a roll call vote, each senators name is called and his or her vote is recorded next to his or her name.  Normal votes do not keep track of who votes which way.  Amazing information is that McCain has not voted in any of the eight roll call votes this year.  He is basically missing votes and the ones where he can be called to task over the way he has voted.

John McCain has not resigned from his position representing the people of Arizona.  John McCain has chosen to run for his party’s presidential nomination.  John McCain is not doing his current job in hopes of obtaining a higher office.

Shouldn’t there be a rule?