License to Steal

When the Founders created our government they envisioned a group of people gathering in the capital for a few weeks or months each year and then returning to their homes and businesses. They never envisioned a government in which people leave their home states permanently...except when campaigning...to live in D.C. while pretending to represent the folks back home. Richard Luger of Indiana is going to have some trouble this year convincing his fellow Hoosiers that he's still one of them:

Sen. Richard Lugar defended himself during an appearance in Indianapolis on Monday that came days after opponents claimed that he isn't qualified to run for office because he doesn't live in the state.

Lugar said two attorneys general have affirmed his position that the Indianapolis address on his Indiana driver's license is valid, even though he sold that home in 1977.

My daughter got a ticket a few months ago because her license still showed our home address in So Cal instead of her apartment address in Nor Cal. Although the address was technically wrong, at least the So Cal address still belonged to a house where she was welcome to stay.

Chuck Todd pointed out that when Sen. Tom Daschle was defeated in South Dakota, residency was a big issue:

The moment Tom Daschle lost his senate race to John Thune in 04? When GOP ran Daschle quote: "I'm a D.C. resident"

The real test of residency comes when they leave office. Most of them will stay in D.C. to work for a lobbying firm rather than return to the home states they abandoned years before.  If you think they really represent you, you're kidding yourself.