I believe Mark Twain would not be at all surprised by the quality of candidates available to run for Congress. He covered Congress as a newspaper reporter. He needed a job and was very particular about the type of job he would accept. If the position required anything that could be described as work, he was not interested! A job as a reporter fit his needs precisely. He never held back his lack of respect for Congress, “that grand old asylum for the helpless.” He listened to speeches that seemed to drone on endlessly. “Why they can talk for a week without ever getting rid of an idea.” Mr.Twain was often accused of stretching the truth, but he had nothing on the members of Congress. As he put it, ” The lie will never perish from the Earth as long as Congress is in session.” For persons who wondered what it would be like to be a Congressman, he had a method to arrive at that understanding. He said, “First, Imaging that you are an idiot. Now, imagine that you are a Congressman. I’m sorry, I’ve repeated myself.” Mr.Twain was not a fan of either party. Although he liked Teddy Roosevelt, he didn’t hesitate to criticize him for his militaristic tendencies. Teddy avoided shaking hands with Twain when they appeared at an event. That didn’t bother Mark Twain. He spoke his mind to those in power, including President Roosevelt!