The seemingly endless pursuit of higher office by career politicians leads me to wonder about their duties as members of Congress, and how they are serving the needs and concerns of their constituents in a way that justifies ongoing six-figure salaries during the term of their candidacy.

The United States congressional vote database discloses that 656 votes were taken in the Senate during the 110th Congress, and the four senators contesting for the White House missed between 26 percent and 64 percent of those votes. A bill before Congress mandating that salaries be relinquished during the candidacy of those elected officials whose time and energies are so self-serving that the needs of those who put them in office are deserving of little concern might be in order.

On a more positive note, of the five senators who made all 656 votes, two were the ladies from Maine.

Loren Feldman, Sabattus