# Gabby Giffords resigning from Congress **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 22, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334 "2012-01-22T21:59:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/21 "2012-01-23T20:23:48Z")
Much as I honor her courage and grit, I think this is for the best. She ought to focus entirely on her rehab for now. Hopefully the day will come when she’s fully or nearly recovered, and if elected can serve her constituents better than, through no fault of her own, she can now. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/22 "2012-01-23T22:00:21Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > Because she was rendered incapable of doing her job after four years in office. Most people who experience disability after a short time on the job get sick leave, short-term disability, then long-term disability, not a pension. I don’t think drawing full pay from taxpayers, preventing her district from having earlier access to a functional representative and waiting out the amazingly short five year qualification time for a congressional pension was a particularly honorable thing to do. What happens when a cop or a firefighter gets disabled after a few years on the job? What do they get? Disability insurance or a pension? So because other people in the world don’t get what they deserve, she shouldn’t as well? Because your argument can’t be that she didn’t follow the rules, seeing as she very well did by not resigning. If people had a problem with her staying in office, they could have set up a recall or otherwise tried to force her to resign. It seems they didn’t care that her chief of staff was doing all her work for her, so why should you? Plus, to be frank, when it comes to making sure you don’t die from lack of care, who the fuck cares about how honorable people think you are? My opinion on this thing: I’d have been fine if she stayed, seeing as I don’t see that anything would have changed politically whether she was there or not, and it likely won’t matter again until after the election. But, that said, it is her choice, just like any other congressperson has the right to resign, and I wish her no ill for her decision. I do wish her well, and hope her recovery continues to the point that she can do what she loves again. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/23 "2012-01-23T22:30:04Z")
It was a hard video to watch but also an amazing one considering how far she’s come in so short a time. hopefully she’ll be where she needs to be to fulfill the duties of the job and run again in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/24 "2012-01-23T23:48:20Z")
I loved seeing her smile toward the end. It was a glimpse of the old Gabby. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/25 "2012-01-24T01:20:14Z")
I really can’t comment on her condition other that what I learned from an interview with one of the trauma surgeons that was in the hospital at the time. It was horrible. But I can comment on brain injuries. There are ways that a victim of brain injuries can work to appear recovered and normal. Yet, trying to intellectually operate at a level that you remember having done can be extremely frustrating to the point of being painful and severely depressing. This woman deserves every break in the world. She put herself out there and suffered a consequence that is almost unimaginable. If anyone deserves a pension, it is her. The cost of her recovery and care is going to be very substantial and she didn’t bring it on herself. She is entirely a victim. It’s not like she was caught in a scandal and hung on until the pension kicked in. With any injury the first 80% of recovery goes quite quickly. The last 20% can take seemingly forever. Just ask an athlete. Giffords made quick progress and maybe she really did think that she would fully recover in short time. Obviously, that’s not the case. She has a long haul. Everything having to do with how she imagined her life would be has radically changed. Bless her. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/26 "2012-01-24T02:02:11Z")
Giffords has a sizable political war chest. Nearly a million bucks according to my 2nd cite. Who she chooses to support will have a huge advantage. She can’t legally convert the money to personal use. She can use it to support other campaigns or give it back to the donors. > [@](#): > > Giffords’ endorsement of a candidate will have a great impact on the race, Farley said, both in terms of voter enthusiasm and funding; the congresswoman is sitting on a sizeable campaign warchest. > **[Giffords resigning from Congress | U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords](https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/012212_gabby_resign/giffords-resigning-from-congress/)** > > U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will resign from Congress, she announced Sunday in a message posted to YouTube. "I have more work to do on my recovery, so to do what is best for Arizona I will step down this week," she said. (with video) > [@](#): > > Giffords, a resilient campaigner and prolific fundraiser during her three successful campaigns to win a Republican-leaning district, had nearly $879,000 in her campaign account as of Sept. 30, well above the average for House candidates – $611,000, as calculated by the Center for Responsive Politics. > > Among Arizona’s members of Congress, the only two with larger warchests are Reps. Jeff Flake, a Republican, who is running for Senate, and Ed Pastor, a Democrat who is thinking of doing so. > **[Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group](http://web.archive.org/web/20161105085117/http://reporting.sunlightfoundation.com/)** ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/27 "2012-01-24T02:12:07Z")
Gabby is the only politician that I’ve liked enough to sign up for her Newsletter; this was done long before her assault. She was my representative from my District. Nearly everyone respected her hard work and well thought out positions before that tragic day. From what we know in the District, Gabby really wanted to return, but after careful consideration decided to resign. I doubt very much that her decision was based on wanting to qualify for pension. I do believe that the decision was just what she said, (paraphrasing) that she was going to need more time to work on her recovery, and that her work as a representative was not in the cards. Oddly enough, for the purpose of election of a Democrat in November, redistricting will make the election of a Democrat easier than it will be in the election that must now take place. Bless you Gabby. Godspeed and hopefully we will see you again if you decide that politics is your path forward. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/28 "2012-01-24T02:33:08Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > What happens when a cop or a firefighter gets disabled after a few years on the job? What do they get? Disability insurance or a pension? Can’t speak for anywhere else, but in NYC if they were disabled on the job, they get a 3/4 pay , state and local tax- free disability pension. And unlimited sick leave if they don’t retire immediately hoping they will recover enough to return to work. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/29 "2012-01-24T03:08:32Z")
Forgive me for being crass, but… will her resignation change the odds of the President carrying Arizona in November? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/30 "2012-01-24T06:37:13Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Forgive me for being crass, but… will her resignation change the odds of the President carrying Arizona in November? There’s no chance Arizona goes for Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/31 "2012-01-24T07:42:07Z")
Her smile makes me happy and so sad, at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/32 "2012-01-24T11:00:46Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There’s no chance Arizona goes for Obama. Highly unlikely, to be sure … Arizona is strongly conservative. But not impossible, if enough people get sufficiently disgusted with the antics of the Republican candidates. I was born the day after Dewey defeated Truman. I expect the unlikely to happen from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/33 "2012-01-24T17:37:00Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > There’s no chance Arizona goes for Obama. Are you sure?: [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/us/politics/with-boom-in-hispanic-voters-obama-sees-opportunity-in-arizona.html?pagewanted=all](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/us/politics/with-boom-in-hispanic-voters-obama-sees-opportunity-in-arizona.html?pagewanted=all) ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/34 "2012-01-26T01:20:56Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Are you sure?: [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/us/politics/with-boom-in-hispanic-voters-obama-sees-opportunity-in-arizona.html?pagewanted=all](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/us/politics/with-boom-in-hispanic-voters-obama-sees-opportunity-in-arizona.html?pagewanted=all) It might be too early for that to come to fruition–in the meantime, [Governor Brewer doesn’t seem too happy with Obama about something](http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-jan-brewer-obama-welcome-20120125,0,5568347.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fpolitics+%28L.A.+Times+-+Politics%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher). ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/35 "2012-01-26T02:06:33Z")
Gab has become one of my heros. I get choked up every time I see how far she’s come. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/36 "2012-01-26T17:43:13Z")
It was hard watch the video, something in my eye. She is my hero. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/37 "2012-01-26T18:06:01Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > It might be too early for that to come to fruition–in the meantime, [Governor Brewer doesn’t seem too happy with Obama about something](http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-jan-brewer-obama-welcome-20120125,0,5568347.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fpolitics+%28L.A.+Times+-+Politics%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher). Dear og, I’m glad Arizona state law prevents her from running for reelection in 2014. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/38 "2012-01-29T03:25:09Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > Because she was rendered incapable of doing her job after four years in office. Most people who experience disability after a short time on the job get sick leave, short-term disability, then long-term disability, not a pension. I don’t think drawing full pay from taxpayers, preventing her district from having earlier access to a functional representative and waiting out the amazingly short five year qualification time for a congressional pension was a particularly honorable thing to do. What happens when a cop or a firefighter gets disabled after a few years on the job? What do they get? Disability insurance or a pension? But the “functional representative” issue was arguably part of the length of time it took for her to come to this decision. She wasn’t functional for a long time - she took a major injury to the brain, which she barely survived. Deciding whether or not one is capable of carrying on a job is inherently linked to the higher mental functions - she had to have enough time for her brain to recover for her even to consider whether she was able to carry on the job. When she was first injured and starting her recovery, it was a major achievement for her just to say a few words, let alone think about her future and her abilities to carry on her job. The whole point about brain injuries is that they impair the ability to think and make decisions. Once she came out of the initial coma, maybe she thought that she would be able to get back into Congress (if she could even think about it at all), and it took a year of recovery before she was able to assess the issue and her own capabilities clearly. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334/39 "2012-01-29T23:27:48Z")
Arizona has a law that says any legislator that can’t perform their duties for (I think 90 days) will be replaced. This came up right after Giffords was shot. Within hours they were saying it couldn’t be enforced on a US legislator. Only state. So a entire year was wasted without anyone filling that seat and representing that district. It makes no sense at all that the Federal Congress doesn’t have a rule or law to replace someone that is too sick or injured to work. Even a 6 month time limit would be more appropriate then nothing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabby-giffords-resigning-from-congress/610334.md?page=1)