I may agree with you that perhaps this redistricting, and the rise of new blood like Hansen Clarke, may have marked a good moment for John Conyers to step aside. But I don't think he should retire for the reasons you cite, because I think they're meaningless in the larger picture of what's going on in Congress and in US politics generally.

Given the fact that the nutballs seem to be fully in [[non-) control of the asylum, and are hell bent on obstructing everything, I doubt that many Democrats have much better numbers than Conyers in getting sponsored bills passed. Especially if they are anywhere near Conyers on the political spectrum - and if he wasn't there he wouldn't be fairly representing his constituency.

Of course, the biggest part of a representative's job is representing his constituency. You complain about Conyers' continued sponsorship of a reparations bill, but I would bet that a solid majority of his constituents' support his stance on that issue and are glad that he at least keeps it in the public debate, no matter how hopeless the cause may seem now. As someone points out above, Conyers kept pushing the MLK holiday, which many felt was a non-starter, from hopelessness until it passed into law.

In any event, with the wide divide in American politics not only between Democrats and Republicans, but also between primarily urban districts and suburban, exurban, and rural districts - even within the Democratic party - it is hard to see how any urban congressman can get much done right now. I'm not speaking here of just predominately black districts, but of urban districts in general. Most urban representatives seek a Democratic agenda that pushes towards a pro-active government that actually gives a %$@# about middle class, working class, and poor people. But with this agenda [[and urban America in general) highly out of favor elsewhere, and with a very moderate - some would even say right-leaning - Democrat in the White House, these representatives and their constituents have been effectively marginalized..