Sunday, September 26, 2004
Term Limits and their affect on effective government
Term Limits beget a more radical behavior by a significant percentage of our elected representatives. That is because time in office ameliorates an individual's strongly held beliefs about mundane things. As the idealist is exposed to the rest of peoplekind, they find tight strictures are not the most appropriate response to circumstances. They settle down and usually reorder priorities.
I take as example the California experience. Term limits have led to a legislature that is sharply divided. Legislators do not get time to understand the levers of power, and therefore use them arbitrarily. They are not allowed to stay in office to understand compromise. There are fewer and fewer old hands in any party to which a newly elected member can turn. As a result, they are easier prey for those who are paid by interest groups. We have quashed collective wisdom in favor of young idealism. This is to the detriment of the public at large.
Term limits statutes abrogate our electoral powers. Removing our power of oversight as voters over our elected representatives can only be likened to shooting ourselves in the foot. We need to preserve the power to keep our elected representatives as well as the power to fire them.
I take as example the California experience. Term limits have led to a legislature that is sharply divided. Legislators do not get time to understand the levers of power, and therefore use them arbitrarily. They are not allowed to stay in office to understand compromise. There are fewer and fewer old hands in any party to which a newly elected member can turn. As a result, they are easier prey for those who are paid by interest groups. We have quashed collective wisdom in favor of young idealism. This is to the detriment of the public at large.
Term limits statutes abrogate our electoral powers. Removing our power of oversight as voters over our elected representatives can only be likened to shooting ourselves in the foot. We need to preserve the power to keep our elected representatives as well as the power to fire them.
