I’m kind of wishy-washy on term limits. I do think there is value is having familiarity w/existing law and regulation. E.g., let’s say a potential politician gets up in arms about europeans retiring in the U.S. and getting paid out of our SSA (they do), only to later discover that this is part of recoprocity treaty w/have w/many countries (so americans can retire in europe and be paid from their pension system).
Not a good example, but I hope you see what I mean.
Instead of term limits, I would rather see a very efficient impeachment process that applies to all govt branches. Not the recall elections that drag on for years, but something that gets them out when they start abusing their office, like almost all of them do (earmarking). Sort of like putting a cop on administrative leave pending investigation.
Of course, such a procedure could be abused as well, hence penalties for abusing THAT should be life in prison, as it undermines the will of the people.
BUT, HOUSTON, WE STILL HAVE A PROBLEM!
What is to be done about the HILL RATS? These are the allegedly “professional” staffers who are so named because after the election their current boss loses, they scurry like rats to a new member – ANY MEMBER (his politics frequently don’t matter) – just to remain close to the power. Most are flaming liberals and, after the “experienced” staffer shows the new guy where the john is, because they have been up there for decades, far too many of these new members rely on them for how to vote and get along in the thoroughly corrupt system of “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” that has caused the mess in which we now find ourselves.
IT GETS WORSE!
Let’s say the new guy needs an “expert” on tax policy. Well, son-of-a-gun, the professional staffer JUST HAPPENS to have a college chum who works at the IRS! Need an “expert” on education policy. Darned if that secretary he just hired doesn’t just have an old teacher friend who works over at the Department of Education!
NOW YOU KNOW WHY THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME – ESPECIALLY IN MALFUNCTION JUNCTION.
Looks like we will also need TENURE LIMITS on the Hill Rats with stiff penalties for breaking the rules!
I recently heard Gingrich tell Hannity that—horrors — the alleged Health Care Bill was almost certainly written at 3 am by 25 year-old liberal staffers, groggy on beer and pizza. Not sure why that was so shocking. HELL, that’s how nearly ALL the so-called legislation has been done up there for decades. It’s why there are two things one should never watch being made: SAUSAGE AND LAWS.
One of the KEY THINGS we all need to do BEFORE we get behind a new candidate to replace the 8 term retread who has sold us out nearly every term up there is to INSIST THAT HE DRAW HIS KEY STAFFERS FROM LOCAL FOLKS WHO MAY STILL HAVE A GRASP ON REALITY OUT HERE IN FLYOVER COUNTRY — THEN HOLD HIS FEET TO THE FIRE ON THAT PLEDGE — OR REPLACE HIM NEXT TIME!
Sadly, it’s the ONLY WAY THINGS WILL CHANGE UP THERE!!
Get real for congress and senate to vote for term limits would be like you to ask for a decrease in pay.
Replace taxpayer funded pensions with 401Ks and watch ‘em flee. The big draw, and why they will do ANYTHING to stay in power is because of the lush pensions, COLAs and medical bennies they have voted for themselves. Short term benefits would be, perhaps, a better crowd running for office. Long term would be the eventual petering out of these leeches.
Once they leave/lose office, show them the door and introduce them to the niceties of a rollover account. Perhaps if their pensions were based on the health of the US economy, they’d be more inclined to favor US interests.
It won’t be enacted for the current bunch, but if the heat is on, they might say the above applies to all newly elected pols. Yeah, the current crowd would be nursing at the taxpayers’ teat for years to come but just imagine if we had done this 20-30 years ago.