WY Secretary of State Joe Meyer Sounds Off at Term Limits Forum in Casper

Cheyenne Wyoming Tribune-Eagle ^ | 04-03-04 | Olson, Ilene

[Theodore R.]

Meyer sounds off at term limits forum

By Ilene Olson rep3@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle

CASPER - Now that the Wyoming Supreme Court has heard arguments in a lawsuit challenging the state's term limits law, Wyoming Secretary of State Joe Meyer felt free Friday to express his thoughts.

"I don't think term limits make any sense whatsoever," Meyer said. "You're getting rid of someone with 12 years of experience and replacing them with someone who can't find the bathroom."

The bottom line, he said, lies in the answer to one question: How is Wyoming better off with term limits than without them?

Meyer said he has watched the Legislature at work.

"I've been there," he said. "I know those people. I know those 11 people who are going to be leaving. Every one of them has an expertise. After 12 years . ask yourself why now you say the world is a better place because those people won't be here."

But Paul Jacobs of the U.S. Term Limits Foundation said, "I have never heard of a legislator who, after two years, said, 'I haven't figured it out yet.'"

Jacobs said George Washington provided one of the best examples for term limits. When there was talk of making him king, he resigned his military commission. After he was elected president, he stepped down after serving two terms.

"It's part of the American ideal that you hold the power, and then you turn it back," he said.

Meyer and Jacobs were two of 10 presenters at a public forum on term limits held at Casper College and sponsored by the Wyoming Chapter of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy and Clear Channel Radio.

Jacobs said people tend to hold back from running against incumbents in elections.

"In states where term limits took effect, there were record numbers of candidates," he added.

Jacobs cited the example in Arkansas, where half of that state's legislators were freshmen after term limits took effect.

"They did wonderfully," he said. "There were a lot of problems before. They carted three people off to jail (for making) illicit deals."

But Meyer said he has never heard any legislator or state official in Wyoming accused of wrongdoing.

"I have a predecessor that served for 28 years," he said. "I have yet to hear she was corrupt. What I have heard is 'Thyra Thompson ran a good office.'"

But Adsit said he has seen abuse of power by legislators. He added that after legislators have served for several years, "they stop working for the resident and start trying to control him."

Meyer said the world is more complex than it was in the 1970s. To be effective, legislators need to be more knowledgeable.

"It works really well when you've got a lot of really experienced people and a lot of new people coming on with mentors," he said.

Despite his personal sentiments, it fell to Meyer as secretary of state and to Attorney General Pat Crank to defend the state's term-limits law when its constitutionality was challenged by Sen. Rich Cathcart, D-Carpenter, and Rep. Pete Anderson, R-Pine Bluffs, along with their constituents Scott Zimmerman and Keith Kennedy.

"The case has been presented," Meyer said, adding that he is comfortable that the Supreme Court will make a sound decision in the matter.

But Crank said the last-minute nature of the lawsuit's filing has rushed the lawsuit through the court system, giving the court insufficient time and too little input to properly consider the matter.

With term limits taking effect this year, the plaintiffs have asked the court to issue a ruling before the May 13 opening date for filing for election to state positions. The filing deadline is May 28.

Crank noted that any constitutional amendment must be approved by both the legislative and executive branches of government.

Dan White of Cheyenne, who practices law with the same firm as Johnston, asked Anderson if he thought the Legislature would approve a constitutional amendment to establish term limits.

Anderson said he thought that was not likely. He personally would vote against such a measure.

But, he added, "I might be in the minority."

White said the likelihood that the Legislature would refuse to approve a constitutional amendment "in itself would be an argument for term limits."

Anderson said he is willing to step down if the court finds the term-limits law is constitutional.

"If it's constitutional, that's fine. We'll live with term limits. If it's not, let's find out."

[Theodore R.]

The established governing forces are increasingly coming out AGAINST term limits. Even Tom Tancredo, R-CO, has revoked his three-term-and-out pledge.

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[cynicom]

With his thinking we should have kept Clinton on for life. What an idiot.

These professional politicians need to get a life and a job. His line of thinking is what keeps people in office until they ar 100 years old. Asinine

[DustyMoment]

The Founding Fathers NEVER intended for politics to become a career. Elected representatives were expected to convene when required, conduct the necessary business and GO HOME!!! Go back to their farms, or stores or whatever their normal means of making a living was.

Term limits should not only be strengthened and enforced, SESSION limits should also be enacted to prevent legislative bodies from being in session year round. If the representatives CAN'T get the people's business completed in a 6 month period every OTHER year, they aren't serious about it in the first place.

Finally, another idea has cropped up from other FReepers that I like - LAW limits. Grab a number - like 5,000 - and that is the number of laws that can actively be on the books at any one time. If they want to pass more laws, they have to repeal some. And, if they want to change the number of laws (to raise it, for example), they have to get approval from the people.

All of these limits serve major purposes - cutting the cost of government, controlling the size of government, controlling the amount of over-regulation that currently exists as the result of government and limiting the amount of hot air being spouted by the politicians. We DON'T NEED 24 hour, 365 day/year political representation. The longer these folks are in session, the more mischief they find to cost us more money.

Place practical limits on them and their sessions and SEND THEIR LYING BUTTS HOME!!!!!

[iopscusa]

Term Limits are desperately needed. The Incumbents have stolen way too much power & have too much influence in the election process. If a Politico is out on term limits and the new office holder does a better or a worst job, the Politico can then run again and maybe be re-elected but the decision will be in the voters hands.

[Theodore R.]

The main reason that the incumbents have so much power is that the voters will not study the issues and opposing candidates. They just prefer to stick with "brand names," and that usually of course means incumbents. In many ways, this is a reflection of lazy voters in both parties. That's why I am afraid that Pat Toomey cannot win in PA on April 27 though he is the clear alternative to the entrenched Arlen Specter.

[DustyMoment]

The problem isn't term limits, the problem is that term limits have been enacted in many states - the politicians are choosing to ignore them. If the term limits have no teeth to them, what's the point?