Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Gov. Seeks Deal That Would Ease Term Limits (would swap for redistricting redo)
ap on LA Times ^ | 7/14/06 | Peter Nicholas

Posted on 07/14/2006 8:35:44 AM PDT by NormsRevenge

SACRAMENTO — Hoping to resurrect an idea voters rejected in last year's special election, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to offer lawmakers a deal: He'll support an easing of term limits if they'll agree to change the way California draws voting districts.

Schwarzenegger said in an interview Thursday he does not believe term limits have improved Sacramento's political culture. Allowing legislators to stay in office longer would be worthwhile, he said, if it induced them to put a proposal on the ballot that would strip them of the power to carve political boundaries.

The governor reasons that lawmakers may not want to change voting districts, most of which favor incumbents, but they dislike term limits even more. One idea already under consideration in the Legislature would double the number of years members could serve in the Assembly — to 12 from six — provided they not run for the Senate when their term is up. Senators' maximum service could be extended to 12 years from eight.

In 1990, voters imposed limits of three two-year terms in the Assembly and two four-year terms in the Senate. ...

--snip--

Schwarzenegger says that he wants to make California elections more competitive, and that a new method of redistricting would help. He is backing a measure by Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) that would transfer political map-making powers to a panel of 11 citizens, chosen by a bipartisan group of lawmakers and judges, and take effect after the 2010 census.

--snip--

"I would like for them to really push forward with this whole idea," Schwarzenegger said in an interview Thursday. "It's very clear that people would like to see redistricting and to have a different system than the way it is now, with the gerrymandering, and to perfect the democracy."

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; callegislation; deal; democracy; ease; electioncongress; elections; perfect; redistricting; schwarzenegger; seeks; termlimits

1 posted on 07/14/2006 8:35:46 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

What we need all over the country is MORE term limits, not less.
What a fool.


2 posted on 07/14/2006 8:57:01 AM PDT by Havok (I like meat, guns, and comic books. Am I a bad conservative?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Havok

We have term limits...it's called an election.

Having term limits just speeds up the process by which they have to steal their fortunes.

I actually think this is a good idea...if we have more competitive districts then it will be easier to vote the fools out.


3 posted on 07/14/2006 9:32:21 AM PDT by for-q-clinton (If at first you don't succeed keep on sucking until you do succeed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Although I like term limits generally, this might be a good bargain. The Dems' gerrymandering of districts results in a Leftislature that's about 63% Democrat even though the statewide Dem vote is only about 55%. It'd be great to reduce that to 55% (or whatever the statewide Dem vote is), and perhaps in the process create a few competitive districts that previously leaned hard left.


4 posted on 07/14/2006 9:45:41 AM PDT by pogo101
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Havok
I do not like the sound of this. Every step Arnold takes towards the GOP, he takes another one towards the Democrats. Arnold is trying to have it both ways. Maybe he can take just enough steps to get reelected.
5 posted on 07/14/2006 12:09:12 PM PDT by Uncle Hal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge
Schwarzenegger says that he wants to make California elections more competitive.

Start by keeping illegals from the voting booths.

6 posted on 07/14/2006 12:20:24 PM PDT by PetroniDE (We Don't Live in Texas Anymore --- State Name is Now TAXES !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: for-q-clinton

I disagree. There should be no such thing as "lifetime politicians" They start getting the "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" syndrome and then they get funding over and over to get re-elected.
Look at Ted Kennedy and John Kerry.
People have no one else to vote for because they have been doing this for too long.


7 posted on 07/14/2006 12:36:00 PM PDT by Havok (I like meat, guns, and comic books. Am I a bad conservative?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Havok
People have no one else to vote for because they have been doing this for too long.

I guess I see it differently. I think we do have a choice. It's just most are too lazy to want to work for it OR they are actually happy with the current system.

The real issue is in the way districts are drawn. If the districts were split in a fashion that made it possible for an incumbant to be defeated then they'd actually listen to their constituents. Right now they don't have to because they draw up districts that are nearly 100% Republican or Democrat. So even if they tick off their base they have nothing to loose (unless it's a primary vote). But in the case of a primary to lose it usually takes the party to go against the incumbent which very rarely happens.

I truly think Arnold is on to something here. Besides I'd rather a crook steal small amounts from me over 12 years instead of just raping me in 6 years.

8 posted on 07/14/2006 1:27:59 PM PDT by for-q-clinton (If at first you don't succeed keep on sucking until you do succeed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson