Pushing the Limits. California Lawmakers try to extend their terms. Voters balk.

OpinionJournal ^ | August 14, 2006 | John Fund

[John Jorsett]

If elected officials were half as imaginative at solving real problems as they are at perpetuating themselves in office, we'd see real confidence in government restored. Alas, the big issue on many pols' minds right now is getting rid of the term-limit laws that threaten to knock down their impregnable incumbent fortresses.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court in 1995 threw out 21 states' voter-approved term limits on members of Congress, that 5-4 ruling didn't affect limits on state and local legislators and other officials. This year, such officials are mounting full-scale efforts to overturn the will of the people. Voters must remain constantly vigilant, lest incumbents roll back restrictions on their own tenure.

This desire is bipartisan. A majority of Idaho voters supported term limits four times during the 1990s, but in 2002 that state's Republican-dominated Legislature overrode GOP Gov. Dirk Kempthorne's veto and passed a law repealing them. In New York City, the Democratic City Council is contemplating subverting the will of the voters by voting to extend its own members' term limit to 12 years from eight. That puts councilmen on a collision course with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who thinks turnover on the council is good. He also supports the existing two-term limit on his own tenure. "The public has spoken twice, and they've spoken quite clearly," the mayor says. "I don't know that you should keep shopping for a different answer."

But that's exactly the kind of shopping that California politicians are now looking to do. This month state legislators are rushing to put together a package deal for the voters this November, under which would give up their power to draw their own districts if in return they get a chance to stay in office longer.

[goldstategop]

I oppose the redistricting deal if its coupled with longer terms for politicians. I like term limits as they are. The sooner they're out, the better it is for the body politic.

(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)

[BenLurkin]

This is very sad. The political hacks hold the people incomplete conempt.

[calcowgirl]

At least one Democratic proponent of redistricting reform warns that tying the two issues together is a poison pill designed to preserve legislative gerrymandering. "I think it's a death wish," state Sen. Alan Lowenthal told reporters. "It's a sham." He notes that voters--only 25% of whom view the Legislature favorably--are likely to view any tying of term limits with redistricting reform with great cynicism and vote both ideas down.

This guy is the author of the redistricting bill. He sounds ticked!

I don't understand how they could combine these on one ballot.
Wouldn't that clearly violate the "single subject" rule?

[EagleUSA]

This is very sad. The political hacks hold the people incomplete conempt.
-----
This is fundamentally the LIBERALS that are holding this state hostage. They are socialists, focused ONLY ON THEIR POWER AND CONTROL over the people and property of California. Nothing new really -- just read the Communist Manifesto.

[Still Thinking]

They shouldn't be able to overturn the result of a vote by the actual, um, voters, legislatively. A proposition should only be able to be changed if found unconstitutional or by another proposition.

[GATOR NAVY]

The article is about California. But as it also points out, pols everywhere and of both parties object to term limits. Republicans are no better than dems on this matter-they all think they deserve a lifetime at the public trough. Ef 'em.

[antiRepublicrat]

This guy is the author of the redistricting bill. He sounds ticked!

And he's a Democrat! California politics are strange.

[Frohickey]

I'd agree to no-term-limits for California State Elected officials, but only as part of a California Constitutional Amendment mandating a part-time 2-months per year Legislature.

[etlib]

I don't understand how they could combine these [redistricting and term limits] on one ballot. Wouldn't that clearly violate the "single subject" rule?

Editorial in today's San Diego U-T suggests this would be a ploy to have the ballot overturned if it passes.

[calcowgirl]

Thanks! I guess that theme kind of goes along with this from the Mercury News

THE TRUTH ABOUT REDISTRICTING REVEALED: Troubling signals emerged out of Friday's opening conference committee on placing redistricting and term limits on the ballot as one constitutional amendment.

For one, Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, made it clear he was not happy to be there.

"This process is a sham, SCA 10 is a sham," Lowenthal said in his opening remarks. "Term limits reform should not be linked with redistricting reform. If that's the intention of this conference committee, I will under no circumstance vote for any proposal that links the two."

Lowenthal insisted the two be taken up separately, partly because his own measure, SCA 3, is ready to go after six public hearings and numerous drafts. But, also because he worries that voters "will see through" the Legislature's attempt to ride on the shoulders of a good government reform with something that benefits politicians.

"This is an attempt to derail the redistricting proposal," he said. "Those who want to link them have never supported redistricting reform."

Assembly Majority Floor Leader Dario Frommer, D-Glendale, seemed reluctant to have anything come out of the panel.

"I don't think we should be rushed into putting something on the ballot," he said. "If we find something that is ... good for the people, we ought to do it, but we should not be pressured by an artificial deadline. We have ample time for debate."

Ample time? Let's see. Put this to bed now, and there goes any opportunity to get anything out of the Legislature this year. But then, maybe that's the point.

[calcowgirl]

And he's a Democrat! California politics are strange.

He's worked pretty hard on this Constitutional Amendment. I think he sees some in his own party trying to derail it. See my post above from the Mercury News.