Posted on 01/08/2003 8:17:19 AM PST by rockhead
Stenholm wants to double terms By Tara Copp / Reporter-News Washington Bureau January 8, 2003
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm said he will file legislation to extend House members’ terms from two years to four.
Two months ago, Stenholm survived a nail-biting re-election challenge from Republican Rob Beckham. Stenholm garnered 51 percent of the vote to claim a 13th term, and the close call already has the national Republican Party eyeballing the seat in 2004.
Stenholm said he has been considering filing a bill to expand members’ terms for the last six years, during which he has thrice faced stiff election-year challenges. He said he has always been talked out of filing the legislation because of the perception it would be self-serving.
Pressure from constituents has convinced him otherwise, he said.
"I’ve had enough constituents in the last two campaigns say, ‘Why don’t you go to four-year terms?’" Stenholm said. "I think two-year terms, the costs associated with them — the constant campaigning and the constant need for money-raising — that we ought to seriously have this discussion, since we’ve gone to four-year terms for governors, state officials."
Beckham called the explanation a "nice rationalization," but said the end effect would make it harder for challengers to topple incumbents who would have more time to accumulate war chests.
"It doesn’t really make a lot of sense to me to get away from the wisdom of our founding fathers," Beckham said. "The representative should be accountable to his constituents on a regular basis. I’d be reticent to change the system that has worked well for over 200 years. I can’t imagine it passing."
A constitutional amendment would be needed to make the change. Stenholm’s bill would have to be passed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress, then ratified by three-fourths of the states, a process that generally takes years.
Stenholm said he believes other members have filed similar bills in the past, but that they were never seriously considered. The bill is just one of Stenholm’s legislative goals this session.
Before the holiday adjournment, he and Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., were working with the White House on Social Security reform legislation they will file.
"My understanding is this will not be a first-hundred-days issue for the president, but if Congress can show support, then the White House will entertain it," Stenholm said. "I am going to do my best to build up congressional support. That will be high on my list of priorities."
Stenholm was re-appointed the ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. From that vantage point he said he will continue to work on water, conservation and Farm Bill issues.
It's just too much work for a social vampire. I mean really.
Active Democrat is an oxymoron.
Gee, here's an idea: try concentrating on doing your job, rather than trying to keep it.
that we ought to seriously have this discussion, since we’ve gone to four-year terms for governors, state officials."
We know better than those silly Founders. What have they ever thought of, anyway?
...unlike a certain junior Senator from a certain eastern state who proposed her first Constitutional Amendment, abolishing the Electoral College, before her ass had completely whooshed the air out of her seat cushion.
Did somebody hold a gun to his head and make him run? He can quit.
Easy... a limit of ONE term. Then NO campaigning will EVER distract a representative from his job for even a single DAY. If America could find sufficient representatives when we had one rep for every 10,000 citizens, I think we can get by now that we have 500,000 to choose from for every post.
That goes for the Senate, as well. The Presidency can still go for two terms, since that is a place for individual leadership, and often it takes more than 4 years to make progress.
The size of the House of Representatives is set by legislation, not by the Constitution. They can double or triple the size without this amendment.
He'll do anything for the workers but become one.
He stands for what he thinks people will fall for.
I'm sure he's studied both sides of the issue - so he can go around them!
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