Term Limits

I've never been an advocate of term limits for members of congress . I've always considered the vote was the ultimate limit on congressional terms. But, in view of recent events on the political scene I've changed my mind. The tipping point for me was when politicians defeated in primaries refused to concede defeat and launched themselves as independent candidates instead of backing the winners. They just can't accept defeat.

Time has come for an amendment to the Constitution that reads: "No person shall be elected to the Senate more than two times, nor serve more than twelve years; and no person shall be elected to the House of Representatives more than four times, nor serve more than eight years."

In days long gone people elected to congress were businessmen, farmers, preachers, or just plain ordinary folks. They served and then returned home to resume their life. Not so now days. We have professional career politicians made up mostly of lawyers, bureaucrats, and political hacks. They spend most of their time and effort so soundly entrenching themselves in office that they accomplish little else. Over time they build such a strong constituency of special monied interests it is difficult, if not impossible, to unseat them. They stay so long they truly believe they are entitled to retain their seats of power in spite of all else, and the longer they stay the more prone they become to unsavory deals of self enrichment.

Anymore it costs so much to undertake a campaign for congress that only the very rich or very well politically connected with special interests are able to run for office.

Term limits may, just may, kind of level the playing field.

Addendum: After I posted this I talked with my son via phone and he told me about this URL that aptly describes precisely what I mean. It is an audio but very funny and appropriate.

http://www.itsnotyourseatlisa.com/