Term Limits was widely debated in the media in 1989 so it’s not surprising that schools in twenty-four states were motivated to write about the subject. The Harry Singer Foundation wanted young people to know that adults wanted to hear their opinion regarding public policy in the country they would inherit and to encourage them to take an active role in the various layers of government at an early age.
The Foundation took a minimum of one excerpt from every entry and arranged them to tell a story that conveyed the various viewpoints.
We believe that readers will find the subject and excerpts interesting, but more importantly, recognize that young people are interested in public policy issues and in some instances only need an introduction and an audience. We invite you to read this book and be their audience.
Original Title
Should Terms of Those Serving In The House of Representatives Be Limited? Why, How, or Why Not?
Term Limits was widely debated in the media in 1989 so it’s not surprising that schools in twenty-four states were motivated to write about the subject. The Harry Singer Foundation wanted young people to know that adults wanted to hear their opinion regarding public policy in the country they would inherit and to encourage them to take an active role in the various layers of government at an early age.
The Foundation took a minimum of one excerpt from every entry and arranged them to tell a story that conveyed the various viewpoints.
We believe that readers will find the subject and excerpts interesting, but more importantly, recognize that young people are interested in public policy issues and in some instances only need an introduction and an audience. We invite you to read this book and be their audience.
Term Limits was widely debated in the media in 1989 so it’s not surprising that schools in twenty-four states were motivated to write about the subject. The Harry Singer Foundation wanted young people to know that adults wanted to hear their opinion regarding public policy in the country they would inherit and to encourage them to take an active role in the various layers of government at an early age.
The Foundation took a minimum of one excerpt from every entry and arranged them to tell a story that conveyed the various viewpoints.
We believe that readers will find the subject and excerpts interesting, but more importantly, recognize that young people are interested in public policy issues and in some instances only need an introduction and an audience. We invite you to read this book and be their audience.
Term Limits was widely debated in the media in 1989 so schools in
twenty-Iour states were motivated to enter our Term Limits contest. We wanted young people to know that adults wanted to hear their opinion regarding public policy in the country they would inherit and to encourage them to take an active role in the various layers oI government at an early age. To this end we took a minimum oI one excerpt Irom every entry. We ordered them to tell a story that conveyed the various viewpoints we discovered as we read the essays.
We didn`t print proIessionally bound books in 1990. but did prepare Ieedback Ior the participating schools. their local press and all 535 members oI Congress. As the excerpts were identiIied only by state. in our cover letters to the members oI Congress we mentioned the schools that participated Irom their states and suggested they commend the teacher and students. Like so many oI the issues debated over the past twenty years. the term limit issue persists today. Over the years there has been some progress at the state and city level. In the appendix we have listed the 15 states that had term limits Ior elected oIIicials as oI 2008. However. there has not been much movement at the Iederal level. Required Reading and Questions became an integral part oI our contests in 1993. I have included Required Reading and Questions in this book as an example. Also in the appendix we`ve updated the issue with a selection oI pro and con discussions.. We hope that readers will Iind the subiect and excerpts interesting. but more importantly. realize that young people are interested in public policy issues and in some instances only need an introduction and an audience. Today you are that audience. Margaret Bohannon-Kaplan, Co-Founder The Harry Singer Foundation Carmel, California November 24, 2008
1 The 1989-1990 Harry Singer Foundation National High School Essay Contest
Subject: Should Terms of Those Serving In The House of Representatives Be Limited? Why, How or Why Not?
First Prize = $100
Second Prize = $ 50
Third Prize = $ 25 Rules The prizes will be awarded at every school entering ten or more students. Winners will be selected and schools notified on or before May 22, 1990.
The essay may be the result of a classroom assignment or may be written independent of all normal classes.
Presentation to be typed, double spaced and between 750 and 1000 words in length. Essays must be submitted to the Harry Singer Foundation before noon May 1, 1990. P. O. Box 223159Carmel, California 93922
2 1989-1990 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
Subject: Should Terms of Those Serving In The House of Representatives Be Limited? Why, How or Why Not?
The Iollowing are excerpts taken Irom the 1990 Essay Contest papers submitted by students Irom schools across the country. In 1990 we didn't publish students' names. Quotes were identiIied only by state.
CHOICES TO LIMIT... 'Either way someone is going to lose this battle. whether it be the Representatives themselves. by losing the privilege oI running Ior unlimited terms. or the U.S. citizens who lose interest in the voting process because they Ieel their votes don't make a diIIerence. I myselI am Ior limiting Representative terms. This would make us. the citizens. winners because we would be able to Ieel our votes actually made a diIIerence and that the people we vote in will actually accomplish something. AIter all. democracy was set up Ior the people. not Ior the people running government. Iowa 3 'And iI the American public is too lazy to research their candidates. let us prevent them Irom voting Ior the same incumbent Ior thirty years. In light oI these Iacts it is most iust and democratic to limit the terms oI those serving in the House oI Representatives to twelve year terms. |It is likely the student was reIerring to six 2-year terms.| Missouri 'The eIIects oI limited terms would not iust aIIect individual representatives; it would also greatly aIIect party politics. This is a very strong Iorce in Congress. II the terms would to be limited. that would mean that there would be a greater turnover rate oI representatives. which in turn would mean a greater variance in the number oI members belonging to a certain party. With power shiIting Irom party to party. the inIluence oI party politics would decrease. This means that representatives could vote to beneIit their constituents and not be so intimidated by crossing party lines. I Ieel that less party politics would be greatly beneIicial in itselI. There are many good legislative ideas that never come into being simply because they were proposed by the minority rather than the maiority party. South Dakota 'Some people argue that limiting Representatives terms would reduce the power oI the House. I do not believe that I agree with that. It may even make it somewhat stronger. There would be new Iresh people coming in with new ideas. and the people would work harder to get the iob done beIore their term is through. South Carolina 'Those against limiting the number oI terms Ieel that iI the voters do not like the iob being done then they can vote them out. But that is not always true. II the opposing candidate is not too well known. the incumbent is likely to win. Pennsylvania 'The whole idea that once a person is elected to the House that they remain on the ballot to be reelected. or until someone beats them. is ridiculous. This shows how voters can be unwise and continue voting Ior a certain person iust because they recognize the name or enioy some privileges that come Irom that certain representative. All people. no matter iI they are rich or not. should have a Iair chance in 4 beating an incumbent. Limiting the terms would accomplish exactly that. Wisconsin 'However some may ask why should a person be removed or unseated` iI he or she is proIicient in all aspects oI his or her work. The answer I give is that in this country we practice the process oI everyone having a chance to prove him or herselI. II we do not set limits to the terms set in the House oI Representatives. people will be Iorced to vote Ior the politician who has been re-elected time aIter time because they are aIraid oI change or 'ruining a good thing' Virginia 'II the voting citizens were Iorced to make a choice between three brand new candidates every so many years. they would wake up and take a more active interest in what is happening in our government. Ohio 'Reasons supporting the amendment. however. are much simpler: too many incumbents stay elected Ior decades at a time; too many businesses thrive on having a permanent ally in the legislature; too much pressure oI getting re-elected increases need Ior campaign Iinancing; and too Iew voters actually know what is going on. Since the pressure oI campaign money and Iavors Irom wealthy constituents is obviously prevalent. what will stop every single representative Irom becoming permanent dupes Ior the rich and inIluential? At least with a limit on the number oI terms. big business will not have nearly as Iirm a grasp on the hearts. minds and bank accounts oI representatives. Alabama 'Term limits would make it possible Ior leadership positions to change hands more oIten. and that would produce leaders who are more aware oI new and important issues Iacing Congress. Minnesota OR NOT TO LIMIT 'On the other hand. in a case in which a representative is not doing his iob the way that it should be done. it is up to each and every registered voter to make sure that representative is not re-elected. It 5 may not always be the politicians that are making the mistakes; it could be the voters that are making the mistake oI electing them in the Iirst place. I believe that it is corrupt citizens that cause us to have corrupt politicians. This is the problem with politics these days. and I think that a representative that is doing his iob and helping our country to prosper in some way. should not be penalized or limited to a certain number oI terms iust because their time is up. Oklahoma 'II the representatives in the House did not hold the viewpoints and opinions oI the people. then they would not be representatives. Re- election every two years helps the voters to have a say-so in the perIormance oI their representative. The more the people are allowed a say-so in their government the happier the people will be and the more inIormed the representatives will be concerning changing ideas and opinions. The people give these representatives the power to run this country and without the consent oI the people there could be no government. South Carolina 'Limiting the number oI terms may cause legislative members to lose contact with voters because they would not have to worry about re- election. This could lead to widespread abuse oI representative power. Pennsylvania 'II the representative knows he could get re-elected. he will be more apt to do his iob. Iowa 'II the community wants a person to be elected a third or a Iourth or even a tenth time. then let it be. Don't put a restraint on what the voters want.... I am oI the opinion that excluding a congressman with valuable experience is a huge waste. Virginia 'No sense throwing away good members simply because their time has run out. When the incumbent decides to retire or his or her spot needs to be Iilled due to vacancy. then let's put in a new member. not because his time is up. South Dakota 6 'Individuals in both the House oI Representatives and the Senate are not perIect. But isn't it the right and responsibility oI the voter to determine whether or not they are Iit Ior oIIice? Yes. it is. I Ieel that iI the voters are properly inIormed and motivated that t hey will make the right decision. No one has the right to take that away Irom them nobody! Maryland 'Limiting the terms oI congressmen would be a negative Iorce because it would cause loss oI experience. prevent the Iruition oI ideas. and deny the American people the right to decide who governs. Ohio 'In this case. iI someone is doing a good enough iob to keep getting re-elected by the people he/she represents. let them keep doing it Ior as long as the people want them to. A government oI the people. Ior the people and by the peopleisn't that how it is supposed to work? South Carolina LET ME COUNT THE WAYS 'Certainly. we as American voters. attempt to elect the candidates who we Ieel exempliIy the characteristics we demand Irom the work Iorce. But the task becomes diIIicult when a candidate reaches a point and/or age when he cannot successIully complete these duties. This is why a Representative's term oI oIIice should be limited to Iour terms. with a mandatory retirement age oI 72. Pennsylvania 'I Ieel the terms shouldn't be limited to only two or Iour terms. Representatives do need to acquire some experience in Congress. and Iour or eight years isn't long enough Ior that. But I don't think that they should be there Ior twenty-Iive and thirty years. I think twenty years or ten terms is suIIicient time Ior the representatives to acquire the knowledge and experience they are seeking. Wisconsin 'An idea may be to say a person may not run Ior election Ior the House oI Representatives aIter the age oI seventy. Those 7 who have served over IiIteen terms may no longer serve as a representative but will receive twelve thousand dollars a year Ior the rest oI their liIe. Since the other two branches have ideas like this we should include this type oI idea Ior the legislature. Iowa 'By staying out Ior a 2-year term aIter serving Ior six years would give any representative ample opportunity to travel into all communities to visit with the people. People have many constructive ideas. and by having a lot oI input. the legislator could sort out valuable inIormation to Iile Ior Iuture use while listening sincerely to everyone. Kansas MORE CHOICES -- OUT WITH THE OLD 'The old Representatives don't have to worry about problems like the deIicit because it doesn't aIIect them. It is the younger generation's problem now. Iowa 'The terms oI those persons serving in the United States House oI Representatives should be limited because oI corruption. tyranny and age. Ohio 'A mandatory retirement age oI 70 should be adopted. This would allow Ior a person to have a late appearance on the national scene and still be able to serve a large number oI years. A mandatory retirement at age 70 would not allow Representatives to serve terms up to the point at which they can no longer Iunction properly. A Representative should be allowed to Iinish the term that he is serving when the mandatory retirement age is reached. Illinois 'I don't think that a representative that has been in Congress Ior thirty years should be making decisions that will aIIect the Iuture lives oI my generation. and not theirs. The people that should be making those decisions should be people new to the House oI Representatives; they should be aware oI the newer generation's values and belieIs and be able to make the best decisions Ior us. I am not saying there needs to 8 be a limit on the age a representative can be. there iust needs to be a limit on how long a person can be in the House oI Representatives. This limit will allow people that have recently been part oI the general public to make the decisions that will be aIIecting the general public. Minnesota 'I think the younger generation is more willing to work. and they seem to get things done quicker than they are getting done now. Also they will more concern Ior our government and our people. The younger generation will have more and new ideas. Maybe more kids ages 18-24 would vote iI they could identiIy with the candidates. Iowa 'At the present time there are several people in the House that are well over 70 years oI age. Usually. as a person ages. he becomes very set in his views on politics and liIe in general. There is a much higher percentage oI people under the age oI 70 in the United States. It stands to reason that because a maiority oI our representatives are older citizens. the younger generation is possibly in danger oI not being represented in the best manner. Kansas 'Most older people would tend to stick with one person. usually the incumbent. no matter what he does. The older generation is iust not inIormed enough. They are not open to change and thereIore none will happen. Some people iust don't realize what new minds in the House oI Representatives could do. Virginia THE YOUNGER GENERATION CONTINUES TO SPEAK OUT. HEAR! HEAR! 'The other issue to me is that we pay tax dollars that go toward the campaign Iunds with no change back. This means that when elections come again and that candidate runs he still gets oII like a Iat cat because they have the millions oI dollars leIt over Irom the previous campaign to keep campaigning. I would suggest that they should be required to do something useIul with the money. such as help those who are in need. Whatever; there needs to be some kind oI law addressing this issue. It 9 doesn't have to be as I've stated it. but something along those terms. Ohio
'I Ieel that one month should be given to all representatives to campaign Ior re-election...Problems oI the two year term include: the high cost oI campaigning every two years. the workload oI members and their staIIs. midterm elections because they usually result in a reduced amount oI the number oI the President's party in Congress (but some claim this as a strength) and Irequent campaigning is a problem because it takes time away Irom his/her legislative responsibilities. Maine
'In more populated states that have more representatives. iI most oI them are re-elected year aIter year. they may begin to Iorm cliques. Then they may work together to push ideas through Congress and into bills which may mainly be to the beneIit oI their state or their own interests. This is where I Ieel states with a lower population and Iewer representatives are at a disadvantage.... I live in South Dakota where we only have one representative and wonder iI he doesn't get cheated out oI debating on some issues iI other representatives gang up on him. SouthDakota
'A way to get everyone's opinion about this topic is by letting the people have a chance to speak up. One way I thought oI is when we vote Ior the representative. On the ballot there should be a question to answer iI you want the term oI the representative to be limited. Iowa
'I love the country in which I live.... but it is also disturbing and sad that when I walk out oI this school next year I had better hope that I know some very inIluential people. Schools are to teach you English. algebra. history. but do they have the right to show to the students that most everything in liIe that they will do will be based on politics? Maybe they teach these things to prepare us Ior what liIe truly is.; but then what does a person have to look Iorward to. to dream Ior? This country is based on the dreams oI people. Oklahoma
'The power oI the incumbency still remain a problem. In order to 10 deal with this. the incumbent must IorIeit several oI his advantages or simply give an extra advantage to his opponent. For example. the incumbent should only be allowed to have one-halI oI the campaign Iunds his or her opponent is able to raise to run Ior oIIice. Virginia
'Americans oIten complain about the corruption that exists in today's political world. but somehow Iail to realize that they are primarily responsible. California
'Looking at our government today Irom a teenager's point oI view may not seem that important to adults. But looking ahead twenty or thirty years will show us that we will be the ones in the Senate and we will be the ones representing the people in the House oI Representatives. Since this is true. I think young teens should take a good look at the government and come up with some logical answers to the problems we Iace today. Ohio
'In short. I believe that the Iollowing ought to be enIorced in the House oI Representatives: 1. Require Iull disclosure oI the member's Iinancial holdings and income. his inIluence on executive branch departments and regulatory agencies. 2. Require Iull disclosure oI the member's donation sources. 3. A limited amount oI money that can be spent on campaign eIIorts and a ban on donations Irom lobbying companies and organizations. 4. A limited term oI two Iour year terms. 5. A system oI checks and balances where constituents report on the positions and actions representatives are taking. Minnesota ITS UNFORTUNATE MANY STUDENTS FEEL THIS WAY
'Many powerIul businessmen are interested in politics and can buy or inIluence votes. Once the man or woman is in that they want in. they can tell them how to vote. This usually comes to the people with experience because they are more likely to get re-elected. It ends up with the business world controlling the government. Wisconsin
'II they are older and have been in oIIice Ior awhile they tend to become less concerned with issues and more concerned with iust 11 making people happy by lying. They also have a tendency to take bribes.... When someone has run Ior an oIIice and has held it Ior awhile. they do not care iI they make some bad decisions because they Iigure iI they do not get re-elected they have done enough and made enough money to be happy and they can iust retire. Ohio
'My Iaith in politics is near extinction. All too oIten I hear oI deceitIul dealings. an improper Iinancial handling by Presidential hopeIuls. Senators and Representatives. I think that there ought to be a limit on the number oI terms that Representatives may serve because the scandals seem to be brought on by Representatives who have been in the House too long. By limiting terms. we are sending a clear message to all Representatives that we mean business. No longer will we tolerate inequitable representation. Minnesota
'Making American better is more important that making the public happy. This may seem like a contradiction. but it is not. When parents tell their children what to do. the children may not like it. but oIten they do not understand why their parents make them do it. The maiority oI the American public is like children; too naive to realize what may seem bad is actually good Ior America. Members oI the House oI Representatives should be their parents. perIorm the tasks that need to be done regardless oI whether the public understands why or not. They cannot do this now because iI they appear to have poor iudgment the American people. will not re-elect them. NewJersey
'In today's world oI political corruption. it's time we take a step back and look at our government. When the Constitution oI the United States oI America was written in 1787. the people who Iramed it were all honest men. concerned with only one thing; to create and protect a strong. independent. Iree nation. They were men like Alexander Hamilton. James Madison. and Beniamin Franklin; men who put hours oI work into creating the perIect 'law oI the land'. In Article I. Section I. Congress was given all legislative powers. and divided into two houses; the Senate and the House oI Representatives. Since 1787 many things have changed; the Constitution had to be amended 26 times and many oI the men who are in our Congress are not as respectable and prestigious as were their IoreIathers. Iowa 12 Some excerpts below provide food for thought; others provide smiles: 'Fresh ideas could become a thing oI the past. Ohio
'Many people will throw out an apple iI they Iind a wormhole in it. I. on the other hand. say make cider out oI it. II there are incompetent Congressmen in our House oI Representatives. then I believe that the people should squeeze them out come election time. Pennsylvania
'Politicians are not real people. |What or who are they then?| Indiana 'People who have been in Congress Ior Iorty or IiIty years may still hold the same worn out viewpoints on certain issues. That is a scary thought when you think that Iorty or IiIty years ago. guys sat on the opposite end oI the couch as the girl on a date. SouthCarolina
'Sooner or later we are all going to pass on. The death oI an incumbent is one way Ior new people to be able to obtain a seat in the House oI Representatives. Even though it may not be so glamorous. it is still Iair and it is a ticket to be publicly recognized. Maryland
'Moreover. iI Iewer campaigns are necessary Ior representatives. maybe Iewer babies will catch colds Irom sickly politicians. Alabama
'Looking at it Irom the bad side. liIetime memberships are capable oI producing problems. No term limits means incumbents could stay in oIIice. Pennsylvania
'The terms oI our representatives is a very pressing issue anyway you choose to look at it.... It's iust too bad it could not be as easily resolved as would the decision as to whether everyone in the House oI Representatives should eat broccoli or not. California 'I don't think there should be any oI this liIe term stuII because the representative becomes like Iood that has been in the reIrigerator too long. It spoils and is useless to everyone. So let us iust keep the 13 reIrigerator stocked with Iresh. new ideas and keep our states running smoothly. Massachusetts
'Two years isn't a long time-span Ior a representative. It may seem long Ior some workers who work. Ior example. in a clothing store or maybe secretarial iobs. but in a high class (iob) such as the House oI Representatives. it's considered a pretty short time-span. Maryland
'Proponents contend that new Iaces will bring new ideas. This is a trite argument on which to base a serious decision. Most oI these 'new ideas' proposed by these 'new Iaces' are simply the 'old ideas' oI 'old Iaces'. Florida
The excerpts below show some students were confused:
'In the United States people have the right to vote Ior whomever they wish running Ior the position. That is not the case in the House oI Representatives. Americans are not granted with the right to elect these representatives. Like in the communist nations. these representatives are appointed by a speciIic group oI political oIIicials known as Congress. Isn't that un-American? Isn't that a Iorm oI communist dictatorship? We the people do not have the right to elect our own House oI Representatives.there are too many Representatives. Is it really necessary Ior us to have one hundred and two oI them?...during his six year term our Representative did nothing oI signiIicance. California
|To set the record straight-American citizens do elect their Representatives. CaliIornia had 52 Representatives in 1990. The term oI a U.S. Representative is two yearsa U.S. Senate term is six years.|
'Some oI the representatives who are in the House Ior a long time are known as conservatives. A conservative is someone who keeps the governmental ideas as they were. not making any changes.the people who voted them into oIIice oIten wonder why they voted Ior them in the Iirst place. AIter a while people wonder when there will be any change. When there are changes that are wanted by the people. 14 A conservative is the last person you would want in oIIice. So in the next election. to no one's surprise. a liberal would most likely be voted in. A liberal is the type oI person who wants a change in the previous conservative ideas. As long as the people are happy with the changes he makes. that person will be in oIIice Ior a while. A conservative is content with a good government. while a liberal will try to make a good government into a great one. Massachusetts |It may be that Democrats see no conIusion here.|
'At this time. members oI the House oI Representatives serve a Iour year term.|MisinIormation. regarding a representative`s legitimate term oI service and years between elections was plentiIul. South Dakota 'I personally think that a term oI six years is too long Ior a representative. I think that the term should be shortened. at least to three year terms. There are several reasons why I think the term should be shortened...I think that the Representative would be more accountable Ior their actions iI they had to be elected every three years. Indiana
'The second reason why United States Representatives should not be allowed to serve more than one term is that it is unconstitutional. Indiana
'Back in the time oI Theodore Roosevelt's presidency. he ran into trouble with the Supreme Court concerning his New Deal programs. Indiana
Below are advantages that occur when new members join the house of representatives. More examples are in the Appendix.
'The rookie has an enviable quality; inexperience. A representative returning to oIIice Ior the Iourth time Ieels that he knows what tactics or legislation will work and what won't. He has placed limits on his abilities and power to aid the people by setting limits on the extent oI his iob. A new politician. ala Mr. Smith. has room Ior idealism. He can take risks because the system has not dulled his daring. He can take risks because oI navete. or unIamiliarity with the ways oI operation. Massachusetts 15 'II terms are limited. the House would gain momentum; there would never be anyone there permanently. With each new member. new ideas would be presented increasing the House's knowledge each time. Iowa
'The incumbent Ieels the pressure oI his colleagues. A person Iresh to Congress Ieels the pressure to do what's best Ior the people he/she represents. The Iormalities oI politics are yet to be learned; in the mean meantime. there is the Ireedom inexperience can oIIer. We need Representatives who haven't been shaped by habits. A Iresh perspective on current issues can be the key to creative solutions to problems. Vitality in the House lends vitality to the government. Massachusetts
'These representatives will bring with them a Iresh knowledge oI the problems their people are Iacing. and a lot oI new ideas to help solve those problems. They will have possibly already been Iacing some oI those problems themselves. so they will know what it is like to be on the side having the problems and not iust be on the side that makes the solutions. Having new people in the House oI Representatives more oIten will help give Congress an extra edge in dealing with things. Minnesota
'Let the new generation with new ideas in and toss them around awhile. They might actually be as good or better than the old ones! Wisconsin
Below students layout several disadvantages that occur when there is no turnover in the House of Representatives:
'The thought oI new ideas and new (inexperienced) Iaces is well received. but it should not necessarily be considered more important or better than experienced representatives. Certain proposals or ideas Irom entrenched incumbents may not Iare better than Irom old. members. Florida
'Even iI it came to pass that the number oI terms oI a Congressman were to be limited. it would probably not improve 16 the system oI legislature that we now have. We would have all these energetic and zealous young Congressmen who would not have the know-how to operate at the high level oI excellence that experienced legislators would have. In short. nothing can really adequately be substituted in the place oI experience. Pennsylvania
'By limiting the number oI terms Ior Congressmen and women. a constant succession oI new people and new ideas are rushed through the system.... Contradictory laws may be passed due to rapid changes and the mindsets represented.... The same succession oI mindsets may cause dramatic changes in the Iocus oI spending. California
'An incumbent already knows the ropes and can continue almost without stopping. This means that programs that he/she was working on. will continue to get attention instead oI being put aside while someone is trying to Iigure out what is going on. South Carolina
'There is a need Ior diversity in the House to prevent the younger generation Irom dominating the older. Programs Ior the elders are needed or else there will be a tragedy among the older generation in that iI the youth does not care Ior them. who will? This is also true Ior the younger generation as well. The old must care Ior the young and vice versa. This mix oI ideas is needed Ior the country to Iunction. Ohio
'Where is the borderline oI old and experienced and old and Ieeble- minded? Massachusetts Incumbents 'The subiect oI experience is another reason Ior unlimited terms. Experience in any Iield is a valuable assist when used right. A House member may be unable to attain his desired goals his Iirst Iew terms because oI inexperience. With age or length oI service he might Iigure out some oI the tricks that it takes to get a bill that represents his constituents' ideas passed. A senior member also gives the House stability when it re-convenes aIter an election. Iowa 17 'The older members get. the wiser their decisions will become. However. it could also turn in the opposite direction. South Carolina
'Overall. the older people. or in other words. more experienced people. know what has worked and Iailed. Experience. then. is one oI the key points to why terms should be kept unlimited. Iowa
'Older members oI Congress should be able to propose more new legislation because they have more old legislation to draw Irom." Florida
'There needs to be an equal representation between young and old members oI the House. Young representatives will be more concerned about the government. land and national debt simply because they are young and will be aIIected by these things Ior a longer time. On the other hand. older members will be concerned with social security and Medicare. A more equal representation between the age groups will cause a better representation oI the people. Iowa
'Members oI the House oI Representatives with many years oI experience in oIIice have a niche in our complex legal system. They also have witnessed changes in our society and reIormation within it. Consequently. previous knowledge has given them insight Ior the Iuture while coping with diIIerent types oI people has made them Ilexible. They know how to accomplish tasks and their dealings with various individuals enables them to complete this. Their vast relationships with members oI their party. governmental employees. and those with similar ideals all assist in completing the elimination oI problems. They are a history book in themselves. a mixture oI past. present and subsequent problems to be solved. They have remained reliable and thereIore. are 'pillars oI our society'. For these reasons. those in the House oI Representatives should not be discriminated against because oI their years oI honorable service to America. Ohio Politicians--heroes or scoundrels?
The problem is... 'My only complaint is that issues discussed during campaigning 18 are localized instead oI national. because as a Representative oI the United States. they'll be dealing with many national issues. Pennsylvania
'II people don't like the iob that their Representative is doing. then they should do something about it. The only way to get into oIIice is to be elected. People oI the United States need to exercise their right to vote more and get qualiIied people into oIIice. Another thing members oI the public could do is to run Ior oIIices themselves. Many times Representatives are elected into oIIice simply because they are the only candidate on the ballot. Iowa
'Bureaucracy is oI course unstoppable and inevitable. but it can be limited by having as many civically minded and responsible individuals as possible enter the House. South Carolina
'The purpose oI government. and more speciIically the democratic United States government. is to let the people. by way oI representa- tives. decide the needs and laws oI the country. Representatives are chosen by the people to do a service; represent them. This service should not become a proIession or a liIetime occupation. A Represen- tative should be honored to serve Ior one or two terms and then return to a normal liIestyle among the grassroots oI America. This would allow other individuals to |attempt to do| the wishes oI the people and bring new thoughts and energy to the House. Virginia
if you can't stand the heat
'Many times it seems that members who have been in oIIice a long time are not receptive to new ideas. They also Iail to act quickly and eIIiciently when new problems arise and Iind it diIIicult to deal accordingly with such problems. As members oI Congress get older. they lose touch with the new generations. The public's needs and belieIs should be the essence oI the Representative's iob. Ohio
'In every election since 1960. the House has moved Iurther away Irom the people. The House oI Representatives is no longer a cradle oI democracy. but an impenetrable chamber oI proIessional 19 legislators. Minnesota
'UnIortunately Americans look upon the problems our leaders have caused or the problems our leaders have not stopped. with the attitude that 'they are doing the best that they can'. This may be true. but the problems are still there. Our leaders look at many issues everyday. but it always seems the same ones pop up and the same ones get shuIIled to the bottom oI the pile. II our leaders cannot take care oI the most obvious problems. what are they going to do when an unnoticed problem slips by their Iingertips? Alabama
'The House oI Representatives gets all hung up in regulating businesses and people; they Iorget to regulate themselves Iowa
'A Senator can disregard the will oI his electors during the Iirst two years oI his term and still hope that the people would Iorget by the time he stands Ior the re-election Iour years later. Even Presidents enioy a honeymoon during their Iirst year in oIIice when they can do pretty much as they please without Iearing a back-lash Irom the citizens three years later; members oI the House. how-ever. must be in tune with their constituents Irom the very Iirst day they take oIIice. New York
'What concerns me is to think oI our representatives not having enough back bone to stick up Ior what is right Ior Iear oI not being re- elected. Is it their iob to be re-elected year aIter year or is it to do what is right no matter who approves? It doesn't matter what your iob is. Irom being employed at McDonalds to having an oIIice in the House. What matters is iI the iob is being done to the best ability it can be done. California
Incumbents have so many advantages they are almost impossible to beat!
'II they lose their iob as a representative. their next iob is a step downward. In order to please as many voters as possible. congress- 20 men take very lukewarm positions on most topics. They are scared to have strong opinions which may oIIend voters. Minnesota
'America has a great supply oI citizens who would be oI great public service. but most members run unopposed or are so well Iinanced by special-interest groups and wealthy individuals that other citizens hardly have a chance. Iowa
'II a representative could serve only a 2-year term our younger gener- ation might get a chance to develop their ideas in today's age as it should be. What is our chance when a person who is already a rep- resentative knows more people and has more money to campaign than any other candidate? That's why it's unIair to the younger generation unless he knows as many people and has the money to buy himselI in. which undoubtedly would be impossible to do. North Dakota
'Due to the Iact that the maiority oI the members oI the House oI Representatives choose to maintain their positions until they retire. they will continue to run in elections. with a good chance at winning. their advantages lie in the Iact that. having already served. they have made themselves Iamiliar to the public. Many voters do not bother to research the other runners involved in a House election; they simply vote Ior a name that they recognize on the ballot. Ohio
'Citizens do not and can not take the time out to be overly involved in their government and Ior those who take time enough to vote. their obvious choice is Ior the name they had heard once beIore. maybe at a party somewhere. It would be stretching it to say that even over halI oI the people in the U.S. know who their representatives are. let alone who ran against them last year. With good or bad credentials. those once elected have a great advantage over those running Ior the Iirst time. iust on the Iact that he has more name recognition than his opponent. Those motivated by the desire to become re-elected will become re-elected. Oklahoma
'Few citizens evaluate representatives on their views or vote on issues. UnIortunately. members oI Congress are iudged on how they 21 serve their people. their communications with the district. attendance records. small Iavors done over the years. and unimportant matters. New York
'Congressmen. Senators. Mayors and House members have been accused oI being dishonest. To cure this problem we need to be more selective in choosing our government leaders and be more restrictive once they are chosen. It seems that our current leaders have been given too many privileges and too much Ireedom that has been taken advantage oI. Minnesota
We the people 'When a truly controversial topic arises. such as abortion or capital punishment. you can bet groups on both sides oI the issue will also arise. These groups take an active part in swaying borderline politicians' decisions. This. along with voting. is how the general public can take part in the government. When I hear common people passionately arguing over politics. I am Iilled with pride and realize that democracy will not die as long as the people believe in it and take interest. Illinois
'It seems that the citizens oI the United States are too willing to sit back and let the government do all the work. Voter participation is absolutely terrible and it is not looking any better Ior the Iuture. Pennsylvania 'There are always citizens that advocate Ior change. Maybe iI Congressmen were changed more oIten. a larger number oI people would be content with the status quo and the world would be a better place. Iowa
'The biggest obstacle is that the House would have to vote on term limits. It would be their choice whether or not to limit their own terms. It seems almost impossible that they would do this. Persuasion Irom citizens cannot hurt. Do not Ieel that your voice does not count. You elected them. and you have a right to speak your mind. Tennessee 22 'As Iar as not getting any new and Iresh ideas into the House oI Representatives. iI one is so concerned. it is permissible to write to members oI Congress and tell them how you Ieel and what you think should be done.. It is every citizen's duty to vote and write to his or her congress member. That`s the only way term limits or any other changes that people want will happen. It is being patriotic. Ohio
'The new generations are increasingly disillusioned with the government. They Ieel that it is a great big bureaucracy and that the people who hold oIIice care nothing Ior them. Legislators who have held oIIice Ior many years are oIten unconcerned with new and important issues such as the environment. minority rights and many other issues. Many people Ieel leIt out oI the government simply because it does not represent them and what they care about. It`s too bad that many oI these people no longer bother to vote. An alarmingly small number oI eighteen-year-olds bother to register or vote. This helps prevent new people with new ideas Irom being elected. South Carolina 'Most people don't know what their Representative is doing. but they ought to know. People need to be better educated about how the government runs.. The voters oI America should not be blind to what is going on in our country; especially about those topics which could inIluence their lives. II people were more educated about politics. there we`d deIinitely have more qualiIied citizens voting. Minnesota
'II the voters elect a person to serve Ior several terms. then it is the voters' Iault that this person served too many terms. A lack oI education by the people is a democracy's greatest worry. but until that time when all the members oI the electorate are well educated. there is virtually no way in which a better system Ior elections could be developed. New Jersey
'II we expect our Congressmen to help make our country the best. we too must take part in the transition. Ultimately. we have the power to decide who will be elected and what will be done. and united we have the power to see that beneIicial legislation is enacted. We have to be responsive to the actions oI Congress. It is our obligation to become inIormed. Each vote we cast represents the trust we have put into that 23 individual. California
'It is up to the voters to do their civil duty and vote. thereby preventing any and all unnecessary changes in regards to limiting the representatives' terms in oIIice or to get other legislation enacted. Ohio
'We. the people oI the United States. have been Iortunate in the way oI speaking our minds and expressing ourselves. Voting is our way oI expressing ourselves to our government. South Carolina We call them kids---they're Americas future! Some are bright 'II the House terms were limited. the position would come to be recognized as a mere stepping stone` to a lucrative iob in the private sector. A representative could become elected. serve his terms. leave the oIIice and use his insider's knowledge oI the political process to wield disproportionate inIluence on the government's decision making. Obviously. the revolving door` problem would only be augmented. Illinois
'II the people oI America are wise enough to choose the nation's oIIicials. aren't they capable oI deciding whether those oIIicials are IulIilling their duties and doing what voters hired them to do? Maryland
'Reasons supporting the amendment. however. are much simpler: too many incumbents stay elected Ior decades at a time; too many businesses thrive on having a permanent ally in the legislature; too much pressure oI getting re-elected increases need Ior campaign Iinancing; and too Iew voters actually know what is going on. Since the pressure oI campaign money and Iavors Irom wealthy constituents is obviously prevalent. what will stop every single representative Irom becoming permanent dupes Ior the rich and inIluential? At least with a limit on the number oI terms. big business will not have nearly
24 as Iirm a grasp on the hearts. minds and bank accounts oI representatives. Alabama 'The House should be divided into sections so that only a part oI the House would go up Ior reelection at one time. as the Senate does. This would serve the people better by keeping a maiority oI representatives in the House all oI the time to minimize conIusion and disorganization. It would solve the lack oI experience issue too. South Carolina Some are mistaken 'Like in the communist nations. these representatives are appointed by a speciIic group oI political oIIicials known as Congress. Isn't that un-American? Isn't that a Iorm oI communist dictatorship? We the people don`t have the right to elect our own House oI Representatives there are too many representatives. Is it really necessary Ior us to have one hundred and two oI them? California
'The second reason why United States Representatives should not be allowed to serve more than one term is that it is unconstitutional. Indiana
'At this present time. representatives to the House oI Representatives serve a Iour year term." South Dakota Some are confused 'Six years would be a signiIicant total oI years Ior a representative to do some good Ior the registered voters in his state rather than Ior his constituents. Alabama
And some make us smile 'People who have been in Congress Ior Iorty or IiIty years may still have the same viewpoints on certain issue. That is a scary thought when you think that Iorty or IiIty years ago. guys sat on the opposite end oI the couch as the girl. on a date. South Carolina 25 'Proponents contend that new Iaces will bring new ideas.. Most oI these 'new ideas' proposed by these 'new Iaces' are simply the 'old ideas' oI 'old Iaces'. Florida
'I don't think there should be any oI this liIe term stuII because the representative becomes like Iood that has been in the reIrigerator too long. It spoils and is useless to everyone. So let us iust keep the reIrigerator stocked with Iresh. new ideas and keep our states running smoothly. Massachusetts A few are cynical 'Many powerIul businessmen are interested in politics and can buy or inIluence votes. Once the man or woman is elected that they want to represent their interests. they can tell him or her how to vote.. It ends up with the business world controlling the government. Wisconsin
'II representatives have been out oI oIIice Ior a while. they tend to become less concerned with issues and more concerned with iust making people happy by lying. They also have a tendency to take bribes. Ohio But nearly all believe they can make a difference 'Many people are able to contribute small things that Iit together to Iorm the complete picture oI what America wants. No one can deIine what is best Ior America by themselves. but by allowing each person to contribute. the American ideal becomes more tangible. Massachusetts
'As an American citizen. you are a very important part oI a democracy that bases its entire existence upon this principle: The United State oI America is a democratic republic with representatives made up oI the people. by the people and Ior the people. Minnesota
'This is only the opinion oI one person. but I know one person can count. Tennessee 26
Participating Schools (the ones we were able to track down) 27
28 1989-1990 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
Homewood High School Birmingham, Alabama
1st Beverly Jordan 2nd Rollin Gentry 3rd Douglas Riegert Harding High School Searcy, Arkansas
1st Tim Timitimer 2nd Allan Underwood 3rd Farah Mackey 29 BMF High School Los Angeles, California
1st Michael J. Smith 2nd Kristen Patterson 3rd Zachary Maynard
Colonial High School Orlando, Florida
1st Becky Purdon 2nd Jennifer Bowman 3rd Jennifer Hochell 30 Baptist Christian High School Cleveland, Ohio
1st Jeff Veenstra 2nd Pam Noble 3rd Jeff Howard
Clifton Central High School Clifton, Illinois
1st Andrew J. Cailteux 2nd Brad Weedon 3rd Scott Shell 31 Colonial Christian High School Indianapolis, Indiana
1st Beth Hiscock 2nd Joy Thomas 2nd Kristen Baughey 3rd Jon Estes
Maple Valley High School Mapleton, Iowa
1st Christine Conover 2nd Cyndy Hanson 3rd Lars Vanderbur 32 Goodland High School Goodland, Kansas
1st Tara Goodwin 2nd Vicki L. Callahan 3rd Travis Houk
Central High School Duluth, Minnesota
1st Nick Alexander 2nd Dawn Anderson 3rd Kathleen Mohrman 33 Mt. Greylock High School Williamstown, Massachusetts
1st Richard Rouse 2nd Elizabeth Chang 3rd Aaron Gallagher
Parkdale High School Riverdale, Maryland
1st Barbara Rumberg 2nd Sarah Kim 3rd Marguita L. Posey 34 Lutheran High School Minneapolis, Minnesota
1st Carole Schaeffer 2nd Kate Kitzmann 3rd Rachel Bickel Rapleje High School Rapleje, Montana
1st Jared Erfle 2nd Joshua Dannenber 3rd Courtney Herzog 35 Block Yeshiva High School Saint Louis, Missouri
1st Miriam Davis 2nd Daniel Wolf 3rd Ezekiel Fink Leonia High School Leonia, New Jersey
1st Thomas Kwan 2nd Amy Wu 3rd Adam Jaffe 36 Central Islip High School Central Islip, New York
1st Yvonne Shontee 2nd Michelle Nolan 3rd Rachel Beauchamp Cloudland High School Roan Mountain, Tennessee
1st Kristen Julian 2nd Catherine Pritchard 3rd Scarlett Burleson 37 Lutheran High School Cleveland, Ohio
1st Valerie Coeling 2nd Michelle Perrigo 3rd Linda R. Johnson
Broken Arrow High School Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
1st Heath Kerr Hignight 2nd Brad Deavers 3rd Tim Courtney 38 Hyndman High School Hyndman, Pennsylvania
1st Cadi Sutherland 2nd Melissa D. Bistline 3rd Toni Santucci Iowa-Grant High School Livingston, Wisconsin
1st Jenny Siedenburg 2nd Tracy Coyier 3rd Kent Kramer 39 Wando High School Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
1st Alia Peck 2nd Sharon Strauss 3rd Robert Folsom
Huntington High School Huntington, West Virginia
2nd Jennifer Glick 3rd Alisha Walker 40 Marion High School Marion, South Dakota
1st Charlene Dick
2nd Shawn Hofer 3rd Wallace Waltner Henrico High School Richmond, Virginia
1st Jo Anna Brown 2nd Jennifer Berberick 3 rd Sharon Petska 41 Maplewood High School Maplewood, Pennsylvania
1st Jamie Copeland 2nd Melanie Preston 3rd Richard L. Burrs Oologah High School Oologah, Oklahoma
1st Chad Baker 2nd Holly Clemmons 3rd Wade McPhearson 42 Columbiana High School Columbiana, Ohio
1st Melanie Stoffer 2nd Kelly Jo Summers 3rd L. J. Eberle Pomona High School Pomona, Kansas
1st Thad Combs 2nd Sarah Lea Peffly 3rd Jenni Cook 43 Bolsa Grande High School Garden Grove, California
1st Nikki Nguyen 2nd Scott Brantner 3rd Thao Ta Remson-Union High School Remson, Iowa
1st Juliet Haverhals 2nd Bobbi Sanow 3rd Robby Castle 44 Mestiva Ohr Torah High School Forest Hills, New York
1st Moshe Greenspan 2nd Alan Lewis 3rd Yorah Brander Armwood High School Seffner, Florida
1st Brian Pitzer 2nd Matthew Dudley 3rd Michael Wotherspoon 45 Pioneer High School San Jose, California
1st Audra Smith 2nd Steve Oldenbrook 3rd Christine Wilson Hoosac High School Hoosac, Massachusetts
1st Darienne Hosley 2nd Kate Mulenski 3rd Andres Ferrero 46 Kingman High School Kingman, Kansas
1st Joel Moots 2nd Deanna Schwartz 3rd Steve Gelvin Parma High School Parma, Ohio
1st Chris Baioni 2nd Dena M. Shields
3rd Julie Findley 3rd Betsie Hart 47 Somerset Area High School Somerset, Pennsylvania
1st Steve Shaffer 2nd Mark Sanders 3rd Matt Van Deusen Kiowa High School Kiowa, Oklahoma
1st Kim Newberry 2nd Melanie McMath 3rd Racheal Campbell 48 Armour High School Sioux City, Iowa
1st Orin H. Fink 2nd Patrick Harrington 3rd Mark Browning
49
50 Required Reading
A Little History
Term limits have a long history. There were elected oIIicials in both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome subiect to term limits.
According to Floridian. Robin Fowler. an author and avid student oI ancient history. in Ancient Greece. particularly Athens. the Boule was an assembly oI citizens that were selected to run the day to day aIIairs oI the city-state. The members oI the Boule were not elected; they were chosen by lot and their terms were limited. No citizen could serve on the council oI 500. or boule, Ior more than two terms in his liIetime or Ior two consecutive annual terms. nor be head oI the boule more than once.
In the Roman Republic. a law was passed imposing a limit oI a single term on the oIIice oI Censor. As one might suspect Irom the name one oI the many duties oI a Censor was to count and the number oI Roman citizens document some Iacts about each one. The census was taken every Iive years. AIter the constitutional reIorms that took place in 360 BC. the term oI the Censors was limited to eighteen months Other oIIicialsthe annual magistrates such as the tribune oI the plebs. aedile. quaestor. praetor. and consulwere Iorced to wait number oI years beIore they were permitted to run Ior reelection. Formal limits in America date back to the Pennsylvania Charter oI Liberties oI 1682. and the colonial Irame oI government oI the same year. both authored by William Penn and providing Ior triennial 51 rotation oI the provincial councilthe upper house oI the colonial legislature. The Iollowing was excerpted Irom the writings oI Robert Struble. Jr. Iound at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RotationinoIIice Mr. Struble. Jr. is an educator and author now living in the state oI Washington. Many oI the Iounders oI the American Republic were educated in the classics. and quite Iamiliar with rotation in oIIice during antiquity. The debates oI that day reveal a desire to study and proIit Irom the obiect lessons oIIered by ancient democracy. In June 1776. the continental congress appointed a committee oI thirteen to examine Iorms oI government Ior the impending union oI the States. Among the proposals was that Irom the State oI Virginia. written by Thomas JeIIerson. urging a limitation oI tenure. to prevent every danger which might arise to American Ireedom by continuing too long in oIIice the members oI the Continental Congress....` The committee made recommend- ations. which as regards congressional term-limits were incorporated unchanged into the Articles oI ConIederation (1781- 1789). The IiIth Article stated that "no person shall be capable oI being a delegate |to the continental congress| Ior more than three years in any term oI six years." The year 1776 saw rotation experiments also at the State level. Pennsylvania's new constitution (1776-1790) set maximum service in the state legislature at "Iour years in seven."
Beniamin Franklin's inIluence is seen not only in that he chaired the constitutional convention which draIted the Pennsylvania constitution. but also because it included. virtually unchanged. Franklin's earlier proposals on executive rotation. Pennsylvania's plural executive was composed oI twelve citizens elected Ior the term oI three years. Iollowed by a mandatory vacation oI Iour years. In contrast to the Articles oI ConIederation. the Iederal constitution Convention at Philadelphia omitted mandatory term- limits Irom the second national Irame oI government. i.e. the U.S. Constitution oI 1787 to the present. Nonetheless. due largely to grass roots support Ior the principle oI rotation. rapid turnover in 52 Congress prevailed by extra-constitutional means. Also George Washington set the precedent Ior a two-term tradition that prevailed (with the exception oI FDR's Iour terms) until the 22nd Amendment oI 1951. However. when the states ratiIied the Constitution (1787-88). several leading statesmen regarded the lack oI mandatory limits to tenure as a dangerous deIect. especially. they thought. as regards the Presidency and the Senate. Richard Henry Lee viewed the absence oI legal limits to tenure. together with certain other Ieatures oI the Constitution. as most highly and dangerously oligarchic.` Both JeIIerson and George Mason advised limits on reelection to the Senate and to the Presidency. because said Mason. "nothing is so essential to the preservation oI a Republican government as a periodic rotation." The historian Mercy Otis Warren. warned that there is no provision Ior a rotation. nor anything to prevent the perpetuity oI oIIice in the same hands Ior liIe; which by a little well timed bribery. will probably be done....` The Iact that perpetuity in oIIice` was not approached until the 20th century is due in part to the inIluence oI rotation in oIIice as a popular 19th century concept. "Ideas are. in truth. Iorces." and rotation in oIIice enioyed such normative support. especially at the local level. that it altered political reality. For a detailed study oI the 19th century concepts oI rotation let the reader consult Political Science Quarterly. vol. 94. "House Turnover and the Principle oI Rotation." by Robert Struble. Jr. Many other countries have term limits Ior their highest elected oIIicials but the United States was one oI the Iirst. The 22 nd
Amendment to the United States Constitution limited the highest elected oIIice to two Iour-year turns in March. 1947. making certain Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the only American President to serve more than eight years. Governors and state legislators are also subiect to term limits. Term limits are also common in democratic republics. There is no need Ior term limits in the parliamentary system because leaders serve as long as the have the conIidence oI their legislatures. For example. England operates under the parliamentary system oI government 53 whereas Mexico. like the United States is a republic and its president is limited to one six-year term.
We would like to acknowledge the founder and the many contributors to Wikipedia where we discovered this information and edited it for presentation here. To view this and find more information please go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotation_in_office and search for term limits or rotation in office.
54 Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever
The Iollowing reading consists oI excerpts taken Irom Real Term Limits: Now More Than Ever, an article by Doug Bandow in Iavor oI term limits in the Cato Institute Policy Analysis No. 221, March 28, 1995. It can be viewed in its entirety on the Cato Institute`s web site at http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-221.html
Doug Bandow is a senior Iellow at the Cato Institute and the author oI The Politics oI Envy: Statism as Theology. He also served as a special assistant to President Reagan.
|The main| argument against term limits is that they would enhance the power oI staIIers and lobbyists. even though congressional aides already write most laws and lobbyists consistently oppose term-limit initiatives. A more serious threat to term limits comes Irom those who advocate a limit oI six terms (12 years) in the House. Most states that have limited the terms oI their representatives have approved limits oI three terms (6 years) Ior good reasons. Shorter House limits would create more competitive elections. They would also reestablish a citizen legislature. To eIIectively end politics as a liIetime sinecure. thereby making congressional service a leave oI absence Irom a productive. private- sector career. requires that terms be short. A dozen years is a short career. but it is more than long enough Ior legislators to become more 55 concerned about their relationships with each other than about their relationships with constituents. The nation's Founders strongly believed in rotation in oIIice. They leIt term limits out oI the Constitution because they did not Ioresee that politics would become a career Ior so many people. Short term limits would remedy that mistake. Nothing is more important today than reversing the pernicious rise oI a proIessional political class. There has been greater turnover in recent years in Britain's House oI Lords and the Iormer Soviet Union's Communist Party Central Committee than in Congress. |Instituting| real term limits. oI six rather than twelve years. Ior the U.S. House oI Representatives would end politics as a career. eliminate today's electoral bias toward advocates oI government intervention. and recreate the long-lost ideal oI citizen-legislators. The 1994 congressional election saw the deIeat oI three dozen Democratic incumbents. the overall reelection rate in the House was still roughly 90 percent. Last year |1994| incumbents spent Iour times as much. on average. as their challengers; 1996 is unlikely to be diIIerent. Incumbents also collected 10 times as much political action committee (PAC) money as their challengers. Incumbents will continue to possess large. taxpayer-paid personal staIIs--a de Iacto reelection apparatus. Careerists remain dominant among elected oIIicials. and enthusiasts oI government still dominate policymaking. Incumbents continue to win most elections. and casework still usually trumps issues in campaigns. Representative government still reIlects the interests. not oI the public. but oI a distinct. career-minded ruling class: legislators. bureaucrats. media elites. and like-minded interest groups. The cure is short term limits. Arguments against Term Limits Undemocratic 56 Senator Orin Hatch complains that term limits demonstrate a Iundamental lack oI Iaith in the common sense and good iudgment oI the voters.` even though it is the voters who are approving them What is wrong with citizens' reIorming the electoral system to discourage creation oI a permanent political class? What is more democratic than people choosing. by an average two-thirds maiority vote. to reshape their government's legislative branches? People are willing to relinquish the right to reelect their members oI Congress an extra time. Term limits actually increase voter choice by making elections more competitive and encouraging more candidates to run. One study estimates that CaliIornia's term limits on state legislators caused a rush oI retirements. which led to 50 percent more candidates than would otherwise have been expected. Cities that have implemented term limits have discovered the same phenomenon: more. and more diverse. candidates are running Ior oIIice. Another contention is that term limits would enhance the power oI staIIers and lobbyists. However. congressional aides already write most laws. The problem is not with legislative assistants on Capitol Hill: congressional staIIers' average tenure in any particular position today ranges between 6 and 18 months; in Iact. lobbyists have remarked that overall staII turnover is greater than legislative turnover. Real inIluence lies with aides. whose tenure tends to be Iairly long because they work either Ior or under the protection oI the most senior members. Greater legislative turnover. term limits would help to reduce the permanence oI both personal and committee staIIs. II term limits help lobbyists. why do they uniIormly oppose term limits? The National Education Association. labor unions. the National RiIle Association. public employees. proIessional groups. trial lawyers. 57 medical associations. law Iirms. lobbyists. public relations companies. and many maior corporations all oppose term limits precisely because they know they would be the maior losers A representative oI the CaliIornia Trial Lawyers was similar: Obviously. it's a great advantage to have someone who is a champion oI your cause as Speaker oI the Assembly.` What interest groups Iear most is a continuing inIlux oI Ireshmen. who neither know nor care to learn the rigged rules oI the game. and the constant leadership turnover that will result. Another concern is lost legislative expertise. Norman Ornstein oI the American Enterprise Institute goes so Iar as to charge that with term limits "only bums will run. only bums will rule But most oI our current problems come Irom knowledgeable pols kowtowing to well- heeled interest groups. Early American congressman John Taylor observed. More talent is lost by long continuance in oIIice` than by rotation because ability is stimulated by the prospect oI Iuture employment and smothered by the monopoly oI experience.` Skill in running and winning does not translate into skill in ruling. Consider the disasters inIlicted upon us by experienced incumbents: the savings-and-loan crisis. Ior instance. was created by the most knowledgeable members oI the banking committees. Older members are no more courageous than younger ones in addressing such problems as runaway deIicits; the actuarially unbalanced Social Security system; and a halI regulated. halI Iree medical system. Adequate Turnover? Opponents oI term limits also argue that there is plenty oI turnover already. But. except Ior 1994. in recent years turnover has occurred largely as a result oI people's retiring aIter long careers in politics or to seek diIIerent political oIIices. It is good that incumbents occasionally leave. else congressional membership would be almost permanent. Yet competitive elections. lots oI them. are necessary Ior representative democracy. 58 As political scientist Mark Petracca observes. Electoral competition is no longer possible in a system where the beneIits and power oI incumbency virtually guarantee a liIelong career as a legislator.` The greatest diIIerence between congressional elections in the early Republic and today is not reelection rates--members who stood Ior reelection usually won then. as now. What is diIIerent is the Iact that so many voluntarily retired. not iust because they Iaced a tough reelection campaign. Indeed. the percentage oI voluntary retirements Iell below 25 percent only twice beIore 1880. The percentage did not Iall below 20 percent until 1896. During the Progressive Era. in 1908. voluntary retirements Iirst dropped to the single digits. where they have remained almost continuously since 1924 (and throughout the entire 1980s). For early members oI Congress. politics was not a career. as it is today. CaliIornia. Assembly Speaker Willie Brown whined. I still can't believe it happened here. Participating in the electoral process is no longer a career option. It is simply a temporary way station.` The complaint oI Ohio GOP state senator Gary Suhadolnik was similar: For the Iirst time in my liIe. I'm in a dead-end iob.` Elected oIIicials are entitled to serve Ior as many years as voters believe to be wise. not as many as will make them equal to members oI a diIIerent chamber with a somewhat diIIerent role. Preoccupation with learning curves illustrates a basic Ilaw in today's careerist Congress. As Petracca observes. Representatives cannot become experts and constituents cannot be treated as clients. Yet those are precisely the new roles in which representative and represented are cast by the proIessionalization oI legislative politics in America.` What America needs most are representatives who Iocus on direction. not detail. Most oI the problems Iacing America require not technical Iixes by proIessional policy nerds who spent the previous decade studying the minutiae oI. say. banking rules but the dramatic clearing away oI regulations by people who see the big picture that shows that government economic manipulation not only does not work but is actually harmIul. The three-term limit Ior representatives is superior Ior three basic reasons. The Iirst is Iederalism. Voters have made it clear beyond a 59 doubt that they want shorter limits. Fully 15 oI 22 state-imposed limits are Ior three terms. and 4 more are Ior Iour terms. Newt Gingrich's pollster. Frank Luntz. Iound that people preIer three terms to six terms by a margin oI 82 percent to 14 percent. Indeed. so radical is the public that a 1992 poll Iound that Iully one-third oI respondents wanted iust two terms. more than Iour times the number backing six terms. Second. three-term House limits would create dramatically more competitive elections. In such a system. initial reelection would probably remain relatively tough. as it is today. and the Iinal election might be more diIIicult than expected as challengers ran in an attempt to position themselves Ior the next election. when the seat would be guaranteed to be empty. A six-term limit. in contrast. would give incumbents relatively easy rides in elections three. Iour. and Iive. In sum. shorter limits promote competition to some degree in every election; longer limits leave halI oI the elections relatively easy. iI past experience is any guide. The third. and most important. reason Ior three-term limits is that they would reestablish a citizen legislature rather than a proIessional one. Voters intuitively understand the issue. which is why they overwhelmingly support shorter limits. Today politics is dominated by the people who most enioy running other people's lives and who are most accomplished at getting elected. Many know little about the actual impact oI the grand theories they enact into law. As Edward Crane. Iounder and president oI the Cato Institute puts it. Those who run Ior Congress these days are generally those who Iind the prospect oI spending a signiIicant portion oI their lives as a politician to be an attractive option. These are generally the kind oI individuals we should not have passing laws governing the rest oI us.` Thus. we need to elect people who are subiect to the same rules as the rest oI us. Although in January Congress rightly voted to apply a host oI laws to itselI as well as to the rest oI America. it is still not the same. since businesspeople who break the law are personally liable. while congressional violators can send the bill to the taxpayers. Members oI Congress who knew they would have to go back to a real iob in a Iew years. in contrast. might be more cautious. As George Will. the Pulitzer Prize winner iournalist. has written. Term limits would increase the likelihood that people who come to Congress 60 would anticipate returning to careers in the private sector and thereIore would. as they legislate. think about what it is like to live under the laws they make.` But it is not enough to require members oI Congress to go back into the community. We need to ensure that they spring Irom it to start with. Consider Iormer senator George McGovern's plaintive admission aIter trying to run a motel: I wish that someone had told me about the problems oI running a business. I would have to pay taxes. meet a payroll--I wish I had had a better sense oI what it took to do that when I was in Washington.` We need to elect people who have a sense oI what it took to do that.` people who are genuinely part oI the community that they represent. Federalists and anti-Iederalists alike agreed that there should be authentic experiential. value. and interest connections between the representative and the represented.` Today. however. legislators more likely represent government than society and reIlect a governing ethos prevalent in Washington and state capitals alike. That is more than a procedural point. Observes Alan Ehrenhalt. editor oI Governing magazine. Politics is. then. more than in the past. a iob Ior people who preIer it to any other line oI work. About these people one more important point should be made: They tend not only to enioy politics but to believe in government as an institution. The more somebody is required to sacriIice time and money and private liIe to run Ior the city council. Ior the state legislature. or Ior Congress. the more important it is Ior that person to believe that government is a respectable enterprise with crucial work to do. There are people who Ieel otherwise and nevertheless run Ior oIIice. but they are both Iewer in numbers and less eIIective. Overall. we now see a new breed` oI proIessional legislator` who wants to stay in public oIIice Ior the long haul.` reports political analyst Alan Rosenthal. Part oI the reason Ior that is larger staIIs and greater prestige; another part is better remuneration. In the case oI Minnesota. Rosenthal explains. proIessionalism has had a dramatic impact. Lawyers. independent business owners. and Iarmers have leIt. Their places have been taken by young people. many oI whom see the 61 legislature as an entry level position Ior a career in politics.` Thus. the very rise oI proIessionalism in politics has changed who runs Ior oIIice. how those elected vote. and what government does. Only by ending politics as a career can we eliminate that systematic bias in today's system. One way to do that would be to try to deproIessionalize legislatures. We could. Ior instance. end lavish pensions. which. argues Iormer representative Tim Penny (D- Minn.). have had a particularly important impact on promoting careerism in the U.S. House. Turning Congress into an amateur institution in other ways will not be as simple. especially since legislators must currently deal with the many large. complex bureaucracies constructed in recent decades.
Term Limits Still Required Thus. term limits. short term limits. remain necessary. To eIIectively end politics as a liIetime sinecure--thereby making congressional service a leave oI absence Irom a productive. private-sector career-- requires that term limits be short--three terms rather than six Ior House members. A dozen years alone is a short career. but when those years are combined with another dozen in the Senate. as well as election to other public oIIices. politics remains a career path Ior those who are temperamentally inclined to glad-hand and regulate their Iellow citizens. As Edward Crane puts it. For the House oI Representatives. 12 years is more than double 6 years with regard to reelection incentives. That is. the 6- year limit provides Ior iust two reelection campaigns. and the 12-year limit oIIers Iive such opportunities.` Three-term limits help make all elections more competitive. Shorter term limits are also important in making inIluence available on some basis other than senility (usually known as seniority). Over the last Iour decades the average tenure Ior members oI the House leadership. Irom Speaker through committee chairmen. has exceeded 20 years. The Iocus on seniority.|has discouraged both non-careerists Irom running and voters Irom electing non-careerists. There is no incentive 62 to replace the older members oI congress with younger more representative candidates.| Longer terms mean less turnover and more elections dominated by incumbents with all oI the usual advantages oI incumbency. Today. largely because oI voluntary turnover. the average length oI congressional service is 13.4 years We Iind that a 3-term limit would radically restructure Congress. It is estimated that a 3-term limit would decrease average stays in Congress Irom 13.2 years to 3.8 years; increase average turnover Irom 17 percent oI Congress to 37 percent oI Congress; reduce the expected waiting time to achieve a position oI leadership Irom 16.4 years to 4 years or less and cut the median years oI seniority among the House membership Irom 9 to 3 years. One has to go back to the nineteenth century to Iind Congresses that represent what could be expected under a 3-term limit.) Average turnover during the Republic's Iirst century was 43 percent; more than a third oI members simply retired oI their own accord. to resume previous proIessions or develop new ones. Not until 1900 did electoral turnover Iall below 30 percent. And total turnover was occasionally staggering: 76 percent in 1842. 63.8 percent in 1852. 63.7 percent in 1816. 62 percent in 1854. and 61.5 percent in 1862. Back then elections were heavily policy driven--disgusted voters would transIorm Congress in one election iI angry over Federalist opposition to the War oI 1812. passage oI the Fugitive Slave Act. the compromise over slavery in the Kansas territories. the Republican party's prosecution the Civil War. or any number oI other serious issues. Even in the second halI oI the 19th century turnover averaged 50.2 percent. Indeed. it was 1900 beIore the average number oI terms served by House members exceeded two. To the Washington elite. used to government as usual. such turnover today would seem chaotic. How would lobbyists keep tabs on everyone they need to know? How would iournalists maintain sources Ior leaks? How would bureaucrats solidiIy their ties with committee leaders and staIIers in order to protect their programs? They would not. which would be a good thing. 63 Lobbyists love order because it's predictable; they can manipulate it any way they want. The press likes order because they're lazy; they don't want to work too hard. Politicians like order because they known how they can survive easily. Seniority affects spending James Payne. author oI The Culture oI Spending. ICS Press 1991. says. 'When congressmen Iirst enter Congress. they are less in Iavor oI spending than their colleagues. but they grow more in Iavor oI spending as their service in Congress lengthens.` The eIIect is huge. According to the National Taxpayers Union. year in and year out. senior members oI Congress. on average. vote to spend more than iunior legislators. The Competitive Enterprise Institute has concluded that senior representatives are more likely to vote Ior pork and support government economic intervention. One reason Ior that phenomenon may be the tendency to identiIy with one's work and career over time; it is probably easier to hate Congress while one is a businessperson attempting to satisIy an abusive inspector Irom the Occupational SaIety and Health Administration than while one is a multiterm incumbent chairing a subcommittee overseeing OSHA and meeting with regulatory advocates all day. Payne warns that Congress is overwhelmed by the advocates oI government programs: the administrators whose status. morale. and sense oI accomplishment depend on the appropriations they urge; state and local oIIicials who appeal Ior Iederal spending with the same motives; lobbyists who press the demands oI the beneIiciaries oI Iederal programs; spokesmen Ior business Iirms that beneIit Irom Iederal largesse.` Advocates oI taxpayers and the larger public are. in contrast. generally absent. The miasma oI regulation. not likely to be cleared away any time soon. enhances the role oI members oI Congress as ombudsmen who help citizens navigate the very unresponsive bureaucracy that incumbent legislators have created. 64 Morris P. Fiorina is a senior Iellow at the Hoover Institution and the Wendt Family ProIessor oI Political Science at StanIord University. He has authored several books. He claims incumbents.deemphasize controversial policy positions and instead place heavy emphasis on nonpartisan. non-programmatic constituency service (Ior which demand grows as government expands).` Another problem is what Payne reIers to simply as conversion.` That is. the Washington culture conditions even the most rabid critic oI government. Warns Payne. AIter years and years oI being exposed to pro-spending stimuli. the congressman internalizes such an intense commitment to government action that he becomes its leading advocate.` Part oI it is hearing Irom 96 proponents oI spending Ior every 1 opponent. Part oI it is the existence oI a large. taxpayer- Iunded apparatus designed to validate and promote government programs. Transforming the Political Culture The goal. then. oI three-term limits is to change the sort oI people serving in government and thus transIorm the larger political culture. Through the 1950s service in Congress as well as most state legislatures was essentially part-time. That changed with the "go-go" government years oI the Great Society. The increasing role oI political careerists went hand in hand with institutional changes that steadily turned serving in Congress and most state legislatures into Iulltime work. As the role oI proIessional pols increased. they set a minimum standard that citizen-legislators could not easily meet. In eIIect. we saw the political equivalent oI Gresham's law--bad legislators drive out good ones. As Aaron Ehrenhalt. editor oI governing magazine puts it. Full-time iobs in Congress and in legislatures attract people who want to devote most oI their waking hours to politics. There is no reason to suppose that this is the same set oI people who would want to do politics in their spare time.` The purpose oI shorter term limits. then. is to provide an opportunity Ior the latter people to run Ior oIIice. to attract as candidates people willing to set aside their proIessional lives Ior a season. rather than people hoping to make politics their proIessional lives. Even in today's proIessional political environment we see an occasional citizen-legislator. But until 1994 the primary examples 65 were retirees--Jim Olin. a Iormer vice president oI General Electric. ended his 35-year corporate career in 1982 and ran Ior Congress. Olin had both a private and a public liIe. one aIter the other. Using term limits to create a place Ior lots oI citizen-legislators will bring Iorth a lot more Jim Olins. but at the 5-. 10-. and 20-year points in their business careers.. Conclusion The nation's Founders. along with Iamed Roman statesmen and British classical liberals. strongly believed in rotation in oIIice. UnIortunately Ior Americans today. the Framers leIt limits on terms out oI the Constitution. But then. they did not think limits would be necessary. Ior they did not Ioresee that politics would become a career Ior so many people--a halI million oIIiceholders at all levels oI government today. Alas. iust as the government oI two centuries ago has metastasized into something Iar. Iar worse than the oppressive rule that pushed the colonists into rebellion. the arrogance oI the ruling political class has reached a level that would have done Britain's royalty proud. Americans must inaugurate a second revolution. Today politics is the liIe oI Iar too many oIIice- holders. And that has made them hard to deIeat at the polls and perverted the policies that they support. It is time to require legislators to rediscover their lives and make politics turn on policy. not ambition.Nothing is more important today than to reverse the pernicious rise oI a proIessional political class. 66 Arguments Pro and Con Term Limits
In favor of limits Term limits prevents incumbents from using the benefits of office to remain in power indefinitely.
In some situations. merely being in oIIice provides an elected oIIicial with a distinct advantage in Iurther elections. Supporters oI term limits argue that this advantage is undemocratic. and means that incumbents no longer Iear losing their oIIices and cease to be concerned with the needs oI their constituents. Term limits ensure that all oIIicials are eventually removed Irom power.
In the United States, limiting Congressmen to a single term would be a more effective remedy for plutocracy than Campaign finance reform.
Term limits would eliminate the incumbent's need Ior a campaign war chest. and thus deprive corporate lobbyists oI much iI not all oI their leverage over sitting U.S. Representatives.
Term limits make room for fresh candidates, and encourages participation.
67 Imposing term limits on an oIIice ensures that there will always be vacancies Ior new candidates to pursue. This may encourage citizens who would normally not consider running Ior oIIice to do so. as they will not be challenging an established. entrenched opponent. Many proponents claim that term limits will increase diversity in a legislature. bringing the law-making body's demographics more in line with those oI the general population.
Term limits stop politicians from making choices solely to prolong their career.
II a politician can serve as many terms as they wish. they may be tempted to Iollow policies which will ensure their long-term political survival. rather than policies which Iurther the interests oI voters. Supporters oI term limits sometimes argue that iI politicians know Irom the beginning oI their service that their time in oIIice is limited. they will act diIIerently (and less selI-servingly) than 'career legislators.
Term limits reduce the advantage which can be gained by a representative's seniority.
In some legislatures. power and inIluence tend to increase as a legislator gains seniority a politician who has served many terms will carry more responsibility than one who has iust been elected. even iI both are representing the same number oI voters. II one district continually re-elects the same politician. while another district Irequently changes its politician. the Iirst district will have greater sway in the legislature than the second. because its representative has had time to accrue seniority. Term limits ensure that each district has representatives oI similar seniority. Against limits It is undemocratic.
The most common argument against the use oI term limits is that it takes away the right oI voters to be represented by the 68 politician oI their choice. It is argued that iI the public wish to re-elect their representative. it is undemocratic to prevent them Irom doing so. Allow the electorate to do its iob. argue opponents. and non-responsive legislators can still be held accountable. Finally. it can deny the voters the right to vote someone out oI oIIice; this is especially true in oIIices where re-election is not allowed.
The result of term limits is a lack of experienced politicians.
Term limit opponents argue that. with experience. comes greater skill. The very use oI the term 'Ireshman representative is indicative oI the Iact that the Iirst-term legislator is less likely to be able to 'get things done in the legislature. and in Iact might make a lot oI "Ireshman mistakes" due to his/her inexperience. It is Iurther argued that inexperienced politicians will be more reliant on advice and guidance Irom un-elected oIIicials and lobbyists. Permanent committee staIIers. who ostensibly work Ior the representatives. would become more knowledgeable and powerIul than the members themselves. Moreover. lobbyists in the employ oI special interests might tend to grow more powerIul. as they can oIIer to 'help inexperienced members gain a Ioothold. Because both staIIers and lobbyists are unelected. opponents argue. term limits are undemocratic as it places more power in the hands oI the unelected. The Michigan budgetary crisis oI 2007 is a textbook example oI strict term limits hampering the productivity oI the Michigan Legislature.
Term limits mean that politicians approaching their term limit no longer have to worry about what voters think.
Another argument against term limits is that it is the very Iact that politicians need to go back to the voters Ior approval and reelection that keeps them responsive. With term limits. a lame duck legislator no longer has any motivation to continue heeding the concerns oI his constituents. In such a circumstance. a legislator could use 69 their last term to set themselves up Ior a iob in the private sector aIter the end oI their legislative career.
Term limits simply result in frequent trading of office between the same people, not an influx of new people.
In contrast to the claims that term limits allow new Iaces to enter politics. opponents claim that there are enough political oIIices Ior elected oIIicials to simply play musical chairs.` In response to claims that term limits promote diversity. on August 15. 2006 the United States' National ConIerence oI State Legislatures issued a report at its annual meeting stating that term limits have not led to signiIicant increases in Iemale or minority representation in state legislatures. according to a survey oI the 15 states with term limits.` The distinction must be noted between the absolute limit on the number oI terms a person can serve. and the number oI consecutive terms a person can serve. We acknowledge and thank the anonymous contributors to the above material which can be found in its full unedited form at: http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Term_limits 70 U. S. Term Limits 990 Main Street Ste. 303 FairIax. VA 22031 703-383-0807- phone703-383-5288-Iax inIo(ustl.org
Voters are angrier than ever about the governments that misrepresent them. Philip Blumel October 21 st . 2008. FairIax. VAU.S. Term Limits President Philip Blumel today praised the results oI a recent Pulse Opinion Research poll that Iound that 83 percent oI likely voters believe that elected oIIicials should have their terms oI oIIice limited.
'National support Ior term limits is at an all-time high. said Blumel. 'And it`s no wonder. Public conIidence in government is at an all-time low. and that directly correlates with increased support Ior term limits. The longer a politician stays in oIIice. the less conIidence he or she engenders Irom constituents.
The Pulse Opinion Research poll was conducted nationally on October 8 th amongst 1.000 likely voters with a margin oI error oI /- 3 percent. 71 'The people believe that the reason government does not work is because oI career politicians who maintain their clutches on power by catering to special interests. Blumel added. 'They are right. The public system oI corruption. earmarks. kickbacks. and Iavors reeks. and we`re all Ied up with it.
'Voters are angrier than ever about the governments that misrepresent them. said Blumel.
Blumel believes that the latest $850 billion Iinancial bailout bill passed by Congress also played a role in increasing support Ior term limits. 'The American people overwhelmingly lobbied against passage oI the big bailout bill because they played by the rules and paid their bills.
'Instead they watched as over $150 billion was added to the original $700 billion Iigure iust to get it passed. said Blumel. 'Everyone knew the Iix was in.
Blumel contends that through term limits the nation will be able to return to its roots. 'America was Iounded upon the ideal oI citizen legislatorsordinary people serving their cities. counties. states. and country. However. because oI the incumbency advantage elected oIIicials have still at about 95 percent. instead oI citizen legislators we practically have a landed aristocracy.
'This is not how the Iounders envisioned representative democracy. said Blumel. 'And it`s not how the American people wish to be represented. hence the overwhelming support Ior term limits Ior all elected oIIicials.
Blumel Ioresees that term limits will become an increasingly prominent issue over the coming years. 'I predict that the public will demand Congressional term limits be enacted. whether by constitutional amendment or via legislation. And U.S. Term Limits will be by their side. Iighting in the trenches against the elite career politicians who stand in the way.
The above may be found at www.termlimits.org
72 Questions and Answers Relevant To the Required Reading
Excerpts from Doug Bandows article Q1- What is meant by 'casework as it was used on page 56?
Q-2 What is your opinion oI the Iollowing quotation attributed to John Taylor? 'More talent is lost by long continuance in oIIice than by rotation because ability is 'stimulated by the prospect oI Iuture employment and smothered by the monopoly oI experience.? Quotation can be found on page 58. Q-3 Do you think a goal encouraging citizen legislators rather than career politicians is a worthy goal? Why or why not? Please explain. Q4- In a paragraph or two. please discuss one oI the two quotations below attributed to political scientist Mark Petracca.
Representatives cannot become experts and constituents cannot be treated as clients. Yet those are precisely the new roles in which representative and represented are cast by the proIessionalization oI legislative politics in America.` See page 59.
Electoral competition is no longer possible in a system where the beneIits and power oI incumbency virtually guarantee a liIelong career as a legislator.` See page 58. 73 Q5- What are the three basic reasons Doug Bandow gives Ior the superiority oI a 3-term limit? Which one would you personally rank as #1? Please explain the reason Ior your choice. See pages 45-46.
Q6- What are two reasons given by Alan Rosenthal that make politicians want to stay in oIIice? See page 60-Required Reading
Arguments Pro and Con Term Limits
Q7- Describe two ways term limits would lessen the advantage oI incumbency in an election.
Q8- List three advantages oI term limits and state your preIerence and explain why you chose as you did?
Q9- Make three arguments against term limits.
Q10- Do you agree that term limits encourage policy decisions that are more in the public interest and less selI-serving than without term limits?
Q11- Would you say term limits spread the power that without them would be the prerogative oI senior politicians?
Answers to Q7-Q11 can be found at pages 67-70
Blumel October 21, 2008
Q22- U.S. Term Limits President. Philip Blumel. stated that the results oI a Pulse Opinion Research poll showed Iound what percent oI likely voters believe that elected oIIicials should have their terms oI oIIice limited? 25 42 55 83 93
Blumel reIers to challengers as and compares
incumbents to .
Answers to Q22 can be found on pages 71-73.
74 Appendix
Among my notes I found some ethical questions that perhaps all elected officials should ask themselves. Unfortunately, I can only identify the author with the initials KJB to give him/her credit. I made my own modifications and listed them below: Q- Do I owe my campaign contributors anything? Q- Is it okay to form friendships with lobbyists? Q- Should I always keep my word to one of my fellow legislators, even if I change my mind on a bill? Q- How much information should I give the press? Q- Should I always answer the press honestly? Q- What should I do when my own values conflict with those of my constituents? Q- What should I do when I let some issues go by me during a debate and recognize them some time later? Q- How can I reconsider an issue without being labeled wishy- washy? 75 Pulse Opinion Research
National Survey of One Thousand Likely Voters
October 8. 2008
Do you believe elected oIIicials should have their terms oI oIIice limited or do you think they should be allowed to hold oIIice as long as they like?
83 they should have their terms oI oIIice limited
12 should be allowed to hold oIIice as long as they like
5 not sure
NOTE: Margin of sampling error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence 76 The Term Limited States Updated February. 2006
This list represents the 15 states that currently have term limits Ior legislators. They are ordered by the year oI term limits' impact--the Iirst year in which incumbents who were serving when the term limits measure was passed are no longer eligible to run Ior re-election.
House Senate State Year Enacted Limit Year of Impact Limit Year of Impact % Voted Yes MAINE 1993 8 1996 8 1996 67.6 CALIFORNIA 1990 6 1996 8 1998 52.2 COLORADO 1990 8 1998 8 1998 71 ARKANSAS 1992 6 1998 8 2000 59.9 MICHIGAN 1992 6 1998 8 2002 58.8 FLORIDA 1992 8 2000 8 2000 76.8 77 OHIO 1992 8 2000 8 2000 68.4 SOUTH DAKOTA 1992 8 2000 8 2000 63.5 MONTANA 1992 8 2000 8 2000 67 ARIZONA 1992 8 2000 8 2000 74.2 * MISSOURI 1992 8 2002 8 2002 75 OKLAHOMA 1990 12 2004 12 2004 67.3 NEBRASKA 2000 n/a n/a 8 2006 56 LOUISIANA 1995 12 2007 12 2007 76 **NEVADA 1996 12 2010 12 2010 70.4 * Because oI special elections. term limits were eIIective in 2000 Ior eight current members oI the House and one Senator in 1998. **The Nevada Legislative Council and Attorney General have ruled that Nevada's term limits cannot be applied to those legislators elected in the same year term limits were passed (1996). They Iirst apply to persons elected in 1998.
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures 78 Consecutive vs. Lifetime Limits Term limits may be divided into two broad categories: consecutive and liIetime. With consecutive term limits. a legislator is limited to serving a particular number oI years in a chamber. Upon hitting the limit in one chamber. a legislator may run Ior election to the other chamber or leave the legislature. AIter a set period oI time (usually two years). the clock resets on the limit. and the legislator may run Ior election to his/her original seat and serve up to the limit again.
For More Information on Term Limits Jennie Drage Bowser tracks term limits. and may be reached at 303-364-7700 or elections-inIo(ncsl.org. http://www.ncsl.org/programs/legismgt/ABOUT/termlimit.htm
2008 National ConIerence oI State Legislatures. All Rights Reserved
79 80 More About the Harry Singer Foundation
The Harry Singer Foundation is a national non-proIit 501(c) 3 private operating Ioundation (IRC: 4942 i 3) located in Carmel. CaliIornia whose purpose is to promote responsibility and involve people more Iully in public policy and their communities. It was Iounded in 1987. It actively conducts programs. and is not a grant-making Ioundation. The Foundation invites participants oI all ages and countries to participate in its programs but has been concentrating on young people because they are open and eager to learn. are not saddled with a myriad oI other social responsibilities. (like raising a Iamily and making their own living). and they will be around the longest and thereIore have the best opportunity to make their proiects work. They are ideal experimenters because time is on their side. Participation on our programs is through the Internet. We have been operating our programs on the Internet since the Iall oI 1994ancient history in light oI the Internet's growth since those early days. You may read this inIormation and view our programs at www.singerIoundation.org . We bring people together to network at our headquarters in Carmel. CaliIornia. When participants come up with ideas. HSF provides the opportunity to put to the test. those ideas that garner the most enthusiastic response. We do this via Pilot Proiects and interacting 81 with grant-making entities and Iar-sighted businesses. Most businesses rightly have more than altruistic motives. They are concerned about maintaining a stable and growth-oriented economy as well as Iinding responsible Iuture employees. Our proiects inadvertently Ioster these aims as well as philanthropic goals. Although HSF is an educational Ioundation it realizes it is not enough to think. write and talk about problems. HSF shows what ordinary people are capable oI achieving. The obiective is to Iind out what works within a desired Iramework. We know a pilot proiect has been successIully launched when it attracts enthusiastic volunteers that we call Champions. Those Iamiliar with the Suzuki method oI teaching music will understand when we analogize to the child begging the mother to turn over the child-sized violin she is playing. Champions are those whose enthusiasm leads them to volunteer to take over a pilot proiect that strikes their Iancy. In the process they release their own unique pent up creativity while the Foundation continues to support them in their eIIorts to expand the proiect. Steve Platt. the Champion oI Singer Kids4Kids is one example. We also oIIer materials online. Iree oI charge. which can be printed and used in the classroom or Ior individual education or research. The Workbook section oI the HSF web site Ieatures data to encourage logical thinking and attention to the unintended consequences that oIten accompany government or personal solutions to perceived problems. HSF believes that society has encouraged technology and management while neglecting principles. We need to consider not only can we do. but should we do. To that end you will Iind an introduction to the seldom taught subiect oI logic in this section along with Irequently updated ethical dilemmas. The Harry Singer Foundation mission is to prepare participants Ior a Iuture where there may be less government and a weaker saIety net. Such a Iuture would require greater individual character. responsibility and knowledge. There may be a need Ior responsible people able to care Ior themselves and their less Iortunate neighbors. BeIore one can either reIlect or help others. one must survive. HSF has archived the thoughts oI teens over a twenty year period in the 82 83 Teens Speak Out and the Archived by State Iorums as well as in the published books that resulted Irom 41 oI the 46 essay contests it conducted between 1988 and 2007. Although many oI these teen authors now are adults with children oI their own. their reIlections are relevant to today's youth who must learn to make successIul personal and social choices regarding their own ideology and their careers. They too must withstand the peer pressure oI gangs. violence. irresponsible sex and addictive substances. People change but the social issues remain. We invite you to explore our web site at www.singerIoundation.org. We look Iorward to your comments and participation and will be happy to provide additional inIormation or respond to any questions you might have. The Harry Singer Foundation Board oI Directors has promoted programs that provide inIormation and teach people how to think. but not what to think. until they have looked at more than one side oI any question. AIter research and analysis. program participants are expected to Iorm their own opinions. Advisory Board members are championing programs that oIten take participants into their communities to interact outside an academic setting. We invite you to browse our pilot proiects and hope that you may be moved to Champion one oI these proiects in your own community. Together we believe we can make the United States. and the world. a stronger and better place to live. Ior this generation and generations to come.