Term Limits

I’ve always liked the idea of term limits for elected officials and have supported term limits for members of congress. I used to think that term limits were important for the minority party… the basic idea being that it is so hard (and expensive) to unseat an incumbent that the minority party doesn’t get a chance.

I’m still in favor of term limits… but now for I’m thinking it is good for the majority party too. It seems that it is nearly impossible for incumbents to act selflessly; their focus moves from representing their constituents to maintaining their power. They move from pursuing ideals to protecting their seats.

I’m a Republican and I generally vote for Republican candidates. Sometimes I wish I had a better choice, but there is hardly ever another choice when my party has an incumbent. Usually the Democrat is not a choice… so I settle for supporting the least offensive candidate. I’d like to have a choice, and I want that choice to be in the primaries. The only way I’m going to have a choice in the primaries is if there are term limits.

12 years and you’re out (2 terms in the senate or 6 terms in the house).