Step III - Here's Your Hat, What's Your Hurry.

It’s hard to say exactly what the founding fathers had in mind when they wrote the Constitution. Actually, I don’t think it matters. Better we should just be grateful for the phenomenal work they did and move on. But for those interested in history, it does seem fairly clear that whatever they had in mind it did not include perpetual incumbency. We need some serious term limits.

Over the years, certain lawmakers have suggested that one or two terms is simply not enough for politicians to learn their jobs and be effective. Let me make this suggestion: get a copy of “Legislating For Dummies,” bone up on the particulars and get to work. If you still feel you can’t be effective, give up your seat to someone who can.

Political power today is often measured not by a body of work accomplished, but by length of time in office. Watch a televised session of the Senate Intelligence Committee. It looks like an ad for power wheel chairs. Between Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden, Arlen Spectre, Orin Hatch, and the rest, they have logged hundreds of years in their respective senate seats.

Once elected, a legislator’s main focus is the next election. It colors every decision. His or her vested interest is not to stay in touch but to stay in office. And once in office, they are virtually impossible to get out. It takes a scandal, a serious political misstep, or a felony conviction to unseat them. And even that doesn’t always do it. Former congressman, Newt Gingrich, drummed out of the House after lying to the Ethic Committee, is now an elder statesman of the Republican Party and a well-paid political analyst and consultant for the media. Go figure.

Staying power leads to political power, which leads to graft (and arrogance – I’m not a big fan of arrogance). Political office should be a public service, not a career. Let each elected official be limited to one, six-year term.

One foot on either side.

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