Sorry Mary Jane...Term Limits should be protected
by
David G. Fago
Term limits in Ohio…has it been 14 years already? I am tired of career politicians referring to their elected seat as their “job”. Mary Jane Skala (Sun News, May 4, 2006) referred to an interview the Sun editorial board had with Betty Montgomery. When Betty was asked about term limits, she replied, “What if someone came along and said you couldn’t do your job anymore because you’d done it for eight years?” Well Betty…the people of Ohio said that 8 years was enough. The people of Ohio voted to enact this law…a law that is similar to the law that will limit President Bush from getting a third term and Bob Taft from getting a third term. I know my neighbor Pat will be very happy that term limits exist for both the president and the governor (Hi Pat!)
The key word in Betty’s answer is the word “job”. When someone is elected to a seat for 2, 4, or 6 years, that seat is not that person’s “job”. That seat belongs to the people of the state, district, or country. George Bush may hold the office of President, but that is not his “job”. He holds that seat to serve the people of the United States. A job is what the regular citizens do everyday. Holding office is a privilege.
I like Betty Montgomery, so I don’t mean to pick on her, but I must only because Mary Jane used Betty as an example. When Betty Montgomery was elected as Attorney General…that was not her “job”. She was there at the service of the people of Ohio. The people of Ohio say that eight years is plenty to serve in one seat. Now Betty…please take a break. This did not hurt Betty’s career as a politician. In fact Betty continued to serve in a different seat further showing her skills as a politician.
Also…what is wrong with “neophyte” legislators? This statement sounds like there are only 100 or so people in the state of Ohio that are qualified to serve as a State Rep or State Senator. Do we have a royalty? Do our elected officials have some sort of right to these seats? Why not eliminate elections altogether and only have elections when the office holder dies? How does that sound as an idea? Term limits prevent democracies from electing dictators. Germany elected Hitler once. Italy elected Mussolini once. Without term limits, and constitutions, and government BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE democracies become dictatorships. Read your history books…it could happen in the United States too.
Getting back to the idea of “neophyte” office holders…these “neophyte” legislators are successful men and women in business and other offices of government. These “neophyte” legislators are moms and dads that have life experiences of living outside the aristocracy that we call “elected government”. Come on…even John F. Kennedy was once a “neophyte” legislator. He was not born into an office.
I know that I am currently running for the Ohio State House of Reps. I will be happy to only serve for two years if the people decide to elect me, and then elect my opponent in 2008. Term limits also are not a bad thing for politicians. I will use Dale Miller as an example. Dale Miller was my councilman in Cleveland from 1979 until 1997. Dale has since moved on to serve as State Rep and now is seeking a full term as State Senator. Dale is a good legislator, and term limits have not hurt his political career. In fact, term limits have advanced his political career if you think about it. Without term limits, Dale could still be stuck on Cleveland City Council.
I believe in term limits. I would support term limits for our congressmen and senators in Washington. I support term limits for presidents and governors. I support the idea of term limits because our elected officials should be holding those seats at the request of the people. They should serve their years diligently, and train the next “neophyte” legislator to fill the spot when they have served the people so well for the time they were allowed.
Thomas Jefferson was a man with tremendous insight and fought diligently for liberty and freedom. Thomas Jefferson believed in presidential and congressional term limits. He wanted these in the Constitution. It took almost 200 years for the presidential term limits to take affect. Thomas Jefferson only served 2 terms as president by his own choice. George Washington served only 2 terms by his own choice.
Unfortunately, not all of our elected officials have the same integrity and character.
I believe terms limits is not only good for Ohio, but for the United States. It keeps government in the control of the people. In fact…I don’t like when politicians get “good at their job”. I want our elected officials to try new things, and implement new ideas. Elected officials that hold their office for long periods of time get into a corruptive “status quo” rut (Dennis…you getting what I am driving at?).
Mary Jane…I enjoy your columns, but I respectively disagree with you on this issue.
More to come…
by
David G. Fago
Term limits in Ohio…has it been 14 years already? I am tired of career politicians referring to their elected seat as their “job”. Mary Jane Skala (Sun News, May 4, 2006) referred to an interview the Sun editorial board had with Betty Montgomery. When Betty was asked about term limits, she replied, “What if someone came along and said you couldn’t do your job anymore because you’d done it for eight years?” Well Betty…the people of Ohio said that 8 years was enough. The people of Ohio voted to enact this law…a law that is similar to the law that will limit President Bush from getting a third term and Bob Taft from getting a third term. I know my neighbor Pat will be very happy that term limits exist for both the president and the governor (Hi Pat!)
The key word in Betty’s answer is the word “job”. When someone is elected to a seat for 2, 4, or 6 years, that seat is not that person’s “job”. That seat belongs to the people of the state, district, or country. George Bush may hold the office of President, but that is not his “job”. He holds that seat to serve the people of the United States. A job is what the regular citizens do everyday. Holding office is a privilege.
I like Betty Montgomery, so I don’t mean to pick on her, but I must only because Mary Jane used Betty as an example. When Betty Montgomery was elected as Attorney General…that was not her “job”. She was there at the service of the people of Ohio. The people of Ohio say that eight years is plenty to serve in one seat. Now Betty…please take a break. This did not hurt Betty’s career as a politician. In fact Betty continued to serve in a different seat further showing her skills as a politician.
Also…what is wrong with “neophyte” legislators? This statement sounds like there are only 100 or so people in the state of Ohio that are qualified to serve as a State Rep or State Senator. Do we have a royalty? Do our elected officials have some sort of right to these seats? Why not eliminate elections altogether and only have elections when the office holder dies? How does that sound as an idea? Term limits prevent democracies from electing dictators. Germany elected Hitler once. Italy elected Mussolini once. Without term limits, and constitutions, and government BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE democracies become dictatorships. Read your history books…it could happen in the United States too.
Getting back to the idea of “neophyte” office holders…these “neophyte” legislators are successful men and women in business and other offices of government. These “neophyte” legislators are moms and dads that have life experiences of living outside the aristocracy that we call “elected government”. Come on…even John F. Kennedy was once a “neophyte” legislator. He was not born into an office.
I know that I am currently running for the Ohio State House of Reps. I will be happy to only serve for two years if the people decide to elect me, and then elect my opponent in 2008. Term limits also are not a bad thing for politicians. I will use Dale Miller as an example. Dale Miller was my councilman in Cleveland from 1979 until 1997. Dale has since moved on to serve as State Rep and now is seeking a full term as State Senator. Dale is a good legislator, and term limits have not hurt his political career. In fact, term limits have advanced his political career if you think about it. Without term limits, Dale could still be stuck on Cleveland City Council.
I believe in term limits. I would support term limits for our congressmen and senators in Washington. I support term limits for presidents and governors. I support the idea of term limits because our elected officials should be holding those seats at the request of the people. They should serve their years diligently, and train the next “neophyte” legislator to fill the spot when they have served the people so well for the time they were allowed.
Thomas Jefferson was a man with tremendous insight and fought diligently for liberty and freedom. Thomas Jefferson believed in presidential and congressional term limits. He wanted these in the Constitution. It took almost 200 years for the presidential term limits to take affect. Thomas Jefferson only served 2 terms as president by his own choice. George Washington served only 2 terms by his own choice.
Unfortunately, not all of our elected officials have the same integrity and character.
I believe terms limits is not only good for Ohio, but for the United States. It keeps government in the control of the people. In fact…I don’t like when politicians get “good at their job”. I want our elected officials to try new things, and implement new ideas. Elected officials that hold their office for long periods of time get into a corruptive “status quo” rut (Dennis…you getting what I am driving at?).
Mary Jane…I enjoy your columns, but I respectively disagree with you on this issue.
More to come…
posted by David Fago at 8:55 PM
1 Comments:
I too have arrived at your conclusion that too many re-elections to the same position breeds corruption in (and around) the office holder.
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