Term limits may be the largest grassroots movement in American History. Polls show that 70 – 83 percent of Americans support term limits. “Illinois is under the direction of a state leadership filled with career politicians”, and their combined experience doesn’t seem to lessen the problems our state continues to face. Some of us feel that we would like to be represented by fellow citizens with shorter terms as opposed to “professional politicians” with so many loyalties to special interest groups and lobbyists. Fifteen states in the Union have adopted term limits; several more states passed that voter initiative, but it was thrown out by their state supreme courts. “If the public wants term limits, it is the ultimate conflict of interest for elected officials to prevent the states from making the decision on whether their own terms should be limited.” An Illinois GOP Gubernatorial candidate is planning a campaign to ask voters on the November 2014 ballot to impose term limits on politicians. Where previous efforts have failed, Bruce Rauner plans to propose “other reforms that would change “structural and procedural” workings of the Legislature as well”. (“In 1994, then state treasurer, Pat Quinn, gathered nearly half a million signatures for an “Eight is Enough” campaign to embody term limits in Illinois’ constitution, which failed because the initiative did not include “structural and procedural” changes to the Legislature”). “Senator David Vitter (R-LA) has introduced an amendment to the United States Constitution to limit terms for members of Congress, which may be the only way to make our political system work again.” I wonder if that proposed amendment will be brought up for a vote. Even Paul Ryan said this change should be done to the United States Constitution rather than at a state level, where states can be short-changed in seniority and clout in Congress. “The 2012 election results showed that voters in red and blue states united in their decisive support of term limits in both small town and statewide referenda. Eight of the ten largest cities in America adopted term limits for their city councils and for mayor, and thirty-seven states placed term limits on their constitutional officers.” Voters seemed to want to leave local sheriffs and coroners out from under the limits, however, and I tend to agree. Our country decided to term-limit the presidency, and I believe there should be limits on our legislators also. Our United States Congress is in crises! With the “tide of public dissatisfaction with Congress”, I feel its high time to impose term limits and break the gridlocks. Let the professional politicians use their expertise and go up the ladder to higher employment positions. They should be highly employable in many fields. So “yes” for Illinois and “yes” for the country! In the worlds of Senator Vitter, “may public outcry break the log-jam that has prevented the consideration”.
Sep 19 2013
Do you support term limits for Illinois legislators?
Term limits may be the largest grassroots movement in American History. Polls show that 70 – 83 percent of Americans support term limits. “Illinois is under the direction of a state leadership filled with career politicians”, and their combined experience doesn’t seem to lessen the problems our state continues to face. Some of us feel that we would like to be represented by fellow citizens with shorter terms as opposed to “professional politicians” with so many loyalties to special interest groups and lobbyists. Fifteen states in the Union have adopted term limits; several more states passed that voter initiative, but it was thrown out by their state supreme courts. “If the public wants term limits, it is the ultimate conflict of interest for elected officials to prevent the states from making the decision on whether their own terms should be limited.” An Illinois GOP Gubernatorial candidate is planning a campaign to ask voters on the November 2014 ballot to impose term limits on politicians. Where previous efforts have failed, Bruce Rauner plans to propose “other reforms that would change “structural and procedural” workings of the Legislature as well”. (“In 1994, then state treasurer, Pat Quinn, gathered nearly half a million signatures for an “Eight is Enough” campaign to embody term limits in Illinois’ constitution, which failed because the initiative did not include “structural and procedural” changes to the Legislature”). “Senator David Vitter (R-LA) has introduced an amendment to the United States Constitution to limit terms for members of Congress, which may be the only way to make our political system work again.” I wonder if that proposed amendment will be brought up for a vote. Even Paul Ryan said this change should be done to the United States Constitution rather than at a state level, where states can be short-changed in seniority and clout in Congress. “The 2012 election results showed that voters in red and blue states united in their decisive support of term limits in both small town and statewide referenda. Eight of the ten largest cities in America adopted term limits for their city councils and for mayor, and thirty-seven states placed term limits on their constitutional officers.” Voters seemed to want to leave local sheriffs and coroners out from under the limits, however, and I tend to agree. Our country decided to term-limit the presidency, and I believe there should be limits on our legislators also. Our United States Congress is in crises! With the “tide of public dissatisfaction with Congress”, I feel its high time to impose term limits and break the gridlocks. Let the professional politicians use their expertise and go up the ladder to higher employment positions. They should be highly employable in many fields. So “yes” for Illinois and “yes” for the country! In the worlds of Senator Vitter, “may public outcry break the log-jam that has prevented the consideration”.
By spiritspeak • Community Roundtable, Politics 0