Patriot Act Extension

Originally Posted by classicman

LIMIT EVERYONE!

lets see the progression here - 2 term congressman does a good job (4 years), then 2 term senator (12 years) Thats a good 16 years of Gov't service - plenty of time. Then go open a consulting business like you.

Oh and I am all for the strictest shit we can possibly enforce as far as campaign contributions and lobbyists et all.

What you do with term limits is effectively obstruct/prevent citizens' fundamental choices for their elected representative by excluding one person (you cant vote for Congressman X anymore) rather than level the playing field through comprehensive campaign finance reform so that challengers have a real competitive chance against incumbents...providing real choice, not limiting choice.

The other issue for me with term limits is loosing that expertise that takes more than 10-12 years to establish. (Don't you know more about your field of expertise after 20 years as opposed to 10-12 years?)

There is probably not a guy in the Senate who knows as much about foreign affairs as Dick Lugar, Republican from Indiana, who has been around for 30 years, building that expertise. I dont want him replaced with a rookie, even if I dont always agree with Lugar. Same with the Intel Committees or Armed Services Committees, I want at least some members of those Committees who know every nook and cranny of the CIA and the Pentagon. That level of expertise takes time as does establishing credibility with colleagues as well as with the executive branch.

I dont think I would want to work in any large company/organization, public or private, where no one in that institution had more than 10-12 years of experience on the job. I just want better safeguards to make sure those long-timers dont abuse the system.