Red Mosquito

Off topic, but what are RM's thoughts on term limits? Good, bad, need to be tweaked, who cares?

darth_vedder wrote:Off topic, but what are RM's thoughts on term limits? Good, bad, need to be tweaked, who cares?

Good for the judiciary, bad for the executive and the legislature. Unfortunately, in the US it's ass-backwards on two of those three branches.

Green Habit wrote:

darth_vedder wrote:Off topic, but what are RM's thoughts on term limits? Good, bad, need to be tweaked, who cares?

Good for the judiciary, bad for the executive and the legislature. Unfortunately, in the US it's ass-backwards on two of those three branches.

So, you don't think executive or the legislature need term limits?

Green Habit wrote:

darth_vedder wrote:Off topic, but what are RM's thoughts on term limits? Good, bad, need to be tweaked, who cares?

Good for the judiciary, bad for the executive and the legislature. Unfortunately, in the US it's ass-backwards on two of those three branches.

Term limits bad for the judiciary, good for legislative and executive.

I used to think the legislature should have term limits but I've gone back on that. Term limits is seen as a way to fight corruption, but I'd rather do that via lobbying and campaign finance reform and not throwing out legislatures who have learned how to effectively govern.

cutuphalfdead wrote:I used to think the legislature should have term limits but I've gone back on that. Term limits is seen as a way to fight corruption, but I'd rather do that via lobbying and campaign finance reform and not throwing out legislatures who have learned how to effectively govern.

I'd take lobbying and campaign finance reform over term limits as well.

wease wrote:So, you don't think executive or the legislature need term limits?

There exists a way to limit their term already: vote them out of office. If the people like their representative they should be able to continue to cast their support.

4/5 wrote:Term limits bad for the judiciary, good for legislative and executive.

I should have noted that I'm talking long terms for the judiciary here so that they can effectively escape future political whims. But right now we have a model where judicial power is determined by gaining control of a branch and a half, plus death. The 18-year single Supreme Court term makes tons of sense to me.

cutuphalfdead wrote:I used to think the legislature should have term limits but I've gone back on that. Term limits is seen as a way to fight corruption, but I'd rather do that via lobbying and campaign finance reform and not throwing out legislatures who have learned how to effectively govern.

Plenty of First Amendment problems surrounding this, though that's got a separate thread altogether.

cutuphalfdead wrote:I used to think the legislature should have term limits but I've gone back on that. Term limits is seen as a way to fight corruption, but I'd rather do that via lobbying and campaign finance reform and not throwing out legislatures who have learned how to effectively govern.

Strom Thurmond sure governed effectively.

wease wrote:

cutuphalfdead wrote:I used to think the legislature should have term limits but I've gone back on that. Term limits is seen as a way to fight corruption, but I'd rather do that via lobbying and campaign finance reform and not throwing out legislatures who have learned how to effectively govern.

Strom Thurmond sure governed effectively.

For every Strom Thurmond there is a Ted Kennedy.

cutuphalfdead wrote:

wease wrote:

cutuphalfdead wrote:I used to think the legislature should have term limits but I've gone back on that. Term limits is seen as a way to fight corruption, but I'd rather do that via lobbying and campaign finance reform and not throwing out legislatures who have learned how to effectively govern.

Strom Thurmond sure governed effectively.

For every Strom Thurmond there is a Ted Kennedy.

Term limits wouldn't have made Ted Kennedy pay, he'd only fight back.

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Power corrupts.

So yeah I'm very much in favor of term limits and experience is highly overrated in the public sector.

The longer you're there the more you're lobbied.

Sorry I don't believe in the good nature of anyone who chooses politics as a career.

So why not curtail lobbying?

cutuphalfdead wrote:So why not curtail lobbying?

Because you can only do that publicly.

Transparency in government is a myth.

There are reasons the Athenians got to vote people out of town.

Lawmakers also develop relationships with each other over time, which leads to more bi-partisan governance.

I feel like term limiting members of congress is a flippant reaction to a more complicated problem that will cause more problems than people think.

cutuphalfdead wrote:Lawmakers also develop relationships with each other over time, which leads to more bi-partisan governance.

I feel like term limiting members of congress is a flippant reaction to a more complicated problem that will cause more problems than people think.

That's a fair criticism and a valid point. I just think part of the issue there is a lack of reasonable people that go into those positions.

If there were term limits, Republicans would actually stand up to Trump.

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Electromatic wrote:Power corrupts.

So yeah I'm very much in favor of term limits and experience is highly overrated in the public sector.

The longer you're there the more you're lobbied.

Sorry I don't believe in the good nature of anyone who chooses politics as a career.

You read my mind.