Comments on: Arlen Specter – a theorem for today

By: Ritchie Emmons

Ritchie Emmons — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:38:22 +0000

I’m with Terrye at #9. I used to think that people should elect who they want into office, but I have come to the conclusion that these politicians simply get “institutionalized.” Their positions as Senators or Reps become more important than serving their constituents.

I know it would be impossible to pass an amendment that would have these clowns limit their own terms in office. However, would it be possible to pass a term limits amendment that grandfathers in all current legislators? I’m not sure how much objection to that there would be. I’d love to see someone start that ball rolling. And by the way, my formula would be that no one could serve more than 2 terms in the Senate and no one could serve more than 6 terms in the House.

By: kytraveler

kytraveler — Sun, 10 May 2009 03:27:03 +0000

Agreed. And while we are at it can we please put term limits on Supreme Court Justices? Something about seeing those old geezers who, after all are unelected, spending so many years with so much control over our lives is unnerving. I doubt the founders ever imagined the terms of the justices to last as long as they sometimes do now thanks to a much greater life expectancy and the extreme politicization of the 3′rd branch of our government.

By: Barry Dauphin

Barry Dauphin — Fri, 08 May 2009 02:13:29 +0000

Since the President and VP are subject to term limits and since life expectancy is so much longer today than in days gone by, a Constitutional Amendment for Congressional term limits is in order. Incumbents also write campaign legislation and give themselves all kinds of advantages. Perhaps the Tea Parties can get behind that.

By: zhombre

zhombre — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:51:53 +0000

Some of the “old growth” in the Senate and House needs to be cleared away for the new stuff to emerge. Specter is a tough, stubborn old weed — but he seems to have done a pretty good job of self-chopping his own roots.

By: Terrye

Terrye — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:42:24 +0000

I did not used to be a big supporter of term limits, but I have to come to realize that some of these just need to go. The founding fathers intended for the country to be governed by citizens, not life long pols.

Not only that they intended for the Senate to be chosen by the states, not the general population. I wonder if that change has backfired on us.

By: Michael C. Seaver

Michael C. Seaver — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:31:02 +0000

Thanks, Roger … put a smile on my face in an otherwise dreary day….!

By: frank

frank — Thu, 07 May 2009 21:24:29 +0000

Term Limits = Winning Elections

By: EdSki

EdSki — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:40:41 +0000

Specter may have lost his seniority, but he’s still got his cushy job with a huge salary, courtesy of We The People.

By: tehag

tehag — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:09:56 +0000

Spector switched parties after he heard the news reports about Murtha’s airport. Murtha’s a representative, not a senator, and Spector figured by seigneurial right he should have an airport, office building, highway, and few other earmarks for his buddies named after him. Since he’s not a friend of Pelosi, that wasn’t going to happen unless he switched.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:49:22 +0000

Probably his polling data showed he wouldn’t win if he ran as an Independent.