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Citizen legislators versus professional politicians.

By KG One, Section News
Posted on Fri Mar 19, 2010 at 12:19:33 PM EST
Tags: Rep. Dillon Rep Hoekstra ticklefest term limits (all tags)

In a recent joint appearance with Rep. Dillon in Beverly Hills, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra is engaging in another "ticklefest".

{Story continued below the fold}.

Realizing that he'll need to actually do an honest day's work if he doesn't "reform" his image, Rep. Andy Dillon recently came out in favor of tax cuts (gasp), supported business regulation reform (double gasp) and slamming Gov. Granholm's "leadership" (somebody call 911).

Now does that surprise me?

Not really.

Democrats are chronic liars from Pres. B.O. on down to the local level.

But what did catch my attention, was that both candidates supported the newest cause du jour in Lansing: Term Limit "Reform".

Why you may ask?

Well, according to them, "not so much because legislators lack experience but they haven't been able to form trusting relationships."

Sorry, that dog won't hunt.

Term Limits have been in effect for years now.

Every current legislator in Lansing understood that they would have a finite amount time to do their job.

You go to Lansing. You represent your district. You go home.

Contrary to the Lansing political pundits (i.e. Skubick, Demas, etc.), term limits do work.

"But, but, but we can't agree on the difficult cuts that have to be made," they'll opine.

"But, but, but we cannot pass the taxes need to raise "needed" revenue," they'll protest.

Bunk!

If anyone wants to see what career politicians have done to muck up the process, just go to Washington D.C.

In Washington D.C., where elected officials aren't constrained by term limits, our elected "representatives" have given out bailouts to the banks and other financial entities, effectively nationalized a majority of the American Automobile Industry, and are intent on passing a health care bill that a majority of Americans do not favor (and tried to do it without actually voting on it)!

In Washington D.C., where elected officials aren't constrained by term limits, we have people in charge of writing our tax laws who fail to properly pay their taxes (along with their numerous successors including Rep. Sander Levin), engage in inappropriate behavior with their subordinates, and treat the amenities of their offices as personal perks?

Oh, and did I forget to mention that under the exceptional stewardship of our "representatives", we owe over $12.591-trillion dollars (or if you look at the total unfunded liabilities: $107.891-trillion).

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

What is Michigan looking at currently?

$1.8-billion?

Nice try.

If elected officials aren't aware of what's involved in running Lansing, then they shouldn't have considered running for office in the first place.

What would your reaction be if the professional that you went to to get something done (i.e. doctor, mechanic, dentist, etc.) told you that what you needed done was hard and that they haven't tried to it before you came to them?

People don't get hired into a job in the private sector to learn what is involved to actually perform their job. The same should hold true for publicly elected officials!

< Traverse City Vigil | It Appears Bart Stupak has caved >

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Citizen legislators versus professional politicians. | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 hidden)

We need more not less term limits. (none / 0) (#1)
by LookingforReagan on Fri Mar 19, 2010 at 02:14:49 PM EST

Washington DC "WILL" be the next target of term limits. This Congress with these leaders and this President make it abundantly clear that term limits at the Federal level are a must in order to save the Republic. Term limits for Federal Judges including the SCOTUS also needs to be included. NO MORE LIFETIME APPOINTMENTS. Why should several generations of Americans be hampered and harmed by the unwise choices of Presidents that have long been out of office. As far as I am concerned term limits should be universal for "every" elected office at every level of government.Period.
The more I hear Pete Hoekstra speak and hear some of his ideas the less I am inclined to vote for the man. I am not liking his stand on Right to Work and the Fair Tax or tax reform. He hasn't taken time to make known his stands on the reform of the state goverment and if he intends to cut staffing at the state level and privatize state functions currently being performed over compensated State Employees. If he is agreeing with Andy Dillion-ger then that does not bode well either. I guess I will be looking closer at this candidate and looking at the others as well. Maybe he would do better to retire of stay in Washington.

Ugh by grannynanny, 03/19/2010 06:10:20 PM EST (none / 0)

We don't need term limits! (none / 0) (#3)
by maidintheus on Fri Mar 19, 2010 at 07:13:26 PM EST

We gov't and unions to get the heck out of the way so we can provide the truth via the classroom without all the tweaking..for our own good of course.

Then we'll turn out individuals with enough brain muscle to vote idiots and liars OUT.

Good Post KG (none / 0) (#4)
by restricted on Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 10:57:39 AM EST

The field for the next Governor of Michigan is rather pathetic. Andy the phony kicked off his campaign with a squeak. Pete Hoekstra seems tepid on the task. Snyder is mostly razzle-dazzle. We do need a leader that will make painful decisions in favor of the taxpayers and revenue generators of this state. It's unfortunate that politicians of little character fail to keep campaign promises and coupled with the generational apathy in the voting bloc, term limits are an easy "automated" check to a balance. When and if ever the voters of this state become informed and involved on a daily basis, the need for term limits will be superseded by the want of the individual to have "hands on" control of elections. I don't see that happening anytime in the near or distant future when you look at numbers of voter turn outs and contestants in primaries. Sure, gadflies like Skubick can spew all they want, but he makes his living on relationships with politicians and bureaucrats that grow ever stronger as time passes. Not the preferred method, but for now, term limits work, and for the better.

re: institutional knowledge (none / 0) (#5)
by Tom McMillin on Sat Mar 20, 2010 at 06:42:55 PM EST

Good post, KG.
The big thing the anti-term limits people often turn to is something like, "About the time a representative figures out how Lansing works, they're term limited."

That's bull. First, saying that a legislator has to "figure out how Lansing works" means that the bureaucrats are running the show. NO -- in actuality, "Lansing" should have to figure out how legislators (and the voters who sent them) want our government to work.

Second - can you imagine landing a new job, but on the first day, going to your boss and saying, "you know, in the interview, I did say I could hit the ground running...but really, its likely to take a couple years for me to do what you want and what others could do quickly. Hope you don't mind."

Finally - there's a reason almost every lobbyist wants to eliminate term-limits. Its so much easier for them to go to two or three power brokers in the legislature and get what they want. But with term-limits, there just isn't as much structure, the mix changes often, so there are no strong power-brokers (as a matter of fact, one terms power-broker is often next term's lame-duck sideliner). And lobbyists are frustrated -- i'll bet it often took longer than six years to break down some good legislators in the past. And now, by the time they get the legislator doing what they want, he's term limited and they have to start all over.

Term limits gives citizens a guarantee that regularly they will be given either a good/competitive primary and/or general election. A part-time legislature would be even better - and would make it so term-limited legislators weren't spending their last two years looking for a place to land, because they'd have to actually have a real job at the same time as being a legislator. Its also a job that could easily be done in a couple months each year (or three months every two years like Texas).

Citizen legislators versus professional politicians. | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 hidden)

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Raise the curtain.

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