Is term limits a viable option?
The defeat of six-term Republican Sen. Dick Lugar of Indiana seems to be a source of more political news than the Republican Party’s presidential primary. It is interesting that so many Washington Democrats are busy applauding his efforts at bipartisan politics, and complaining about the Senate’s loss of a true statesman, but they seem to be looking beyond what might be a sign of change in mainstream America. The very things that the news media is reporting about the senator should be a warning to all politicians in Washington. Many have taken re-election for granted and have become careless in their relationship with those “back home.”
No one seems to be talking about the fact that this very well could be a profound statement about term limits. Every time the subject of term limits comes up, the response is “there is no need for term limits, the voters can simply make a change at the polls.” Given a viable candidate and the kind of situation we are dealing with in our economy and “surprise” — a legend is out of office. Maybe Sen. Lugar got too comfortable in Washington, maybe he had too many Democrat friends, but he established himself as more of a fixture in Washington than an advocate for the “folks back home.” Until the folks we send to Washington understand that we may be simple folks and gullible enough to keep voting for a “known quantity” (re-electing an incumbent) rather than finding out about all the choices, given the right circumstances some of us will vote for change.
How many years in office should a senator have? The six-year term makes it difficult to make a quick and significant change in the direction of the entire senate through the voting process in a single election cycle. However, when the shock of this primary election results in history voters in other states may have the courage to follow suit. Personally, however, I believe a total of 30 years in Washington is too many for any elected position. New ideas, new ways of thinking and a better understanding of the voter’s needs and concerns are a product of a dynamic and growing society. Some may want to refer to Sen. Lugar’s ouster as rebellion, but I believe it is more of a turning point and political history in the making.
Maybe term limits — too much experience, too cozy with lobbyists — wasn’t all the reason for the public expression of dissatisfaction. Could his physical move to the Washington area portray him as aloof, too good for his constituency? Had he risen above his Indiana roots to a position that prompted him to feel secure with his political power? The media wants to blame the “radical TEA Party” for its influence in this election. To me the TEA Party is a mind-set, an expression of dissatisfaction, more than an organized, accredited political party. Certainly a group of people have attempted to take charge of the effort, but most of the people I have talked to about the TEA Party’s objectives want change in Washington but don’t necessarily desire to be a part of something like the two major parties that have led us into our current economic dilemma. The prospect of my greatgrandchildren owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in national debt at birth doesn’t sound like much of an inheritance to me. My parent’s generation may have had a less expensive lifestyle (and no one really wants to go back to the “good old days”) but they had the satisfaction of achievement through hard work and sacrifice, not wild speculation in the stock market or real estate.
Sen. Lugar’s record in the legislature will be complete at the end of the year.
Hopefully the good points of his efforts will help his replacement to follow in his footsteps. However, the majority of the republicans in Indiana feel it is time for him to step down and make way for fresh ideas and a new way to bring about term limits has been demonstrated with a loud and clear message to BOTH political parties.
Maybe this is a lesson on how to implement term limits for future elections. Is it time for us to invite our local TEA Party representative over for coffee?