Why I am against Term Limits

There seems to be two ideas that people swear that will save the Republic and the various states. First is we need to get rid of the two party system- MORE PARTIES!!!. The second that everyone talks about is term limits.

On the first briefly, I am generally a big fan of the two party system. I also think it fits the American character and system quite well. There is a reason why despite brief periods of viable third parties they seem to fade away. Further I am looking at Europe and such where they have numerous third parties and it seems not to be helping. DO we really want to be like Italy? Oh but it will get rid of corruption!! Really? It seems in Israel all sorts of corruption monkeyshines are happening. The most obvious example is the "United States of Europe" the EU where it appears problems that a multi party is suppose to fix is proving well to be a problem.

The EU example brings to the topic of term limits which is somewhat related. First as rural American I recognize that this Seniority thing is a much needed balance. I also think there is something anti democratic about the whole thing. It appears that often people support term limits because they don't like who other people elect. WHY is that Ted Kennedy in there!! Can't we get rid of him. Also there is sort of a potential of democratic laziness. Hey no need for me to get involve in the battle of ideas and convince my neighbor to vote x out for y. He will be out in a couple of years anyway.

It is amazing but often when I talk to politicos and their staff that support term limits they say they think it is a really bad idea. But you know the people want it. The staffs tell me the obvious that often most folks miss. That is in the pursuit of "showing politicians who is boss" an amazing amount of power will go to unelected Government bureaucrats.

Think the old British Comedy Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister (except worse) where the British Civil Service is running the show. The fact is it takes a while for a Senator or Rep to become an "expert on a topic" Whether it is oil and gas to trade , to foreign affairs. At least those views can be debated and checked by the democratic process. It will be much more difficult to do this in this unofficial fourth branch of Govt.

Mickey Kaus sort of shows how this will look like in the extreme when is commenting on this very scary Broder article. See my post What In the heck is the Independent Medicare Advisory Council?

Kaus says
Blow #3 to Orszagism in the last 24 hours: David Broder--who as Lucianne notes will surely be one of the first the Juiceboxers send to the ice floe--notices that what Orszag's base-closing style Medicare cost-cutting panel is designed to get around is ... the ordinary practice of representative democracy. Orszag's Independent Medicare Advisory Commission, or IMAC, isn't (yet) as undemocratic as, say, the Fed: As drafted, IMAC's recommendations could be blocked by either the President or the Congress (two-house veto required). But they'd have to accept or reject the package of reforms as a whole, in the manner of the famous base-closing commission. ...

Hmm. Why isn't a base-closing style commission the solution to every one of our problems? After all, it's logical that the problems our peculiar system of government--featuring a Congress that gives powerful voice to regional and local interests--hasn't yet solved will be precisely the problems that our peculiar system of government is almost incapable of solving. Otherwise they would have been solved already! The solution is a quick suprise switch to a different system of government, featuring powerful judge-like bureaucrats subject only to a broad legislative veto. Trouble imposing energy caps? Base-close it! An Independent Carbon Advisory Commission! If the Midwest objects, let them try to overturn it. Heh, heh. ... Tax code riddled with loopholes? An independent Loophole Closing Commission, empowered to recommend any changes in the tax code as long as they don't result in the collection of less revenue. Immigration? A Comprehensive Regularization Commission, empowered ... well, you get the picture. Always be Base-Closing. ..........

The question term limit folks need to be asked is if their vision is implemented shall we see more of the above.