Letter: Reader seeks term limits in city, county offices
To the Editor-
General George Washington stepped up from private life to serve as our first president from April 1789 to March 1797 and then stepped down after two terms to resume private life at Mt. Vernon, Virginia.
President Washington kept America a Republic by declining to be king and setting the presidential standard of term limits for the future.
On the other hand, Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia served for 51 years in the U.S. Senate and Representative John David Dingell served for 59 years in the House of Representatives. Are the citizens of West Virginia and Michigan heroes or victims?
Currently, our city/county has determined the length of service terms for elected officials but left the number of terms unlimited. Are we heroes or victims?
Is it a good idea to limit the number of terms elected officers can serve in our city/county governments?
The pros for limiting the service of elected public officials to two terms:
- Politicians who must return to private life will think more about their actions in office.
- Professional politicians are vulnerable to control by special interest money.
- Long-time incumbents can wield power to prevent potential officers from running.
- Established incumbents prevent the flow of fresh ideas and equality in legislative representation.
- Ample supply of good citizens for candidates: City 25,666 (2020) and county 70, 377 (2020)
- Trust in God
The cons for limiting the service of elected public officials to two terms:
- Incumbents can be voted out of office.
- Eliminates cradle-to-grave employment and fringe benefits for the elected official.
- Inexperienced officers may be prey to the established city/county bureaucracy.
- Ends the established social network of long-time incumbents.
President George Washington wisely focused on the welfare of the republic by limiting the service of the president to two terms. Let us compare the benefits of limiting city/county elected service to two terms with the present practice of endless terms, vote out incumbents seeking a third term or more in the upcoming elections, and introduce term legislation to end the unlimited rule of our city/county governments.
Jean C. Edens
Stevens Point