News came today that my representative in the state house, Jim Marleau, is a candidate for the state Senate. Why not run for another house term? The constitution won't allow it as he has served his third term. My representative on the County Board of Commissioners plans to run for the open seat that will now be open. Marleau, if successful, will replace my representative in the state Senate, who is now a candidate for Attorney General. The Attorney General of Michigan is, according to polls, pulling away from the Democratic leaders in a mock general election for Governor.
Term Limits, approved by citizens of Michigan in the 1990s, were designed to end the run of professional politicians. The concept breaks down the idea of a member of government serving term after term and creates the opportunity for new ideas. Sadly, those in Lansing are not ideal, as the professional politicians remain. Those who championed term limits continue to run for new offices, and frankly, haven't served the citizens all that well in recent years. Does anyone truly believe that by switching chairs that these people will be able to reform and improve state government? Professional politicians still exist, term limits have not accomplished what they were meant to do.
The leader of Michigan's Senate is running for Attorney General. Winning a Republican primary by doing anything that may raise taxes will be difficult at best, meaning he's unlikely to allow any bill on to the floor of the Senate that may raise revenue. The leader of the Michigan House is suspected to be running for Governor, making me wonder how long it will be before he begins rolling out an agenda to put him in a stronger place for the primary election against John Cherry.
Through redistricting, as well as the support of special interest groups, it's very difficult to defeat an incumbent in an election. Political parties, loyal to those currently holding a legislative position, discourage citizens from running against officeholders in a primary election. These factors make it easy for politics to become a career, not what the founders of our nation envisioned when they set up our government. To combat this, the citizens of Michigan approved term limits in 1992. The idea, to end the notion of career politicians and bring new views to state government was supported by nearly 60 percent of the voters when the ballot initiative passed. Sadly, the current leadership in the legislature remains led by career politicians, focused on the next election and protecting themselves rather than being honest with citizens.
In a perfect world, citizens would be elected, serve the best interest of the people and then return to the private sector to live under the same laws they created. This would promote honest, fair, and effective government. Term Limits should take the eyes of legislators off of elections and focus them on issues. If only they were successful.
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