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07/29/2005: The Truth About Term Limits (A Very Bad Idea, indeed)
From Chris Lawrence who, as a political scientist, knows whereof he speaks, I'm sure:
... pretty much everyone who’s studied the issue of term limits seriously finds that the effects of term limits are pretty much the opposite of those promised by proponents: instead of producing "citizen legislators" who aren’t beholden to parties or organized interests, it produces a legislature full of political novices who have to rely on unelected party leaders and lobbyists, since they lack the political expertise and experience necessary to exercise good independent judgment.That's probably advice that would be well taken elsewhere than Mississippi, I'm sure....
A far better method for producing an accountable legislature is to ensure vigorous competition for seats, which suggests that Mississippi would be better served by overhauling the gerrymandered monstrosities we call legislative districts than selecting a fresh batch of mediocre politicians every eight years from constituencies that are the result of racial and partisan redistricting.
Len on 07.29.05 @ 11:49 AM CST
