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StumblePublished Monday, July 28, 2008 | 4:16 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008 | 10:15 a.m.
The best reason for term limits is an uninformed electorate. The worst reason for term limits is an uninformed electorate.
Are we so jaded as a society that the fundamental right of having a say in our democracy is given about as much reverance as choosing between the Venti and Grande sizes at Starbucks?
If you buy the argument that voters knew what they were doing when they passed term limits, doesn't it follow that the same informed electorate is capable of limiting terms the old-fashioned way, in the voting booth?
Such is the conundrum of term limits. The Nevada Supreme Court, in a unanimous opinion penned by Chief Justice Mark Gibbons, said the will of the voters back in 1994 and 1996 was clear - 12 years in service and you're out.
School board member Ruth Johnson says she would have liked a chance to handpick a potential successor. But Steve Sisolak, who challenged longtime Commissioner Bruce Woodbury's eligibility and is running for his seat, says voters are smart and don't need to be told whom to choose next. Sisolak, who has had the good fortune of being elected and re-elected, says he indeed trusts the electorate, but doesn't trust entrenched politicians to look out for the will of their constituents. He also laments the lack of accessiblity newcomers have to programs like Face to Face.
Woodbury, a 27-year veteran of the commission, stopped short of saying the justices were afraid of political ads claiming they ignored the will of the people, but did cite that "the largest paper in the state" threatened retribution to the supremes who didn't support the limits.
Sisolak's attorney, Dominic Gentile, says he's sick and tired of hearing that the electorate is uninformed. He's also apparently tired of hearing that voters can think for themselves. Such is the conundrum of term limits.
Is it really an uninformed electorate? Or is it (especially here in Vegas), an electorate that is really different now than it was 12 years ago? In general we have a mobile society these days, and here in particular, with the way Vegas has grown, half the people living here now weren't even here when the initiative was voted on back then. Maybe we need to change the initiative procedure and do the first vote. Then the second vote should take place just a year or 6 months before the initiative would go into effect. At least then there would be somewhat of a chance that the people who will have to live with the law will be the ones who acutally voted on it.
I do find it a little insulting that an elected official (in this case Scow and Johnson) think they can hand pick their successors. Who are they to think they are the only ones who know what is right for our citizens? That kind of thinking does smack of politics as usual in Vegas.......its about the power.
I agree with the reasoning for term limits, given by Sisolak and Gentile, especially given the degree of cronyism, nepotism and corruption in American politics today!
I found it more than a little insulting that any elected official thinks they can hand pick their successors - but, it makes my point about elitism and cronyism and nepotism. America has become a caste, class system - and if you're weathly and connected you're "royalty" (the top 3%) and the rest of us (97%) are mistreated like mere "peasants".
Yeah, it's past time for term limits and a number of other initiatives to clean our houses of government...
...as for the 30% of professional politicians that we want to retain in public service - they will have plenty of opportunity to move from State Assembly to State Senate to Governor's Mansion to becoming a member of Congress or elsewhere in public service.
Finally, I also agree, we all need to vote smart and vote the bums out, early on, before they get re-elected for a second term and get entrenched!
Ah, change and diversity, it really is a good thing!
Term limits are needed because incumbancy provides a significant advantage in campaign fund raising, access to media, and leverage through patronage.
This wouldn't be a problem one way or the other if politicians respected the limitations of power placed upon them by the constitution. But by expanding power they expand their opportunities to pick winners themselves.
Uninformed Electorate. So Dana think we are uniformed - If that is the case why should we have elections at all? We are to dumb too vote for anybody. So we should all stay home since we are too uniformed. Let the elite (King Reid and Squire Reid) with their proper cronyism, nepotism and corruption tell us who we should have for leaders. I am just sick, sick, sick of voting.