Letter: Put term limits on members of Congress

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 | 7:27 a.m.

It's time for the American middle class to take back this country.

Neither party, Democrat nor Republican, is doing anything for the average American. Current members of both the House and Senate will say or do most anything to get re-elected. It's time to put term limits on not only the members of Congress, but we must also put additional limitations on the executive branch as well.

We should allow House members to be elected and serve for a total of 10 years (five terms). Senators should be allowed to serve for 12 years (two terms). We should also limit the president to one term of six years with no opportunity for re-election.

Presently, a president may serve two terms (eight years) in the White House or one day less than 10 years if that president became the chief executive because of the death or resignation of the elected president.

Its also time to demand campaign finance reform and strict control of lobbyists. The "almighty dollar" is calling the shots. The current crisis concerning the price of gasoline at the pump is just a recurring, yearly rip-off by Big Oil. Can you remember last summer and the skyrocketing cost of gasoline? Well, it's the same thing all over again.

It's also time that we demand that a comprehensive alternative energy plan be put into operation. Look what is going on in Brazil. Brazil is using sugar cane to produce ethanol, and just recently its government announced that it no longer will import foreign oil. We can do the same thing but it will require "real leadership."

It's a shame that every voter in this country doesn't have a choice of "none of the above" on the upcoming November election ballot. I'm sure many Americans would show their great disapproval of what is going on in this country by marking that choice. I know many voters in various states who would certainly choose that option.

Nevada presently allows its voters the choice of "none of the above." I plan to exercise that option with various candidates come November.

Larry Burgess, Henderson