Term Limits
The Bloomberg Backlash Begins
Even with the presidential race going on, one of the more interesting (in a stomach turning sort of way) spectacles in politics this year has been watching New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg shamelessly weasel his way into a possible third term. In the latest Weekly Standard, Fred Siegel deconstructs this power-grab from every angle.
November 9, 2008 | Read More
Big Surprise: Politicians Vote To Extend Their Careers
In what has to be the least startling outcome in recent political memory, members of New York city council voted today to give themselves, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, extra time in office.
October 23, 2008 | Read More
East Is East, West Is West And Bloomberg Is A Hypocrite
When Kipling wrote, “East is east, west is west and never the twain shall meet,” he wasn’t predicting Michael Bloomberg’s geographically shifting political views, but he could have been. Bloomberg is stumping for a voter referendum in California to take power away from career politicians while, at the same time, he is engineering a virtual coup by career politicians in New York to overturn a … voter referendum.
October 16, 2008 | Read More
Bloomberg’s Term Limit Scam Hits A Snag
Michael Bloomberg and the other would-be career incumbents in New York are trying to undo term-limits. But their quest has hit a snag in the form of the city’s campaign finance rules. What are they going to do? Why, change the laws again, of course. Why not? They’re already working to contravene the will of the people on term limits, why not rewrite the campaign finance laws, too? Once you start letting politicians make their own rules, you might as well grant them all permanent rights to their seats.
October 14, 2008 | Read More
Bloomberg’s Naked Power Grab
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is trying to get around term limits for more time in office. In California earlier this year, we saw a similarly naked power grab. Termed-out state legislators concocted a specious ballot initiative, Proposition 93, to give themselves more time in office. Luckily, the people saw through it and voted it down. But in New York, they won’t have that chance.
October 9, 2008 | Read More
Term Limits of Endearment
Jumpstarting a district-by-district movement of qualified independent candidates won’t solve all our problems. The D.O.P.es will still have a hammerlock on the legislative process, at least for the near term. And you know they’ll stop at nothing to keep themselves in power. So how can we hasten their demise? Most importantly, how can we make sure that we’re sending the most qualified people to Washington, people who will actually make the right decisions for our future?
In a perfect world, I’d say we should start by changing the length of presidential and congressional terms. Two years in the House is too short;…
August 14, 2008 | Read More
Reason #10: Dealing from a Stacked Deck — the Rigged Seniority System
Once you’re an incumbent from one of the two D.O.P.es, you’ve got it made – and not just because you’re probably in one of the 400 or so “safe” districts across the country or because the D.O.P.es have boxed out any possible independent challengers. You’re also guaranteed a huge advantage in fundraising as well. That’s because big business, big labor and other political machines know they have to play ball with you if they want to get laws passed or regulations relaxed. They lavish their pet incumbents with billions of dollars and send their memberships into the streets to campaign…
August 14, 2008 | Read More
Reason #3: Lifetime Leeches
The “lifetime politician” is a uniquely 20th century phenomenon.
Not long ago, I watched Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas flogging his new autobiography on television. The program included footage of his confirmation hearings from almost twenty years ago and I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the senators questioning him. The whole gang was there: Joe Biden, Arlen Specter, Pat Leahy, Orrin Hatch.
“Good God!” I said to myself. “All those dinosaurs are still in office!”
Congressmen, especially senators, treat their elected offices like lifetime appointments. Over the years, they grow such thick roots around their seats, it would take a…
August 12, 2008 | Read More
