New at Reason: Steve Chapman on Term Limits Advocates Who Refuse to Leave Office

In a column that originally appeared in April 2006, Steve Chapman looks at how politics trumps principle to keep self-described term limits advocates from leaving office.

Read all about it here.

Comments

oldtimer | November 17, 2008, 7:59am | #

Wellstone died trying to circumvent his initial threat of only serving 2 terms in the Senate. Maybe there is a god after all.

Alan Vanneman | November 17, 2008, 8:04am | #

I am on vacation as well. This comment was written in April 2006. But it's still funny.

VM | November 17, 2008, 8:21am | #

honestly, guys: you're doing this just to mess with Warren, aren't you?

FrBunny | November 17, 2008, 9:06am | #

I'd be content with a pro-limits politician saying he would leave office the day significant term limits become law. I haven't RTFA but I don't blame the guys who want to stick around and help make it happen.

FrBunny | November 17, 2008, 9:11am | #

Minor threadjack:

VM - Did we figure out if you were the one I was talking about hier?

Episiarch | November 17, 2008, 9:15am | #

Oh goody, a Chapman article that is basically correct while being, as always, mostly content free and is two years old. WTF am I paying for here? Oh shit, I'm not. Whoops.

Warren | November 17, 2008, 9:46am | #

Chapman name checks Lilly Tomlin, an under appreciated closet lesbian, and great American entertainer, he get's a pass this week.

Not that there isn't grist for my mill here. It's just that it'd be easier to keep up the Chapman hate if it wasn't Monday.

MR | November 17, 2008, 9:52am | #

How about introducing a new section. It could be called, for example, 'Old at Reason' and would include all articles older than, say, two years...

Lefiti | November 17, 2008, 10:08am | #

God, government is so evil and corrupt. Nothing remotely naughty ever happens in the private sector. Government bad. Business good.

economist | November 17, 2008, 10:17am | #

WE DON'T NEED A DAILY CHAPMAN FIX! We can do just fine with no more Chapman articles, thanks very much.

Note: I personally don't care that much about term limits. One pandering cretin goes out of office, another goes in. Term limits won't change that, as the presidency amply demonstrates.

Bramblyspam | November 17, 2008, 10:18am | #

I've long felt that candidates for office should be asked to sign legal documents binding them to keep various promises. For term limits, I'd have them sign a contract binding them to donate a billion dollars of their personal wealth towards reducing the national debt, and the only way to be excused from this commitment would be to leave office before the designated date.

Of course, candidates would still be free to not sign such contracts - but voters would know it, and could judge the candidate's promises accordingly.

economist | November 17, 2008, 10:18am | #

Lefiti,
Just out of curiosity, do you ever do anything besides snark, and masturbate in public?

economist | November 17, 2008, 10:20am | #

Of ocurse, that would be like asking a monkey if it does anything besides fling shit.

economist | November 17, 2008, 10:21am | #

Warren,
I don't *hate* Chapman. I just think the majority of the stuff he writes is irrelevant and/or foolish. That said, on the rare occasions that he actually writes something worthwhile, I've no problem with them putting it up here.

Lefiti | November 17, 2008, 10:40am | #

economist, I also talk dirty to your sister.

economist | November 17, 2008, 10:41am | #

Lefiti,
That would work really well if I had a sister.

economist | November 17, 2008, 10:41am | #

Okay, not really. You would still be a douche.

Lefiti | November 17, 2008, 10:52am | #

Look at me! Look at me!

concerned observer | November 17, 2008, 10:58am | #

Doesn't anyone think about MY needs anymore?

iTroll | November 17, 2008, 10:59am | #

concerned observer, last week was your golden moment, you may get another.

who knows?

shoot for the moon!

Urkobold™ | November 17, 2008, 12:27pm | #

THE URKOBOLD MISSES EDWARD. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HIM?

economist | November 17, 2008, 2:10pm | #

Urkobold,
Edward turned into Lefiti.

Urkobold™ | November 17, 2008, 2:30pm | #

WHAT! THE URKOBOLD IS NOT PLEASED!

Nick | November 18, 2008, 12:42am | #

I really don't have a problem with this... as long as there are no term limits.

As long as a law is on the books, it is appropriate to take advantage of it. It is not hypocritical to collect government handouts while advocating their abolishment, because you are not the person that created them, and as long as they exist, you should get your fair share. The same principle applies here.