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Term limits were all the rage a few years ago, until people who are politically active learned that they can be a disaster. Losing a working political coalition through a defeat at the polls or through term limits means a loss of power in Austin or Washington. That power may be regained, but it requires starting anew in building political allies and trust, only to see that person leave office due to term limits. Major corporations and their PACs will always be able to have an impact on legislation because of the shear amount of money they can throw around, but grassroots organizations feel the impact of these changes.

Term limits also mean an elected official has no incentive to please his constituents in their last term. If a politician cannot run for reelection, then they do not answer to the voters. Federal judges are a great example of evil that comes with a governmental official who doesn't have to worry about pleasing the voters to get reelected.

If voters don't defeat bad elected officials at the polls, then we won't get any better ones when term limits force someone out. I've always found it interesting that term limits supporters seem to want to get the proverbial "other guy's" congressman or senator out of office, but not his own.

Chas.