THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, March 21, 1995 TAG: 9503210017
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Wandering in the wilderness for 40 years made Republicans desperate to end the exile, so they promised to push for term limits if elected. Now that they have reached the promised land, many wish they could take the promise back.
Their second thoughts have merit. Term limits are a bad idea. They place an arbitrary limit on public service by the good and bad alike. Worse, they take power from the individual.
If voters want to keep electing Democrats, pork peddlers, fools and poltroons, that's their right. And if voters tire of their elected representatives, term limits already exist in the Constitution. The term for the House is two years; for the Senate, six. All voters have to do is throw the bums out, as they did last November.
But a promise is a promise. Republicans now seem honor bound to vote to amend the Constitution to limit freedom of choice for voters. Instead, they are trying to weasel out of it.
The leadership in the House is half-hearted at best. The whip, Tom DeLay, has had the courage to announce his opposition and turn over his duties to round up votes to a deputy. Speaker Gingrich, Majority Leader Armey and other leaders are lukewarm on limits and not pushing hard for them.
One absurd version of term limits has been suggested that would permit a 12-year term followed by two years off then another 12-year term. Some limit! A number of Republicans claim that the Contract With America only promised to bring the matter to a vote, not to pass it. But that's disingenuous.
Voters reasonably enough took the promise as a guarantee of action. Now that Republicans are in power, they expect a majority to vote in favor. Talk-show hosts are braying about a sellout. Groups like the American Conservative Union and the Christian Coalition are turning up the heat. Ross Perot promises to deluge members of Congress with mail, faxes and phone calls. If those who campaigned for term limits now vote against, they may find their terms limited by angry voters.
To call the Republicans' bluff, Democrats propose retroactive term limits. Any member with 12 years of service would be ineligible for re-election. That would sweep out dozens - Republican and Democrat alike - in 1996.
Term limits has turned into a case of ``be careful what you wish for, you may get it.'' It would be refreshing to hear boosters admit that it was a lousy idea they supported only for reasons of political expediency, but such candor could itself be term limiting.
Instead, Republicans may be able to finesse the issue. They can't count on states to refuse to ratify. State legislatures have been more gung-ho in favor of limits than Congress. But passage will require 290 votes, so at least 60 Democrats will have to go along.
If they don't, Republicans can lay the blame at their door. Knowing that, Democrats may vote aye just to hold the Republicans' feet to the fire. What ought to be a serious constitutional debate has turned into a partisan charade. by CNB