Until Educators Begin To Teach Self-esteem, We Will Have Drunk Drivers 
There's Been A Lot Of Controversy Regarding Caroline Petrini And The Accident 
Which Took The Lives Of Two Men.

13c 12-17-94 Cougars Trying Despite Lack Of Numbers

Sunday, December 18, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 11B 





Term limits also curtail freedom and enlightened leadership &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Demanding term limits for members of the Congress is like praying for an
end to a drought while wading in the middle of a major floodAs state Rep.
Kevin Blaum, D-Wilkes-Barre, once said about the move to impose term limits:
"We have term limits. I face a term limit every time I stand for election." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Anyone looking for more proof needs look only at the record of
congressional elections since 1990. In these last four years, more than half
of the members of the House have been replaced, and virtually half (48) of the
members of the Senate. The overwhelming evidence (even if judged only by last
month's elections) is that the kind of term limitation that is one of the
functions of the voting booth, is alive, well, and kicking vigorously. It
needs no law and no constitutional amendment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But, 21 states already have adopted legislation of various kinds that set
fixed limits to the terms allowed most elected officials and particularly
those of members of the Congress. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 There is a broad body of legal opinion which holds that such state laws are
unconstitutional --an opinion that was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court
several weeks ago. However, the executive director of a national organization
dedicated to making term limitation the law of the land, threatened that if
the court failed to support those states, his group would override the court
by amending the Constitution. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 What, on the surface, appears to be the goal of this movement is not their
representative, but yours, for they would have turned their's out of office
long ago. Obviously, if they have any long-term member representing them in
the Congress (and some do), it is because they want to keep him there. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Their problem is that they can't vote out your representative. And so they
want to change the law to allow them to do what you don't want to do. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That makes their problem your problem because, to get rid of your
representative, they would deny you your right to vote for whomever you
choose. It isn't just the term of your representative that would be limited;
it is your right to vote that would be limited. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Not only would their proposal limit your freedom, but it would also limit
the freedom of every citizen to serve in public office. Indeed, advocates of
term limits say that is their intent; they want to get rid of the
"professional" officeholder (politician). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They want to turn government over to amateurs, to folks who are willing to
spend just a couple of years -- six for House members and twelve for senators
-- and then, having given service, have them return home to their businesses. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 There is a cloud of unreality about that vision. The business of government
has become extraordinarily complex during this century -- and promises to
become even more demanding in the future. A newcomer to Washington would
barely have found his or her way around the Capitol, let alone have learned
the arts of either oversight or legislation, when the allowed tenure would be
over. One result would be to have the real operation of government left not in
the hands of the elected representatives but rather in those of the
congressional staffs -- of the bureaucrats. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Indeed, this and the increasing complexity of government are strong
arguments in favor of professional elected officeholders -- people whose job
it is to know such things as what are wise investments in space, in
environmental protection and development, in new industrial technology, in
balancing all of these with the needs of private enterprise and those of
private enterprise with the national interest -- who know government works. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 These are among the reasons why we have a representative democracy rather
than a direct democracy. Most of us are too busy making a living to have the
time to acquire the knowledge necessary to deal with all the issues that face
governments at every level every day. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 More than ever, the effectiveness of this nation depends on getting the
most qualified persons to serve our governments. And being qualified is one of
the hallmarks of a professional. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 To deny Americans the right to vote, to serve their country, and to be
served by professionals, is an outrageous price to even consider -- especially
for something as unrealistic as pretending that modern government can be
realized with part-time attention. It is nothing short of utter foolishness --
if not an outright crime -- to suggest substituting a new law for a system
that not only is working splendidly, but is performing better than the
proposed system could ever hope to do. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 You can only wonder what the game of those advocating term limits really
is. Surely it is not to serve your best interests, nor those of this nation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Tom Bigler is professor of communications at Wilkes University and a Times
Leader columnist. His column appears Sundays and Wednesdays. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Term Limits Also Curtail Freedom And Enlightened Leadership 
Demanding Term Limits For Members Of The Congress Is Like Praying For An End 
To A Drought While Wading In The Middle Of A Major Flood.

Term Limits Also Curtail Freedom And Enlightened Leadership Demanding Term Limits For Members Of The Congress Is Like Praying For An End To A Drought While Wading In The Middle Of A Major Flood.