Science Forums 2

[lemit]

I'm not sure about the learning curve of Congress. Seniority is, of course, important. Does anybody around here live in a state with severe term limits on its legislature? Does the legislature seem more inept than might otherwise be expected? (Yes, I know that's a question that invites a lot of cynical responses.)

Our local member of Congress is a rookie and has told me that the next election campaign had begun a week before the first day of this session. I suspect that with seniority comes experience in campaigning, support that goes to proven winners, and an ability to do work beyond the task of re-election.

Governance, that work Congress members are supposed to be doing instead of their constant work at re-election, is complicated. Shouldn't we have the same expectation of Congressional expertise that we have of other complicated studies?

Should we expect the journalists who cover government to spend a severely limited time doing so? Should we expect political science professors (and maybe all professors) to recuse themselves after no more than a dozen years? And what about our stale, out-of-touch judges? If we need fresh ideas and fresh thinking, then we need it in those who report and analyze and judge.

I think the question of term limits might be less simple than it seems. Having observed politics for over 40 years, I don't think I like term limits, but then I've been observing too long. The question of term limits should only be addressed to people who've been studying politics and law less than 12 years.

--lemit