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Term limits is a terrible idea and undemocratic. We should have the right to vote for anyone we want.
The idea of career politicians is a myth. The average length of service for Representatives at the beginning of the 112th Congress was 9.8 years (4.9 terms); for Senators, 11.4 years (1.9 terms).
http://www.senate.gov/reference/reso...pdf/R41647.pdf
That is a good mix of turnover and holdovers so that we get the benefit of experience and fresh perspectives.
Among the current members:
49 Senators have previous House service;
81 educators, employed as teachers, professors, instructors, fundraisers, counselors, administrators, or coaches (68 in the House, 13 in the Senate);
2 medical doctors in the Senate, plus 1 veterinarian and 1 ophthalmologist; 15 medical doctors in the House (including one delegate), plus 2 dentists, 1 veterinarian, 1 ophthalmologist, and 1 psychiatrist
2 psychologists (both in the House), an optometrist (in the Senate), and 6 nurses (all in the House);
5 ordained ministers, all in the House;
39 mayors (29 in the House, 10 in the Senate);
11 state governors (all in the Senate) and 9 lieutenant governors (3 in the Senate, 6 in the House, including 2 Delegates);
10 judges (all in the House), and 26 prosecutors (8 in the Senate, and 18 in the House, including a Delegate), who have served in city, county, state, federal, or military capacities;
1 cabinet secretary, 1 secretary of the navy, and one ambassador (all in the Senate);
263 state or territorial legislators (222 in the House, including 2 Delegates, and 41 in the Senate)
at least 105 congressional staffers (21 in the Senate, 84 in the House), as well as 9 congressional pages (6 in the House and 3 in the Senate);
4 Peace Corps volunteers, all in the House;
3 sheriffs and 2 deputy sheriffs, 2 FBI agents, a border patrol agent (all in the House), and a firefighter in the Senate;
1 physicist, 1 chemist, 6 engineers, and 1 microbiologist (all in the House);
4 radio talk show hosts (two House, two Senate), 3 radio or television broadcasters (all in the House), 6 reporters or journalists (2 in the House, 4 in the Senate), a radio station manager, a public television producer, a sportswriter, and a television commentator (all in the House);
7 accountants in the House and 2 in the Senate;
4 pilots, all in the House, including a former pilot of Marine One (the Presidents helicopter), and 1 astronaut, in the Senate;
2 screenwriters (1 House, 1 Senate), a comedian, in the Senate, a documentary film maker, also in the Senate, and 2 professional football players, both in the House;
17 farmers (15 House, 2 Senate) and 11 ranchers (9 House, 2 Senate);
2 almond orchard owners, both in the House, 1 farm manager (a Senator), 1 cattle farm owner (a Senator), 1 vintner (a House Member), and 1 fruit orchard worker (a House Member);
7 social workers in the House and 2 in the Senate; and 5 current members of the military Reserves (3 House, 2 Senate), and 4 current members of the National Guard (3 House, 1 Senate).
Other occupations listed in the CQ Roll Call Member Profiles, although not necessarily the professions practiced immediately before entering Congress, include restaurateur, real estate agent, auctioneer, car dealership owner, construction worker, software engineer, paper mill worker, stockbroker, insurance agent, and funeral home owner. I want people with knowledge of public policy and the intricacies of government, or at least the willingness to learn, not single issue narrow minded ideologues like many of the Tea Party members.
---------- Post added at 06:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:20 PM ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willravel
I'm more in favor of radical campaign finance reform than I am term limits. I'm okay with Dennis Kucinich being in the House or Bernie Sanders being in the Senate for many years because they're honest and have good ideas.
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Campaign reform makes much more sense. I just dont know how it can be accomplished.
BTW, Kucinich is likely to lose his seat in redistricting (Ohio to lose 2 seats) and is reportedly considering moving to Washington state where a seat will be added.
Kucinich may look to Washington State if his Ohio seat falls in redistricting - The Hill's Ballot Box
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"The perfect is the enemy of the good."
~ Voltaire
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