The Cape Gazette in recent weeks has published a number of letters on the proposal for term limits for elected officials, so I would like to chime in.
I am not in favor of term limits, a viewpoint which comes from many years of activism and firsthand experience with the legislative process. I cite here three major reasons for not supporting term limits, and there are others.
1. If people are term limited, what makes them responsive to the people who have elected them if they know they will not be returning? They will start seeking out their next venture, perhaps as a lobbyist or working for an agency they may have been monitoring as a legislator, but if they seek re-election they will be responsive to their constituents.
2. It takes time to develop knowledge on subject matter they may consider while legislating. Do we want to always bring in someone new for on-the-job training rather than having someone in who knows the job?
3. We do have a process for term limits. It is called elections. If an official is perceived as not doing a job, they can be term limited by their constituents.
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