Voters need to decide if they are willing to commit to the same legislator for 14 years.
A long-term legislator might be preferable to some citizens, but it might also limit potential government leaders.
On the November 2006 ballot, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce is advocating a five-part plan allowing voters to determine if legislators can spend the entirety of their terms in the House or Senate, or divided between the two. A legislator can spend a total of 14 years in the Michigan Legislature.
It might actually be worth it to vote - to those of you who don't normally - next year, considering the powers citizens will be given.
The plan also includes a proposed attendance policy where pay is docked if lawmakers are absent from a session. When it comes right down to it, being a legislator is like any other job. If anyone else missed a day of work, his or her pay would be docked, too.
Representatives and senators who are doing well and are beloved by their supporters have the chance to stay in their office longer. The plan does limit a legislator to 14 years with regular elections, guaranteeing an amount of flexibility in voters' choices. If the legislator is doing poorly, Michigan voters still have the opportunity to vote someone else into office.
This is what democracy is all about - voting whoever is deemed worthy into office as many times as voters are willing to support the candidate. There are no term limits for U.S. Congress positions and it seems to work out well. The public isn't stuck with someone they hate and they aren't forced to give up someone they like. It all boils down to who's doing a good job and who's not.
However, this might eliminate the advantage of the "little guy" working against a reputable and long-standing name in Michigan government but who could prove to be a better leader. Without the money to campaign against an incumbent, diversity and fresh perspective in the state Legislature could disappear.
Sometimes, a term limit can inhibit effective legislators from making significant changes in government. By the time they build up their reputation and the support they need within the Legislature, the term is already up and the window of opportunity is lost.
This is a choice voters need to think about carefully. The public needs to review the political climate within its own districts and decide if more terms in one office are serving the interests of the people. Legislators with more terms available in a given office might come back and haunt voters.
After all, this is a democracy. It's the people's choice.
