National Essay Contest
Subject: Should Terms of Those Serving In The House of Representatives
Be Limited? Why, How or Why Not?
1989-1990
Harry Singer Foundation
National Essay Contest
Subject:
Should Terms of Those Serving In The House
of Representatives
Be Limited? Why, How or Why Not?
The following are excerpts taken from the 1990 Essay Contest
papers submitted by students from schools across the country.
In 1990 we didn't publish students' names. Quotes were identified only by state.
CHOICES
TO LIMIT...
"Either way someone is going to lose this battle, whether it be the Representatives themselves, by losing the privilege of running for unlimited terms, or the U.S. citizens who lose interest in the voting process because they feel their votes don't make a difference. I myself am for limiting Representative terms. This would make us, the citizens, winners because we would be able to feel our votes actually made a difference and that the people we vote in will actually accomplish something. After all, democracy was set up for the people, not for the people running government." IA
"And if the American public is too lazy to research their candidates, let us prevent them from voting for the same incumbent for thirty years. In light of these facts it is most just and democratic to limit the terms of those serving in the House of Representatives to twelve year terms." MO
"The effects of limited terms would not just affect individual representatives, it would also greatly affect party politics. This is a very strong force in Congress. If the terms would be limited, that would mean that there would be a greater turnover rate of representatives, which in turn would mean a greater variance in the number of members belonging to a certain party. With power shifting from party to party, party politics would lessen. This means that representatives could vote to benefit their constituents and not be so intimidated by crossing party lines. I feel that lessening party politics would be greatly beneficial in itself. There are many good legislative ideas that never come into being simply because they were proposed by the minority party." SD
"Some people argue that limiting the terms would reduce the power of the House. I do not believe that I agree with that. It may even make it somewhat stronger. There would be new fresh people coming in, new ideas, and the people would work harder to get the job done before their term is through." SC
"Those against the limited number of terms feel that if the voters do not like the job being done then they can vote them out. But that is not always true. If the opposing candidate is not too well known, the incumbent is likely to win." PA
"The whole idea that once a person is elected to the House that they remain on the ballot to be reelected, or until someone beats them, is ridiculous. This shows how voters can be unwise and continue voting for a certain person just because they recognize the name or enjoy the privileges that come with their certain representative. All people, no matter if they are rich or not, should have a fair chance in beating an incumbent. Limiting the terms would accomplish exactly that." WI
"However some may ask why should a person be removed or "unseated' if he or she is proficient in all aspects of his or her work. The answer I give is that in this country we practice the process of everyone having a chance to prove him or herself. If we do not set limits to the terms set in the House of Representatives, people will be forced to vote for the politician who has been re-elected time after time because they are afraid of change or 'ruining a good thing' " VA
"If the voting citizens were forced to make a choice between three brand new candidates every so many years, they would wake up and take a more active interest in what is happening in our government." OH
"Reasons supporting the amendment, however, are much simpler: too many incumbents stay elected for decades at too many incumbents stay elected for decades at a time; too many businesses thrive on having a permanent ally in the legislature; too much pressure of getting re-elected increases need for campaign financing; and too few voters actually know what is going on. Since the pressure of campaign money and favors from wealthy constituents is obviously prevalent, what will stop every single representative from becoming permanent dupes for the rich and influential? At least with a limit on the number of terms, big business and big people will not have nearly as firm a grasp on the hearts, minds and bank accounts of representatives." AL
"Term limits would make it possible for leadership positions to change hands more often, and therefore producing leaders who are more aware of new and important issues facing Congress." MN
OR NOT TO LIMIT:
"On the other hand, in a case in which a representative is not doing his job the way that it should be done, then it is up to each and every registered voter to make sure that he is not re-elected. It may not always be the politicians that are making the mistakes; it could be the voters that are making the mistake of electing them in the first place. I believe that it is the corrupt citizens that cause us to have corrupt politicians. This is the problem with politics these days, and I think that a representative that is doing his job and helping our country to prosper in some way, should not be penalized or limited to a certain number of terms just because their time is up." OK
"If the representatives in the House did not hold the viewpoints and opinions of the people, then they would not be representatives. Re-election every two years helps the voters to have a say-so in the performance of the president. The more often the people are allowed a say-so in their government the happier the people will be and the more informed the representatives will be concerning changing ideas and opinions. The people give these representatives the power to run this country and without the consent of the people there could be no government." SC
"Limiting the number of terms may cause legislative members to lose contact with voters because they would not have to worry about re-election. This could lead to widespread abuse of representative power." PA
"If the representative knows he could get re-elected, he will be more apt to do his job." IA
"If the community wants a person to be elected a third or a fourth or even a tenth time, then let it be. Don't put a restraint on what the voters want...I am of the opinion that excluding a congressman with valuable experience is a huge waste." VA
"No sense throwing away good members simply because their time has run out. When the incumbent decides to retire or his or her spot needs to be filled due to vacancy, then let's put in a new member, not because his time is up." SD
"Individuals in both the House of Representatives and the Senate are not perfect, but isn't it the right and responsibility of the voter to determine whether or not they are fit for office? Yes, it is. I feel that if the voters are properly informed and motivated that they will make the right decision and no one has the right to take that away from them---nobody!" MD
"Limiting the terms of congressmen would be a negative force because it would cause loss of experience, prevent the fruition of ideas, and deny the American people the right to decide who governs." OH
"In this case, if someone is doing a good enough job to keep getting re-elected by the people he/she represents, let them keep doing it for as long as the people want them to. A government of the people, for the people and by the people--isn't that how it is supposed to work?" SC
LET ME COUNT THE WAYS
"Certainly, we as American voters, attempt to elect the candidates who we feel exemplify the characteristics we demand from the work force. But the task becomes difficult when a candidate reaches a point and/or age when he cannot successfully complete these duties. This is why a Representative's term of office should be limited to four terms, with a mandatory retirement age of 72." PA
"I feel the terms shouldn't be limited to only 2 or 4 terms. Representatives do need to acquire some experience in Congress, and 4 or 8 years isn't long enough for that. But I don't think that they should be there for 25 and 30 years. I think 20 years or 10 terms is sufficient time for the representatives to acquire the knowledge and experience they are seeking." WI
"An idea may be to say a person may run for no election for the House of Representatives after the age of 70. Those who have served over 15 terms may no longer serve as a representative but will receive $12,000 a year for the rest of their life. Since the other two branches have ideas like this we should include this type of idea for the legislature." IA
"By 'laying out' for a 2-year term after serving for six years would give him ample opportunity to travel into all communities to visit with the people. People have many constructive ideas, and by having a lot of input, the legislator could sort out valuable information to file for future use while listening sincerely to everyone." KS
MORE CHOICES -- OUT WITH THE OLD
"The old Representatives don't have to worry about problems like the deficit because it doesn't affect them. It is the younger generation's problem now." IA
"The terms of those persons serving in the United States House of Representatives should be limited because of corruption, tyranny and age." OH
"A mandatory retirement age of 70 should be adopted. This would allow for a person to have a late appearance on the national scene and still be able to serve a large number of years. A mandatory retirement at age 70 would not allow Representatives to serve terms up to the point at which they can no longer function properly. A Representative should be allowed to finish the term that he is serving when the mandatory retirement age is reached." IL
"I don't think that a representative that has been in Congress for thirty years should be making decisions that will affect the future lives of my generation, and not theirs. The people that should be making those decisions should be people new to the House of Representatives, they should be aware of the newer generation's values and beliefs and be able to make the best decisions for us. I am not saying there needs to be a limit on the age a representative can be, there just needs to be a limit on how long a person can be in the House of Representatives. This limit will allow people that have recently been part of the general public to make the decisions that will be affecting the general public." MN
"I think the younger generation is more willing to work, and they seem to get things done quicker than they are now. And they will have a bigger concern for our government and our people. The younger generation will have more and new ideas. Maybe more kids ages 18-24 would vote if they could identify with the candidates." IA
"At the present time there are several people in the House that are well over 70 years of age. Usually, as a person ages, he becomes very set in his views on politics and life in general. There is a much higher percentage of people under the age of 70 in the United States. It stands to reason that because a majority of our representatives are older citizens, the younger generation is possibly in danger of not being represented in the best manner." KS
"Most older person would tend to stick with one person, usually the incumbent, no matter what he does. The older generation are just not informed enough. They are not open to change and therefore none will happen. Some people just don't realize what new minds in the House of Representatives could do." VA
THE NEW GENERATION SPEAKS OUT
HEAR...! HEAR...!
"The other issue to me is that we pay tax dollars that go toward the campaign funds
with no change back. This means that when elections come again and that candidate runs he
still gets off like a fat cat because they have the millions of dollars left over from the
previous campaign to keep campaigning. I would suggest that they should be required to do
something useful with the money, such as help those who are in need. Whatever; there needs
to be some kind of law addressing this issue. It doesn't have to be as I've stated it, but
something along those terms." OH
"I feel that one month should be given to all representatives to campaign for
re-election...Problems of the two year term include: the high cost of campaigning every
two years, the workload of members and their staffs, midterm elections because they
usually result in a reduced amount of the number of the President's party in Congress (but
some claim this as a strength) and frequent campaigning is a problem because it takes time
away from his/her legislative responsibilities." ME
"In more populated states that have more representatives, if most of them are
re-elected year after year, they may begin to form cliques. Then they may work together to
push ideas through Congress and into bills which may mainly be to the benefit of their
state or their own interests. this is where I feel states with a lower population and
fewer representatives are at a disadvantage...I live in South Dakota where we only have
one representative and wonder if he doesn't get cheated out of debating on some issues if
other representatives gang up on him." SD
"A way to get everyone's opinion about this topic is by letting the people have a
chance to speak up. One way I thought of is when we vote for the representative. On the
ballot there should be a question to answer if you want the term of the representative to
be limited."
IA "I love the country in which I live..., but it is also
disturbing and sad that when I walk out of this school next year I had better hope that I
know some very influential people. Schools are to teach you English, algebra, history, but
do they have the right to show to the students that most everything in life that they will
do will be based on politics? Maybe they teach things to ready and prepare us for what life
truly is, but what does a person have to look forward to, to dream for? This country is
based on the dreams of people." OK
"The powers of the incumbent still remain a problem. In order to deal with this, the
incumbent must forfeit several of his advantages or simply give an extra advantage to his
opponent. For example, the incumbent should only be allowed to have one-half of his
opponent's campaign funds." VA
"Americans often complain about the corruption that exists in today's political
world, but fail to realize that they are primarily responsible for this corruption."
CA
"Looking at our government today from a teenager's point of view may not seem that
important to adults. But looking ahead twenty or thirty years will show us that we will be
the ones in the Senate and we will be the ones representing the people in the House of
Representatives. Seeing this to be true, I think young teens should take a good look at
the government and come up with some logical answers to the problems we face today."
OH
"In short, I believe that the following ought to be enforced in the House of
Representatives: 1. Require full disclosure of the member's financial holdings and income,
his influence on executive branch departments and regulatory agencies. 2. Require full
disclosure of the member's donation sources. 3. A limited amount of money that can be
spent on campaign efforts and a ban on donations from lobbying companies and
organizations. 4. A limited term of two four year terms. 5. A system of checks and
balances where constituents report on the positions and actions representatives are
taking." MN
DO THEY REALLY FEEL THIS WAY?
"Many powerful businessmen are interested in politics and can buy or influence votes.
Once the man or woman is in that they want in, they can tell them how to vote. This
usually comes to the people with experience because they are more likely to get
re-elected. It ends up with the business world controlling the government." WI
"If they are older and have been in office for awhile they tend to become less
concerned with issues and more concerned with just making people happy by lying. They
also have a tendency to take bribes...When someone has run for an office and has held it
for awhile, they do not care if they make some bad decisions because they figure if they
do not get re-elected they have done enough and made enough money to be happy and they
can just retire." OH
"My faith in politics is near extinction. All too often I hear of deceitful dealings,
an improper financial handling by Presidential hopefuls, Senators and Representatives. I
think that there ought to be a limit on the number of terms that Representatives may serve
because the scandals seem to be brought on by Representatives who have been in the House
too long. By limiting terms, we are sending a clear message to all Representatives that we
mean business. No longer will we tolerate inequitable representation." MN
"Making American better is more important that making the public happy. This may seem
like a contradiction, but it is not. When parents tell their children what to do, the
children may not like it, but often they do not understand why their parents make them do
it. The majority of the American public is like children, too naive to realize what may
seem bad is actually good for America. Members of the House of Representatives should be
their parents, perform the tasks that need to be done, regardless of whether the public
understands why or why not. They cannot do this now because if they appear poor in
judgment to the American people, they will not be re-elected." NJ
"In today's world of political corruption, it's time we take a step back and look at
our government. When the Constitution of the United States of America was written in 1787,
the people who framed it were all honest men, concerned with only one thing; to create and
protect a strong, independent, free nation. They were men like Alexander Hamilton, James
Madison, and Benjamin Franklin; men who put hours of work into creating the perfect 'law
of the land'. In Article I, Section I, Congress was given all legislative powers, and
divided into two house, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Since 1787 many
things have changed; the constitution has be amended 26 times and many of the men who are
in our Congress are not as respectable and prestigious as were their forefathers." IA
OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES
"Fresh ideas could become a thing of the past." OH
"Many people will throw out an apple if they find a wormhole in it. I, on the other
hand, say make cider out of it. If there are incompetent Congressmen in our House of
Representatives, then I believe that the people should squeeze them out come election
time." PA
"Politicians are not real people." IN
"People who have been in Congress for forty or fifty years may still have the same
viewpoints on certain issues. That is a scary thought when you think that forty or fifty
years ago, guys sat on the opposite end of the couch as the girl on a date." SC
"Sooner or later we are all going to pass on. These are two ways for people to be
able to join in the House of Representatives. Even though they may not be so glamorous, it
is still fair and it is the ticket to be publicly recognized." MD
"Moreover, if fewer campaigns are necessary for representatives, maybe fewer babies
will catch colds from sickly politicians." AL
"Looking at it from the bad side, lifetime memberships are capable of producing
problems." PA
"The term of our Representatives is a very pressing issue any way you choose to look
at it...It's too bad it could not be as easily decided as if everyone in the House of
Representatives should eat broccoli or not." CA
"I don't think there should be any of this life term stuff because the representative
becomes like food that has been in the refrigerator too long. It spoils and is useless to
everyone. So let us just keep the refrigerator stocked with fresh, new ideas and keep our
states running smoothly." MA
"Two years isn't a long time-span for the representative. It may seem long for some
workers who work, for example, in a clothing store or maybe secretarial jobs, but in a
high class (job) such as the House of Representatives, it's considered a pretty short
time-span." MD
"Proponents contend that new faces will bring new ideas. This is a trite argument on
which to base a serious decision. Most of these 'new ideas' proposed by these 'new faces'
are simply the 'old ideas' of 'old faces'." FL
THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF CONFUSION
"In the United States people have the right to vote for whomever they wish running
for the position. That is not the case in the House of Representatives. Americans are not
granted with the right to elect these representatives. Like in the communist nations,
these representatives are appointed by a specific group of political officials known as
Congress. Isn't that un-American? Isn't that a form of communist dictatorship? We the
people do not have the right to elect our own House of Representatives. . .there are too
many representatives. Is it really necessary for us to have one hundred and two of them?.
. .during his six year term ___ did nothing of significance." CA
"Some of the representatives who are in the House for a long time are known as
conservatives. A conservative is someone who keeps the governmental ideas as they were,
not making any changes. . .the people who voted him into office often wonder why they
voted for him in the first place. After a while people wonder when there will be any
change. When there are changes that are wanted by the people, a conservative is the last
person you would want in office. So in the next election, to no one's surprise, a liberal
would most likely be voted in. A liberal is the type of person who wants a change in the
previous conservative ideas. As long as the people are happy with the changes he makes,
that person will be in office for awhile. A conservative is content with a good
government, while a liberal will try to make a good government into a great one." MA
"At this present time, representatives to the House of Representatives serve a four
year term." SD
"I personally think that a term of six years is too long for a
Representative. I think that the term should be shortened, at least to three year terms.
There are several reasons why I think the term should be shortened...I think that the
Representative would be more accountable for their actions if they had to be elected every
three years." CA
"The second reason why United States Representatives should not be allowed to serve
more than one term is that it is unconstitutional." IN
"Six years would most likely seem to be a significant total of years for a
representative to do some good for the registered voters in his state rater than for his
constituents." AL
"However, as history recalls, back in the time of Theodore Roosevelt's presidency, he
ran into trouble with the Supreme Court concerning his New Deal programs." IN
IN WITH THE NEW
"The rookie has an enviable quality; inexperience. A representative returning to
office for the fourth time feels that he knows what tactics or legislation will 'work' and
what won't. He has placed limits on his abilities and power to aid the people by setting
limits on the extent of his job. A new politician, ala Mr. Smith, has room for idealism.
He can take risks because the 'system' has not dulled his daring. He can take risks
because of naïveté, or unfamiliarity with the ways of operation." MA
"If terms are limited, the House would gain momentum; they would never have anyone in
there permanently. With each new member, new ideas would be brought in increasing the
House's knowledge each time." IA
"The incumbent feels the pressure of his colleagues. A person fresh to Congress feels
the pressure to do what's best for the people he represents. The formalities of politics
are yet to be learned; in the meantime, there is the freedom inexperience can offer. We
need Representatives who haven't been shaped by habits. A fresh perspective on current
issues can be the key to creative solutions to problems. Vitality in the House lends
vitality to the government." MA
"These representatives will bring with them a fresh knowledge of the problems their
people are facing, and a lot of new ideas to help solve those problems. They will have
possibly already been facing some of those problems themselves, so they will know what it
is like to be on the side having the problems and not just be on the side that makes the
solutions. Having new people in the House of Representatives more often will help give
Congress an extra edge in dealing with things." MN
"Let the new generation with new ideas in and toss them around awhile. They might
actually be as good or better than the old ones!" WI
OUT WITH THE NEW (inexperienced)
"The thought of new ideas and new faces is well received, but it should not
necessarily be considered more important or better than past experience. Certain proposals
or ideas from long-running incumbents may not take well, but neither may ideas from newer
members." FL
"Even if it came to pass that the number of terms of a Congressman were to be
limited, it would probably not improve the system of legislature that we now have. We
would have all these energetic and zealous young Congressmen who would not have the
know-how to operate at the high level of excellence that experienced legislators would
have. In short, nothing can really adequately be substituted in the place of
experience." PA
"By limiting the number of terms for Congressmen and women, a constant succession of
new people and new ideas are fluxed through the system...Contradictory laws may be passed
due to rapid changes and the mindsets represented...The same succession of mindsets may
cause dramatic changes in the focus of spending."
"An incumbent already knows the ropes and can continue almost without stopping. This
means that programs that he/she was working on, will continue to get attention instead of
being put by the wayside while someone is trying to figure what is going on." SC
"There is a need for diversity in the House to prevent the younger generation from
dominating the older. Programs for the elders are needed or else there will be a tragedy
among the older generation in that if the youth does not care for them, who will? This is
also true for the younger generation as well. The old must care for the young and vice
versa. This mix of ideas is needed for the country to function." OH
"Where is the borderline of old and experienced and old and feeble-minded?"
IN WITH THE OLD (experienced)
"The subject of experience is another reason for unlimited terms. Experience in any
field is a valuable assist when used right. A House member may be unable to attain his
desired goals his first few terms because of inexperience. With age or length of service
he might figure out some of the tricks that it takes to get a bill that represents his
constituents' ideas passed. A senior member also gives the House stability when it
re-convenes after an election." IA
"The older a member gets, the better chance that their decisions will become wiser.
This could also turn in the opposite direction." SC
"Overall, the older people, or in other words, more experienced people, know what has
worked and failed. Experience, then, is one of the key points to why terms should be kept
unlimited." IA
"Older members of Congress would be able to propose more new legislation because they
have more old legislation to draw from." FL
"There needs to be an equal representation between young and old members of the
House. Young representatives will be more concerned about the government, land and
national debt simply because they are young and will be affected by these things for a
longer time. On the other hand, older members will be concerned with social security and
Medicare. A more equal representation between the age groups will cause a better
representation of the people." IA
"Members of the House of Representatives with many years of experience in office have
a niche in our complex legal system. They also have witnessed changes in our society and
reformation within it. Consequently, previous knowledge has given them insight for the
future while coping with different types of people has made them flexible. They know how
to accomplish tasks and their dealings with various individuals enables them to complete
this. Their vast relationships with members of their party, governmental employees, and
those with similar ideals all assist in completing the elimination of problems. They are a
history book in themselves, a mixture of past, present and subsequent problems to be
solved. They have remained reliable and therefore, are 'pillars of our society'. For these
reasons, those in the House of Representatives should not be discriminated against because
of their years of honorable service to America." OH
POLITICIANS--HEROES OR SCOUNDRELS?
THE PROBLEM IS...
"The majority of the people's beliefs are conveyed, not everyone's are, and there
are always those who want change. Maybe if Congressmen were changed more often, a larger
number of people would be contented and their convictions expressed." IA
"The biggest obstacle is that the House would have to vote on it
themselves. It would be their choice whether or not to limit their terms. It seems almost
impossible that they would do this, but remember that some persuasion from the people
cannot hurt. do not feel that your voice does not count. You elected them, and you have a
right to speak your mind." TN
"As far as not getting any new and fresh ideas into the House of Representatives, if
one is so concerned, it is permissible to write to congress members and tell them how he
feels and what he thinks should be done. . . It is every citizen's duty to vote and write
to his or her congress member." OH
"It is up to the voters to do their civil duty and vote, thereby preventing any and
all unnecessary changes in regards to limiting the representatives' terms." OH
"The new generations are increasingly disillusioned with the government. They feel
that it is bureaucracy and the people who hold office care nothing for them. Legislators
who have held office for many years are often unconcerned with new and important issues
such as the environment, minority rights and many others. Many people feel left out of the
government simply because it does not represent their ideas. Many of these
people no
longer bother to vote. An alarmingly small number of eighteen-year-olds bother to register
or vote. This helps prevent new people with new ideas from being elected." SC
"Most people don't know what their Representative is doing, but they ought to know.
People need to be better educated about how the government runs. . . The voters of America
should not be blind to what is going on in our country, especially about those topics
which could influence their lives. If people were more educated about politics, there
would also be more qualified citizens voting." MN
"If the voters elect a person to serve for several terms, then it is the voters'
fault that this person served too many; terms. A lack of education by the people is a
democracy's greatest worry, but until that time when all the members of the
electorate are
well educated, there is virtually no way in which a better system for elections could be
developed." NJ
"If we expect our Congressmen to help make our country the best, we too must take
part in the transition. Ultimately, we have the power to decide who will be elected and
what will be done, and united we have the power to see that beneficial legislation is
enacted. We have to be responsive to the actions of Congress. It is our obligation to be
informed. Each vote we cast represents the trust we have put into that individual."
CA
"We, the people of the United States, have been fortunate in the way of speaking our
minds and expressing ourselves. Voting is our way of expressing ourselves to our
government. . ." SC
"If the House terms were limited, the position would come to be recognized as a
mere "stepping stone" to a lucrative job in the private sector. A representative
could become elected, serve his terms, leave the office and use his insider's knowledge of
the political process to wield disproportionate influence on the government's decision
making. Obviously, the "revolving door" problem would only be augmented."
IL
"If the people of America are wise enough to choose the nation's officials, aren't
they capable of deciding whether those officials are fulfilling their duties?" MD
"Reasons supporting the amendment, however, are much simpler: too many incumbents
stay elected for decades at a time; too many businesses thrive on having a permanent ally
in the legislature; too much pressure of getting re-elected increases need for campaign
financing; and too few voters actually know what is going on. Since the pressure of
campaign money and favors from wealthy constituents is obviously prevalent, what will stop
every single representative from becoming permanent dupes for the rich and influential? At
least with a limit on the number of terms, big business and big people will not have
nearly as firm a grasp on the hearts, minds and bank accounts of representatives." AL
"...divide the House into sections so that only a part of the House would go up for
reelection at one time, as the Senate does. This would serve the people better by keeping
a majority of Representatives in the House all of the time so as to not allow confusion
and disorganization." SC
"Like in the communist nations, these representatives are appointed by a specific
group of political officials known as Congress. Isn't that un-American? Isn't that a form
of communist dictatorship? We the people do not have the right to elect our own House of
Representatives. . .there are too many representatives. Is it really necessary for us to
have one hundred and two of them? CA
"The second reason why United States Representatives should not
be allowed to serve more than one term is that it is
unconstitutional." IN
"At this present time, representatives to the House of Representatives serve a four
year term." SD
"People who have been in Congress for forty or fifty years may still have the same
viewpoints on certain issue. That is a scary thought when you think that forty or fifty
years ago, guys sat on the opposite end of the couch as the girl, on a date." SC
"Proponents contend that new faces will bring new ideas. . .Most of these 'new ideas'
proposed by these 'new faces' are simply the 'old ideas' of 'old faces'. FL
"I don't think there should be any of this life term stuff because the representative
becomes like food that has been in the refrigerator too long. It spoils and is useless to
everyone. So let us just keep the refrigerator stocked with fresh, new ideas and keep our
states running smoothly." MA
"Many powerful businessmen are interested in politics and can buy or influence
votes. Once the man or woman is is that they want in, they can tell them how to vote. .
.It ends up with the business world controlling the government." WI
"If they ... have been if office for a while, they tend to become less concerned with
issues and more concerned with just making people happy by lying. They also have a
tendency to take bribes." OH
"Many people are able to contribute small things that fit together to form the
complete picture of what America wants. No one can define it but by allowing each person
to contribute, the American ideal becomes more tangible." MA
"As an American citizen, you are a very important part of a democracy that bases its
entire existence upon this principle: The United State of America is a democratic
society made of the people, by the people and for the people." MN
"This is only the opinion of one person, but I know one person can count." TN
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