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A personal blog. I am an: Award-winning writer. Non-profit entrepreneur. Activist. Religious professional. Foodie. Musician. All around curious soul and Renaissance man.


Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Term Limits on Dynasties

I propose an amendment to the Constitution:

"Presidents (and their spouses and immediate family members) should not hold the elected office of President of the United States for more than 2 terms total (including all said relations)."

We haven't had a presidential election since 1976 that didn't have either a Bush or a Clinton on the national ticket (a fact that was so well pointed out by an audience member at one of the ga-zillion recent Democratic debates).

We have term limits for presidents. However, it seems like these "royal families" have found a loophole around that system. There seems to be a never-ending supply of spouses, children and grandchildren to further their dynasty.

Worst case scenario: 8 years of Hillary Clinton followed by 8 years of Jeb Bush. By that time, Chelsea will probably be ready to begin her run.

If "White House experience" were so critical, we wouldn't have term limits in the first place. We do take a risk as a nation to impose them. We bring fresh meat into the White House every 4 or 8 years. Those "first 100 days" are often tenuous as our new leader is expectedly tested by domestic and international powers.

However, most of us are content with this and willing to let a few good ones go rather than risk quasi-dictatorship. I can only imagine how many terms Reagan or Bill Clinton would have had without term limits. Keep them moving, I say, and let them retire as gentlemen farmers.

A lot of businesses have policies against family privilege, and for good reason. Not only does it create a tendency toward favoritism, but it can build a power dynamic within one group of people that offsets the checks and balances so critical in a healthy democracy.

2 comments:

  1. Amen, brother.

    And I hate--absolutely despise--how Hillary is tauting that she has sooo much more experience than Obama because she was the president's wife. Um. NO! My husband was a software trainer for a programming tool by trade (Uniface); does that mean that I know how to use Uniface because I was married to someone who lived and breathed this software day in and day out for the two years I knew him? Jeepers.

    I mean, I know that's a trite example. But let's put things in perspective, people: both Obama AND Hillary Clinton are newbie senators. Well, Hillary has a little more time as a senator than Obama... But I am not buying that her stint as The President's Wife gives her anymore experience than Monica Lewinsky. (And Monica Lewinsky may have her outmoded in a few areas with old Billy-Boy.)

    Geesh. I feel so Republican right now. But, hey, I am NOT a Hillary fan and I am thinking that I might vote for McCain just to keep the dynasty from happening... lots of fears of that....

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  2. I think there is more to being a president's wife than just standing next to him and waving. Connections, causes, alliances, cocktail napkin conferences- nothing to sneeze at.

    I met with Francis Strickland before Ted became the Governor. She had heard that the United Methodist Church was rallying around education and was wanting to participate in our process. She was genuine, gentle, and carried a presence. I believe that she will have a role in education in Ohio- even though she is just the wife of the governor.

    As for Hillary, I think she has the potential to be cold and unweilding. She also can be quick to emotion, which is not as beneficial as a leader. Obama is new to the scene and is very inspirational. Will he be able to effectively lead- rallying others for causes and dealing with red tape and certain resistance?

    McCain's war stance disturbs me. I can't go there.

    I did not vote in the primary because I felt that either democratic candidate would be better than what we have had. It is my hope that Clinton and Obama join forces for the upcoming election.

    I will vote in that one.

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