Quote of the Week...from Mark Twain

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.       ---Mark Twain

Within the past year I quoted the great American writer Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) three times...here comes Number Four.  Obviously, Mr. Twain had much the same kind of feeling about our elected political leaders more than a hundred years ago that many of us do nowadays...some of them apparently feel that they are automatically entitled to stay in their jobs as long as they want.  During Truman's presidency, following the four elections won by Franklin Roosevelt, the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, limiting subsequent presidents to two terms.  After that, many states and local governments followed suit, placing term limits on various offices...my own city commission has term limits, but the county commission doesn't...and it seems to me that the diapers there are beginning to stink.  In the U.S. Congress there are no terms limits, which are especially called for in the House of Representatives where some politicians seem welded to their respective seats.  Death and retirement do offer opportunities for "fresh blood" to come in, and election defeats in the more politically divided districts and states can provide some needed turnover as well...although not enough.  On the other hand, there has been a pernicious trend in the last few years of more centrist incumbents, strong on responsibility but weak on ideology, being knocked out of reelection races in their own parties' primaries by more extremist candidates. In my opinion this is making it more difficult to get things done effectively with a greater rift resulting between the two major parties.  Ted Cruz, the junior Republican senator from Texas and former presidential candidate...and whom I once vilified but now respect...has proposed a Constitutional amendment to limit service in the U.S. Senate to two six-year terms and in the House of Representatives to three two-year terms. That may be a little too limiting...maybe three Senate terms and five in the House would be better...but I can't imagine either the Senate or the House imposing any term limits on themselves...politicians seem to act while in office as if they will always be in office...