One half of the partisan political discussion is not playing fair.

@TimTuolomne founding fathers intended it to be partisan as well as 3 co-equal branches of gov't. If someone isn't playing fair it is the citizens responsibility in a constitutional republic to remove them from office via the electoral processes. IMHO - I'm pretty sure you would like a monolithic style of governance either.

I agree. I guess my problem is not partisan politics but the us vs. them mentality. Particularly when we have common ground. Term limits, State's rights, immigration reform, health care. We fight, they get rich. By they I mean politicians and the special interests they work for.

@iThink, I agree that a monolithic government is anti-Constitutional in every way, and the value of our Constitution depends on that distinction. However, fat and happy voters, utterly unconcerned about the founding principles or who is minding the store, such that the majority no longer bothers to vote, can not be overcome by any system. By definition such an irresponsible, apathetic electorate, dooms the system to monolithic function, no matter how inspired it may be. Thomas Jefferson warned us.

@FOTD13 yes - agreed

@TimTuolomne very accurate and well stated analysis. couldn't agree more w/you

How so?

Howdy @Tati,

1. Jerry Brown, Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein, all in their late seventies or eighties have dominated California politics since the 1970s. It's the most expensive state for media, yet they still run things. Governor Gavin Newsom is Nancy Pelosi's nephew, BTW. Term limits only served to move Willie Brown from Speaker of the House to San Francisco mayoralty for as long as he wanted it.

2. California politics are dominated by public employee unions. CALPERs (California's public employee retirement system) is California's largest outstanding liability ($1.5 trillion). They "balanced" it by passing a large "temporary" increase on upper income earners. I say "temporary" because it's about to sunset and California now has a Covid recession. Look for it to be made permanent. Look for those high earners to leave (my relatives are doing just that).

3. I live in Colorado. Term limits passed in 1990. A retired state senator I know says the current legislators have no institutional memory. They are proposing laws that were already passed years ago. Legislators come and go, staffers stay forevermore. Guess who accumulates power.

4. Colorado Department of Transportation ignores what people want. We want better roads. In the old days legislators got 20 years seniority and could influence CDOT because they knew how to draft budgets . These days, 3 terms and they're out.

Thanks for your post. I really needed to hear some of these arguments. I wish voting was the answer. But, I'm afraid it doesn't work especially because once elected they suddenly gain wealth. That wealth and influence beats a new comer any day. Maybe the answer with term limits is if they want to keep that citizen paid healthcare they must be available to new represtatives for questions and or help with the law. that would help to solve the issue of institutional memory. And all of these people staffers and representative should not be making more than a school teacher.

That is the fault of voters allowing the Constitution to be crippled by Wickard v Filburn, the LRRA, Obamacare..... When that stuff is repealed, bureaucratic rule will cease, Constitutional protection will resume, and term limits will mean something. Time for a Convention of States to get this done.