that's a very sweeping statement. I look forward to your replies, because I am quite honestly astounded that my "job" in this life should last only six years and then I must move on to another. In politics, fine, that is democracy and why we vote, but a coal miner ??? a policeman ??? a parent ???

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I live in my own little world, but it's OK - they know me here...

Unfortunately under the current system a senator or congressman has only to fulfill one term and they are eligible for a lifetime taxpayer-provided retirement complete with full medical benefits. So if you churn out new office holders every 4 or 6 years, soon you will have an army of young-ish retirees sucking on the government teat.

Also, as with any "team" the longer you play together the more you get to know about each other and the more effective you are. Long-term politicians, provided their hearts and minds are in the right place, serve better than one-term wonders. But aye, there is the rub! The majority of our elected officials are in the game for their own benefit and do not have the general welfare of the public as their top priority. And this is why we scream every election to "throw the trash out" and elect new rhetoric into office on the promise that they will do better. The toot cause of our issue is the general moral decline of our own citizenry.

Personally, I would hate to look for a new career every six years. In my chosen profession seeing things from a fresh point of view is absolutly necessary and the really top producers change employers every four to six years on average, but not careers. We tend to change from one industry to another so that we can both bring and get new ideas.

In summary, term limits is not the solution to our political woes in the U.S., injecting morals into the heads of politicians is. If the average Joe were to change careers every six years or less, operating expenses for training would skyrocket. We're already hurting economically as it is.

This gets to the heart of the question: Ought active participation in government to be considered a career at all, or just one aspect of one's civic responsibilities?

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"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." - Satchel Paige

Agree with all that has been written to this point. Common sense is not dead in this country, and we are not as stupid as our politicians would like to think.

We did get apathetic (or trusting) for a while, which is to be expected from time to time, especially when life is fairly good for most; but that has changed, and the change will only grow, in my estimation.

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A great many people will think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. ~ William James ~

One of the areas in which I live has a large population of extreme 'right wing' conservative republicans. I saw a bumper sticker in that area the other day on a large pick up truck, it had what appeared to be faux bull testicles as ornamentation under the trailer hitch. The bumper sticker read: "I'll keep my guns, you can keep the change!"

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Forgiving is Love, Love is For Giving.

I agree with ClubFavolosa, in my job as an engineer I realise that I am getting better with time. The problems that baffled me once are child's play now.

I also agree with the training expense part.

Besides if politicians were in the office for only one term wouldn't it mean they would try to make as much money as they can in that short term because not only would this be their first and last chance they also don't have to worry about the public backlash. Besides if you are the hard working intelligent type experience only makes you better with time.

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The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The party in power is never in favor of term limits - for obvious reasons, and the party out-of-power is apposed to term limits - for the same obvious reasons.

I don't think that will ever change.

Personally - if the people in power are making decisions with which I agree, I want them to stay. If they are not, then I want them out. But that's probably true for the vast majority of the voting public.

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"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a government program." - Ronald Reagan

Once they hold the reins of power, and are not for whatever they said they were anymore -what can the vast majority of the voting public do about it? Will that ever change?