Dear
Friends,
Good morning. Does this sound
familiar? Most of my friends believe that America’s public schools are lagging
behind the Asian and European competition. And most of my friends believe that
the congress and Pennsylvania legislature have terrible reputations. But at the
same time, most tell me that they think their local public school is doing just
fine…ditto for their congressman, state representative, and senator.
Is there a disconnect here?
Last Wednesday, Bristol Rotary asked
me to give a talk about anything I’d like. I chose term limits. Since my
presentation was free, Bristol Rotary received no value…in my opinion. But I
did have fun and blew off some steam.
Nothing of great importance gets
done in either congress or Pennsylvania’s state legislature because
representatives stay on until they die. The retention rate for incumbents is
about 95 percent (I believe) so it’s practically impossible to fire an
incumbent. Look at Congressman Tom DeLay, for example. This Texas villain has
served 11 terms and 22 years.
Term limits would change this paralysis.
To illustrate my point, I listed
eight national and six Pennsylvania topics and asked the Rotarians whether the
14 should have been decided within a 12 year period…Yes or No? I chose 12 years
because that would give a U. S. Senator two terms to get something done; a
congressman six terms; a state senator three terms; and a state representative
six terms. By the way, American presidents may not serve more than eight years;
ditto for Pennsylvania governors.
Alas, when you read them, you’ll agree that none of
the 14 will be solved anytime soon…and in fact, haven’t been for 50 years.
Here’s the federal list: 1. Should America stop
illegal immigration? 2.Should America prohibit the sale of Tobacco? 3.Should
America have created a policy to end dependence upon foreign oil? 4. Should
America institute compulsory service (military or non-military) for every boy
or girl, no exception? 5. Should America have simplified its tax system? 6.
Should we have been able to make the social security system healthy? 7. Are all
Americans entitled to a health care system? 8. Should America have a national
mass transit system?
My state topics are 1. Does Pennsylvania need a
two-house legislature? 2. Is it time to have competition for public schools, a
state monopoly? 3. Does Pennsylvania need more than 2,600 local municipalities?
4. Should the state have found a fairer way to pay for public schools rather than
the property tax? 5. Should the state solve the problem of teen drivers
carrying teen passengers, a formula for disaster? 6. The 24th
Pennsylvania Senate district is nearly 60 miles long and stretches from
Lansdale to north of Easton…it’s called gerrymandering. Should the legislature
be prevented from gerrymandering?
I asked the Rotarians to add their topics of
frustration and two of them wrote “No cell phones while driving.” Another
suggested having one Bucks County school district instead of 13.
Unfortunately, only eight of the 35 in attendance
responded with their answers. But those who did agreed that the 14 topics
should have been solved by now. I say that term limits are the only way to stop
the inertia. But judging by the number of eyes, glazed over by the fifteenth
minute of my fireside chat, I didn’t convince anyone. Still, if you’re
interested, the Internet will be an assist (see www.termlimits.com).
My late father used to tell me that air conditioning
ruined the congress and the state legislature. He said that 50 years ago, the
Pennsylvania legislature served every other year for only six months. It got
the job done quickly because it was too hot and humid to remain in Harrisburg
during the summer months. Once we got air conditioning, legislators could be
comfortable in the capital all year long. Look at how much damage air
conditioning has caused us poor taxpayers, father would ask?
If you want a very boring, 20-minute, free program
for your club, invite me to speak about term limits. I thought it was great fun
but the Rotarians bolted out of the door just as soon as my talk ended. It was
as if someone yelled, “FIRE.”
Sincerely,
Charles Meredith