Term-limit pledges get left behind

[NeoConsSuck]

WASHINGTON — Jeff Flake pledged during his first campaign for Congress in 2000 that if elected, he would serve three two-year terms. But the Arizona Republican is running again to keep his seat in the House of Representatives.

"It was a mistake to limit my own terms," says Flake, a conservative who has challenged Republican leaders on federal spending. He says the once-fashionable movement to limit terms in Congress has "just petered out."

Flake is one of at least seven House Republicans who had vowed to leave Congress next year but will be on the ballot in November. They ran as citizen legislators — antidotes for "career politicians." But after six or 12 years on Capitol Hill, they say they're just getting the hang of the job. None faces serious opposition because redistricting has protected incumbents.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-04-12-term-limits_x.htm

My question: Why do Republicans flip-flop so much?

[Demeter]

1. Because Truth Keeps Getting In Their Way

Term limits were a noble fig leaf on an evil plan to deny voters their chosen or preferred representatives in the legislatures. Having evicted by a form of "eminent domain" long-term, experienced Democrats, Republicans wormed their way into office, and now they don't want to go.

If I were a GOPer, I'd be embarassed, even more than I am by being a Democrat. At least Democrats try to live up to their publicly stated principles; the GOP uses everything as propaganda to lie, cheat, steal, and subvert democracy.

[MaineDem]

2. Susie Collins, too.

Susan Collins, one of Maine's GOP Senators, pledged to only serve two terms. Time will tell if she sticks to that in '08.

But on the Democratic side, Marty Meehan in MA comes to mind. I seem to remember a similar promise from him.

[bklyncowgirl]

3. Amazing how that happens isn't it?

Term limits are a great thing when you're challenging an entrenched encumbent but it is an amazing thing how a few years in Congress opens politicians' minds about the importance of experience and expertise.

Or maybe they just got used to the power, the money and the perks.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. Actually, it was a great way to clear out the majority of incumbents

who at the time were DEMS. Now that the majorities are in Repug hands, they suddenly change their minds. Nice trick.

[shanti]

20. par for the course...

:eyes:

[O.M.B.inOhio]

5. Bush 2000: "humble foreign policy," "Bal. budget 'no matter what'", etc

no nation building
unite, not divide
gov't out of the people's private lives
etc etc

And it's the same with congresspeople: "Hey, I didn't know!"
Be it an inability to anticipate such things or a crass dishonesty -- either makes them unfit for high-level public service.

[Psephos]

22. I think the electorate is *finally* going to hold their feet to the fire

The repugs have done the nearly-impossible: they've pissed off their true base, those who believe in controlled spending, decency, and privacy.

[O.M.B.inOhio]

28. I think some will break away if Rovian threats aren't credible to them.

I'm not talking about provincial farmer or vapid suburban repressed housewife who still thinks that the party that opposes abortion and gay rights is the party that must also therefore support their interests. Middle and upper class professionals, executives, and those poor oppressed college republicans - they do get pressure to support Repugs. At the university in my town, there is a libertarian-leaning group of students that called themselves the University Republicans, or somesuch. When the Bush administration revealed that they weren't supporting the meat n' potatoes values of what you call the 'true base' of the Repubs, they decided to rename the organization to use the term Libertarian instead of Republican. Well, somebody "higher up", in the national GOP, I believe, threatened them and told them that they would be "blacklisted" if they changed the club's name. Whether or not there is a network in the GOP to deny kids jobs, law school admissions, etc. is not important; they felt it was credible. This politically active segment of the 'base' will break away if they feel the GOP is impotent in the sectors they intend to work in.

[bluestateguy]

6. I support term limits

Why? Because frankly American voters just aren't all that bright, and like little children who need a time out, the American people need to be made to stop re-electing bad people to Congress who are realistically unbeatable. It's all fine and good to talk about fielding good candidates and running good campaigns and that idealistic stuff about how elections are the real term limits, but I live in the real world. These people like James Sensenbrenner and Ted Stevens just aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

[marmar]

7. Flake?

His last name is almost too good to be true.

[izzie]

8. Who would give up a 89,000 pension?

Where else can you vote your self life health care and such a pension for 10 years of work?

[0007]

23. The doctors are the best, or so I've been told.

'Tis easy money and lots of vacations. Wow! and the chicks go wild over Senators late at night, or so I've been told.

[izzie]

26. And health care on wheels for all VIP's

Did we ever have any one run to cut all this stuff out? Their was a guy called Williams from De. I think once that really went after this stuff and I think Penny did. But I guess it is sort of the best of old boys groups and no one does a thing but take. Then they come out and really make money. Look at Snowe. She has slowly got more and more assets. She must be living in a shoe box under a bridge to save all that money. Plus her husband rode in on her coat tails to a million dollar job in DC. And she is not really a bad one. I recall once sitting down and trying to figure out how a poor girl like Snowe could end up with so much money on Congress pay and this had to be 15 years ago. I am glad their are groups that look into all this. It is not as if I think they will come back to the state. Look at what happen to two of our well known men. I swear there is a Federalist Paper or something about how we would fail under people who did this but I forgot where I read it. To watch about 600 people milk a country to death is sort of interesting any how.

[Tesha]

9. "Term limits" were just a way to eject DEMOCRATS from power.

And anyone who wasn't a complete fool knew this.

Tesha

[Liberal Veteran]

10. Nethercutt pulled that shit in Wa. State.

He promised to limit himself to two terms and broke that promise, then got so big headed he thought he could take a senate seat and was promptly smacked down.

[Toots]

11. It isn't flip flopping it is out and out LYING

The whole point was to prove Republicans keep their words. That was the point of the "Contract with America". To prove beyond any shadow of doubt that Republicans can be believed. What a laugh....

[gratuitous]

12. "I was for term limits before I was against them"

Gee, how was Mr. Flake to know how indispensable he would become? Give the guy a break! He's the only person holding the government together, apparently.

Yeah, it was a lie from the get-go, but it sounded good to the gullible.

[SoftUnderbelly]

13. career politicians

if i had my way then there would be no such thing as a career politician. you have one shot at the job then thats it, you're out for life. how can anyone claim to represent the people when they havent lived and worked amongst them? if people will insist on having politicians, they should come from a real working background - and by that i dont mean law or business!

[lonestarnot]

14. J D Hayworthless did the same damn thing, but the Indian money was too

good! He was going to personally limit the terms he served.

[lonestarnot]

15. But he's going to be replaced by HARRY MITCHELL! HARRY HARRY HARRY

[bscottsmith]

16. john shimkus (shimbush) has backed away from his promise

john shimkus (shimbush)illinois 19th says president bush has asked him to stay on. Hopefully Danny L. Stover Democrat candidate from Centralia Illinois will hold him to his promise. www.stoverforcongress.us

[newyawker99]

17. Hi bscottsmith!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Rocket Surgeon]

18. We should have term limits...

So we can give the career poliicians the boot!

[lonestarnot]

19. I so totally agree. Two years max for everyone senators included.

[Rex]

21. Make the SCOTUS have term limits.

We need term limits to keep people like Strom, Gram, Army, DeLay, Watt, Helms from building dynasties in their home states. If the POTUS has term limits, then by dam all branches need it!

[hexola]

24. A breach in the "Contract With America"

[2Design]

25. where else can they find a job that pays them 170,000 dollars and

full benefits and so much time off

[Blue_Tires]

27. lol

just another GOP 'cause' that got left by the wayside the moment they came into power, like balancing the budget, etc etc..