The Politics and Law of Term Limits - Hardcover

Pilon, Roger; Crane, Edward H.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1882577124 ISBN 13: 9781882577125

Publisher: Cato Institute, 1994

Synopsis

The pros and cons of the hottest political issue of the 90s.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Eighty percent of the American people say congressional terms should be limited. Fifteen states have already done so, and efforts are spreading to more states and hundreds of cities. Would term limits be a good idea? Would they be constitutional? The Politics and Law of Term Limits presents both sides of the issue and lets the reader decide. Contributors include syndicated columnist George F. Will, League of Women Voters president Becky Cain, Thomas E. Mann of the Brookings Institution, constitutional scholar Ronald D. Rotunda, and former White House counsel Lloyd Cutler, among others. The Founding Fathers did not include term limits in the Constitution because they thought citizen legislators, not professional politicians, would be the rule, and an overwhelming number of voters from every demographic group in the nation believe that should be the case today. Problems such as the burgeoning federal deficit indicate that careerism and legislative "experience" may not be all they are cracked up to be. Proponents of term limits argue that abolishing careerism would open the political process to a new type of candidate - the aspiring citizen legislator - who wishes to take a brief time out from his or her work to make a contribution to society. But opponents of term limits counter that such a change would induce an unhealthy dependence on congressional aides and professional lobbyists. Who is correct? You decide.

About the Author

Edward H. Crane is president of the Cato Institute.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cato Institute
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 1882577124
• ISBN 13: 9781882577125
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 163