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PRESS RELEASES

Roski, Jr. Doles out $300 Thousand Against CA Term Limits; U.S. Term Limits Says it is “Fully Prepared to Meet the Challenge”
US Term Limits Press Release February 4, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Urges Gov. Freudenthal to “Do the Right Thing” and Not Seek Third Term
US Term Limits Press Release February 3, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Praises SD Senate State Affairs Committee for “Effectively Killing” Anti-Term Limits Measure
US Term Limits Press Release February 3, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Launches Commercial Campaign in AZ Against Term Limits Repeal Legislation
US Term Limits Press Release January 28, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Condemns Committee Vote to Eliminate Term Limits
US Term Limits Press Release January 27, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Condemns State Senator Hansen for Proposing Amendment to Weaken Term Limits
US Term Limits Press Release January 25, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Urges Californians to Reject Proposed Amendment That Would Double the Length of Assembly & Senate Terms
US Term Limits Press Release January 25, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Blasts Gov. Freudenthal for Seeking Third Term in Defiance of Wyoming Term Limits
US Term Limits Press Release January 13, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Blasts Proposed Amendment that Would Repeal Ohio Term Limits
US Term Limits Press Release January 13, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Condemns Rep. Gatschenberg for Proposing Amendment Weakening Term Limits from 8 to 16 years
US Term Limits Press Release January 13, 2010

U.S. Term Limits Blasts Proposed Amendment that Would Repeal Arizona Term Limits
US Term Limits Press Release January 13, 2010

Blumel Calls Constitutional Term Limits Amendment "An Historic Opportunity"
US Term Limits Op-Ed LA Times October 31, 2009

USTL PRESIDENT PHIL BLUMEL'S Op-Ed in the LA Times
US Term Limits Op-Ed LA Times October 31, 2009

U.S. Term Limits Condemns CA Governor Schwarzenegger for Calling Term Limits "Crazy"
US Term Limits Press Release October 9, 2009

U.S. Term Limits Advises California Forward...
US Term Limits Press Release September 9, 2009

Term Limits Bring Fairness to Government
Howie Rich October 30, 2008

Support for Term Limits at All-Time High
US Term Limits Press Release

US Term Limits President Labels Obama Attack on Congressional Term Limits “Utter Nonsense”
US Term Limits Press Release

Nevada Supreme Court Upholds Term Limits
US Term Limits Press Release

Polling Shows Michigan Voters Favor Term Limits
US Term Limits Press Release March 24, 2008

Polling Shows South Dakota Voters Favor Term Limits
US Term Limits Press Release March 10, 2008

Eight (years) is enough

Philly.com

LAST WEEK, City Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr. introduced a resolution calling for a ballot question that would ask voters whether Council members should have a three-term limit. Unlike a number of other big cities, Philadelphia has no term limits for Council.

But that's not really a problem for us since the city is run so well, and we have no long-standing problems that continually get passed on from year to year.

Sarcasm aside, this legislation should not be seen as a personal insult to current members.

They've served our city, and we should thank them for that. But term limits would inject a much-needed check on generational control over the way our city is run. A couple of terms is enough time to enact meaningful legislation, improve the city, be proud of your service - and move on.

Ask almost anyone in office about term limits, and they'll tell you that we already have them, that elections are term limits. In Philadelphia, though, this isn't true. The elections we have are not clashes of ideas and leaders where people make an informed choice (or even an uninformed one) between the old and the new.

Here, multiple factors make facing an incumbent almost as fair as a Little League pitcher trying to whiff the Phillies' Ryan Howard. The odds are more than stacked against a challenger; they're off the board. Philadelphia has a government where the same ideas and factions have ruled for generations and the system of elections makes it almost impossible to have any meaningful change.

A centuries-old patronage culture, an overarching threat of ridiculous petition challenges and district gerrymandering that would make the original gerrymanderer blush are just some of the factors that reward incumbency. Other than Dan McElhatton, who lost his 7th District seat in 1995, exactly zero nonappointed district Council incumbents have lost an election in 15 years.

And only two at-large incumbents, Angel Ortiz and Juan Ramos, have lost since 1999. Ortiz would still be on Council except for some personal mistakes, and Ramos would not have replaced him. So it takes special circumstances to see change even at the at-large level.

Almost every cycle, four or five members run unopposed or with token opposition. You could say that all of the members must be doing a great job, but the skeptic would say that something else must be at work.

Those against term limits will tell you that they don't work, and they interfere with the usual checks and balances. Some may say that term-limit advocates are crying sour grapes, or that limits won't do anything in the short term and could hurt Philadelphia in the long term by driving out experienced and knowledgeable members.

But ask yourself two questions: "If I wanted to change the direction of the city, where would I start?" and "Is it currently possible to do that under our election system in Philadelphia?"

Your answers will likely be "City Council" and "No."

Two terms is enough for a mayor to run a city. Why isn't it enough for someone to represent and advocate for a district or the city as a whole? Why should a Council seat be a lifetime appointment? Again, even the best members should be able to recognize that in a city of 1.5 million, someone else can offer good ideas and constituent service.

On many levels, I don't fault members for believing they do a good job. In many respects, they do. They work long days with many meetings and time away from their families. It pays well, but in many ways it's thankless. They put their time in and do their best. But an elected office shouldn't be a lifelong career.

We wouldn't need term limits if we had real elections here. But we don't. Every four years, we pretend we do, but we don't.

Are term limits the only answer to what ails our city? Probably not. Are they a good start and, more importantly, a signal to the thousands who throw up their hands and leave the city each year in frustration because we can't get our act together? Would they show we're starting to admit we have a real problem here in Philadelphia? Absolutely.

AT THIS POINT, Goode's bill is seeking to limit terms to 12 years. But I believe two terms is enough for anyone.

Combined with a rotation of Council elections by districts every two years, moving Council elections to the mayoral midterms and rotating ballot positions both citywide and by division in district elections, term limits can open the floodgates to real reform.

Reach A.J. Thomson at

House GOP keeps intact term limits for chairmen

The Hill

House Republicans will keep intact the six-year term limit for committee chairmen and ranking members, Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced Wednesday.

Boehner told Republican House members that the GOP Steering Committee had decided to keep in place the limit, which differs from a more seniority-based chairmanship system for House Democrats.

"The current rule will stand," Boehner told the House Republican Conference, according to remarks forwarded by his office.

The GOP first instituted the term limit rules for chairmen after taking control of the House in 1995, but Democrats reversed that rule change upon taking back the House in 2007.

The current GOP rule allows for the GOP Steering Committee to submit a waiver for the term-limits in some circumstances.

Cut Spending, Leave Money in Hands of People, Small Businesses

TheLedger.com

This year is starting off better than 2009, despite Congress and President Barack Obama accomplishing nothing to help small businesses. While some believe increasing taxes and deficit spending will solve the problems (by giving the Congress more to spend), it is small businesses and families that pay the majority of taxes that allow President Obama and the Congress the money to spread the wealth.

So far, Wall Street got a bailout and the American people got stuck with the bill. If you want to make a difference, contact your representative and senators and demand:

Energy independence.

Fiscal responsibility.

Term limits. (Yes, I know the act of voting has the effect of term limits, but many politicians were or are there for life, e.g., Strom Thurmond, Ted Kennedy, Jesse Helms, Robert Byrd, Jay Rockefeller, Carl Levin, Bill Nelson.) It's a millionaires' club, and the members are good at spending the taxpayers' money.

As for energy independence, we have the resources and technology.

For fiscal responsibility, cap the budget. That's what we have to do with our household budgets and businesses.

With respect to term limits, 10 years in the House and 12 years in the Senate, that's it. The American citizens were able to term limit the presidency after Franklin D. Roosevelt. We can term limit the bums who have spent us into $12 trillion in debt.

As long as conservatives, liberals and moderates, independents, Democrats, Republicans (and the countless minor parties) keep fighting amongst themselves, nothing will get done except more damage to this country. Divide and conquer!

That's pretty much what the two parties have done while driving us further and further into debt, and into further dependence on foreign energy sources.

ROBERT STANZ

Lakeland

It's time to do something to reduce the U.S. deficit

Zanesville Times Recorder

It's time we do something to reduce the United States deficit. We're getting deeper in debt.

I don't see where the economic stimulus helped out anyone in my family. How about yours? There is still property and mortgage foreclosures and sheriff sale notices in local papers. Our unemployment rate is in the double digits; reportedly 10 percent for Ohio. But that only counts those who qualify for unemployment compensation. We need affordable health care for everyone, without being denied for age or pre-existing conditions.

We can't afford insurance coverage for our nation, but government employees and retirees have great coverage.

We see our president, his staff, senators and congressmen continually traveling all over the world. Can you actually tell me that these people did anything to help with the disaster in Haiti? In this age of the Internet, there is no longer the need for all the excessive travel that the government continues to abuse.

How many vacations do these elected officials actually need? That includes things like date night for the president.

I think if you earn more than a certain amount and you retire, you should not draw Social Security. According to our government, Social Security money is almost gone.

Why do our government officials like presidents get large pensions when they go out of office? They get paid well while they are running our country. We, the people, should not have to support them for the rest of their lives.

The president's suites are redecorated with each president. It was reported that $248,000,000 was set aside for furniture for the new Homeland Security Headquarters in D.C. Did we even need new headquarters, let alone new furnishings? How many millions of dollars are spent on unnecessary grants.

It's time for term limits on government offices, including the Senate and Congress. These people vote themselves cost-of-living raises with our money.

We, the taxpayers, are continually paying for government monetary abuse and perks that we no longer are able to afford. The U.S. is borrowing money from foreign countries.