ED HUBER: Ralston holding up Georgia term limits legislation

Over 100 years ago, Mark Twain believed term limits were necessary when he said: “Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.” His opinion of politicians was the same as many people’s today when he said: “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.”

Ask any career politician: “Would you support term limit legislation,” and most would answer “We have term limits every election.” So, how realistic is this answer? Are term limits really necessary?

Most polling today shows 82 percent of voters favor term limits. When asked their opinion of elected officials, most say they believe politicians are corrupt and dishonest. And yet when election time comes around, the same scoundrels get voted back in. Why is this? Could it be voters think other politicians are crooked but theirs is worthy of another term, or is there another reason?

There is another reason. Take for example the 2020 Presidential election. The incumbent President Trump has virtually no opposition from his side of the isle, and yet the Democrats are running 20-plus candidates. When President Trump was a candidate, there were 15-plus others running against him. Logic tells us the incumbent has a tremendous advantage, but when the field is open the competition grows. The expense of running against an incumbent is discouraging.

So, why bother with term limits?

The longer a politician serves, the harder it gets to vote them out. They become so entrenched, their party beliefs become skewed. Many start as middle class citizens, and corruption quickly makes them very wealthy. We the people are no longer represented by a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but by an autocrat form of government policed by bureaucrats. They promise health care for everyone that ultimately leads to death panels deciding who lives and who dies based on how you vote. They offer free education for all with classes in basket weaving and political correct speak.

This totalitarian infrastructure puts the life of every individual under government scrutiny and control. James Madison wrote in Federalist No. 47: “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands, whether hereditary, self-appointed or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” We become subjects rather than citizens.

There is a great movement today to get term limits in government, but there are career politicians resisting with tenacity. The state of Georgia, for example, is being held up by one man, Speaker of the House David Ralston. I encourage everyone who agrees with me and this letter to please call Speaker Ralston’s office (District Address; PO Box 188; Blue Ridge, Ga. 30513; (706) 632-2221; Office, (706) 632-6193) and ask him to get term limits passed. Also, please consider joining the fight for term limits at termlimits.com.

Ed Huber

Copperhill, Tenn.