Posted on 01/08/2003 8:17:19 AM PST by rockhead
Stenholm wants to double terms By Tara Copp / Reporter-News Washington Bureau January 8, 2003
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm said he will file legislation to extend House members’ terms from two years to four.
Two months ago, Stenholm survived a nail-biting re-election challenge from Republican Rob Beckham. Stenholm garnered 51 percent of the vote to claim a 13th term, and the close call already has the national Republican Party eyeballing the seat in 2004.
Stenholm said he has been considering filing a bill to expand members’ terms for the last six years, during which he has thrice faced stiff election-year challenges. He said he has always been talked out of filing the legislation because of the perception it would be self-serving.
Pressure from constituents has convinced him otherwise, he said.
"I’ve had enough constituents in the last two campaigns say, ‘Why don’t you go to four-year terms?’" Stenholm said. "I think two-year terms, the costs associated with them — the constant campaigning and the constant need for money-raising — that we ought to seriously have this discussion, since we’ve gone to four-year terms for governors, state officials."
Beckham called the explanation a "nice rationalization," but said the end effect would make it harder for challengers to topple incumbents who would have more time to accumulate war chests.
"It doesn’t really make a lot of sense to me to get away from the wisdom of our founding fathers," Beckham said. "The representative should be accountable to his constituents on a regular basis. I’d be reticent to change the system that has worked well for over 200 years. I can’t imagine it passing."
A constitutional amendment would be needed to make the change. Stenholm’s bill would have to be passed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress, then ratified by three-fourths of the states, a process that generally takes years.
Stenholm said he believes other members have filed similar bills in the past, but that they were never seriously considered. The bill is just one of Stenholm’s legislative goals this session.
Before the holiday adjournment, he and Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., were working with the White House on Social Security reform legislation they will file.
"My understanding is this will not be a first-hundred-days issue for the president, but if Congress can show support, then the White House will entertain it," Stenholm said. "I am going to do my best to build up congressional support. That will be high on my list of priorities."
Stenholm was re-appointed the ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. From that vantage point he said he will continue to work on water, conservation and Farm Bill issues.
Not a new idea at all. This one will probably wind up as a liner in some Sub-committee wastebasket.
Nevermind. That's what I get for browsing the top few paragraphs...
Why would anyone think that?
Yes it would be. He may lose the next election. He wants dictator for life status.
On the contrary, when politicians are in Washington too long, they forget their experiance in the private sector. Unless they can truely understand the voters, they can't possibly represent us.
It's time to get back to the idea of term limits. The polititions are getting too dictorial for my taste.
Time for this guy to go, for sure! He sounds like a Castro clone!
Amen.
I'd go for it if the amendment also doubled or trippled the size of the House. Today, we have 1 Rep for every 5 or 6 hundred thousand people vs 1 for every hundred thousand a century ago.
Smaller districts would be "more representative", reduce campaign cost, be more competitive, and make it lots harder to Jerrymander.
E-mail and phoning representitives alert!
WRONG ..... he will have to file a Constitutional Amendment.
The rats once they win an election, feel that they should be king, prince, princess or whatever for life!
Why doesn't he just file a bill appointing him Representative for Life?
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