The nine member charter commission will hear from the community about a great number of issues, and the one issue that I will bring up is that of term limits. Term limits is a 50-50 issue, either you like it or you do not. There is no right answer to this question, but for me there is only one clear cut answer. YES!!!
Term limits have not served our State Representatives very well, due in part that they have only Two year terms and can sever a maximum of six years. One year their doing/learning their jobs, by year two they are on the campaign trial. This cycle repeats itself every two years or until their voted out. The Mayor, City Clerk, and City Council all serve four year terms. This I believe is a very different horse of a whole different color. I understand your argument of “We can just vote them out.” but do we vote them out? History tells us that we do not simply vote them out. In this election two incumbents were voted out, one other was kicked out of office after pledging guilty to a felony bribery charge, while two others decided not to run at all. After all the smoke was cleared, 5 new council members filled the shoes of the 3 vacant slots, while the other two seats were voted out. Read the last sentence again and tell me is this change. I think not. We gain 5 new council members but only 2 were voted out, one in the primary and the other in the general. When was the last time a city council incumbent was voted out? I didn’t look this information up so if you know the answer please forward the answer to me, and bravo for your political awareness. I am willing to bet however that it was not in the last Twenty years. Read the last sentence again, not in the last twenty years. Where were you twenty years ago? If I’m wrong again please drop me a line.
Now let us move on to the office of Mayor, when was the last time a Mayor was voted out of office? I’m willing to bet not in the last Forty years. Read the last sentence again, not in the last forty years. Again, if I’m wrong please drop me a line. How many of you think that Mayor Coleman Young stayed in office just a little too long? How many of you would have voted for Dennis Archer for a third term? What about a fourth? How many of you would have voted for Kwame Kilpatrick for a third term if he had not gone to jail? What about a fourth and so on? No matter how badly these public officials perform, or how many times they lie to us, we vote them all back in. Are we afraid of change? How do we change the mind set of a community that is afraid to vote for someone other than an incumbent? We can’t, and that is my final answer.
What about the office of City Clerk? In the last election ‘city clerk for life’ Jackie Curry actually lost to new comer Janice Winfrey. Other than the last election, when was the last time a city clerk was voted out? I don’t know the answer to this off hand either, but was it in the 16 years? If you know the answer to this, again drop me a line.
I know what you’re saying. “He should have looked this up before writing his blog.” Well I didn’t because I don’t need to. I know we don’t vote incumbents out, they just fade away. Or run for another office, or get haul away in handcuffs, but we don’t vote them out. With this last election being the exception and not the rule, this has to change.
Incumbents get lazy, complacent, and bored and this we don’t need. What we need is someone who will work in the interest of the people, and not in the interest of themselves. We need someone who will work assiduously for not only our city but their city as well. Complacence with ones self will no longer be tolerated, boredom will no longer be tolerated, and laziness will certainly no longer be tolerated, not by me or anyone else who loves this city. I like our new council, if you think about it; it is truly a new council. All but one of the new council has four years or less in office. When was the last time that happen? I don’t know the answer to the… you know the rest.
Seriously, we need term limits in this city. We deserve fresh minds with fresh ideals. I believe we are moving in this direction because 168 candidates for city council have told us so. Some of them were not qualified for the office, but they were willing to try. Some couldn’t get their campaigns off the ground, but they were willing to try. Some had the heart and desire but didn’t have the wherewithal to continue, but they were all willing to try. These 168 candidates were all willing to turn this city around, away from the corruption and futile leadership that we have endured for so many years now. Only 5 made the final cut, but they all made a difference.
I was just looking at a Facebook post and it goes perfectly with my story.
"A politician in power tends to remain in power." -- Neal Boortz's "First Rule of Political Dynamics"
People are resisted to change; when they stay in office too long we have nothing but contempt towards our chosen leaders, the very people we voted for just a mere 16 years ago. We now can’t wait for them to leave. If there hadn’t been so many great candidates in the last election, Alberta Tinsley-Talabi would have made it for her 5th term in office (that’s 20 years folks).
If you haven’t done what you needed to do in 12 years, then you need to leave. What difference would 4 more years make if you hadn’t done it in the last 12? Don’t be fooled any longer by their speeches, by their past accomplishments (Or a lack there of), and don’t let them dazzle you with their B.S. any longer. Enough is enough; it is time to take charge. Come with me to the charter commission meetings and tell them we want terms limits for the Mayor (2 terms, 8 years), City Clerk (3 terms, 12 years), and City Council ( 3 terms, 12 years).
If you disagree with terms limits I invite you to comment.
Remember, you get what you VOTE for, VOTE Detroit!
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