Straight Talk from a Right Angle

April 25, 2005

Straight Talk from a Right Angle

No, Matthew, I don't believe that your honest concerns about our legislature's future will land you in a TNDP file. Well, they shouldn't.

I myself have often been torn when trying to develop a personal view on whether the General Assembly should be part-time or full-time and fully-staffed. Mr. White rightly points out the slippery slope of the latter, but also predicts dire circumstances if we leave it as the former and do not (cannot?) reduce the size and reach of the government it oversees. (I might think we're closer to that gloomy day than we even know.)

Let me put this twist on the question: which direction would allow the average citizen (like, say, me) to hold legislative office for two to four years? (I'm not saying I'm for mandated term limits, but I firmly believe office-seekers should self-limit and, really, be scared away from repeat performances because ideally it's a real sacrifice, a hard job, and not a cushy career. Plus, the fewer terms you serve, the more that opens the door for greater citizen involvement in self-governing.)

At any rate, it's an excellent post, and despite its author's trepidation at somehow sounding heretical to his deep Republican faith, it is a message that cannot be confined to a partisan dogma. Dare I call it a populist message? Take this quote, then read the whole thing, then decide for yourself.

[W]e citizens contribute to ethics problems even before a legislator is sworn in. We decry the money in politics. We take a breath and then talk about how a candidate isn't viable because he hasn't raised enough money. If a candidate is only worth our donation, time, energy and support if he has raised a sufficient sum of money, then are we not encouraging him to chase big donations from special interests?

No, that's not necessarily a (D)emocratic message, Matt, but it's certainly a (d)emocratic one. And there is no shame in that.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.