NoNoNo UnceUnceUncerrr ainainain THE NEWSLETTER OF THE TERM LIMITS MOVEMENT April 2000 VOLUME 8 NUMBER 4 terms Self-Limiters Make the Cut The Club For Growth Endorses Four Self-Limiter Candidates The Club For Growth, a non-profit political ment says. “All Club members have a shared advocacy organization, recently endorsed a goal of helping elect more Reaganite, economic group of several congressional candidates that growth-oriented office seekers.” included four self-limiters. Given this goal, it’s no The Club’s recommen- surprise that self-limiters dations included Mark made such a strong Nielsen (CT-5), Jeff Flake showing in the Club’s (AZ-1), Ric Keller (FL-8), endorsements. Over and and Charlie Gerow (PA- over, self-limited mem- 19), who have all signed bers of Congress have the U.S. Term Limits demonstrated an over- Declaration. whelming tendency to “The Club for Growth fight for more respon- is a membership organi- sible government in zation of thousands of likeminded political every regard. Their self-limiting pledges give contributors from across the country who are them the freedom to stand up to established frustrated with the ideological drift of both special interests and hold government account- parties today,” the organization’s mission state- continued on page 2 I Message from Popular Support N Paul Jacob page 2 America Overwhelmingly Lawmaking Supports Term Limits Transformed S Americans favor term Congress. page 3 limits almost three to one, The poll also found that I according to a nationwide 59.1% of voters would be more They Said It poll conducted in January by likely to support a congressional D page 6 the nationally reknowned candidate who favored term Candidate Spotlight polling firm John limits and pledged to serve no E page 7 McLaughlin & Associates. more than three terms. The poll results show that The poll interviewed 1000 The Last Word 68.8% of voters favor placing likely voters, and has a margin page 8 term limits on members of of error of +/- 3.1%. April 2000 Issue No Uncertain TERMS U.S. Term Limits 1 10 G St., NE Washington, DC 20002 http://www.ustermlimits.org Message from the National Director “Without a Vision” Close your eyes for 3 seconds — not if you’re on thumbs than take a political the road right now though — and imagine what you risk to advance the issues would do if you were in the Congress. Fight for new they claim to care about. legislation? Repeal misguided old statutes? Block pork- Commentator Robert barrel spending? Combat corruption? Novak says, “They lack Our dreams shape our horizons; they’re an inspira- courage because they are professional politicians. tion and a challenge to do our best. That “vision-thing” They are much more worried about the next is important. If we don’t envision it, we don’t attempt election, about keeping their majority, about keep- it. Now, I don’t want to start preaching, but the Bible ing their seats, than they are about having the itself says, “Without a vision, my people perish.” courage do the right thing.” Good point. Take Senator Trent Lott from Mississippi. He leads There’s nothing wrong with wanting to win the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate. Asked by elections. But to junk your agenda simply to hold reporters what he hoped to accomplish this year, Lott on to power? Power to do what? replied: “We don't have to score a touchdown, we just have to control the clock.” Huh? Republicans have the ball, and they ain’t exactly winning out there on the field, and all they want to do is run out the clock? Lott and those like him would rather stay in Washington twiddling their Four Self-Limiters endorsement by the Club, also Keller’s home state of Florida Endorsed by Club has the approval of Rep. Matt has a strong term limits record, continued from page 1 Salmon (R-AZ), the self-limiter which he hopes to become a able for its misuse of power. whose open seat Flake hopes part of. A full-page profile of Nielsen is an attorney in a to fill. him can be found on page 7 Danbury, Connecticut, law “I can think of no one who of this newsletter. firm and has served as a is better prepared to make a Gerow, also an attorney, has Connecticut state senator, real difference in Washington spent several years as Pennsyl- where he has opposed waste- than Jeff Flake,” commented vania state Chairman of Citi- ful spending and fought to citizen legislator Salmon at a zens Against Government impose strong structural press conference last Septem- Waste, and was the second limitations on government ber, adding that he believed recipient of the “Career growth. Flake would continue to “rock Award” issued by Citizens Flake, in addition to an the boat.” Against Higher Taxes. BOARD OF DIRECTORS No Uncertain Terms is published 12 times a year at an annual subscription price of Peter Ackerman Travis Anderson $30. Third class postage paid, APRIL 2000 VOLUME 8 NUMBER 4 Steven Baer Terence Considine Washington, D.C. POSTMASTER: Send EDITED BY ERIC D. DIXON Edward Crane Cora Fields address changes to U.S. Term Limits. A Publication of Mike Ford M. Blair Hull U.S. TERM LIMITS and Sally Reed Impastato Paul Jacob Term Limits On-Line! U.S. TERM LIMITS FOUNDATION Kenneth Langone Ronald Lauder For the latest developments on term 10 G ST., NE, SUITE 410 Rob Mosbacher Paul Raynault limits across America, visit our web site WASHINGTON, D.C. 20002 Howard Rich Joseph Stilwell on the Internet at 1-800-733-6440 Donna Weaver Bill Wilson http://www.ustermlimits.org 2 No Uncertain TERMS U.S. Term Limits April 2000 Issue 10 G St., NE Washington, DC 20002 http://www.ustermlimits.org Lawmaking Transformed Term Limits Bring Wholesale Change Into Legislatures by Francis X. Clines, The New York Times As term limits gradually take effect in 18 state percent a decade ago, and Hispanics hold 19 percent legislatures across the country, the time strictures so of the seats, up from 6 percent. popular with voters are turning seasoned leaders from Comparable changes in representation are hoped office, nipping political careers and prompting un- for by proponents here and in Florida, where substan- usual party maneuvers. tial legislative turnover is also approaching. The first A new sort of fast-forward politicking spawned by year of term limits in Florida will find 55 of the 120 term limits is exemplified here in Ohio, where the members of the lower house and 11 of 40 state sena- majority Republican leadership is trying to name three tors displaced in the November elections. “It’s going statehouse speakers to serve over to bring about better government,” the next three years before term Gov. Jeb Bush predicts. limits take effect with this Im onto my The intricate musical-chair November’s elections. third finance leadership deal being tried in Ohio Such fleeting leadership is a far is denounced as back-room despera- cry from fabled legislative bosses committee chair- tion by the Democratic minority. like the late Speaker Vern Riffe, man in the last But it is defended by Republicans as who fiercely wielded the Ohio gavel the only recourse for heading off a for two decades. But it is one of the year, said the state of constant caucus infighting new laws of compressed politicking current speaker, because of the large-scale turnover being forged under term limits, in dictated by the eight-year term limit which the affected states have Jo Ann Davidson, (four two-year terms in the House, initially been seeing a third or more two four-year terms in the Senate) of their incumbents forced to amazed at how that is about to begin. The Republi- depart. fast this tradi- cans are trying to project two future Such fleeting leadership is a far speakers even though they cannot cry from fabled legislative bosses tionally powerful be sure future voters will retain the like the late Speaker Vern Riffe, plum of a job has Republican majority needed to who fiercely wielded the Ohio gavel guarantee the tricky deal. for two decades. But it is one of the been turning In the first year, the new limits new laws of compressed politicking over. mean that 43 members of the 99- being forged under term limits, in member Ohio House elected in 1998, which the affected states have plus 6 of the 33 sitting senators, initially been seeing a third or more of their incum- cannot run again. The wrenching effect, similar to bents forced to depart. that experienced in other statehouses with term limits, Similar wholesale disruptions of political life, with begins with the traditional leadership posts where local and county politicials moving more quickly into seniority has long been a dominant factor. the statehouse, have been taking place in the six “I’m onto my third finance committee chairman in states that have instituted term limits since 1996. Five the last year,” said the current speaker, Jo Ann more, led by Ohio and Florida, are introducing limits Davidson, amazed at how fast this traditionally this year, while another seven are to have them in powerful plum of a job has been turning over. Quali- effect by 2007. fied lawmakers, doomed by their long experience, California, a pioneer in term limits, saw its have been resigning early over the past year to find statehouse leadership initially decimated, but propo- fresh career opportunities. As a practical matter, the nents emphasize that a younger and more diverse crop of lawmakers took office there.