The U.S. Senate's Lifetime Membership

I offer California. If there was a poster child for not having term limits, California would win hands down.

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Term limits have put California pols in the hands of special interest groups and their money. While many would probably have been voted out in the primary or general, some may have gone on to distinguished careers; not with term limits. The good are swept out with the bad and no one ever has an opportunity to build a constituency or campaign reserve so they are beholden to special interest money. It is tempting, though. One thought, though. The Senate is really the branch that gains almost lifetime membership. Once elected, they have shown little loyalty to their home states except during elections. Some have suggested eliminating the 17th amendment as a potential remedy. I think, without a state run constitutional convention, that would be difficult if not impossible since the Senate would have to concur. Perhaps a better way would be to eliminate the primary selection process for Senators and, instead, allow the political caucuses in the state legislature to select candidates for the general election. This would in no way conflict with the 17th amendment. If selection was done in this way, it would also have the added advantage of tying the Senators more closely to their home states. Ken Johnson

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