My 6 Years are better than your 6 Years!

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Tim Herdt, of the Ventura County Star, brings up a very good point about the Term limits initiative, Prop 93. Put simply, why are termed-out legislators still termed out if they've only served 6 years? So, here's the example of the Stricklands:

How unequal would Proposition 93 be? Well, it would, for example, apply differently to two members of the same Moorpark household. Assemblywoman Audra Strickland, elected in 2004, would be permitted to serve 12 years. But her husband, Tony, who preceded her in office and served six years, would never be eligible to run again. The silliness of such an arrangement brings to mind what former Sen. David Roberti, the first person termed out under the existing law, used to say about term limits: "There are two classes of people prohibited by law from running for the state Senate: convicted felons and David Roberti."  (Ventura Star 10/31/07)

Sure, I'm not going to cry for Tony Strickland, but here's the deal: Tony Strickland can't run for the Assembly seat, but Audra can? Does that make any sense at all?  Listen, we desperately need term limits reform, and I'm on board, but the way this was done sure makes me hold my nose. And the poll results are showing that now too.  According to the most recent Field Poll(PDF),  support for the term limits initiative fell from 59% in August to 49% in October. While that still gives a healthy 18% advantage, it's a marked decline in a short period of time. In fact, right now the term limits reform initiative seems to be working on some level at tricking Republicans.  Current Dem support of the measure is running 44-34 in favor of Yes, while Rep support is running 57-29 in favor of Yes. Why the discrepancy? Well, Republicans think they're cracking down real hard on the Dems in the Legislature. Gotcha silly red county voters!

This initiative should have happened several years ago, but either way, it shouldn't favor today's legislators over yesterday's. Sure it would make for some bizarre races of past and present legislators in primaries, but, boy, wouldn't that be fun?