[453] in libertarians
Re: [vimrich@MIT.EDU: Re: Term Limits]
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Vernon Imrich)
Tue Dec 6 03:08:11 1994
To: libertarians@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Tue, 06 Dec 1994 02:37:26 EST."
<9412060737.AA27832@ampere.mit.edu>
Date: Tue, 06 Dec 1994 03:04:54 EST
From: Vernon Imrich <vimrich@MIT.EDU>
|> Apparently what happens in Mexico is politicians spend most of
|> their time currying favor with people in the level above them. Then,
|> when they run for election for a different office, they use these
|> contacts as evidence of their clout. Same principle as in the USA: Use
|> clout to get elected, get clout through previous political service.
But in the US the politics are much more regulated than that. Try
guessing how much clout a Bill Bulger would have as a US Rep, or
Ken Reeves as a state rep.
Most of the uneven power is not due to contacts, though that is part
of it, but due to the parlimentary position one holds, districting,
franking and other things.
A former state rep running for US rep would have a record to run
on, yes. But you'd still have the elimination of a challenger
incumbent race, where the incumbent can actually promise to do
more solely on the basis of where s/he sits in the power structure.
|> How about only letting people hold any elected office once,
|> and then that's it?
For Mexico I might agree. The corruption there is too much to
believe from what I've heard. I think our institutions protect
us better than that. Up or out would be fine.
|> Again, I know Mexico is a different culture, and I still
|> support term limits. I just don't think they will help THAT much.
They do their thing, which is needed, but they are not a panacea.
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| Vernon Imrich | market failure, n. The inabilty of the |
| MIT OE, Rm 5-329b | market to recover from a blow by |
| Cambridge, MA 02139 | intervention. (The Exchange) |
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