Cast:
Middle-aged father and twenty-something son
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#1 of 3
|
| Son: |
What
are you reading these days, Dad?
|
| Father: |
A
book by Victor Kamber called Giving Up On Democracy:
Why Term Limits Are Bad For America.
|
| Son: |
I
thought you were in favor of term limits, Dad. "Throw
the bums out," and all that. |
| Father: |
Well,
I did feel that way - until I started reading Giving
Up On Democracy. Kamber points out some very serious
problems with term limits laws.
|
| Son: |
Such
as? |
| Father: |
Well,
how would you react if your boss said, "You're doing
a great job, but we're taking it away from you exactly two
years from today"?
|
| Son: |
I'd
be making phone calls and sending out resumes.
|
| Father: |
And
not concentrating on your job! Son, I don't wish to be represented
by Members of Congress too worried about their families' futures
- to worry about mine! |
| Son: |
Of
course, if they were super-rich...
|
| Father: |
Precisely!
Term limits proponents claim they want a "citizen legislature."
But the only citizens who could take a couple years out of
their lives to hold office would be the super-rich. Doesn't
sound very representative to me. |
| Son: |
What's
the name of that book again?
|
| Father: |
Giving
Up On Democracy: Why Term Limits Are Bad For America -
by Victor Kamber. |
| Son: |
You
always were the voice of reason, Dad. |
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#2 of 3 |
| Son: |
Say
Dad, what was the name of that term limits book you were reading? |
| Father:
|
You
mean the book by Victor Kamber. Giving Up On Democracy:
Why Term Limits Are Bad For America.
|
| Son:
|
You
know, I still can't believe you've turned around so totally
on this issue. First, you're ready to clean up the Congress
- next thing I know, you're against term limits!
|
| Father:
|
I
still want Capitol Hill to clean up its act, Son. I just
think term limits are counter-productive.
Think
about this. You're a passenger on a 747, flying over the
Rockies at night, stormy weather, zero visibility - with
a rookie at the controls.
That's
where America would be under term limits. We'd be flying
scared! We'd have inexperienced legislators making laws,
approving Presidential appointments and military call-ups
- and spending trillions of dollars of our money! I don't
know about you, but I'd feel better knowing our representatives
on Capitol Hill had a few years of experience under their
belts.
|
| Son:
|
Giving
Up On Democracy.
|
| Father:
|
That's
right. Giving Up On Democracy: Why Term Limits Are Bad
For America, by Victor Kamber. Do yourself a favor.
Read it.
|
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#3 of 3 |
| Father: |
What's
that you're reading, Son? Well, I'll be. You actually took
my advice. |
| Son: |
That's
right, Dad. Your arguments against term limits made so much
sense, I just had to pick up my own copy of Giving Up On
Democracy, by Victor Kamber. |
| Father: |
So,
what have you learned? |
| Son: |
Well,
I had no idea the Constitutional framers unanimously rejected
term limits - and for good reason. Can you imagine telling
Madison, or Jefferson, or Hamilton, "Sorry, buddy, six
years and you're out?" |
| Father: |
It
didn't make sense then, and it doesn't now. Anytime you restrict
voters from re-electing those who represent them, well, you're
giving up on democracy! And that's why term limts are bad
for America! |
| Son: |
We
both want to see Congressional reform - but term limits don't
address the problems. They don't change a thing about the
way government goes about its business. They just take away
our right to vote for whomever we choose, and force us to
send inexperienced people to Congress. Sounds like a short-sighted
"reform" to me. |
| Father: |
Giving
Up On Democracy: Why Term Limits Are Bad For America,
by Victor Kamber. You know, I'm gonna recommend this book
- to everyone. |
