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WHAT WE WANT: Voters still want a yeoman farmer to serve, even if none
are running. |
A new poll from the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute shows that 79
percent of voters support term limits of some kind.
"People are so unhappy with Illinois' gerrymandered redistricting and
politics that the only tool they feel they have for rotating the crops
in Springfield is a term limits measure," said director David Yepsen.
Voters have managed to rotate elected leaders in Springfield with some
regularity.
Illinois Watchdog compared the current roster, for the 98th General
Assembly, with a roster for the 96th General Assembly, which served from
2008 to 2010.
In the Illinois House, 52 lawmakers (44 percent) are no longer serving.
In the Illinois Senate, 23 lawmakers (38 percent) have moved on or moved
away.
House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago, remains. He's been speaker for
nearly 30 years, and term limit supporters have targeted him and other
"career politicians."
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"One thing that's important to note, term limits will
not give us a citizen legislature," said University of Illinois
political science professor Chris Mooney.
He said if the Legislature is weakened by term limits, the
governor's powers would grow. But still, Mooney said, Americans
by and large like the idea of term limits.
"It goes back to Thomas Jefferson," Mooney said. "Harvest the
crops, put down the plow and head down to the state capitol for a couple of
months and bring some common sense to government."
The Simon poll may indicate if term limit supporters can get a term
limit question on the ballot, voters may overwhelmingly support it.
[This
article courtesy of
Illinois Watchdog.]
Contact Benjamin Yount at
Ben@IllinoisWatchdog.org and find him
on Twitter:
@BenYount.
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