He hopes to amend congressional ethics rules to make it easier for members to keep their other careers while serving in Congress. Because he anticipated only a six-year congressional career, Coburn explains that he had no fear of abbreviating that career by taking controversial positions. Excerpted from the National Review . I would liken term limits to the practice in Rome when victorious generals were paraded into the city to the accolades of the crowd. A servant would have to ride in the chariot along with Caesar and, while holding a laurel wreath above Caesar s head, whisper all fame is fleeting.
Term limits is that reminder.
The independence that comes from limiting my terms has enabled me to vote against the bloated budget deal of 1997, and to channelge my own party leadership when I feel it would be best for the people of Arizona. Instead of looking ahead to my own career in the House, I am able to put my Arizona constituents first. More of my colleagues should join me. Congressmen stay in office so long, they lose touch with the people they are supposed to represent and forget the reason the people sent them to Washington in the first place. After four years in Congress, I believe more than ever that our nation s problems have been created because career politicians have set themselves apart as an elite class of people trying to dictate to us how we run our lives.