Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), our sometimes whacky local congressman, has decided to blow off his original term limits pledge. As he enters the race for this third term, which he’d promised when first running would be his last, he’s told his supporters that a decision on a fourth term will “not be made solely on the issue of term limits.”
Bully for him.
Sure, it’s self-serving. Finding himself on the bleeding edge of extremist anti-immigrant fever, he’s enjoying being at the head of the parade. But he also makes a good point:
“I find myself in a position of leadership with regard to this issue,” he wrote. “Literally thousands of Americans from every part of the nation have sent us small donations with notes of encouragement.” Tancredo added that while he realizes, “no one is indispensable,” anybody who follows him would have to “start all over at square one.”
While I don’t like where he’s leading, I think it is important that politicians get an opportunity to lead — said opportunity to be cut off by the voters (remember them?), not by term limit laws.
If the voters decide that Tancredo is a flake, or that he ought to be held to the limit he originally promised, then they should have the right to vote him down. If they think he’s the great man on a white horse since [fill in the blank], they should get to vote that way, too.
It seems that at least one term limits proponent has come around to that way of thinking, too.
I just wish they’d be consistent. I never was for term limits, but it seems awfully convenient that most (no I don’t have stats for “most”) crusaders for term limits have renounced them once their time is up.
Ah, but I haven’t come around 🙂
Oh, I’d have no problem with Tom-buddy-buddy getting tossed out on his ear over this. Or any of a number of other matters.