I live near Nashville but not actually in the city. I get all of the news from there so I know what is happening. In 1998 a charter amendment placed a limit of two terms on the Metro Council, that would be 4 years. In 2002 almost all of the council could not run for reelection due to the 1998 amendment. The city almost came to a halt. People with only their agenda, people elected on wedge issues and a lot of people who had no idea how city government worked suddenly were in charge. Money was wasted, misappropriated, stolen, and whatever else could happen did. The people of the city had the good sense to change the amendment in 2006 but only to allow 4 terms. At least some people are staying around long enough to learn the job.

By your logic the next time I need a plummer or a carpenter I should look for one that has not been in the business long enough to know the tricks of the trade.

Lord Acton was right but no member of congress has absolute power.

so sad that power corrupts some people and so sad that they screw the American people and get away with it for years

Apple and oranges. City government is totally different than federal or state. But it's a mute point. Congress is too engrossed in getting re-elected. And unfortunately, the voters are too uninformed or apathetic to vote out the crooks.

So, we'll see if congress can actually get something done the next 4 years or if will be more of the same ineffective partisan BS we've had for the last 8 years.

As for your plumber and carpenter statement you're using faulty logic and are being absurd.

Except the Democrats in New Jersey!

8^ )

NYC voted term limits for the mayor: two terms. Appealing to his Inner Messiah, Bloomberg decided that only he is capable of saving this city in its time of turbulence and managed to talk the City Council into rescinding the limit -- until next term when Ronnie wants to run again.

Government is government. I will admit that the Federal government is larger but that is even more reason to have experienced people in congress.

Exactly how is my analogy faulty and absurd you basically say that anybody with experience is bad. Why only in government?

Again we have the right to vote them out if they are not doing the job. It amazes me how some people think they know more than the founding fathers who did not put term limits in the constitution, not even for President. That was done by the Republicans after FDR was elected four times.

May I suggest some reading, Federalists Papers numbers 57, 58, and 59.

Your argument is faulty and absurd because I never said anybody with experience is bad. Geez, what's your problem? You think you're dealing with your students and can get away with your BS play on words? You can't with me.

Also, Historians point to George Washington's decision not to seek a third term as evidence that the Founders saw a two-term limit as convention and a bulwark against a monarchy; his Farewell Address, however, suggests that it was because of his age that he did not seek reelection. Thomas Jefferson also contributed to the convention of a two-term limit; in 1807 he wrote, "if some termination to the services of the chief Magistrate be not fixed by the Constitution, or supplied by practice, his office, nominally four years, will in fact become for life." Jefferson’s immediate successors, James Madison and James Monroe, also adhered to the two-term principle.

Make an argument don't just attack me because I don't agree with you. I only repeated what you said. We disagree. Has no one ever disagreed with you before? I will leave this thread to those that agree with you so you can be comfortable.