“Vote for the Crook: It’s Important.” Years ago, a citizen-led campaign used that slogan. The point was to support Edwin Edwards for governor of Louisiana over David Duke Edwards, seemingly always under indictment for corruption; Duke, the former Ku Klux Klansman. Not much of a choice. That’s why it may surprise some folks that Louisiana is the only state without the citizen initiative process where legislators passed term limits on themselves. Of course, it came on the heels of numerous prosecutions of legislators and some ferocious lobbying by citizens.
Now, six years after 76 percent of Louisianans voted for term limits, there is legislation to repeal them even before they’ve affected a single legislator. The governor, previously a term limits supporter, wonders if the legislators might repeal his limits the state really needs him for another term, or two. In New Orleans, there are term limits on the mayor and council. But now comes Mayor Marc Morial. No, he’s not against term limits. Not at all. He supports term limits, well, for other lesser human beings, anyway. For himself, he wants an exception to the two-term limit, so he can seek a third term. He says it’s because the schools are slowly deteriorating.
Hmmmm. Wasn’t he supposed to prevent that during the eight years he’s already been in charge? Mayor Morial is calling his effort: “Just Three.” Opponents are calling it: “Just Me.” That’s the slogan for career politicians everywhere.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.