Thousands upon thousands of Americans have marched into state employment offices, or logged onto monster.com, only to endure repeated lectures. It’s a new economy, they’re told. You no longer can expect to work for one company the whole of your adult life and then retire.

Today, fluidity and adaptability are key. Even when you find a job, you should still keep looking for the next one, supposedly. This is not the American Dream of our parents’ and grandparents’ generations. But we have to make the most of it. I just wish these harsh truths also applied to politicians. Unfortunately, the opposite’s the case.

Now, you might think that elected officials have the least security. After all, they have to reapply for their jobs every few years. Yes, but remember: it’s almost impossible to fire them. And while in business there are usually just a few people deciding among many candidates for a job, in politics there are thousands or millions deciding on just a few candidates for a job. This leads to some peculiar results.

In the marketplace, it leads to a competitive and rational selection process. In politics, it leads to a looming, irrational advantage for incumbents. Though our market doldrums appear to be stirring into renewed life, in government stagnation has set in; our political situation is arguably extending the current recession. What can we do? Don’t think just economic policy. Think bigger. Change the market for politicians. That means, for instance, term limits.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.