Citizens in Kenai Peninsula, Alaska have had a tough time. But also an easy time.

The Alliance for Concerned Taxpayers says petitions to limit assembly and school board officials to two terms were the most challenging they’d ever done.

Supporters had to collect about 1500 signatures to get the measures on the October ballot. According to citizen activist Vicki Pate, “We had an extremely short window of time to collect the signatures required on each petition. . . .”

That’s not all. Term limits had already been passed in the borough. Twice. In the early 90s. And repealed by the borough assembly. Twice.

An all-too-familiar pattern. See, the career politicians, whether in D.C. or down the street at the town hall, just don’t like definite, inescapable limits on how long they can hold power. They’re determined to kill term limits. So we (the people) just have to be even more determined than ever to protect our democratic rights.

It’s been hard, but also easy. People understand term limits. They understand why entrenched political monopolies aren’t a great idea. As petitioner Petria Falenberg reports: “In some ways, this was one of the easiest petitions we have ever collected signatures for. . . . It was not uncommon for people to come looking for us. . . .”

So petitioners collected more than twice as many signatures as needed. The petitions have been certified. Term limits will be on the ballot, and it’s going to win. Again.

Politicians can’t stop progress forever.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.