To the editor:

I am becoming more disillusioned than normal with the ongoing assault on the constitution as representatives from both parties abdicate their responsibilities to the public and the constitution in order to curry favor with the political winds that blow them from course to course. I am especially disenchanted with any semblance of representation from the Kansas contingent of professional office holders. I realize that these people hold on to their offices for their own enrichment with no servitude to the public as a whole. I believe the only course of action is wholesale changes to the system. This is why I wholeheartedly support the basics of term limits.

I would propose that term limits be established for elected federal congressional representatives of two terms for senators and six terms for representatives. This would reduce the burden to challengers imposed by the system which would provide new ideas and relieve the congress of the need to curry favor to those who can get them elected rather than to their constituents. However, in order to get this into law, it must be introduced in Congress or introduced in a constitutional convention that has been called by 2/3 of state legislatures and then ratified by 38 out of 50 states (3/4). I can see the congressional chokepoint here. It is better to start now than later. The best time to have started this was 20 years ago; the second-best time is now. Let’s start today!

Jeffrey N. Allen,

Lawrence