Jim Prentice proposes term limits for Alberta MLAs

[SebC]

... and here's an opinion piece that tears that idea to shreds.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion...ml?id=10138567

[Resolute 14]

What actual problem does Prentice think he is solving with this, anyway?

[evman150]

It's a stupid idea. Good politicians are in short supply. Why put a limit on how many times they can run?

This is all well and good for the POTUS, but for Alberta MLAs? No. Just stupid. Let the best people for the job run, period.

[corporatejay]

I feel like prentice could have said nothing and won the leadership, instead he's talking himself out of it. Who is advising him?

[FireFly]

Isn't it two terms for premier and 3 for MLAs?

[Krovikan]

Term limits encourage short term governance. I would assume he is trying to solve corruption with it; however he is going about it the wrong way very wrong...

[Flash Walken]

Sounds like a move designed to take some wind out of the Wild Rose sails:

CALGARY - Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith has vowed to serve no more than two terms as premier.
Smith said she's ready to conform to her party's constitution limiting a Wildrose premier to two terms -- or about eight years -- to ensure fresh ideas and new blood keep flowing at the top.

"That's just fine by me and certainly fine by my husband ... sometimes you do need to have that healthy renewal," Smith told the Calgary Sun editorial board Wednesday.

"Having that healthy renewal in the top position sends a signal to those seeking public office."
But she said such a limit applied to MLAs would short-circuit any ambitions for the premiership.

Even so, politicians should be discouraged from becoming career cabinet ministers or MLAs with possibly a three-term limit.

"Politicians tend to ... like the job and want to stay -- it shouldn't be the best job they ever had," said Smith.

Spreading that rule beyond the Wildrose, she said, is something that could be put to a referendum -- a mechanism also on the Wildrose platform.

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews...18-151744.html

[troutman]

Would the USA be further ahead if Clinton had no term limits?

[Flash Walken]

Would they be further behind if Reagan had no term limits?

[#-3]

Originally Posted by troutman

Would the USA be further ahead if Clinton had no term limits?

No because they wouldn't have re-elected him.

Americans are OK with war mongering, theft or perjury. But if you have sex with an inter they will get the police involved.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Isn't it two terms for premier and 3 for MLAs?

I don`t think there are any terms of MLA`s. Some of them have been in office for a long time. When I was growing up in the hood Yvonne Fritz was the MLA and she is still MLA 20 years later.

[troutman]

Would solve problems like Rob Anders.

[Canehdianman]

it is a stupid idea designed only to stop the Wildrose should they win the next election.

Limiting MLAs to 2 terms would more or less gut any chances of the opposition party winning, as they would have to bring in all new people after they started gathering some steam.

Further, I've been practicing law for about 7 years now and I'm still learning how to do it. Why would you want someone new running the Province who doesn't know anything every 8 years?

I agree completely with CorporateJay (even though he beat my team in the law league finals last year), Prentice is talking himself out of a job.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by #-3

No because they wouldn't have re-elected him.

Clinton loses to Bush in 2000? Tough to imagine...

[Parallex]

Hugely dumb idea. It also wouldn't happen in a million years, even if Prentice wins and the PC's get a majority.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

What actual problem does Prentice think he is solving with this, anyway?

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Sounds like a move designed to take some wind out of the Wild Rose sails:


http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews...18-151744.html

LOL. This is even more amusing than the Alberta Party people who thought it was a terrible idea yesterday only to hear it was part of their policy as well.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I don`t think there are any terms of MLA`s. Some of them have been in office for a long time. When I was growing up in the hood Yvonne Fritz was the MLA and she is still MLA 20 years later.

I'm not talking about current rules; I'm talking about the proposal being to limit Premiers to two terms and MLAs to 3.

[darklord700]

Don't understand why Prentice needs to open his mouth on this issue when no one is asking an answer for.

Seems like the more he talks and the longer he's in the spotlight, the more pedestrian he looks.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Term limits on say POTUS makes perfect sense because they have executive power and thus can essentially become tyrants without term limits. But in the system we have where a single MLA, or even the premier, has nowhere even close to that much power, just seems like a waste to even consider this.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by Slava

LOL. This is even more amusing than the Alberta Party people who thought it was a terrible idea yesterday only to hear it was part of their policy as well.

I'm not an advocate for Smith's position, but if you can't tell the difference between halting all MLAs at 2 terms and stepping down as party leader after 2 terms as premier, then you've drank more of the kool-aid than I thought.