The Daily journal's
Bobby Harrison doesn't think the motion for term limits initiated by the United Conservative Fund has much chance.
- First of all, it is difficult to garner the signatures needed to
place a citizen-sponsored initiative on the ballot. Of the first 48
initiatives introduced, only six have made the ballot.
And secondly, voters have not looked favorably on limiting the terms of Mississippi politicians.
For
most of the state’s history, the state’s highest officeholder,
governor, was limited to one term – one four-year term. That changed in
the 1980s when the Legislature passed a constitutional resolution by a
two-third margin placing on the ballot a proposal to allow governors to
serve two consecutive terms. That passed – still term-limited, but for
eight years instead of four.
He summarizes:
- It is obvious that the current Republican leadership has no desire to
tackle term limits legislatively. They could if they wanted to. More
than likely, the proposal would split the Republican Party with the Tea
Party wing, such as obviously McDaniel, being for it and the more
traditional wing being opposed.
If the past is an indicator, Mississippians like their politicians conservative but not term limited.
