Congressional Term Limits

Your recent article on Prop. 164 failed to mention one very compelling argument in favor of federal term limitations: the abuse of power through the seniority system.

Sen. Robert Byrd may be second only to God in West Virginia, but he is an insult to everything our government should stand for. As chairman of the Appropriations Committee, he has pork-barreled millions into his home state and controls any criticism by threats and intimidation. If the other members of the Senate do not go along with his wishes they are assured their state will enjoy none of the largess of the federal dole. His power is awesome and frightening, and yet the people in 49 states don’t vote for him nor can they vote him out of office.

George Mitchell used his position as majority leader in the Senate to kill a bill to decrease the capital gains tax although a majority were in favor of passage. One man controlling the financial transactions of a whole country.

There are many more demagogues waiting in the halls of Congress for their chance at the seniority plum.

With meaningful campaign reform, we can encourage and finance a more representative Congress to serve. And more to the point, we can send members of Congress back into the real world to live with the laws, regulations and taxes they have imposed on the rest of us.

THOMAS N. CRELLIN

Westlake Village