Jeffe on Term Limits

Sherry Bebitch Jeffe is at it again; blaming term limits for the latest political crisis in Sacramento (Opinion, Dec. 11). For the past four years, Jeffe has tried to blame legislative term limits for just about every political dilemma, problem or crisis taking place in Sacramento.

In “A Preview of Life in Sacramento Under Term Limits” readers are invited, by direct assertion or implication, to variously blame term limits for: legislative gridlock, the Assembly’s inability to select a Speaker, Republicans who can’t count to 41, the fast emergence of the recall “as the new political weapon of choice,” and the transformation of the Assembly speakership into “the powerless head of a very large, dysfunctional family” a la the Queen of England.

Most of this is sheer fantasy, a tribute to the power of Jeffe’s creativity but unsubstantiated by any systematic empirical research. Term limits didn’t cause a closely divided Assembly, the electorate did. Redistricting is a better explanation for partisan turnover in the Assembly than term limits. Neither did they cause Paul Horcher’s (R-Diamond Bar) defection, which was far more personal than institutional or Jim Brulte’s (R-Rancho Cucamonga) braggadocio, which is attributable to style, not legislative experience. Nor did term limits induce the reaction of voters to Horcher’s “betrayal” or Steve Kuykendall’s (R-Rancho Palos Verdes) use of tobacco money to slip into the Assembly. As for whether term limits will subsequently make it impossible for any member of the Assembly to develop the legislative and personal power enjoyed by Willie Brown, most Californians would probably say “amen.”

Various political scientists around the nation have been conducting empirical and formal research on the impact of legislative term limits. Much of this research is ongoing, but what has been published (or reported) sharply contradicts Jeffe’s speculative assessments.

MARK P. PETRACCA

Associate Professor

UC Irvine

* Jeffe lamented that “Californians won’t see governance for a while”--as though California voters should somehow feel guilt over term limits.

It is true, the state Assembly has given up and gone home. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they stayed home awhile--without pay of course!

BILL GRABER

Upland

* I strongly agree with Assemblywomen Jackie Speier (D-Burlingame) to add a no vote category to the general election ballot. (Sacramento File, Dec. 7). But I feel a “none of the above” category, as she has suggested, is too negative and might be seen as an insult to those running for office. Instead I suggest a “no selection” category, which does not sound offensive, yet gives the voter a no vote choice. This category is definitely needed and should have been available long ago.

PRISCILLA LAZZARA

La Puente