Editorial
The Oklahoman
TO critics, legislative terms limits have devastated Oklahoma’s political system by reducing institutional memory among lawmakers, generating high turnover and increasing the clout of lobbyists. New research by the Oklahoma Policy Institute undermines these claims.
In 1990, Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that limited lawmakers to serving no more than 12 years in the state House and/or Senate combined. The clock started ticking in 1992, so 2004 was the first year that lawmakers were forced out of office by term limits.
OK Policy has collected and analyzed data on the years of service of Oklahoma legislators going back to 1978. Its findings will surprise many. In 1978, the average tenure for a House member was 6.89 years. In 2014, the average was 6.65 years.
And the average length of service in the House actually declined from 1978 to 1990, when term limits went before voters. By 1990, the average House tenure had fallen to 6.14 years. In other words, on average today’s House legislator has hung around NE 23 and Lincoln in Oklahoma City for a longer period of time than his 1990 counterpart.
In the Senate, the average length of service is lower today than before term limits were imposed, although the gap isn’t as dramatic as many believe. In 1978, the average experience of a state senator was 10.13 years. That figure declined to 8.38 years by 1990, and today stands at 6.54 years.
OK Policy also calculated the median experience of Oklahoma legislators and found similar trends. In 1978, half of House members had six years of experience or less. By 1990, the House median was just four years. Today, the House median is eight years.
In the Oklahoma Senate, the median experience went from eight years in 1978, to four years in 1990, to seven years today.
This data undermines the claims of supporters and critics of legislative term limits. Supporters argued term limits would lead to an infusion of fresh talent and reduce the number of legislative lifers who were too often associated with corruption. Former state Sen. Gene Stipe, D-McAlester, ultimately served 53 years in the Legislature, and was the target of law enforcement investigations throughout his career. Thus, he became the poster child for term limits. Removing individuals such as Stipe from office remains a strong selling point for term limits.
But OK Policy makes clear that Stipe and those like him were exceptions, not the rule. “Prior to term limits, there was substantial legislative turnover,” the institute notes.
The forces that drove that trend remain in place today. Ambition leads many lawmakers to seek higher office, while others simply tire of legislative service before hitting the 12-year mark. This year, just seven of 101 House lawmakers were forced out of office by term limits. But 14 other lawmakers chose not to run for re-election to House seats.
The complaints routinely voiced about the current crop of state lawmakers — that they lack political will, neglect important issues to push special-interest legislation, and don’t even read bills before voting on them — are perennials. Term limits may have changed the faces of those with Capitol offices, but term limits haven’t changed the fact that the Legislature is still filled with far more politicians than statesmen.
The only feasible term limitation is to forbid elected officials from serving consecutive terms in any elected position. I don’t begrudge a qualified person seeking to serve in these positions. I simply believe they lose their perspective when continuously holding elected positions.
I used to subscribe to Thomas Jefferson’s idea that the ballot box was the only term limiter needed. Jefferson, in all his wisdom, could never have envisioned the likes of Pelosi, DiFi and her MilCon-Money grubbing hubby, Harry Reid and Sons, Joe Biden, John F. Kerry, or even Gene Stipe. After seeing democrats openly brag about stealing elections (Al Franken, Obama, et al) the American ballot box is merely symbolic and intentionally deceiving.
Term Limits is the best thing that ever happened to Oklahoma and Oklahomans! Other than State Question 640.
All the (Democrat and termed out politicans) rhetoric about ‘brain drain’ is a crock. The state of the state after almost 100 years of Democrat control proved not many brains being used. At least not for the good of all the people. Too many see the Legislature as a career rather than service to the people.
The ballot box being the changer is sadly not true. The power of the incumbancy and being re-elected is about 97%. Even for many who could be considered to have done a ‘bad’ job. Hoo-ray for term limits and a chance for Oklahoma to get out of the 3rd world status one party domination created from 1907. The next thing that needs to be curtailed is ‘special interests’ and their lobbyist!
BUT……Taxpayers/voters do need to know where our candidates stand on issues relevant to the growth and productivity of our state and getting goverment off the backs of the citizenery! Voters do have a responsibility to know who and what they are voting on. Know your candidates, know the issues, and then VOTE!