President Hugo Chavez, of Venzuela, has said that he is seeking to change the law that limits the amount of time President's are allowed to serve. As is, Chavez will not be allowed to run again as President after 2012.
On his television show, 'Hello President', Chavez said: "It will be the people who make the final decision about how long I stay," and added that it shouldn't be seen as a threat as limitless terms already exist in many European and Asian countries.
Opponents to the new constitution say that Chavez could use the new law to abuse power. The new constitution, should it get government approval, will go to a referendum of the Venezuelan people later this year.
I kind of like term limits. Chavez and Bush would both like to be President for Life, but I think it is past time the chimp goes on and when Chavez is done with this term he too should go on down the road.
But, He's doing things "for the people" which means its ok when he shuts down newspapers that arent loyal to him, becuase its for the people, or when he locks up political disidents, becuase its for the people.
Dont worry, soon he'll be machine gunning villages "for the people"
with term limits in the US is not the Presidency, but rather the Senate and House. Enact limits for Senators and Congressmen and the state of affairs in this country would improve dramatically. Corruption would be abated, and we would see a whole lot more democracy.
It won't happen, though, because most of the representatives are simply interested in riding the gravy train into the ground. People are elected again and again because of popularity and familiarity, rather than for actual substance and integrity.
Politicians almost never serve the best interests of their constituents unless there is a very real threat of exposure of past nefarious deeds.
The he hasn't already said that he is present for life already, he is slowly turning that country to a Communist country. I know lots of Venezuelan people down here in South Florida and everyday I hear how much they can't stand the man.
... isn't really term limits, it's fair elections. He didn't win fair-and-square in 2000 or 2004, so he never should have been the U.S. president in the first place.
In some alternate universe, Gore is wrapping up a second term in an America with no Iraq war and much cleaner air ...
because reality doesn't frequently match your presumtion that such elections are free and truely represent the will of the people.
Oh I agree that once in a while you get a great leader that the people genuinley love.
But a great deal more frequently you get these tinpot dictators that solidify power via some combination of force or threat of force, rigging of elections, by campaigning on false propaganda, etc.
When it's the people that seek to abolish term limits the people in power are doing something right. When it's the people in power seeking to abolish term limits you've got yourself a gaggle of power-hungry bastards who want everything to be done there way, forever.
but with politions it doesnt really matter who you vote for, all will be painful. Very rarely (ie once per hundread years or so) does one come along that is good for the nation, and they dont last long because they cant be bought by big business. One leader is the same as the next, they are just figure heads. If you forced a party change every 8 years, that would be different.
