Candidate for Lt. Gov. Wants Term Limit on Lt. Gov.
Georgia Senator Rick Jeffares, a Republican candidate for Lt. Governor, has issued a press release stating his support for a constitutional amendment to limit the Lt. Gov. position to two (2) four year terms. This would match the current term limit for a Georgia Governor.
Sen. Jeffares stated:
“I believe that term limits are good for politicians, their constituents, and Democracy itself. Citizens should serve, contribute their ideas and passion, then return to the private sector to live under the laws they pass. I am confident that any legislator not planning to run for the job will be more than happy to support such a move, and that’s only a couple of ‘no’ votes.”
I personally hope the amendment fails, for numerous reasons:
- We have many other important issues facing Georgians than this one and I don’t know why this is a focus for this race. I haven’t met a single voter that was concerned about the term of the Lt. Gov. Rural healthcare and healthcare in general? Yes. Transportation issues? Yes. Term limits for Lt. Gov? Nope.
- If you term limit this position, then you need to term limit those in the Georgia Senate, Georgia House, and all statewide positions.
- Any of the current group of candidates could have challenged Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle but chose not to do so. Cagle ran unopposed in both the 2010 and 2014 GOP primaries. True term limits happen at the ballot box.
- “Citizens should serve, contribute their ideas and passion, then return to the private sector to live under the laws they pass.” If Sen. Jeffares finishes out his term, he will have served 8 years in the Senate. Another 4-8 years as Lt. Gov. would give him 12-16 years under the Gold Dome. I don’t follow the logic here.
About Author
lawtonsack
Lawton is a graduate of Georgia Southern University (the GSU) with a degree in Information Technology. He has held numerous positions within the Georgia Republican Party throughout the years.
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“I don’t follow the logic here.”
I agree. Unless the bill is going to term limit everybody then it is pointless. Politicians just move from one job to the next.
And term limiting everybody is stupid. You’re going to ban the Sam Nunns and Jimmy Carters of the world so you can allegedly avoid the corruption that long service breeds? How is anybody supposed to get the political chops to be a good senator or president? Everyone for every office will always be new.
Silly. A juvenile campaign slogan at best. A really myopic world view not impossible.
Well, a tip of the hat to some political consultant who came up with this campaign talking point. In my over 50-year residence in the State of Georgia, it had never occurred to me that the Lieutenant Governor’s office was not term limited. Certainly, the general obscurity of that office would seem to have been a self-limiting one. That is, if you’ve got higher political aspirations, then you’ll be leaving the Lt. Governor’s office on your own. And if you don’t have higher political aspirations, the electorate will be getting bored with you soon enough. In either case, there’s not much reason to give this sort of thing much serious discussion IMHO. Where are George and Lurleen when you need them?
Nothing like a solution in search of problem.