Letting Citizens Vote

Congressman Randy Kuhl has the right idea. Or half of it.

His notion is to let constituents help him choose the bill he will introduce in the Congress this fall. It’s part of what he calls the “Fix Washington” Project. Most people think Washington is broken. So Congressman Kuhl wants constituents to tell him how it might be fixed.

Voters in his district were invited to submit their suggestions for legislation that might put DC back together again. He received four hundred suggestions. Of these, he picked five for everybody to vote on. Some of the proposals make me think that my idea of fixing Washington isn’t always the same as other people’s idea of fixing Washington. But I like number five: term limit the Congress.

The proposed term limits are kind of weak, capping the tenure of both senators and House members at twelve years. And I doubt such a bill would get past square one with this Congress. But sure, let’s go for it. At this moment, the winning proposal hasn’t been announced. But I’m rooting for term limits.

I’m also rooting for a way to give all voters a chance to propose and even pass laws statewide, locally, nationally. Twenty-​four states have the right of citizen initiative, which enables voters to end-​run the stonewalling of their sometime representatives. Let’s make that possible everywhere.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.