Jan Brewer Decides to Obey the Law
Jan Brewer, Arizona governor by grace of Janet Napalitano going to Washington, said she would not run for a third term. This is actually hilarious, because by our state Constitution she may not serve a third term. This announcement would be roughly equivalent to Obama announcing next year he was not seeking a third term as President. It is simply absurd, and an indicator of the low quality of politicians we get in this state, that she actively entertained the extra-Constitutional notion of a third term for so long.
ErikEssig:
She's looking a bit long in the tooth these days anyhow. It's for the best. Not sure what you mean by low quality pols, I'm in NY where the pols are all, oh wait...
March 12, 2014, 2:06 pmmahtso:
Although I don't believe the Gov meets the requirements for another term, the comparison to the President is a poor one because he has been twice elected and because the Az constitution is poorly written thereby introducing ambiguity as to whether she is barred by virtue of having served two terms. In contrast, the US constitution's term limit clause is clear about cases where the President is not not elected during her first term. Also, I am pretty sure that Gov. Brewer is Gov because she defeated Mr. Goddard in the last election, which had nothing to do with Ms. Napolitano.
March 12, 2014, 2:18 pmHenryBowman419:
If only we would have the sense to limit the terms of U.S. Senators and Representatives in a manner similar to executive branch officials...such might open up the possibility of good emanating from government.
March 12, 2014, 4:26 pmMJM:
California has term limits for Assembly members and Senators; good government continues to be a dream...
March 12, 2014, 7:59 pmobloodyhell:
}}} to Obama announcing next year he was not seeking a third term as President.
I'm quite certain Teh One is not interested in any way in executing a third term as President.
I AM fairly willing to concede to the notion that he is hoping for an economic collapse that allows him to declare Martial Law so he can become Emperor Obama The First.
March 12, 2014, 8:53 pmobloodyhell:
Yes, well two terms of liberal stupidity, repeated by someone ELSE serving two terms of liberal stupidity is hardly much of a term limit...
March 12, 2014, 8:54 pmobloodyhell:
}}} It is simply absurd, and an indicator of the low quality of politicians we get in this state,
Do me a favor, Warren, and list me a state where they get a consistent number of high quality politicians.... I'll move there in jig time. :oD
March 12, 2014, 8:56 pmmesocyclone:
If the AZ Republic is to be believed, it is not clear that she is ineligible to serve a third term. Hence your mockery is mistaken.
March 12, 2014, 9:12 pmtreeher:
Warren, I think you're waxing a bit too eloquently lately. Legal opinions aside, I think it's clear that the Gov would have challenged the wording and maybe campaigned to change it. Regardless, if Mr. Obama can masticate on the federal Constitution, I don't see why Brewer can't do the same in her state!
March 13, 2014, 8:38 ammahtso:
It may be a case of the "stopped clock," but there is reason to believe the Republic on this issue because the constitution can be seen as being ambiguous. As I wrote above, I do not think she qualifies, but my guess is that she could have raised colorable arguments to the effect that she is eligible.
March 13, 2014, 9:21 amskhpcola:
And don't forget that Mikey Bloomturd in NYC managed to completely ignore the term-limiting law. Well, not exactly ignore, but it wasn't a major hurdle for him to jump, and he was/is decidedly nonathletic.
I think term limits for politicos at every tier is a fine idea. The more time that they have to develop cronies and accrue power...nothing good can possibly come from that. Getting the entrenched to go along with changing the way that incumbents have an easy (usually) reelection would be nigh impossible.
March 13, 2014, 7:01 pmRick C:
"It is simply absurd, and an indicator of the low quality of politicians we get in this state, that she actively entertained the extra-Constitutional notion of a third term for so long."
Pfft. You say that in a world where Michael Bloomberg got the law changed so he could evade term limits.
March 14, 2014, 1:11 pmJohn O.:
Article 4 Section 1A is poorly worded but I can understand it pretty well. A third term can only happen if she sits out at least this upcoming election cycle. From what I can tell this section was added as an initiative amendment which would probably explain why its language used is in need of considerable work. If there's anything that annoys the crap about of me its initiatives that people write that aren't kept to the point and are unnecessarily drawn out. They need to take a lesson from Twitter and say what you want but with as few words as needed. Not only is it easier to understand but if done correctly, you suddenly lose all the lawyering that can go on when people decide to dispute the initiative's language.
March 18, 2014, 2:12 amNehemiah:
You are spot on. Actually I'd like to hear Obama come out as say he won't seek a third term. I don't think he feels limited by the Constitution.
March 19, 2014, 9:27 am