What I’d truly love to see is our nation making a move towards proportional representation, giving third parties a chance and making districts more truly representational.

Here’s something I wrote in 2002, when the Republicans’ were still dominating:

“Incumbents hate term limits, which is nearly enough to recommend them on that point alone. Their argument: their dismissal would lower the quality of government. Hah! If anything, regular, forced turnover would raise the bar considerably by infusing stale government committees with new blood.

The city of Houston has terms limits and its quality of service has not declined. The fact is that there are far more Americans qualified and capable of leading than there are positions to fill. Every country should be so lucky. The only reason to oppose term limits is a love of the corrupt, insider’s game that currently dominates the republican process.”

Re Kay Bailey, I actually didn’t vote because of a move and subsequent failure to re-register. I would have voted for her, however, because I can’t point to anything bad that she’s done.

The problem with voter-imposed “term limits” that you’re alluding to is that it’s too late by that point. The only option is to vote for the other party, something that’s very likely to be ideologically unpalatable.