Will Supports Term Limits

Twelve-year term limits will restore Congressional authority and encourage thoughtful debate about public policy, conservative columnist George F. Will told a crowd of over 600 at the Kennedy School of Government Wednesday evening.

"We have seen the presidency grow at the expense of Congress," Will said. "I want to restore Congress to its rightful place as the first branch of government."

At a program sponsored by the Institute of Politics and the Government department, Will said current senators and representatives, as career politicians, are too obsessed with re-election and special interest groups to legislate effectively.

Will, a notorious baseball buff, compared the effects of term limits to replacing a veteran Baltimore Orioles ballclub with inexpensive rookies.

"In 1988 the Orioles were a lot like Congress--old and expensive--and they had 107 losses. In 1989 the Orioles had a team of rookies and the smallest payroll in baseball and came within two pitches of winning the American League East," Will said. "That, in short, is the case for term limits."

Will said current legislators are prone to support impractical programs, such as subsidies on honey and wool production, because of pressure to gain support for future elections.

"The biggest problem is the inability to write a budget with careerists," Will said. "The deficit allows one dollar of government [to be purchased] for 76 cents, and government is made easy because choices are evaded."

But Will said he does not support term limits for any particular policy outcome. "Do not support term limits for a partisan outcome, and do notbe for term limits because you want to pursue aspecific agenda," he said.

Will said term limits allow Congress morefreedom to debate without worrying about interestgroups by making more "room to give emotional,psychic space for the elected to deliberate."

With fellow conservative and Kenan Professor ofGovernment Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr. '53 at hisside, Will said he breaks the conservativeconventional wisdom against term limits.

"Conservatives believe all improvements makematters worse, and one of the absolutely certainresults of term limits is deplorable--the end ofgreat careers," Will said. "I am a conservativewho has come to support term limits reluctantly."

Will noted that more than just the incumbentpoliticians themselves have a vested interest inopposing term limits.

"Lawyers and lobbyists came out in support ofopponents of term limits," Will said. "Theysupport a well-rented and housebroken class withwhom they exchange future political support.

Will said term limits allow Congress morefreedom to debate without worrying about interestgroups by making more "room to give emotional,psychic space for the elected to deliberate."

With fellow conservative and Kenan Professor ofGovernment Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr. '53 at hisside, Will said he breaks the conservativeconventional wisdom against term limits.

"Conservatives believe all improvements makematters worse, and one of the absolutely certainresults of term limits is deplorable--the end ofgreat careers," Will said. "I am a conservativewho has come to support term limits reluctantly."

Will noted that more than just the incumbentpoliticians themselves have a vested interest inopposing term limits.

"Lawyers and lobbyists came out in support ofopponents of term limits," Will said. "Theysupport a well-rented and housebroken class withwhom they exchange future political support.