[81alum]

Agree.  Perhaps the heart of the problem is lack of term limits, at ALL levels.  Power is a strong drug and many succumb.  The proven way to remain in power is bread for the masses (or schools, parks, water features, whatever.). The Founders set up a great system:  one third of the legislature turns over on a regular basis.  If some sort of reasonable term limit were in place we would have the necessary experience and institutional memory without lifetime politicians.  Not California's model please, where term limits sllow pols to migrate from assembly to senate to county then back to Sacramento, with perhaps a lobbying job inbetween.  At some point perhaps a requirement to return to private life.  Why not?  Not all pols are corrupt or power hungry, but enough are.  It's just human nature and exists regardless of political system.

But we do have term limits in California.  The state legislature and statewide offices are all term limited, and more than 100 cities and counties have adopted term limits too.  It has actually made the problem worse.

What political scientists have discovered is that term limits work in a perverse way given the culture of fundraising.  Before term limits, the most established politicians could tell special interests to go to @#$% because they did not need their money or support to be reelected.  Term limited politicians, on the other hand, never get established sufficiently to be independent of the interests that back them.  They are in a constant money grubbing mode and, combined with their lack of experience, they become vulnerable to the advice and money of special interests who employ lobbyists who are far more experienced than the politicians themselves.  Many of the lobbyists are ex-politicians who have all the experience and practical advice that the current office holders lack. 

Nowhere is this more obvious that on local city councils, where just a few tens of thousands of dollars means winning or losing.  Consequently, some council members are virtually known as belonging to various special interests--with those who have an interest in seeing certain zoning changes adopted first in line.

[81alum]

Agree.  Perhaps the heart of the problem is lack of term limits, at ALL levels.  Power is a strong drug and many succumb.  The proven way to remain in power is bread for the masses (or schools, parks, water features, whatever.). The Founders set up a great system:  one third of the legislature turns over on a regular basis.  If some sort of reasonable term limit were in place we would have the necessary experience and institutional memory without lifetime politicians.  Not California's model please, where term limits sllow pols to migrate from assembly to senate to county then back to Sacramento, with perhaps a lobbying job inbetween.  At some point perhaps a requirement to return to private life.  Why not?  Not all pols are corrupt or power hungry, but enough are.  It's just human nature and exists regardless of political system.

But we do have term limits in California.  The state legislature and statewide offices are all term limited, and more than 100 cities and counties have adopted term limits too.  It has actually made the problem worse.

What political scientists have discovered is that term limits work in a perverse way given the culture of fundraising.  Before term limits, the most established politicians could tell special interests to go to @#$% because they did not need their money or support to be reelected.  Term limited politicians, on the other hand, never get established sufficiently to be independent of the interests that back them.  They are in a constant money grubbing mode and, combined with their lack of experience, they become vulnerable to the advice and money of special interests who employ lobbyists who are far more experienced than the politicians themselves.  Many of the lobbyists are ex-politicians who have all the experience and practical advice that the current office holders lack. 

Nowhere is this more obvious that on local city councils, where just a few tens of thousands of dollars means winning or losing.  Consequently, some council members are virtually known as belonging to various special interests--with those who have an interest in seeing certain zoning changes adopted first in line.