The Terminated
March 19, 2004
The arrival of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger brought a new spotlight on Sacramento and the Asian Pacific American state legislators interacting with him.
However, their interaction will be fleeting. Term limits that ushered APAs through the front door will also thrust them out the back door of the legislature.
Still, term limits have opened up opportunities. For the first time, an unprecedented number of APAs hold positions of power: Wilma Chan of Oakland is Assembly Majority Leader. Monterey Park’s Judy Chu chairs the Appropriations Committee. Lodi’s Alan Nakanishi, profiled in this issue, is vice chair of the Education Committee. San Francisco’s Leland Yee is Speaker Pro Tem.
However, they can only briefly enjoy their authority to turn legislation into law and to bring home the funding to implement these laws. Because of term limits, assembly members can only hold power for six years or three terms; state senators serve only eight years or two terms.
Essentially, voters have mandated that the legislature undergo institutional amnesia every six to eight years.
Very few legislators today were around in the early 1990s for the last recession, the first Persian Gulf War, the first act of terrorism against the World Trade Center.
What if Californians had rejected term limits and retained the institutional memory of experienced legislators? The state legislature today might be better equipped to deal with the recent economic, energy and budget crises that led to Governor Gray Davis’ ouster.
After the Davis recall, voters welcomed one of the least experienced governors, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Few noticed this year when the State Assembly anointed as speaker, Fabian Nunez of Los Angeles — a newly elected freshman legislator.
To compare, Willie Brown of San Francisco had nearly 20 years experience before becoming speaker. He held the position of speaker for 15 years until 1990 when his foes passed a state proposition that term limited and basically retired him. Simultaneously, the most experienced legislators — Democrat and Republican — were also destined for the political pasture.
Are we better off with term limits? Some of us don’t know. Our memories are too short to remember.
Comments
Got something to say?