How to make a politician’s word his bond: Force candidates to have a financial stake in the process. That’s the idea behind the North Carolina-based Alliance for Bonded Term Limits (bondedtermlimits.org), the brainchild of Pinehurst resident John Skvarla.
His new organization, which is filing for status as a tax-exempt, 501(c)3 nonprofit, is designed to make those seeking office in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives put their money where their mouths are when it comes to tenure in office.
To get the endorsement of the nonpartisan group, a candidate would make a commitment to retire from office after a specified, limited number of terms. The pledge would be backed by a bond dedicating a portion of the candidate’s assets. If the candidate is elected, and does not retire at the end of the set period, the assets would be donated to charity.
Skvarla thinks his is an idea whose time has come. A Public Opinion Strategies poll conducted in October 2008 showed a record 83 percent of likely voters backing term limits. Real Clear Politics’ most recent polling average shows only 28 percent of Americans holding a favorable view of Congress (with 63.5 percent disapproving).
The concept came to Skvarla, he said, when he was seeking a bond for his own wetlands-restoration business.
“I just had this ‘eureka’ moment,” he said. “I said to myself, ‘There’s the solution. Just combine term limits with performance bonds. This puts some skin in the game.’ The bond not only shows the world they are serious, but it assures their constituency that [politicians are] willing to take their personal assets and put [them] aside in a trust. That way, if they break their promise, they are going to have to pay. Their bond is a verification of their intent.”
Skvarla says the political class has become enamored of their grandiose surroundings and positions of authority.
“It’s a very sad situation,” Skvarla said. “They will do or say anything to stay in power — to stay there forever. It’s just bad. Absolute power is corrupting absolutely. They are out of touch with reality and they really believe they are gods. I say to them, ‘It’s OK. Go to Washington, D.C., and do that for six years, but then go back and live in the real world that you created for everyone else.’”
Steve Greene, associate professor of political science at N.C. State University, said he personally thinks bonded term limits are an “ingenious” idea. From an academic perspective, however, he said the plan simply wouldn’t work.
“It’s hard to get people to know about [the pledge of a bond] or care about it,” Greene said. “The possibility for it to truly be effective is truly limited.”
He also said bonded term limits aren’t needed because he disagrees with the goals of the term-limits movement. Greene says reducing the period of time elected officials serve would shift the balance in power from elected representatives to special interest groups.
“The consensus is that term limits are not a good idea,” he said. “Research shows legislators get better at it over time. Term limits allow lobbyists and unelected staff to run the show. It’s difficult now to get good legislation through. We need politicians with experience.”
Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits, disagreed. “Incumbency is one of the problems we have in Washington D.C.,” he said. “Being a senator is a nice job. Why would someone want to give it up?”
Blumel and his organization say the best way to limit the damage done by career politicians is through a congressional resolution to limit terms to a fixed number of years. But he does not dismiss Sklvara’s alternative.
“Any effort by citizens to bring term limits about is great by me,” Blumel said. “If you have someone bonded on a term limit, the voters would believe them. It certainly wouldn’t hurt. Term limits do sell to voters because they love term limits. It would be a way for politicians to distinguish themselves, to make a commitment and live up to it.”
That’s exactly what Skvarla said he is trying to achieve. “We need accountability,” he said. “Voters are getting tired of doublespeak. What [politicians] say and what they do are two different things. It’s mind-boggling,” he added.
Skvarla is hoping the movement towards bonded term limits will gain enough muscle to make a difference in the next major election.
“It’s like starting an Olympic sprint from a dead standstill,” he said. “This can gain speed. It can catch fire. This is a tea party. We could change the face of the 2010 election if we can get traction on this. The tipping point has been reached. If we don’t do this, the political class will stay in power forever.”
Karen Welsh is a contributor to Carolina Journal.