FRANKEN: If there can't be term limits, change the way U.S. funds elections

Jan. 19—Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Mike Franken scoffed at 88-year-old Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's support of term limits during a Jan. 13 visit to Newton and suggested if legislators don't want to make that happen then the country needs to change the way it funds elections.

"One of the two has to happen," he said. "I don't think either one will change. But there's something fundamentally wrong because the erroneousness of running for office is so bad it keeps people who should be in office out, and it brings in the wacko-jackos. The strange oddity people."

Tom Barton of the Quad City Times reported on Jan. 12 that Grassley, who has served public office since age 25 and is seeking re-election to an eighth term in the U.S. Senate, reiterated his support for term limits for members of Congress. Franken called Grassley's comments and reasoning "obtuse to logic."

In Quad City Times' report, Grassley said not seeking re-election would deprive Iowans of effective leadership, despite his support for term limits. Franken said Grassley "doesn't think enough of his fellow Iowans to take up the mantle." The retired Navy admiral said "there are a whole lot of Iowans who can take that job."

Franken argued two terms as a senator would suffice, but he would also like to see "an overhaul of the elections process" in the United States so citizens are not "constantly bombarded by elections." The role becomes an occupation, he added, but not for good legislators.

"Right now, it's about money," Franken told Newton News. "Make no mistake. The root of it all is money."

If given the choice, Franken prefers changing the way elections are funded over term limits. Franken suggested the way to go may be for the United States to have shorter, federally-funded elections aiming for a meritocracy rather than name recognition, which he argued is oftentimes built up by heretical behavior.

"And if we don't do that, if we don't change the way that money is the root of whether you get elected or not, then we should think about term limits," he said. "Because we need a way to cleanse ourselves. And I understand, 'Oh, well, the elections are designed to do that.' Yeah, but they're not doing it."

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com