Virginia's Need of Change

More than two hundred years of American history have past by, filled with numerous changes to in social and economic statuses as well as the implementation of rampant and critical government reforms to limit the power of the State and return in to the hands of the people whenever possible. Through all of this, many states have adopted reasonable term limits for all their elected officials, including a generally excepted 8-year boundary for the chief executive of the province, translating roughly into two terms. Although this remains the commonly held standard, the state of Virginia still maintains an old and ineffective policy in which no governor is permitted to succeed themselves, usually forcing the executive to a single term as other political figureheads will make their own mad dash to the Governor's Mansion in Richmond at the next election. In the best interests of stable government and to allow good executives to serve more capably, the National Alliance Foundation advocates the amending of Virginia's constitution to allow for a consecutive two term extension for the office of governor. 

It would be difficult to prove that politicians are inherently good, but even the best of them are severely handicapped by the current single term restriction set by the state's constitution when it comes to budgetary procedures. Virginia's budgets pass on a yearly basis, yet the accumulation of the governor's end of term financial package hurts his or her successor by coming into effect as they take office, potentially leaving the monetary position of the capital in considerable disarray. This means that an outgoing governor can essentially leave a poor financial legacy or dwindling general fund to be dealt with because there is no second set of four years under which those benefits or negatives will be reaped. 

A number of other states have multiple statewide offices which citizens can run for, and this provides them with a unique advantage in that their executive's office is ever endangered to potential defeat. This is not so in Virginia, where the Attorney Generalship and the Lieutenant Governorship essentially require a candidate to "latch on" to the gubernatorial nominee if they wish to score victory. Laws allowing a second term would fix this issue by allowing the offices to face regular opponents, not just a tide for or against the governor. 

Additionally, the second term would avoid the unwanted situation of having a surplus of state governors still living and active in politics, a condition which prevents many good public servants from capably taking part in the elected political process. Even today, five former governors are actively involved in the election campaigns, with two looking towards a match for the senatorial seat of Virginia up in 2012. Two terms would certainly eliminate the extended number, as at least some of the more successful executives would have won likely reelection.

Allowing an executive to run for a second term gives them the ability to do well, and forces them to own up to their record of office. Voters may keep a good governor, yet a poor performer will be thrown out, eliminating the issue of former officials who speak out and can hide behind the single term despite their less admirable records. Bringing about this change is the key to better government in the state of Virginia. 

Jessica Yui

National Alliance Vice Chairman