Enron Mess -- Jan. 23, 2002

What should be done about the Enron mess? Campaign finance reform? That's what liberals want.

A better answer is term limits. You remember the term limits movement that seemed to be on the fast track a few years ago until courts and legislators derailed it.

If the original vision of our founders was employed, public service would again be about serving the public and not about politicians serving themselves. No one would be able to make a career our of politics. They would have to have real jobs and real lives. They would come to Washington for one or two terms and then go home. Does anyone believe we don't have enough laws, or aren't taxing enough or spending sufficiently?

Term limits would take away the influence of the big money people and return it to the people from which all power is supposed to come. It would reduce the power of lobbyists and empower the rest of us.

Politicians won't accept term limits. It will have to be forced on them. That's where you come in.

I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.