Time the Dingells were let go:

Time the Dingells were let go:

Living in the USA for just about 14 years I do not know whether Dingell was a good Representative or not and more importantly he served our nation well or not. But one thing I know. If anyone serves in any office for long, he develops a vested interest in it and becomes more concerned with his own self. Knowing this only our Constitution restricted important offices like the Presidency to two terms. 

Human minds are more or less the same when basic thought processes are concerned. When India became free and elected its own Parliament, we had great statesmen as its members. Most of them have passed away during the last sixty and odd years. But many who became Parliament Members a few decades later have become the pain in the neck. Many of them are the second and third generation family members and have a hold on their constituency. So much so the party which is ruling India presently, has been in office for more than sixty years and of the many prime ministers, grandfather Nehru was Prime Minister for over 16 years, his daughter Indira Gandhi for another 17 years and her son Rajiv Gandhi for over 5 years and currently the fourth generation son Rahul Gandhi, who is a member of Parliament for the last two terms, is certain to become the next Prime Minister! Not only that, the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, could not take over the Office of Prime Minister because of Constitutional problems. So she took over the Party President's office in 1998 and continues to hold that office even now. However, subsequent to Rajiv Gandhi's death nominees of the Party President have been holding the office of PM till now for 15 years. In all India has been governed literally by members of a single family for a total of  38 years and by their appointees (though nominally 'elected' by party members) for another 15 years and in all 53 out of 63 years of the Republic of India!

Did the family rule benefit India? Far from it. India went through an Emergency Period of 21 months during the years 1975-77 when fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution were suspended, all media were under total control of government and the Congress party ruled with an iron fist. Hundreds of thousands of male citizens were rounded up all over India and vasectomy was performed on them, 'to control population explosion' as the government put it. But the party was able to come back to power because all its party members had vested interest in the government of their party. Corruption at monumental levels is pervading the whole nation. Elections are won by sops to electorate from government funds and all this is being done openly.

I know I am very unlikely to see such a situation in this nation also, thanks to the two terms restriction for President. But these unlimited terms for the law makers will one day or the other will bring in a similar situation. Our law makers are adept in 'deal making' in the interest of their parties, whose interest they consider more important than in the interest of our nation. Everything now is decided on party lines. In the next decade they will come to one compromise so that they can continue in office indefinitely - share the Presidency for two terms every time. Of course, there will be campaigning, election and everything to hoodwink people that we have a very sound democracy.

Please do something now. Restrict the term of office of law makers.