Last updated on 2015.08.14
An eager reader who can stand to slip behind that Sioux Falls paper's paywall and watch their videos noted that in her Wednesday interview, Kristi Noem talked term limits... or more accurately, dodged talking term limits. Here's my correspondent's rough transcription:
Interviewer: You know if you are reelected to a second term do you have in mind a number of terms that you would prefer to serve? In other words... do you have a feeling on term limiting yourself?
Noem: You know a lot of people ask me that. That's a question that is pretty popular. And I haven't set a number of terms but I know I want to do something. that I want to be able to say that I went there and I did something good for South Dakota [interview with that Sioux Falls paper, 2012.06.13].
I want to do something... oh yeah, there's a vision for good government.
I thought it might be worthwhile to look at Kristi Noem's statements on term limits back in 2010, when she wanted desperately to limit Stephanie Herseth Sandlin's terms.
Yet, I'm not a career politician. I'm following the example of our Founding Fathers; people who left their fields and businesses to serve their country in time of crisis and then stepped back to be part of their communities [Noem, in David Montgomery, Congressional Q&As (by Candidate)," Pierre Capital Journal, 2010.06.03].
"People are looking for someone who is not a career politician," Noem said. "They want it to be somebody who is a South Dakotan, who lives here with them" [Chet Brokaw, "Chris Nelson Aims to Win GOP House Race on the Cheap," AP via Rapid City Journal, 2010.05.17].
She has also pledged not to become a career politician.
"When the time comes, I'll come back to South Dakota and give someone else a chance to serve," she said [Roger Larsen, "Noem Wants to Help Rewrite the Last 4 Years," Huron Plainsman, 2010.06.26].
If she does win, Noem vowed to serve a maximum of 10 years in Congress. She said she isn't looking for a career in politics.
Noem said she wants to follow in the footsteps of the nation's founding fathers and serve for a time before deciding to "step back and be part of the community" [emphasis mine; Tom Lawrence, "Noem: I Can Win," Mitchell Daily Republic, 2010.06.23, quoted by NRCC.com].
Now notice how Kristi started walking back that ten-year vow almost immediately after she got elected:
Q11. Do you think there should be term limits in D.C.? South Dakota has term limits, would that be helpful in some ways to have term limits in federal office?
"Yeah, I've always supported term limits. I think that if we did have term limits at the federal level we'd have people working a lot harder to get things accomplished in a shorter amount of time. We'd have more turnover and allow more people the opportunity to serve and we wouldn't be entrenched politicians, like we do right now.
"The argument starts to happen over how long they should be and how long is long enough and that's where the debate starts.
Q12. That was my next question -- throw out a number.
"Yeah, I haven't been there long enough to really analyze it, to know exactly how long it is. I think in South Dakota the length of our term limits certainly serves the purpose and does well. At our state level, we've certainly come up with term limits that have been accurate and have worked for us, eight years in the House and then you can run for the other (chamber) after that, but you have to leave that body [Interview with Bret Hayworth, "Krisit [sic] Noem interview in entirety -- term limits, tea party, Palin, family and Herseth Sandlin," Sioux City Journal: Politically Speaking, 2011.01.02].
Congresswoman Noem has been in Washington for a year and a half. She's had ample opportunity to compare the advantages and disadvantages of freshmanship and seniority. She's had time to analyze the question of term limits. But I continue to get the impression that Kristi finds real analysis really hard. Her non-response to her own term limits on Wednesday reinforce that impression.
Do something? It would be progress if Kristi would actually say something.
You can bet she's practicing her convention speech.
Blanchard has a shaman; the rest of us can smoke the tea leaves: Noem gets wooed by the ag chemical and insurance men in one wing of the palace then holds court in the paltry Westword Ho district in SooFoo.
Group grope in a revolving door: it's the democratic republican way.
Sen. Kent Conrad (D - ND) made a one-term pledge when he was elected in 1986. He was prepared to honor it, not running for election in 1992. But then Sen. Quentin Burdick (D - ND) died, and for goodness sake North Dakota just couldn't live without Kent Conrad AND Quentin Burdick, could they? So Conrad ran not for re-election to his own seat but for election to Burdick's seat, where he served 20 years before deciding not to run again this year.
A term limit pledge seems to be more of an election tool for novice candidates than a real commitment. The wining and dining (as well as the pay) are certainly much better in DC than in Pierre. How can Rep. Noem be asked to leave that behind voluntarily? She and Thune will be there until the voters kick them out, and then they will stay in DC like Daschle did.
What strikes me is the fact that SHS served for only 6 years and Noem labeled her a career politician. Noem on the other hand feels she could serve for 10 years and not be labeled a career politician. Or maybe now she is thinking indefinately? Funny she doesn't remember what comes out of her mouth from year to year.
Very good post Cory. You are indepth. Something our congresswoman is not.
Thanks, Mike! One never remembers words one recites from a script as well as words one says from the heart.
Amazing how quickly opinions can change when your perspective is different...
Cory, I remember with fondness a conversation you & I had about this outside your cabin many years ago, where you made a very eloquent argument against term limits. I'm curious if your opinions have changed?
When we had that conversation, Wayne, I was a registered Republican. I still don't like term limits. Keeping legislators from serving beyond their usefulness is the ongoing responsibility of voters.
...and we should definitely not vote to keep waiting for Kristi to become useful.
Hold on!!! You were a registered Republican?
What alternate universe was that?
Pray tell, when and how did it happen that you quit the GOP? Did you become a Democrat right away? Inquiring minds want to know...
Should get this explained no later than a week before the Heidelberger for Secretary of State rents office space!
(The short conversion story: Mike Rounds embraces NCLB, dodges my Republican question about the GOP belief in small government. Dennis Kucinich convinces me single-payer is the most practical, cost-effective way to cover health costs and preserve more liberty for more people. I realize my 1990s conservatism was superficial philosophy, ego, and karaoke. I watch my wife have a baby and realize abortion politics matter... and that I need to fight for women's right to choose.)
I bet you are still less RINO to Stace and Hubbel than Val Rausch. Because you were a Republican and switched to Dem where he switched from D to R.
I always thought you were a DINO Cory. And I didn't realize it was so recent.
Mike, I'll wager that my conversion is deeper and far less -INO than Rep. Nelson's competitor and newly christened Republican Kyle Schoenfish. I did not convert because I thought it would improve my chances of winning an election. If anything, I'm the Stace Nelson of my party, telling Blue Dogs to poop or get off the Democratic pot.
Interesting back story, Cory. It does help explain why you seem more inclined to put up with Stace Nelson's happy horses**t than I am. LOL.
Stace triggers my unwavering sympathy for underdogs fighting established powers. That sympathy sometimes gets me into trouble.