WASHINGTON -- Early in his career, Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, led a group called the Coalition on Limiting Terms. It sought to limit service for House members to six terms (12 years).
Of course, Hansen has now served nine terms (18 years). And he just won re-election. In fact, the man who once fought for term limits is the longest-serving House member ever from Utah.And six years ago, when Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, first ran for the Senate, he pledged to serve no more than 12 years. But as he cruised to re-election this year, he announced he might seek a third six-year term in 2004 after all.
Many have done as Hansen and Bennett. They favor term limits when they are new and are hindered by the seniority system. But when they obtain some seniority and power, they say it's in their states' interest to take advantage of it and remain in Congress.
An exception to that is another man with some Utah roots, Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., a graduate of Brigham Young University who was born in Salt Lake City.
He just won his third, two-year term -- and he insists it will be his last, despite pleas from a hometown newspaper, supporters and party officials to reconsider the pledge he made in his first campaign to serve no more than six years.
In fact, Salmon has essentially become the poster child for U.S. Term Limits, a group seeking to persuade all congressional candidates to sign pledges not to serve longer than six years. It persuaded 58 current or incoming members to do so (some others weaseled out after signing on earlier).
The group figures that Congress itself will never enact formal term limits as long as career politicians dominate it -- even though polls show the idea is popular among voters.
So it tries to persuade politicians as they first run for Congress to sign the pledge. That may help elect them -- and make it difficult to wiggle out of the promise years later.
Salmon -- a leader of GOP rebels who helped bring down House Speaker Newt Gingrich and who helped make cracks in the seniority system -- says such pledges would improve Congress.
He says that too many members "are voting to stay in office," rather than taking courageous stands they believe are correct.
He says that when he has asked some why they voted against their normal positions, they say, "Well, the speaker promised to come out and do a fund-raiser for me, or this will help me get on that committee to help my re-election."
Salmon complains, "Being safe never changed the course of politics" -- and such people are simply marking time, worrying about re-election and not making the improvements they envisioned when they first decided to run.
He says he and others who have limited their own terms have freed themselves from such worries. "They're not afraid. They're political Rambos. They go in, do the job and get out."
He adds, "They can't be controlled. They don't care if they are kicked off committees. They don't care if they don't win re-election. It may mean they just serve two terms instead of the three they planned."
Salmon said if more members were self-limited, they would toss out the seniority system -- where the longest-serving members have committee chairmanships. Instead, they would elect them according to merit.
"If the NBA operated under that (seniority) system, you'd have 80-year-olds out there taking free throws" instead of Michael Jordan and Karl Malone, Salmon says.
Salmon also says, "I look at coming here (Congress) as much more of a sacrifice than giving it up. I wish more members looked at it that way."
For example, after his upcoming term, he says he must give up "saying good-bye to family in Arizona every week as I come to Washington," and "I will have to go to all of my daughter's plays," and "I will be forced -- forced -- to play more golf with my son." So, maybe term limits aren't a big sacrifice.
Deseret News Washington correspondent Lee Davidson can be reached by e-mail at leed@dgs.dgsys.com.