Updated: Third Term for Arnold?!

Ugh, does this man's ego know no bounds? Clearly not. Dan Walters claims that loosening constitutional offices' term limits are part of the negotiations to move up the presidential primary.

Schwarzenegger could legally seek a third term only if the term limits were to be modified, and lo and behold, he and legislators are talking about doing exactly that. While the public discussion of changing term limits has centered on legislators, there's no particular reason why loosening the limits on constitutional officers couldn't be part of any deal.

This is the first time I have seen such a discussion be mentioned publicly. If true, this is a heck of a lot more significant than changing up how legislative term limits work.

The scenario floating around the Capitol is that California's presidential primary would shift from June to February next year, supposedly to increase the state's clout in presidential politics. But were a deal to be cut on easing term limits and redistricting reform, it could be placed before voters at the February election and if passed then, legislators who would otherwise be termed out of office in 2008 could seek re-election.

The notion receiving the most attention would cut the overall legislative limit from 14 years to 12, but allow a legislator to serve all 12 in one house if he or she wishes, or split between the houses as long as the total didn't go beyond 12 years.

The legislators are actually proposing a decrease in the number of years that they could serve. Adding a third term for constitutional offices is a massive, unprecedented increase in the number of years one person like Arnold could hold office. They are two very different things.

The rationale being offered for change is that it would turn down the volume on the Capitol's game of musical chairs and allow someone to gain expertise and experience -- and it's especially attractive to the Legislature's two top leaders, who face term-limit expulsion next year.

If that rationale is valid, it's equally valid for constitutional officers. Perhaps they should have 12 years -- or three terms -- of eligibility as well. And were Schwarzenegger interested, he could probably make it part of a redistricting-term limit deal with the Legislature.

No, the rationale is not valid. We have not had a problem with governors only serving eight years, just as we have not had a problem with presidents only having two four year terms. Adding a third term is a much bigger deal than simply changing how long a legislator could serve in a particular house. It is a much more significant move than changing the date of the presidential primary for 2008.

I am confused here and more than a little convinced that Walters pulled this out of thin air. Towards the beginning he says: "he and legislators are talking about doing exactly that" and then at the end says "And were Schwarzenegger interested". Either Arnold is interested and talking with the legislature about such a move, or he is not.

[UPDATE 4:30 pm] Aaaha Walters doesn't know what he is talking about. There are a bunch of rumors floating around and Arnold knows nothing about giving him a third term.

The governor said that if supporters of extending terms want to talk about the idea, he was open to it but his interest is in redistricting. When asked what he thought about extending his own term, the governor seemed to shrug.

"I haven't even thought about it, this is the first time I heard about it," he said.