State Constitutional Amending, Independent Interpretation, and Political Culture: A Case Study in Constitutional Stagnation

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Book Reviews

HOW ARBITRATION WORKS (3rd Edition). By Frank Elkouri and Edna Asper Elkouri. Washington: Bureau of National Affairs, 1973. Pp. 797. $17.50. DEVIANCE-IN SOVIET SOCIETY-CRIME, DELINQUENCY AND ALCOHOLISM. By Walter D. Connor. New York: Columbia University Press. 1972. Pp. 327.$12.50. LEGAL RIGHTS OF CHILDREN: STATUS, PROGRESS AND PROPOSALS. A Symposium of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review. Fairlawn: R. E. Burdick, Inc., 1973. Pp. 212. $9.00

Legislative Term Limitation Under A "Limited" Popular Initiative Provision?

This article addresses the need for change in a seniority-based political system which fosters and is dominated by self-serving career politicians who rarely appear to serve the public interest. Campaign finance reforms and other remedial approaches show no signs of abating this situation. Term limitations, however, offer a reasonable check on the evil inherent in prolonged legislative power. Even though the constitutionality of state-enacted limitations on federal legislators is debatable, state enacted limitations on state legislative terms are constitutional. The "limited" popular constitutional initiative provided for in the 1970 Illinois Constitution--and the Illinois Supreme Court decisions interpreting that provision--appear to allow for legislative term limits in Illinois. Thus, Illinois may soon participate in the national term limitation movement