election results in, hugo is not a villain

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/12/03/russia.vote/index.html

Following up on the various dictatorial elections. Elections being a facetious term here. As it would appear, Russia still knows how to stage an election. Hugo, despite the pomp and bombast last week, does not. Generally dictators win elections in landslides. Not lose them in 50/50 splits. But oh well.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/12/03/venezuela.referendum/index.html

Not sure what all 69 referendums were. But I assume most had to do with expansion of presidential authority and nationalization of various industries.

One thought however which came to mind is that term limits really don't seem like a good idea. There's merit in the Cincinnatus tradition of stepping aside to go home and raise crops or some such. I admire that sort of duty and public discipline. But some people seem specially attuned to the spotlight of public discourse and service. I don't see the point in dismissing them automatically because they've 'been there too long'. There's plenty of reason to dismiss people who've been there too long, but it's not because of incompetence, it's usually because of graft, greed or myopia.

On the flip side, the entire premise of the lame duck Presidency during a second term has all sorts of grave consequences in the modern era. Clinton spent his entire second term searching for a legacy, or so the media would tell it. I'm pretty sure a President doesn't need to search for a legacy. But maybe CNN or Clinton himself knows different. In any case, it's not a very good idea to have a President searching for something identifiable instead of merely executing his office. It's actually inherently dangerous.