A little history lesson will help us understand this so-called “anachronism.” This prohibition can be traced to colonial times when our Founding Fathers’ memory was still fresh regarding the heavy hand of King George, III. They had a healthy fear of placing too much power into the hands of one man for too long; and with good reason. This fear and distrust was expressed, along with a not so subtle warning, in the Commonwealth of Virginia's seal and flag. The seal shows Virtue, sword in hand, with her foot on the conquered form of Tyranny, whose crown lies nearby. The seal was the design of George Wythe. Wythe signed the Declaration of Independence and taught law to Thomas Jefferson. These men wanted
A powerful citizen legislature has many benefits for society. By serving part-time, our lawmakers must return to their districts and work and live among those whom they serve. They must live under and obey the same laws they pass and have to answer to the voters at each election cycle. They are much more likely to suffer swift repercussions for bad decisions. This dynamic actually transfers the power of government to where our founders intended it to be—in the hands of citizens. The governor’s position is, by necessity, a full-time position. He is much more isolated and insulated from
If you're a Virginian, tell your delegate and senator you trust them more than any governor and to vote no on this bad idea. It will inflate their egos and, if this bad idea is voted down, make you more powerful. Forget the crown, kill the skunk.
*(I served 12 years as a Magistrate for the
**(They can serve as many terms as they can get elected to, just not in succession. In other words, take a break and go live under the various bills you signed into law--could be an eye-opener.)