One of them is a proponent of liberty and democracy, whose pamphlet, Common Sense, helped foment a revolution in America, One is a modern day Oklahoma politician who strongly proposes the concept of term limits in the US Congress and lives by that example, One is the author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third President of the US.
They are Tom Paine, Tom Coburn, and Tom Jefferson, three Tom's who have spoken out strongly against career politicians and for citizen politicians who do their civic duty, and then resume their private life thereafter. Remember their words before you decide to vote for any politician or proposal that allows an official to serve longer than a dozen years in a position (such as a vote for Senator Stabenowe or the Ludington city proposal would).
"Government is not a trade which any man or body of men has a right to set up and exercise for his own emolument, but is altogether a trust, in right of those by whom that trust is delegated, and by whom it is always resumable. It has of itself no rights; they are altogether duties. " Thomas Paine
"Career politicians do not have the courage to prioritize spending and say no to demanding special interest groups." - Tom Coburn
"My reason for fixing them in office for a term of years, rather than for life, was that they might have an idea that they were at a certain period to return into the mass of the people and become the governed instead of the governors which might still keep alive that regard to the public good that otherwise they might perhaps be induced by their independence to forget." - Thomas Jefferson
“Government is a plain thing, and fitted to the capacity of many heads.” Thomas Paine
"It is easy to see how after receiving this adoration for a term or two most members become convinced they are indispensable." -Tom Coburn
"Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on office, a rottenness begins in his conduct." -Thomas Jefferson
"Wisdom degenerates in governments as governments increase in age" Thomas Paine
"I still believe that term limits is the best way to ensure that the next generation, not the next election, is the central concern in our elected bodies." -Tom Coburn
"I apprehend… that the total abandonment of the principle of rotation in the offices of President and Senator will end in abuse." - Thomas Jefferson
"When extraordinary power and extraordinary pay are allotted to any individual in a government, he becomes the center, round which every kind of corruption generates and forms." Thomas Paine (on John Shay?)
"The longer a politician bears power, the more he is controlled by that power." Tom Coburn
"By a declaration of rights, I mean one which shall stipulate freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of commerce against monopolies, trial by juries in all cases, no suspensions of the habeas corpus, no standing armies. These are fetters against doing evil, which no honest government should decline. There is another strong feature in the new constitution, which I as strongly dislike. That is, the perpetual reeligibility of the President." -Thomas Jefferson
