John Lewis an example of why Congress should have term limits

Black on Black - Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to John Lewis by Barack Obama in 2011. This gives Lewis the right to speak out with "moral authority."

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by Carolyn Yeager

IF WE DON'T HAVE TO WATCH WHAT WE SAY about our new president-elect, who was just selected by 63,000,000 Americans in a national election, why should we have to watch what we say about a single congressman who represents only 170,000 who voted for him, uncontested, in one district of the state of Georgia. The 5th congressional district John Lewis is elected from is 60% African-American, assuring him of re-election every time (because Blacks overwhelmingly vote for their own race).

I live in Texas. I don't give a fig about John Lewis in Georgia or what he thinks. I am White, so I also don't give a fig about all the drama he helped create back in the 1960's in Selma, Alabama. And, yes, I was aware of it at the time. Lewis was head of the communist "Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee" (SNCC - pronounced "Snick"). From my point of view, John Lewis did damage to the country I live in, and to my way of life. I don't have to respect him just because the elite media decided to adopt the civil rights movement as a sacred chapter in U.S. history and to protectively surround all involved with political correctness.

Illegitimate president?

I would ask this question: Is Rep. John Lewis committing treason by declaring president-elect Donald Trump an "illegitimate president" after a regular and fair U.S. election, and just 6 days before his inauguration? I think such an idea could be considered. At the least, he is subscribing to 'conspiracy theories' and/or 'fake news.' Lewis also said in an interview on "Meet the Press" broadcast Sunday that it would be "almost impossible" for him to work with President Trump once in office. I guess in that case Lewis should resign if he can't accept or work with the duly elected President.

Lewis also said "I would not invite him to come" to Selma, Alabama, site of Lewis' best known civil rights march, which all other U.S. presidents since the 1960's have been invited to visit. The story of Selma and Lewis' role in it have, of course, been romanticized now to the point of being more fiction than truth, and we can see that Lewis sees himself as "owning" Selma even though he was never elected to an office by people of Alabama.

Instead of rushing to his defense, Democrats should be admonishing Lewis for his statements ... as has one, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. For me, the long view is that John Lewis is irrelevant, he is no longer an actor on the scene, and, as Trump has pointed out, is not even doing an effective job for his district. He seems more interested in selling books and living off his reputation as an "icon" of the action that took place more than forty years ago.

30 and 46-year careers in Congress?

Term limits won't solve everything but it will put an end to this kind of foolishness. Two terms for president, two terms for senators, four terms for representatives is the right number for all to be able to  "make their mark."

John Lewis and John McCain have each been in Congress for 30 years already; the longer they're there, the less they do. The former is portrayed as a "civil-rights" veteran and the latter as a "war-hero" veteran. You criticize them at your own risk.

The ethically-challenged Charlie Rangel of Harlem is the longest-serving at present - he's spent 46 years [!!]  living the easy life in the House of Representatives. After so much time in the same job - and as the years pass - complacency, brain-rot and inflated self-importance are bound to set in.

As for John Lewis (and John McCain too), he needs to be brought down to earth about his own moral stature. President-elect Trump is not afraid to do just that. Good for him.