Term Limits and Their Consequences: The Aftermath of Legislative Reform Book

List of Tables

1. Introduction

Why Study Term Limits?
How Term Limits Have Been Studied The Early Debate Early Scholarship Methodological Weaknesses of Early Pre-Implementation Studies Methods Used in Later Studies This Book

2. Movement to Establish Term Limits

Difference between Mass Political Movements and Grassroots Democracy Movements Essential Elements of Grassroots Democracy Movements The Success of the Movement Historical Stages of the Term Limit Movement Conclusion

3. Why Were Term Limits So Popular

The American Tradition of Political Reform Normative Perspectives of Support for Term Limits Research on Why Voters Prefer Term Limits and Still Vote for Their Incumbent Motivational Categories of Why Voters Prefer Term Limits The optimistic Politics of Changing Rules

4. Impact of the Election of Women

Predicted Impact on the Election of Women to State Legislatures Current Evidence form the States The Potential Anticipatory Influence of Term Limits Additional Evidence: Comparing Congress with State Legislatures Case Study: California, the First State to Feel the Impact of Term Limits Implications of the California Experience: Why Didn’t Term Limits Matter Other Factors Influence the Election of Women More Than Term Limits Conclusion

5. Impact of the Election of the Minority Candidates

Research on Minorities and Term Limits National Trends in the Election of Black and Hispanic Candidates to States Legislatures Evidence from the California State Assembly, Michigan State house, Georgia House of Representatives, and Pennsylvania State House Summarizing the Case Study States: Term Limits, Redistricting, and State Demographics

6. Consequences of Term Limit Enactment on Career Paths

Ambition Theory Impact of Term Limits on Motivation Career Paths for California’s Term Limited Legislators: Other Impacts on Legislative Careers Contrasting Career Paths Michigan v. California Discussion Conclusion

7. Changes in Legislative Leadership

Consequences of Eliminating Entrenched Legislative Leaders Pre-Term Limit California Speaker Pattern Post-Term Limit Speakership Transition Pattern California Senate Pattern Unseating the Leader Even Without Term Limits Georgia Minorities in Leadership Positions Women Obtaining Leadership Positions Unanticipated Consequences Weakened Leadership in Other Term-Limited States Conclusions

8. Insider’s Views of Term Limits

Why Interviews are Important Views of Experience of a Former State Legislator The Different Experience of a Post-Term Limits Legislator Views of Two Legislative Staffers Views of a Former Insider What These Interviews Suggest

9. The Future of Term Limits in the States and on Congress

Term Limits and Future Turnover rates Term Limits in the States Expansion, Contraction, or the Status Quo?
Future Consequences Term Limits and Congress Conclusion

10. Conclusion

The Future of Term Limits Final Thoughts