Proponents of term limits have long touted the idea of citizen legislators who would hold office long enough to clean up the messes but not long enough to fall under the influence of entrenched interests.
That notion has been taking a hit lately in Washington, where 87 first-term Republicans, many of who were elected last fall with Tea Party backing, have been instrumental in pushing the federal government to the brink of what many of those old-fashioned insiders think will be an economic disaster.
In some quarters, people are muttering: Bring back the pros, who know something about getting the job done.
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