The Senator's dead... long live the Senator

Does anybody doubt for a second there will soon be another long-serving Senator safely entrenched in the Last Kennedy's vacant seat?

KSH asked a question in a previous thread. Started to answer it there, then lost the text. Figured if I was going to retype it, might as well do it here. I agree with him the Founders intended much more turnover in our "political class" than we currently have. For many of them, public service was an interlude between other life pursuits.

We no longer have that ethos. Ted Kennedy held the same Senate seat for 47 years. We have other politicians who started at the local level right out of college, then "traded up" for years until they found their niche... staying there until they're carried out feet first.

How can such people, isolated from the daily existence of America, truly represent us? They can't.

A few modest suggestions to consider:
- We live longer lives now. Change eligibility to be a Representative to 35, and for Senator/President to 45. People need to experience life before shaping it for others.
- No one may hold any office more than two consecutive terms. They may run again after an equal interlude (exception: the Presidency... two terms, you're done).
- No one may run for two offices at the same time (i.e. the notorious practice of aiming for the White House while hanging on to that "secure" Senate seat/governorship)
- In fact, no one may run for an office (other than reelection) while serving in another. Campaigning is a full-time job; so is representing the people. The two are incompatible, as missed Congressional votes show every election year. If someone wishes to seek a new office, let them do so as a private citizen on their own time, not the taxpayers'.
- Unless disabled or convicted of misconduct, one must serve out their term. People shouldn't have to pay for special elections because their Governor/Senator/Representative found a cabinet gig. No one is that indispensable.
- Finally, any candidate that achieves ballot eligibility is permitted to participate in all public forums. Any presidential candidate, regardless of party, that achieves ballot access in at least 2/3 of the states MUST be allowed to participate in every national debate.

Just some of the many thoughts I have about how to craft America 2.0. The first version is obviously crashing. The question is whether we can reboot it, or if the system is a total loss. Time will tell.