Between 9 and 10 o'clock tonight I was a couch potato. I watched 'The Office' and that incredibly stupid show right after it. The incredibly stupid show left time for my mind to wander, and I started wondering about term limits for politicians.

Lots of people think term limits are a good idea, but the good idea never goes anywhere. So I started wondering if going the opposite route might achieve results which are almost as good. How about lifetime appointments for senators?

First of all, even though they are up for re-election every six years, it usually works out to pretty much a lifetime appointment anyway, what with the huge campaign war chests and political machines they build up. Thus it wouldn't change much of the Senate's makeup, but it would save a heck of a lot of time and money usually spent campaigning.

I hate the idea of being stuck with Mitch for life, but it seems like I am anyway.

Second, once freed from campaigning, they might actually be willing to make painful but necessary decisions. It might help alleviate the current 'give everybody everything but let's not ask them to pay for it' system. And senators would be somewhat freed from having to satisfy their big donors. Not entirely, but somewhat.

House reps would still have to campaign, and still have to pander to the lowest common denominator, but the Senate would probably become a better check on stupid, irresponsible legislation. And maybe there could be system tinkering by which a super majority of house votes could override the Senate, sort of like with a presidential veto.

Just spitballing. Might be dumb, but I was intrigued. See where my mind goes when I'm watching a very dumb show about a call center in India and my remote is out of reach?