NAVAJO COUNCIL DEBATING LEGISLATION 0025-14, WHICH WOULD AMEND NAVAJO LAW AND SET FOUR TERM LIMIT FOR PRESIDENT. THE SPECIFIC LAW TO BE AMENDED WOULD BE TITLE 2, SECTIONS 105 AND 1002.

DELEGATE LEONARD PETE
You have to experience life. and when you experience life, you can compare to dog with scarred nose and here and there from fights. it’s basically about taking wisedom of individual and experience of leader in representing people in this chamber. you need those qualifications to lead the Navajo people. there are people that are very serious and have political agenda on how to serve people and so term limit would hurt them.

DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
I like staggered terms for council because people would be involved in debating public policy. and rather than saying “random lot”, the election administration could select delegates from different regions othewise delegates from New Mexico portion of Navajo Reservation could be negatively impacted. i think good idea and glad we are having these discussion. no one should be permanent including navajo nation supreme court chief justice and judges. we have judges misinterpreting law and scared lawyers.

DELEGATE DWIGHT WITHERSPOON
one of issues not addressed is concentration of power and that is happening in congress. and cud occur with 24 and changes in committees. with term limits, it would allow new blood to come in and break up concentration of power. but there is also corruption and it exists around the world. and it exists within navajo at different levels. and the ability to have new people serve could help to prevent that. and staggered term limits cud spread out among delegates. instead of buddy-buddy system of selecting committee chairpersons, there would be opportunity for new incoming delegate to serve as committee chairperson.

DELEGATE WALTER PHELPS
What is real purpose behind “staggered terms”?