Arguing for a longer term

Matt Heath writes:

At least US politicians get four years for their money. New Zealand’s three years is ridiculously short.

Here, a new government gets in, spends a year working out how to govern, does some good stuff for a year in the middle, then starts campaigning again. Democracy would be so much better if there was less of it.

How about we run a six-year term with a maximum of one month campaigning? That way a government could try long-term plans, for the good of the nation not just short-term popularity.

A six year term is a bit too much but three years is insanely short. Four years would be good.

However no way you can restrict a campaign to one month. Sure for official campaigning, but in reality campaigning tends to start the day after an election – it just increases in tempo the closer you get.