Election 2008 is over. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will be the president and vice president for the next four years; eight if re-elected.

Senators and representatives at the national level do not have term limits hanging over their heads. There is Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, with 40-plus years; Sen. Edward Kennedy from Massachusetts with 45 years; Sen. Christopher Dodd from Connecticut with 25-plus years; Rep. Barney Frank from Massachusetts with 22-plus years; Sen. Olympia Snowe from Maine with 20-plus years; Sen. Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania with 24 years; Sen. Patrick Leahy from Vermont with 24-plus years; Sen. John McCain from Arizona with 20-plus years; and Sen. Ted Stevens from Alaska with 40-plus years.

Those are just a small group of lifers who are running the Congress.

Maine has an eight-year, two consecutive terms limit for governor. Senators and representatives are limited to four consecutive two-year terms. I think Mainers do pretty well with the way they take care of elections.

Change is needed in Washington, but no one will hold their breath waiting.

Roland Carville, Lisbon