Thread: Term limits on Senators and members of the House?

I also support a law that would make congressional districts approximate geometric shapes.

Originally Posted by toddwv

If you mean two consecutive terms in a row, I could support that.

That's what I meant.

Originally Posted by Kranes56

That's what I meant.

The more I think about it, the more interesting that idea is to me. An "incumbents may not run" rule will shake up congress and eliminate any thoughts of career safety that people might have. It would be most valuable in the senate, since it would level the playing field and bring equal representation to all of the states.

More importantly, incumbents could focus on governing instead of campaigning.

Originally Posted by hiimjered

The more I think about it, the more interesting that idea is to me. An "incumbents may not run" rule will shake up congress and eliminate any thoughts of career safety that people might have. It would be most valuable in the senate, since it would level the playing field and bring equal representation to all of the states.

More importantly, incumbents could focus on governing instead of campaigning.

That's basically why I would support something like this.

You can vote people out anytime you get the majority of of votes for the other guy or gal, you don't need term limits.

In fact it takes time to learn the job and more importantly senior elected members of our government have power but its also a mentoring situation they guide the new members of office.

The way you avoid the issues your concerned about is get people to vote and do so in a considered manner knowing the issues, I would say if anything make civics education more important in schools and among the public at large.

Originally Posted by tkolter

You can vote people out anytime you get the majority of of votes for the other guy or gal, you don't need term limits.

In fact it takes time to learn the job and more importantly senior elected members of our government have power but its also a mentoring situation they guide the new members of office.

The way you avoid the issues your concerned about is get people to vote and do so in a considered manner knowing the issues, I would say if anything make civics education more important in schools and among the public at large.

You can vote the incumbent out by voting for the other guy, but that fact doesn't help at all.

The incumbent was elected by a majority of the population because he claimed values and intentions that matched a majority of the population. The "other guy" will most often be of a different party and claim values and intentions very different from the ones the incumbent claims.

In the end the majority of the population has the choice between re-electing the incumbent who at least claims to have the desired values or to elect a person who claims different values from what is desired.

In the end, you don't really have the option to vote out the incumbent, unless you are willing to vote directly against your own values and desires.

Originally Posted by tkolter

You can vote people out anytime you get the majority of of votes for the other guy or gal, you don't need term limits.

In fact it takes time to learn the job and more importantly senior elected members of our government have power but its also a mentoring situation they guide the new members of office.

The way you avoid the issues your concerned about is get people to vote and do so in a considered manner knowing the issues, I would say if anything make civics education more important in schools and among the public at large.

I don't like the idea of mentoring myself. I don't want my Senator/Congressman to be influenced by a senior member. It's "Washington" politics and partisanship that is often taught to the junior members of Congress. A "senior" Congressman with 20+ years of service wields too much power. I think something on the order of 2 five year term restrictions would be appropriate.

On the discussion of mentoring, I think it would be wise to have some sort of system whereby a brand new member of Congress must serve as the Chief of Staff of the outgoing Congressman for a year period. This would allow the incoming Congressman to learn the ins and outs of the office without becoming too connected to life long Congressmen serving as mentors.

I completely agree with term limits for senators and representatives. I think the Supreme Court should remain a life appointment though.

Term limits on Senators and members of the House?

That's just trying to get rid of democracy. Voters have a constitutional right to have whoever they want for their representative. What's sad is, voters keep re-electing those that are the problem instead of electing those that would fix the problems. There's no cure for stupid.

Originally Posted by Junkieturtle

I completely agree with term limits for senators and representatives. I think the Supreme Court should remain a life appointment though.

Six years max for Supreme Court judges. That way we don't get Alzheimer patients making ridiculous rulings. Nobody should have that kind of power for that long. And the judges should be elected not appointed.