DeMint: Change the Constitution to limit terms in Congress

[thundley4]

WASHINGTON, DC (WIS) - U.S. Senator Jim DeMint wants to change the Constitution to limit the amount of time a politician can spend in Congress, an effort that has failed multiple times in the past.

DeMint and three other Republican senators are cosponsoring a constitutional amendment that would limit representatives to three terms and senators to two terms in office.

[Click here to read the proposed amendment (.pdf)]

"Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians," DeMint said. "If we really want to put an end to business as usual, we’ve got to have new leaders coming to Washington instead of rearranging the deck chairs as the ship goes down."

“The best way to ensure we are truly a government of the people, for the people, and by the people, is to replace the career politicians in Washington with citizen legislators who care more about the next generation than their next election," agreed Senator Tom Coburn, one of the amendment's cosponsors.

The amendment would require a two-thirds majority vote approval in the House and Senate, and must be ratified by three-fourths of the states.

Fantasy land

It's never gonna happen, but it would be nice.

[Eupher]

Agreed - it's fantasyland.

Too many politicians these days start their careers with the idea of first, getting a law degree, and second, filling one of those chairs in D.C.

Along with this verbiage, reducing the "retirement" that these yokels get to something that's appropriate would also be nice, but that's yet more fantasy.

[DumbAss Tanker]

An Amendment is the only way to do it, if left to the states it can be undone as easily as done, and the poster-child states like Assachussetts would never pass it in the first place...I would personally go with a higher number, possibley 3 terms for a Senator and 6 for a Rep, in line with the roles the two houses are supposed to fulfill (Current mood of the populace for the House, long-term stability for the Senate).

[Hawkgirl]

It's not only their fault...but also the people who VOTE to keep them in those permanent chairs...I hold them just as accountable.

Congress should have limited terms just like the president..but would a bunch of politicians vote to shorten their careers...of course not.  Fantasyland indeed.

[Chris]

This will probably go over as well as Zell Miller's proposal to repeal the 17th amendment, which is to say not at all.

Too bad.  It's an idea that deserves to be considered.

[deportliberals]

If the resolution to amend ever got out of congress(two thirds of both houses) I bet it would pass in the states a hell of a lot quicker than most folks think it would.

[Chris_]

Term limits was an idea anethema to what the Founders were trying to build.  For the same reason that they didn't write in universal sufferage when they drew up the Constitution; it wasn't because they were elitist bigots who wanted nothing more than to keep the wimmins and colored folk under their bootheels.  What they wanted was an INTELLIGENT, INFORMED voting body that took an ACTIVE ROLE in the workings of government by voting the shysters, frauds and would-be tin pot dictators OUT OF OFFICE just as soon as they showed the first signs of trampling rights or overstepping authority.

Term limits caters to a lazy, uninformed body of voters.  Voters that the two-party system bends over backwards to cultivate, because it leaves them to the business of wielding power without checks.

[thundley4]

Term limits caters to a lazy, uninformed body of voters.  Voters that the two-party system bends over backwards to cultivate, because it leaves them to the business of wielding power without checks.

I'm confused.  Those two statements seem to be at odds with each other.

I believe term limits might help to end or mitigate pork spending, and might lead conress critters to once again doing what they believe is better for the country, instead of doing just what they need to get re elected.

[Chris_]

I'm confused.  Those two statements seem to be at odds with each other.

I believe term limits might help to end or mitigate pork spending, and might lead conress critters to once again doing what they believe is better for the country, instead of doing just what they need to get re elected.

Congress critters who are under the term limits gun are more likely to follow the "party lead" when they get into office, because they'll be told they don't have time to learn the ins and outs of "the system" on their own.  Term limits reinforces the concept that the legislators themselves are just - replacable - cogs in the party machine, and that it is the parties themselves that run things.  That's what got us in the screwed up situation we're in in the first place.

[Carl]

Term limits was an idea anethema to what the Founders were trying to build.  For the same reason that they didn't write in universal sufferage when they drew up the Constitution; it wasn't because they were elitist bigots who wanted nothing more than to keep the wimmins and colored folk under their bootheels.  What they wanted was an INTELLIGENT, INFORMED voting body that took an ACTIVE ROLE in the workings of government by voting the shysters, frauds and would-be tin pot dictators OUT OF OFFICE just as soon as they showed the first signs of trampling rights or overstepping authority.

Term limits caters to a lazy, uninformed body of voters.  Voters that the two-party system bends over backwards to cultivate, because it leaves them to the business of wielding power without checks.

I would propose that had they envisioned the federal government of today that term limits would perhaps had been the 1st amendment to the Constitution if it wasn`t clearly spelled out in its body beforehand.

[thundley4]

Congress critters who are under the term limits gun are more likely to follow the "party lead" when they get into office, because they'll be told they don't have time to learn the ins and outs of "the system" on their own.  Term limits reinforces the concept that the legislators themselves are just - replacable - cogs in the party machine, and that it is the parties themselves that run things.  That's what got us in the screwed up situation we're in in the first place.

Then how would term limits make us any worse off than we are now?   Term limits would also help reduce the ridiculous amount of power held by a few senior ranking members in the parties.

[Chris_]

Then how would term limits make us any worse off than we are now?   Term limits would also help reduce the ridiculous amount of power held by a few senior ranking members in the parties.

Term limits makes us worse off than we are now by REINFORCING all the worst parts of where we are now.  Apathetic, uninterested voters.  Parties in power; politicians interchangable.  What's more, when we finally do put someone in there that gets it, and is swimming against the current of his "own party" to actually protect the rights of the people, what happens under term limits?

If you don't know, try this:  President Bush was term limited out of office.  Comrade MessiahnFuhrer got to the chair he's in today because of term limits.

[rich_t]

I'm all for congressional term limits and I have been for years.

[thundley4]

If you don't know, try this:  President Bush was term limited out of office.  Comrade MessiahnFuhrer got to the chair he's in today because of term limits.

At the worst he sill be there 8 years just because of those term limits, and I don't think President Bush could have won a third term anyway.

[rich_t]

Term limits makes us worse off than we are now by REINFORCING all the worst parts of where we are now.  Apathetic, uninterested voters.  Parties in power; politicians interchangable.  What's more, when we finally do put someone in there that gets it, and is swimming against the current of his "own party" to actually protect the rights of the people, what happens under term limits?

If you don't know, try this:  President Bush was term limited out of office.  Comrade MessiahnFuhrer got to the chair he's in today because of term limits.

You've got to be kidding.

Do you think that modern voters bother to inform themselves?  They vote on name recognition.  

Term limits is exactly what is needed.  It would prevent the elected from constantly running for re-election.

My take on reading the COTUS, federalist and anti-federalist papers; the FF never intended serving in Congress to be a full time job to begin with.

[rich_t]

At the worst he sill be there 8 years just because of those term limits, and I don't think President Bush could have won a third term anyway.

Nor do I.  He had pissed off too many conservatives in his 2nd term with his endorcement of amnesty and TARP I.

I voted for him twice, I would not have voted for him a 3rd time.

[Chris_]

You've got to be kidding.

Do you think that modern voters bother to inform themselves?  They vote on name recognition. 

Term limits is exactly what is needed.  It would prevent the elected from constantly running for office.

My take on reading the COTUS, federalist and anti-federalist papers; the FF never intended serving in Congress to be a full time job to begin with.

It's exactly why the Founders were against universal sufferage in the first damned place.  They wanted the franchise to be held by someone with a stake in the game if they voted for a bad one.  Nowadays we have frauds and cheats promising the moon to people who have nothing to lose if these asshats actually try to follow through on their promises.  This isn't what the Founders wanted.  It wasn't what they set up.  It's what their construct has been perverted into, and it's what is going to destroy this nation.

Term limits are NOT the answer.  The unintended consequences that are inextricably tied to them are all the worst parts of what we have now, and will destroy what's left of this country.

[longview]

You've got to be kidding.

Do you think that modern voters bother to inform themselves?  They vote on name recognition.  

Term limits is exactly what is needed.  It would prevent the elected from constantly running for re-election.

My take on reading the COTUS, federalist and anti-federalist papers; the FF never intended serving in Congress to be a full time job to begin with.

I agree with these points.

Used to be against term limits for some of the same reasons as Defiant6, but would like to see if term limits would improve things.

[thundley4]

They wanted the franchise to be held by someone with a stake in the game if they voted for a bad one.

Term limits are NOT the answer.  The unintended consequences that are inextricably tied to them are all the worst parts of what we have now, and will destroy what's left of this country.

Are you advocating some form of minimum requirements to be able to vote?  That would never fly either.

[Chris_]

Are you advocating some form of minimum requirements to be able to vote?  That would never fly either.

Yeah, I am; the same standard that they advocated originally.  To gain the franchise, you should have to own land within the territory of the United States.

[thundley4]

Yeah, I am; the same standard that they advocated originally.  To gain the franchise, you should have to own land within the territory of the United States.

I would settle for it having to be a net tax payer.  Meaning that those who provide nothing to the government, get no say in the government.

[Chris_]

I would settle for it having to be a net tax payer.  Meaning that those who provide nothing to the government, get no say in the government.

It would be a compromise I could live with.  Assuming of course we couldn't punt the 16th Amendment back to the region of Hell it originated from as well.

[thundley4]

It would be a compromise I could live with.  Assuming of course we couldn't punt the 16th Amendment back to the region of Hell it originated from as well.

It basically is coming down to to the fact that people can vote for "bread and circuses" for themselves, and the cost is born by the productive members of society.

[GOBUCKS]

A constitutional amendment on term limits is as likely to emerge from the Congress as amendments to reinstate slavery and abolish the income tax. Which is good since it's a supremely dumb idea. No one stays in office against the will of the electorate.