Why doesn't Congressmen& Women have term limits?

Question

The president can only be president eight years.
Why can Congress be lifers in their position. We need Congressional term limits and should make our voices heard

Answer 1

Yes, we need a total revamp of the American political system including the Congress and the Senate. Members of these two bodies should not hold office for more than two terms like the President. Maybe, one term can be extended to five years instead of the present four.

Answer 2

Actually the president can serve for 10 years if they are VP or assume the presidency through some other means more than 1/2 way through the elected presidents term.

As far as term limits for Congress, I think its a fair question and one that should be enacted. Problem is you would probably have to get congress to pass the legislation...ironic isnt it.

Answer 3

Why do you think we should have term limits on Congress? Seniority is how the committee assignments work...the longest serving members become the chairmen of committees and get their choice of committees to serve on. The "freshmen" take whatever's left over. Seniority provides continuity and some perspective in debate...the more experienced members don't react in as much of a panic as the less experienced members might, and they know what issues have come up in the past and will come up again.

Actually, some states do have term limits on their delegations, but most of the states that voted to establish term limits have quietly dropped them because they don't really work and there's no real reason to have them except for political windowdressing.

Answer 4

Unlike the Presidency where all American vote...the population of a congressional district (or state for Senators) changes. People move in or out of Congressional districts (or states), so a congessperson (sp?) has to make new people happy. Elections are every 2 years (6 in Senate)...so their term could be that short. However...if their constituants feel that they are best...even for 30 years...then we have the right to choose them. If Senator Heinz (PA) had not died I'm sure he would still be a Senator...or more. He had over 80% of ALL Pennsylvanians, Democrat and Republican. He took our concerns to Washington and we knew it. If Congress(wo)man is in touch...they stay.

Answer 5

Term limits vary state by state. The larger states do impose limits while small ones tend not to.

There should be term limits all across the board. Whatever happened to the noble idea of the "citizen legislator" made famous in movies like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" with Jimmy Stewart?

Yeah there's elections. But try removing an old politician who's been in his/her seat for ages. They have money, power and incumbency.

Answer 6

They should be limited, but the only reason that the president was ever limited is because it was a tradition to only take 2 terms since George Washington. Well, until FDR, I believe, came into office. Then they made it a law (in the Constitution, no less.)

Answer 7

I believe thats the only way we can straighten our corrupt government out. We have old geezers in our congress that have been in there before the 2nd world war. We need new Ideas. It is hard to get elected because once a person gets in government he can vote to stay in. We will never have term limits because these old geezers would be out of power and couldn't get kick backs.

Answer 8

I think their terms should be limited. The country can't go forward the way it really should because the people running it get stale. When they first come in they have ideals and an agenda. After 8 years they're in it for the security and the power. I totally agree with you.

Answer 9

If you had a job with excellent benefits, no real challenges that you don't create yourself, great pay, and expense accounts, and a plethora of other perks, would you vote to limit the amount of time you could remain in that job? Well, that is why there are no term limits.

Answer 10

Because all politicians are crooks & liars.
The job of a congressman or woman,was not intended to be a life time job.They were suppose to spend 6 years in office then vacate and go about their civilian lives.But they now get a retirement check,full medical benefits,for the rest of their lives whether they stay in office or vacate.It's all about the money & prestige.