Shouldn't we have Term Limits for members of Congress?

Question

Presidents Bush and Clinton had to face problems not dealt with by lazy Congressmen of BOTH PARTIES.

Democrat Robert Byrd has been in the Senate since 1959. Republican Ted Stevens has been in the Senate since 1968. Democrat Ted Kennedy has been in the Senate since 1962. There are so many more in the House and Senate.

These men are little dictators and know that presidents come and go so not much has to get done. 9/11 Should have been blamed on Congressmen who have made our country less safe over the last 40 years.

Here is my plan.

Representatives should be term limited to 8 terms (16 years).

Senators should be term limited to 2 terms (12 years).

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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Answer 1

One could only hope that people in power would be willing to relinquish it.....

Answer 2

I don't know about term limits but I definitely believe in age limits after there a certain age you could be dealing with Alzheimer's or other mental and medical disorders we had a republican senator who was there until he was almost a hundred and died just when he retired or was going to retire this is ridiculous we have some congress and senators who are to old to be deciding the fate of our country i would say 80 yrs would be the most and should end there career. If this would be done by term limits I am all for it.

Answer 3

Yes-- term limits for congress. Need fresh blood every few yeras.

I could live with 2 term senators, I think reps should be limited to 4-6 terms tho (8-12 years)

I mean really-- you've got farts in there like Kennedy, Byrd etc. that have been around for multiple decades.

Of course it'll never happen becuase the people who vote on it would be voting themselves out of a job. And of course, they get automatic pay raises unless they vote against it.

Answer 4

The Republicans Candidates actually signed a "Contract for America" they cooked up in 1994 that included a two term house limit. Seventy five percent of them have reneged on that pledge. They were corrupt before they even got into office.

Comment: I've just got to say that the Republicans. on the News Groups, in the 90s were all ranting about term limits and the Democrats that had been in the house forever. Now, the obvious Republicans on sites like Answers are saying there shouldn't be term limits. . .

Answer 5

Yes! yes! yes!! when the politicans make a career of being in office they soon forget how to put the people first and what is best for the country instead of who is giving them the most money and then voting for their interest instead of what the people what and need to make their lives better. they lose sight of what is important. they should not be paid what they are being paid now and the benafits should not continue after they leave office.. I also feel that having military service should be required and have some knowledge of just how the world works for the common people. term limits in the senate should be no more that 2 terms and house 3 terms. The President should not have secret service after they leave office for no longer that 6 years. they should have to buy their health insurance the same as the people have to and that goes for the congress. They should be paid for what they accomplish. which seems to be little. they are worried about being re-elected not the people...

Answer 6

The founders: set up term limits: yaya yaya Go vote yayaya

Our founding fathers never set up a 2-term limit on the president either that was a precedent set in motion by George Washington only to become LAW by the 22 Amendment, Passed after Franklin D. Roosevelt....BUT!!!

By limiting the power of the President, congress was able to set its on precedence by staying un-limited in years served. That is way the congress walks with a bigger stick.

Answer 7

Yes Yes Yes. But we need to be able to put referendums on the national ballot such as term limits, limits on raises in Congress, Put them on Social Security. I think if the people had a little more say so our government would be less corrupt and less expensive. But no one on the hill will try to pass legislation to lose their jobs. And for all of you who are screaming vote, well I did.
On a machine with no paper back up. You get one at every ATM, gas pump, and everywhere else. Why cannot our leaders do this? So you say vote? I ask you does yours count?

Answer 8

Yes. They should also not be allowed to hide behind the Constitution when they commit a crime. The way it is now, they can get by with much more than their constituents. Since most voters don't have many alternative choices in their districts until the old politicos retire or croak, we're stuck with the same choices that the parties select to run.

Answer 9

The Founders set it up so that the voters would impose their own brand of "term limits." It's worked pretty good so far. No need to change it, I think. I'd change it to have only Democrats term-limited to one year in the House and three years in the Senate. I know it's crazy, but liberty is in jeopardy when there are too many libs in government...

Answer 10

Not only is that a good idea but the length of the term are just about right. Most people do not realize that Congress have a whole lot of power.

Answer 11

It's left to the states because of the 10th amendment. Some states do have term limits, some don't. If you don't like the way your representatives are behaving in congress, make your voice heard on election day!