Why can't a previous president run for office again?

Answer 1

the 22nd amendment limits the term of office as president to two terms of 4years each.

however, if a vice-president assumes the presidency (for whatever reason), he finishes out the term for the president (removed or dead) and then can serve two more elected terms.

atp

Answer 2

Actually, the amendment to limit the president to two terms was amendment 22 and was ratified in 1951. Franklin Roosevelt was the last president to serve more than two terms. The amendment was largely a reaction to WWII and was proposed to prevent any one person or party from becoming too powerful. Even our founding fathers had the wisdom to set up the government to have a system of checks and balances to prevent us from ever having a dictator or monarch. Our current system works well and gives voters more voice in the government.

Answer 3

A previous president can run for office again. He just can not serve more than two full terms.

Answer 4

President George W. Bush (second from left), walks with, from left, former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter during the dedication of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park in Little Rock, Arkansas, November 18, 2004.The president and vice president serve a term of office of four years. The Twenty-second Amendment (which took effect in 1951) provides that no one may be elected to the office more than twice, and that no one may be elected president more than once who has held the office of (or acted as) president for more than two years of another's term (thus a person may hold the office of president no longer than ten years—two four-year terms and one term less than two years having been a vice president who succeeded to the presidency). Prior to the ratification of this amendment, and following the precedent set by George Washington, an unofficial limit of two terms was generally observed, with the only exceptions being Theodore Roosevelt, who ran unsuccessfully for a third nonconsecutive term (although his first term was to finish the term of President William McKinley, who was assassinated—hence he was only elected once, for his second term), and Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected 4 times, served three full terms and died in his fourth after just over 12 years in office. Ulysses S. Grant also briefly sought a third nonconsecutive term, making an unsuccessful run for the Republican Party nomination in 1880. Since the amendment went into effect, three presidents have served two full terms: Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. Richard Nixon was elected to a second term but resigned before completing it. Current President George W. Bush will become the fourth should he complete his current term, on 20 January 2009. Lyndon B. Johnson was the only president since the ratification of the amendment to have been eligible to have served more than 2 terms, having served only 14 months of John F. Kennedy's term after becoming president following the latter's assassination. Harry S Truman himself was not subject to term limits, as the 22nd specifically states that it both did not apply to the current term of the president in office upon its ratification (Truman) or "to any person holding the office of president when this Article was proposed by the Congress" (Truman). He briefly allowed his name on the ballot for the 1952 election (but did not campaign), and officially withdrew after losing the New Hampshire primary.

Answer 5

It was a voluntary thing for presidents NOT to serve more than 2 terms...think it started with Washington...up until Frankin D. Roosevelt decided to keep running until he kicked the bucket. After him, a term limit of 2 terms was set into law.

Answer 6

He can if he has only served one full term. The constitution limits a president to two terms, 8 years.

Answer 7

The 14Th amendment to our constitution prohibits a President from serving more than two four year terms.

Answer 8

You can only have 2 4-year terms in presidential office.

Answer 9

Because constitutionally, presidents are limited to two terms or 8 years.

Answer 10

Because, unlike some other countries, we do NOT wan a 'President for Life'...think North Korea, certain African countries, etc.