Term Limits?

Question

Should we, the people, demand term limits of all our elected officals? And if so should we demand that a person can not seek elected office by moving from one elected office to another, remaining on government payroll for the vast majority of their lifes?

Pfo-
The first example that comes to mind quickly in Jerry Brown in California. He was the Sec of State 71-75, Governer 75-83, Mayor of Oakland 98 06, and is now the Attorney General. In between he held other government jobs. Just the first example that came to mind and I'm sure there are many others. I realize this is a State Goverment example, but by term limits I mean at all levels.

Calvin-
Why? We the people seem to want it. Why are we not allowed to have the things we vote for? Doesn't the constitution give us the right, as citizen's, to determine our fate thru vote? When did that stop being the basis of this country?

Answer 1

We desperately need term limits for Congress, and in my opinion, state legislators (at least in my state).

2 terms for any single office. I don't see a problem with running for different offices at this point. The most difficult thing is one politician getting so powerful in one specific place that they are almost impossible to get out, especially with all the legislation they enact to try to keep themselves there (such as the ridiculous campaign finance reform bill).

The question is, how do we get term limits? Do you think Congress is going to vote themselves out of cushy jobs? About the best we can do without a real revolt is to elect politicians that run on term limits as one of their issues. Whether they actually push for it when they get there is another issue entirely.

We could really use some leadership from the President on this issue. The President should push for it.

Term limits!

Regarding some earlier comments:

There are many politicians that "hop" from elected office to elected office. State legislator to Governor, Governor to Senate or President, Senate to President, House to Senate, councilmember to mayor, mayor to state legislator, Attorney General to Governor or Senate, it happens all the time.

Also, you can say we have term limits because we have elections but it simply is no longer good enough. We have a term limit on the President because we don't want the President becoming too powerful, there is no difference between this and Congress. These members of Congress are becoming very powerful and almost impossible to get rid of. Now you have limits on what people can donate to campaigns which helps the incumbants. Incumbant politicians are fund raising year around as they travel and do "the work of the people". If someone wants to challenge them it is almost impossible to raise enough money unless you are rich yourself. The average "Joe" can not compete.

There is no reason someone should be in Congress for 20, 30, 40 years or more. The Founding Fathers envisioned Congress being common men who go serve for a few years then return to their families and normal lives. Congress has turned into a career job and it shouldn't be this way. Fresh faces are needed and the current system no longer allows that because career politicians have put in place policies & laws that help keep them in office.

Most of the people in Congress are there because they have a lot of power & money and not because they are necessarily the best people for the job. I hate to break it to them but it does not take a rocket scientist to be in Congress.

Answer 2

Not to be pedantic, but we have Term Limits. They are called Elections. Happen every 2 years in Congress and every 6 years in the Senate.
Where is the Term Limit, provision in the Constitution?
Do you automatically think that the person who is elected by a Majority, for several terms, will be replaced by someone, who could not otherwise win, who is better? Or just Different?
If a Majority of America wants this as you say, then where are they on voting day?
Perhaps WE need to take responsibility for OUR votes, and not blame someone else...

Answer 3

You seem to have done a lot of thinking about this.

But you also raised three separate problems.

1. What background of cognitive training, experience, and standards-based tests should anyone be required to satisfy before they become a citizen let alone a governmentally-elected or appointed citizen?

2. Should there be term-limits to prevent someone from holding the same office past the 8 years recommended a an upper limit by many scientists and experts?

3. Should a person be barred from serving in any government capacity for a period of time AFTER exhausting a term limit--say four years; or should they be allowed to run for another office on the basis of their successful prior service?

The answer to question one is: Any citizen needs to think using the scientific method successfully, under supervised experience and then applying such thinking as a proto-citizen, young adult, etc.--up to the required readiness age and experience for each successive office...

The second question concerns term limits. I have studied the record of such limits and their being ignored; and for what it's worth, I evaluate these as necessary, especially so long as no cognitive, scientific or personality evaluations of worth are applied to 'candidates" who could be elected and electees who are so badly scrutinized and so seldom punished.

The third question, relating to a term of non-governmental work, I believe is unconstitutional once the other two questions have been resolved by teaching categorizing definitional methodology and application in non-coercive educational settings. But until category-level definitions, prioritized job descriptions, a court of business relations, conceptual-regulation of non-fictional statements, psychological evaluation of governmental servitors and MANY more safeguards are in place, the four year moratorium is desperately needed. Added to such, as a punishment administered to anyone convicted of misusing their office, should be forcing the perpetrator to live as a citizen slave of a public interest lawmakers' empire on $12,000 dollars a year, minimal health insurance and no income besides. That's what would act as a deterrent to government officers' crimes--that they'd have to live the way their moral and ethical betters do--those who always suffer rather than administer imperial presidential nonsense.

Answer 4

The only way that would be a real possibility is if it was grandfathered in (make the current Congress and Senate immune to it). The Democrats also heavily oppose this...so it would have to be a heavily weighted Republican Congress, Senate, and approving President to have such become law (it would have to be an amendment to the Constitution).

I think it would be a good idea, and I think the states would generally go for this yes.

Answer 5

Yes and yes. And while running for example for President they step down to focus attention where it belongs. You can not serve two masters. Constituents lose out as does the country when nothing gets done but money gathering and personal agenda. SO who cares are brave troops are dieing in more record numbers this summer? When is it vacation time off anyway?

Some die in those seats? And we get the wife. That works out just great. What will it take to stop ? If we could get a bill on the ballot on this maybe. But, low and behold Congress and the Senate need to agree to pass that on to initiate it.
They answer to a higher authority. Themselves of course.

Answer 6

If you want term limits, don't vote for the incumbent. There is no reason to prohibit an eligible candidate from running because he has already served (and served well).

Answer 7

I'm not aware of any politicians that hop from position to position to keep a job in politics. Care to provide any examples? We already have term limits in place for every official we can elect and replace. I fail to see where a problem is.

Answer 8

We the people have term limits in place and have since the beginning of our great Republic.

It's called vote the guy out!

Answer 9

That's why we vote every two years. Term limits are just a way of negating the will of the people.

Answer 10

We should demand term limits... it's called an informed, caring electorate and elections.

If they've been in there too long, then kick them out.