In the spirit of giving, good will, peace, harmony, and important institutional reform, how about giving ourselves and our posterity a generous helping of congressional term limits?
I mean a maximum lifetime tenure of “three (3) House terms and two (2) Senate terms and no longer limit,” as spelled out in the U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge that U.S. Term Limits invites candidates and congressmen to sign.
Alas, don’t expect a stack of 535 signed pledges.
Also, don’t expect a constitutional term limit amendment proposed by Congress to be wrapped up in a bow under our Christmas trees this holiday season … or the next. That gift, which our elected representatives could give to us, is not on the list they check twice.
We the people can only secure this reform by relentless pressure and activism. This very commitment is the gift we can give ourselves right now.
I’ve been fighting for term limits for decades. (Never mind how many!) But at the moment, I’m just echoing the heartwarming sentiment posted at the TermLimitsforUSCongress Facebook page: “The greatest gift that we could give to our children would be to stand together and put an end to the corrupt career politicians in the U.S. Congress.”
Term Limits for U.S. Congress is not to be confused with the nation’s leading grassroots organization fighting for the reform, U.S. Term Limits — especially since the U. S. House term limits proposed by TLUSC is more generous than either I or USTL can sign onto.
But giving ourselves the gift of congressional term limits? On that essential question, we are merrily of one mind.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
3 replies on “Merry Congressional Term Limits”
We have the ability to institute terms limits every election.
Unfortunately, we don’t use it.
So sad.
Our professional politicians are power seeking and corrupt. They are a political aristocracy who will continue to control the election process insuring their own reelection while denying us real choice. The only term limit that can achieve the removal of professional politicians from Congress is ONE TERM. Allowing an incumbent to run for the office he or she holds guarantees vote buying and corruption in the election process. Read An Act of Self-Defense for a better explanation.
Until we achieve one term term limits the professional politicians will own their offices and us.
Paul,
You might want to take another look at Term Limits for US Congress.
The proposed amendment is a blanket of 12 years for life in Congress, regardless of whether it is in the house, senate, or a combination..
The US Term Limits recommendation of 3 house and 2 senate totals 18 years in Congress, which if far more lenient than most people are willing to accept these days.
Last note: After California’s problems with Term Limits, a study was performed and the conclusion was that Term Limits are much more effective in a blanket, rather that segregating limits in the house and the senate.