US Lawmakers Introduce Amendment to Limit Congressional Term

[Polyxo]

Which for the most part we have yet to see

Given it's a republican ticket across the board, don't see why this can't happen. It'd be a healthy step for the nation

It's nothing more than a step towards kakistocracy. What's worse is that much of the country seems thrilled to death about that prospect.

[DeltrusDisc]

As much as I want it - I really have to wonder... Cruz is pretty terrible and he wants it. O.o

[Stacyrect]

It's nothing more than a step towards kakistocracy. What's worse is that much of the country seems thrilled to death about that prospect.

That was a good word, I had to look that one up.

Personally, I'm all for it. It's a start and it's change from a system that has been failing us. I'd rather have a fresh congressman with a veteran staff behind him ready to make changes and vote with a conscience then a career politician who spends most of his career towing the party lines and survives in a scratch my back, I scratch yours washington

[Wells]

I for one want all my congressmen spending their time in office preparing for their next job.

[Ripster42]

I for one want all my congressmen spending their time in office preparing for their next job.

I fail to see how that would be significantly different than what many are doing now. Sometimes they even resign early. I, again, think the allowed time is too short, but we need someway to increase turnover.

[Wells]

I fail to see how that would be significantly different than what many are doing now. Sometimes they even resign early. I, again, think the allowed time is too short, but we need someway to increase turnover.

You fail to see how immediately being forced out of a job will make it worse than maybe not being forced out of a job? The revolving door is bad. Term limits make it way worse.

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I see no reason to think that legally mandated turn over helps anything. Voters still vote.

[Ripster42]

You fail to see how immediately being forced out of a job will make it worse than maybe not being forced out of a job? The revolving door is bad. Term limits make it way worse.

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I see no reason to think that legally mandated turn over helps anything. Voters still vote.

I'm saying this doesn't really do anything about the issue, while correcting another issue. And 12-14 years in the house followed by 18 in the senate (which is what I suggested in a previous post in this thread on the first page) isn't exactly a "revolving door;" it just gets rid of the extreme stagnation that happens in some instances, like what's happening with one of my state's senators.

[Wells]

I'm saying this doesn't really do anything about the issue, while correcting another issue. And 12-14 years in the house followed by 18 in the senate (which is what I suggested in a previous post in this thread on the first page) isn't exactly a "revolving door;" it just gets rid of the extreme stagnation that happens in some instances, like what's happening with one of my state's senators.

It doesn't "correct" anything unless you think voters being happy with their representation is a problem.

[Cthulhu 2020]

and this will just make that situation worse, if possible. Nothing like a bunch of newbies running around with their head cut off.

Yeah, I'm torn on this issue. It's not like getting rid of lifetime senators/congressmen will get rid of corruption. It will just wave in brand new people who are just as corrupt if not moreso, and way less experienced. Senators and congressmen, among other positions, take time for newbies to get used to things, and they often don't do that well in their initial couple of years, or when I say "well", they don't necessarily do poorly.

The only reason I believe presidential term limits are justified is that the president is... usually someone who has already served as a senator or congressman, or a cabinet position for another president, and actually knows what they're doing. But even with Obama, you could see where he kind of stumbled around his first couple of years and has only gotten better with age in the position.

Now he's on his way out and we get a man who admits he has no clue what he's doing and wants to fire nukes at anyone who upsets his fragile ego. What a fun few years we're in for...

[Damajin]

Yeah, I'm torn on this issue. It's not like getting rid of lifetime senators/congressmen will get rid of corruption. It will just wave in brand new people who are just as corrupt if not moreso, and way less experienced. Senators and congressmen, among other positions, take time for newbies to get used to things, and they often don't do that well in their initial couple of years, or when I say "well", they don't necessarily do poorly.

The only reason I believe presidential term limits are justified is that the president is... usually someone who has already served as a senator or congressman, or a cabinet position for another president, and actually knows what they're doing. But even with Obama, you could see where he kind of stumbled around his first couple of years and has only gotten better with age in the position.

Now he's on his way out and we get a man who admits he has no clue what he's doing and wants to fire nukes at anyone who upsets his fragile ego. What a fun few years we're in for...

Term limits for awhile were a rather big thing on the limited government right, nowadays there’s less people talking about it but it’s still a reasonably deep facet of the quest for a smaller, limited government. The thing I always remember is that the government was intended originally to be a part time gig not at 24/7/365 thing and certainly to the extent that it was a part time thing was the only real justification for the career politician.

Term limits with a diminished central government and some seriously hardline anti corruption regulations would be ideal as far as I and others who think like this are concerned. Minus any of those criteria and it just begs the situation to return to what we’re dealing with now and is more or less just a token gesture towards corruption and bloated centralization.

[Cthulhu 2020]

It doesn't "correct" anything unless you think voters being happy with their representation is a problem.

"Well we have to drain the swamp every few years. Why? Because it will get rid of that funky swamp water in the swamp. What are we going to fill it in with you ask? More swamp water, why do you ask?"

[Ripster42]

It doesn't "correct" anything unless you think voters being happy with their representation is a problem.

I think having someone working in government for that long is a problem. Someone who's 83 years old, who's not a lawyer, shouldn't be the head of the senate judiciary committee, essentially just because of seniority, nor making laws about telecoms and technology he doesn't use nor understand.

It corrects the problem (eventually) of the bias displayed towards electing incumbents. There's literally no chance that grassley won't be reelected until he retires. He's got way too much name recognition. It leads to a more rigid system than we should have.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Term limits for awhile were a rather big thing on the limited government right, nowadays there’s less people talking about it but it’s still a reasonably deep facet of the quest for a smaller, limited government. The thing I always remember is that the government was intended originally to be a part time gig not at 24/7/365 thing and certainly to the extent that it was a part time thing was the only real justification for the career politician.

If this was the case, it was only this way early on because our country was much smaller in population and the government back then was young and limited in scope. It was also a time when long distance communication was difficult and our country is vast. Having part time politicians in this day and age isn't really realistic.

You'll also realize that early on, precisely because the people who held political positions were mostly just wealthy land owners, who were part time representatives, there was a lot more disorder as well. People like to fantasize about the "good old days" when the country was young and there was practically no government and you could do what you pleased! It was heaven! In reality it was riddled with crime and violence everywhere. Poverty and famine were everywhere. Life wasn't all that peachy just because it's portrayed in a nice romantic way in the movies.

We want to learn from the past, not emulate it.

[Teebone]

It solves absolutely nothing. In fact it makes the real problem worse.

Instead of just scrambling around for donor money, they will be scrambling around for donor money AND look to curry favor so they can parachute into well paid post congressional jobs.

It also adds a lot more red tape issues with changing administrations. The founders knew what they were doing when they set the House and Senate to what they are.

[frogger237]

What's Cruz's angle on this? He's expecting to parachute into a SCJ slot before his "term" would expire.

I wonder how Jill Stein voter's feel about Cruz on the court for the next 30 years...

He knows it wont pass, but it will look good to the voters next time he runs for president.

[Wells]

I think having someone working in government for that long is a problem. Someone who's 83 years old, who's not a lawyer, shouldn't be the head of the senate judiciary committee, essentially just because of seniority, nor making laws about telecoms and technology he doesn't use nor understand.

Why? There's no reason that's inherently true. If people are unsatisfied with their representative they can vote him out.

[Ghostpanther]

3 2 year terms just seems like it will have a lot of chaos from turnovers happening constantly and so not much will get done...

I agree. While I am in favor of term limits, 3 2 years terms is sort of silly. Make it 2 6 year terms the same as the Senate. Interesting Cruz being a senator he would hold that position for them, but not for the house. :P

[Ripster42]

Why? There's no reason that's inherently true. If people are unsatisfied with their representative they can vote him out.

You don't think someone making laws about things they don't understand is a problem?

[Wells]

You don't think someone making laws about things they don't understand is a problem?

Of course it is. But term limits make that worse. Government is a skill, law making is a skill. When your entire legislature is freshmen your lawmakers are less capable of doing their job and rely on outside parties more to do so.

Governance benefits from experience, just like every other career.

[Jtbrig7390]

As much as I want it - I really have to wonder... Cruz is pretty terrible and he wants it. O.o

That alone shows how fucked up shit is when Cuz does/wants something and it makes sense.