Congressional term limits. I know, I know. It was a favorite idea of the Republican Revolution in 1994. Of course, this just goes to show that just because I am a liberal progressive doesn’t make me a Democrat necessarily. Anyway, let’s look at it. If you are term limited you don’t have to spend the entire time campaigning for votes. It would free you up to, gee, I don’t know, legislate now and then? Moreover, it might give some of our Senators and Representatives a little backbone to stand up for what is right and against what is wrong, not to follow the tides or try to attach themselves to coattails all the time. Let Senators serve two terms – that gives them some longetivity and some balance in each state, but doesn’t allow them to simply sit on their laurels all the time. Representatives get more chances, say, 4-5, but should still have to head out of town after that (or move on to the Senate, etc.)
Posted by: Dmitri Karamazov | September 24, 2006
You know what would be nice?
Posted in Politics and Society
No, a better idea would be to lengthen the Congressional term — 3 years instead of 2. That idea might not fly — it is, after all, the idea behind Triennial Parliaments, instituted by the Long Parliament in 1641. Short enough to allow turnover for dissatisfied electors, long enough to avoid constant campaigning.
Leaving aside the advantages of incumbency (which are themselves generated largely by the existence of organized parties, and not by the electoral system itself), legislators are intended to be the People’s representatives, and therefore the need for term limits is presumably far less than in the case of the Executive. But, if we recall, the US Constitution in its original form was not really big on term limits for any public official.
The problem with letting Senators have only two terms is that it would interfere with the Senate committees, which are governed according to seniority. For that matter, both the House and Senate assign committee memberships based upon seniority. While this practice tends to create institutional inertia, it does have the advantage of concentrating experience in places where it matters.
By: Ernesto Bolivar on September 26, 2006
at 9:27 pm