DeMint Pushes 'Term Limits for All'....Please support him and send messages to your senators to co-sponsor it!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Margie LaFitte on December 4, 2009 at 7:58pm

We can get a majority in congress next election and THEN get it passed.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Robert on November 24, 2009 at 10:17am

I cannot conceive of professional politicians actually supporting this concept, although it has some merit. Only allowing six years to serve in the House is probably not long enough. We do have term limits, as the politicians come up for re-election every 2 or six years. Let's limit the terms of Harry Reid and Chris Dodd; these liberal Senators are vulnerable!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Donald Koop on December 6, 2009 at 1:09pm

I heartily agree with Darla's support of term limits for Members of Congress. In fact, I had the following Commentary, "America needs citizen-lawmakers," published in the Roanoke (Va.) Times (http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/commentary/wb/228291) on Dec. 2, 2009:

***It’s time: Congressional term limits. What we are and are becoming as a nation has been achieved by letting people run for re-election as often as their constituents will vote them in. How’s that working for us? Massive debt, massive bills that we don’t want being pushed toward passage by every trick that can be brought to bear, disdain regarding the public, an “I know best” attitude. If the most powerful officer in the land is limited to eight years, why can’t the rest of them be limited as well.

If the generalities above aren’t sufficient reason, let’s look as some specifics. Multipli-elected legislators receive committee assignments almost exclusively as a result of their time in office. Better candidates with shorter service times need not apply. In this way, entrenched committee chairs become “powerful” with access to huge sums of money, influence, and favors. They use our own money to work against us.

Rep. John Murtha has built a reputation of bringing home the bacon to his district, including a little-used airport bearing his name. Senators Dodd and Conrad received sweetheart mortgage rates from industries they regulate. Ex-Rep. Jefferson “found” $90,000 in his freezer. Ex-Rep. Cunningham enhanced his salary by selling influence. Rep. Frank is still trying to control industries under his purview after contributing to the demise of some of them. Sen. Cochran has earmarked millions for his state and for his donors. Rep. Rangel can’t follow the tax rules his committee writes.

The spectacle of Congressional leaders conspiring to pass massive, complicated, little-understood health and carbon bills against the will of the majority of the people has gone on for months. Respect for Congress is very low; three-quarters of us don’t approve of what they’re doing!

If respect is so low, why don’t we do something about it? Mostly because of the huge advantage incumbents have against upstarts plus the fact that we think that the problem is with all the legislators but our own. Clearly, there is a problem that screams for a “clean house” revolt. Yes, some babies would be thrown out with the bath water but just as clearly what we have is a mess. How can we possibly do worse with a bunch of public-spirited short-timers? The sense of “citizen-legislators” is far more appealing then “career-politicians.” Sen. Byrd is too feeble to even get to work.

The answer, in my opinion, is term limits. Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina thinks so too and has introduced legislation to get it done. His “Term Limits for all” constitutional amendment (Google: “Term limits for all”) would limit Representatives to six years (three terms) and Senators to twelve years (two terms). I would prefer six years for each (three terms and one term, respectively). Sen. DeMint’s proposal has a long way to go. It must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate and must be ratified by three-fourths of the states. We have to start somewhere and this is a good first step. In all probability only the people want this done so it is the people who must get behind it. Write to your Representative and Senators!***

Send your message at: http://www.congress.org/ from the “Get Involved” box by entering your Zip Code and checking their names.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Patricia A. Woolard on December 8, 2009 at 7:46pm

I believe 2 terms are sufficient. After two terms most senators and reps become corrupt. A bill should be added to stop third year servers. No insurance after second term, No PAY FROM GOVT. AFTER LEAVING.

▶ Reply to This

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page